So I know many of you are breeders, or otherwise keeping snakes in such a large quantity that the rack systems are simply the most practical caging solution. This post concerns my idea for a "show" cage, and I wanted to get opinions relating to the viability of this idea AS a "show" cage. I know rack systems are convenient, affordable, and offer many advantages over more attractive options, but again, this is an idea for a show cage.

So here it is. I'm talking to my wife a few days ago, and we're discussing the various options to build an attractive, large showcase cage for our ball python without having to spend thousands of dollars. I said we needed something big, easy to get in to and out of, and waterproof. So you know what she comes out with? This is pure genius, I think...

A shower stall.

Let me say that again, give you a chance to let it sink in.

A.

Shower.

Stall.

Imagine it! You buy one of those three piece modular shower inserts from Home Depot or something, and a tub and sliding clear shower door with it. You'll either have to finish the outsides with firring strip and drywall, and have a huge stand-alone unit, or find a corner in your home and have two of the three sides already finished. Then, you just have to build a false wall or some other way to finish the last raw side. Then, some clean attractive way to put a lid on the whole shebang, but that wouldn't be too difficult, and a latch of some kind for the sliding door. Finally, cap the drain on the underside.

So what you're left with is an enclose that's five feet long, three feet wide, and five or six feet tall, for under $1,000. The bottom will hold water, so you could give your python a five foot long basking pool deep enough for full summersion. Inside, there's room for an entire tree! And with the framing on the outside to anchor screws into, there's room for all sorts of basking platforms, shelving, and ropes or vines.

Obvious problems:

How to cap the top. I'm imagining building a "drawer" that'll slide into some heavy duty slides mounted on either side (since it makes the most sense to build the whole thing into a corner anyway). With a false front on it, you could arrange basking lamps and a humidifier on the top and they'd be invisible. It would be difficult to fit the whole thing plumb enough to avoid escape-able gaps, but it could be done. Rotating latches would keep it from sliding forward until you wanted it to.

Heating. It's a lot of space to heat, both horizontally and vertically.

Anyway, that's my idea. Sound off!