AP Cages escape proof?

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I have AP t8’s with sliding glass doors with locks. I’m just wondering if they are actually escape proof or if it’s a potential hazard. I actually have a king snake in the particular cage I’m talking about but I’m asking here since it’s just a cage question not a snake question and I know this forum gets more traffic. He is eternally “hungry” and all I hear all day is him trying to figure a way out of the doors. He goes completely insane if he sees me trying to eat me. I don’t think it’s stress because he did the same in his old tub and I have plenty of plants covering up all the empty space. Normally it wouldn’t be that big of an issue if he did escape, but I also have a cockatiel in the same house and I know that would be his first stop. I’m with my cockatiel all day but at night he’s unattended. I may just be being paranoid because I’ve heard multiple stories lately of peoples pets eating their other pets (completely horrifying to me).

I’m also wondering if I assembled them wrong. Are the glass doors supposed to wobble slightly? It’s not by much but enough that when he’s pushing against them I hear the doors move forward then bounce back to the right spot. I would say it doesn’t move by more than a couple millimeters.

[303_enfield]

As long as you don't leave the door open or drill holes too large, he isn't getting out. Now, when your pulling an changing water bowls an turn around, he's gone.


Good luck!

[bcr229]

The doors do wobble a bit as otherwise there wouldn't be enough room to lift them out of the tracks for cleaning, moving the enclosure, etc. The doors are heavy enough though that even though they'll rattle when your king snake pushes on them, he shouldn't be able to slide them back and forth to open them and escape that way, which my retics have done when I forgot to put the lock back on...

[Charles8088]

How big is your snake? If it's small enough, a baby, it can squeeze through the space between where the sliding doors meet. I didn't think it was possible when they told me that, but sure enough I came home from work at 4am one time, and my girl was half way out. If I didn't catch her in the act, I would never have thought they can squeeze through such a small space.

[EL-Ziggy]

I've had hatchlings and adult snakes in AP enclosures and never had one escape.

[Charles8088]

This was my mbk, more than half-way out her AP T8 enclosure. If I didn't see it myself, and stop her, I would have had no idea how she got out if I didn't find her in the enclosure.

[Bogertophis]

This was my mbk, more than half-way out her AP T8 enclosure. If I didn't see it myself, and stop her, I would have had no idea how she got out if I didn't find her in the enclosure.

As a colubrid keeper for decades, I never doubted you one bit! Some will persist even if it means self-injury. Prevention is essential, always.

[Snagrio]

I know T8s have a "swinging door" option (either outwards like conventional doors or downwards like a drawbridge). Do those tend to be more secure since there's no gap between them like the sliding glass panels?

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Thank you everyone. He is about 5ft long. He tries to squeeze his head through the gap in the glass but can’t fit, let alone his body (he’s a Florida king so quite round).

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Snagrio, as far as I have researched they can actually be less secure. Apparently the doors can warp over time (especially if they’re constantly pushing) leaving enough room for them to squeeze out. They are made of acrylic only I think, I don’t think they have a glass option.