Cage Help

[ride_gnu]

OK, it's time to upgrade my tank, so I am wondering what I should go with;

1) All glass fish tank
2) Screened Terraium
3) Wood sides, wood back, wood top, and glass front.


I want whichever one will be best for my snake and easiest to maintain temperature and humidity. And if I do go for wood are their any types I should steer away from, and do BP's need a breese through their tank?

[jgauger]

If you're worried about temp and humidity...screen is no good, glass is little better. I honestly love some of the home made wooden ones I've seen in various posts on this site...I would bet they would be best for temp and humidity.

[cinderbird]

OK, it's time to upgrade my tank, so I am wondering what I should go with;

1) All glass fish tank
2) Screened Terraium
3) Wood sides, wood back, wood top, and glass front.


I want whichever one will be best for my snake and easiest to maintain temperature and humidity. And if I do go for wood are their any types I should steer away from, and do BP's need a breese through their tank?

There are many people who use fish tanks or glass critter keepers and are successful with them. Generally, they require more work than other types of caging. Glass loses heat quicker than other types of caging like plastic or PVC. Critter keepers generally also have screen tops which means humidity is tough to keep at an appropriate temperature. You can always cover most of the screen with seran wrap and tin foil or a plexiglass sheet to keep in humidity.

Screen cages are not appropriate for ball pythons because they will not allow for a proper heat gradient or humidity to be present in the environment.

Wood, from what i've read is not a popular material for building. Wood is porous and difficult to clean. Sealing the wood could keep it working for a little while but the humidity requirements of balls generally keep people from using wood in an enclosure. That and heating wood is difficult since you cant really put an UTH on the bottom, however you could always put the UTH in and then put something like linoleum tile over it but you'd have to seal it.

A lot of keepers use rubbermaid tubs to keep their snakes in or other types of sweater box caging. This is good because it is easy to stabilize a temperature gradient and keep humidity at proper levels.

With any type of caging, you need a good thermostat Hope that helped you decide what kind of caging would work for your snake.

[Bart]

Out of the choices you have given, I would say #3 is the best. I think an even better choice is to purchase one of the manufactured PVC cages (Animal Plastics, Boaphile, etc.). You won’t have a problem with humidity with these.

[ride_gnu]

I was checking out cages from boaphile and animal plastics, how are these cages heated and illuminated?

[starmom]

I was checking out cages from boaphile and animal plastics, how are these cages heated and illuminated?

I don't know about Boaphile, but on the AP site there is a menu of options (to the right) that lists the heating options (flex, cable) and also an option for a light if you choose.

Since you are looking at cages, I also recommend checking out Reptile Basics: http://www.reptilebasics.com/2x3-Cag...h-p-16286.html. Rich (owner) is a stand-up guy to deal with and offers flex watt or RHP's for heating and also offers a light. I have 6 of his cages and also have RHP's from him and I think he has a really terrific product