Homemade ball python cage

[nootcakes]

I was wondering if there are any plans out there for a ball python enclosure. all i could find were plans that cost money, and I'm not about to pay money for some PDF file. so if anybody would like to share any plans with me that would be cool.

[takagari]

just make a box with an openining the front..

not much to it
I know there are lots of plans out there for DIY plywood aquariums. I would look into that and just modify (ad a top)

[dr del]

Hi,

We have a whole caging forum.

There are plans there for racks and discussions on building different types of enclosures.


dr del

[DmR20588]

I made my cage out of a big sterilite tub that I just cut big holes out of the top and hotglued in some screen segments to prevent her from escaping. Also a lot of airholes around the sides.

I originally bought a 40g breeder tank that ran me about $130, then I returned it and got my $11.53 tub with about $5 worth of screen.



Since the picture I've cut out another huge hole in the top and covered it with screen because my humidity levels were getting way too high.

[Argentra]

Humidity was too high because you didn't melt enough holes in the upper sides of the tub. You can have a complete screen top for a plastic tub and the humidity will STILL be high unless you also melt enough holes in the tub itself. I learned this with a grow-out tub for mice.

And that tub is probably the same size I use in my homemade rack. 90qt. That's another option for building, since snakes are ADDICTIVE! I started with two and now have 12 with my BF wanting to get one of his own now.

As far as indiv. wooden cages go, once I get my busy self around to building the cages for my corn snakes, I'll have a step-by-step tutorial on my web site.

[nootcakes]

thanks for the great responses and i will look into them.

[nootcakes]

if i were to build a wooden cage with glass in front, and the wood was pine (contains phenol) but the wood was sealed with a clear selant or of some sort stain would this harm the snake?

[Ridley]

I recommend building a rack system using the pre finished wood you can get at lowes. It just happens to come in 16"x36"sizes which is exactly the width of a sterilite 1720(i believe) container, and leave ya a 3" lip to put whatever you need in front of the cage. I then use the same finished side boards but in a 30" width, and these are the only boards you need to cut really. Makes a fantastic cage, and you can make the rack hold 4-6-8 tubs, just depends on how long you make the sides. I use one foot of 11" flexwatt for each tub, and I personally go 6 high so i can plug the 6 flexxwatt strips into a 6 way outlet, then that outlet into the herpstat.

I stain the wood to preference, then use SPAR POLYURETHANE to seal the wood. keeps the moisture out and the cage will last decades.

The wood will cost around 100$, and the flexwatt around 60$.

[Argentra]

For my building, I use exterior roof/wall grade A project plywood 3/4". To seal, use about 3 coats of water-based polyurethane and paint or stain to preference. I like using Rust-Oleum latex-based paint. Whatever you use make SURE you leave it in the sun to cure for at least 2-3 days if not a week.

You can build individual cages or a rack for tubs to whatever dimensions you wish. A 4'x8' sheet of the ply runs about $20 at Lowes and you can get quite a few pieces out of one sheet.

[nootcakes]

thanks