Lightweight, attractive enclosure for 1 snake?

[Bogertophis]

I SO understand...I have some very large glass tanks that are a stretch for me to reach into the bottom of as well, but in part because of the height of the
furniture they're sitting on. So maybe you need to re-think what this tank is setting on? It's not hard to find a coffee table (etc) that a 40 gal. tank will fit on,
& remember, stretching is good for you.

Heat lamps are ok as supplemental heating, but first off I'd recommend using UTH (under tank heat). You don't want a heavy glass tank sitting on wires, so
what I use is rubber weatherstripping that comes on a flat roll (available in any hardware/home improvement store)- it's peel & stick & I install it on the bottom
edges of all my tanks, leaving a few gaps (1-2") for wires to go thru and for the UTH to "breathe" as required for safe operation.

If you're a "do-it-yourselfer" like I am, & obviously gunkle is, there are ways to customize (re-purpose) furniture cabinets to be both practical & functional while
looking good, but honestly for what you want, I think the prices on "showcasecages" are not bad at all, when you add up both know-how & features you want.
I have no feedback about their cages one way or the other, I always recommend further investigation, especially for such an investment, but I see why you like.

There is/was? a company that builds cages with hoods, but you'd still have the height issue, & as you say, you plan to be dealing with this for quite a while. For
that matter, a local handyman (one that doesn't pass out when he or she sees a snake) might be able to help you with a custom hood without it costing "an arm
& a leg". BTW, glass tanks are NOT all the same exact dimensions for any given capacity, so before you invest in a ready-made "hood", measure TWICE & check
carefully with the source. Have you checked with any local tropical fish shops? They may know of someone who could help you customize with a hood, etc.