Ricky's Reptile Enclosure's...Woah!

[AliCat37]

When I say showcase cages I'm not talking about Ricky's, I am talking about http://www.showcasecages.com/

[Minpin1985]

AliCat37: You said: "Not bashing anyone who has their snakes in racks or tanks," but then you call them "tacky"?: "but I personally would not want anyone to see my animals or invite anyone over if they were in things that looked tacky." Calling my tanks "tacky" IS bashing me. Thanks! I LOVE my tanks though and they look very nice and there is plenty of room for my pythons move around in.

[Minpin1985]

When I say showcase cages I'm not talking about Ricky's, I am talking about http://www.showcasecages.com/

Just wanted to tell you, I am glad you put that website down. I checked it out and they have very nice cages for really inexpensive. I was very impressed. I have a few questions for you though about the cages: do most of the cages only have one spot for a heat bulb? If so, what about UVB bulb, or do pythons not really need one? For night bulb, do we just have to change out the bulb every day? Do you know how the cages hold heat/humidity? Do they hold it in well? What about the floresant light fixture? Does it come with the cage or where are we supposed to get it and the bulb from? Thanks!

[AliCat37]

Just wanted to tell you, I am glad you put that website down. I checked it out and they have very nice cages for really inexpensive. I was very impressed. I have a few questions for you though about the cages: do most of the cages only have one spot for a heat bulb? If so, what about UVB bulb, or do pythons not really need one? For night bulb, do we just have to change out the bulb every day? Do you know how the cages hold heat/humidity? Do they hold it in well? What about the floresant light fixture? Does it come with the cage or where are we supposed to get it and the bulb from? Thanks!

The 5 foot cages have two places for heat lights/uth. I use uth's in my tanks since all my snakes are nocturnal. I don't use night bulbs because I don't find it necessary to use any other heat than my UTH. You won't need a UVB bulb for any python. I just use a regular undercabinet light in my cages, as there are built in areas to put lights. Unfortunately the lights don't come with the cages, but the two foot lights I use in my cages I bought at walmart for $8. It would cost over $40 to buy a hood and light, when the walmart lights work just fine. In my opinion they hold heat and humidity in GREAT. I also covered the screen in the back where a heat light could go since that is right over the UTH. It helps hold in the heat, keeping the ambient air temp at 85 and the ground temp 90. I only have to mist the enclosures down once a week or less to maintain 60% humidity, but they hold higher than that just fine as well.

[AliCat37]

AliCat37: You said: "Not bashing anyone who has their snakes in racks or tanks," but then you call them "tacky"?: "but I personally would not want anyone to see my animals or invite anyone over if they were in things that looked tacky." Calling my tanks "tacky" IS bashing me. Thanks! I LOVE my tanks though and they look very nice and there is plenty of room for my pythons move around in.

I am sorry it came off as that I was bashing you. I have used many different tanks and tubs before, and though tanks are a huge step up from tubs in the ability to decorate them, I could not stand having them laying all over the place. I also live in a very dry climate, so I had to wrap the screen tops in seran wrap, which required tape to hold on. I also lost snakes before from malfunctions of cage clips. Opening from the top was also an inconvenience. Having the inability to stack tanks also held me back, because the tanks took up too much room. I simply don't have the room for four 55 gallon tanks. Having tanks scattered about simply looked bad to me. Tanks and tubs are simply unappealing to me and were unhealthy for my pets in my climate. I tried tubs after tossing my tanks, but they didn't look nice either, and it didn't leave me the ability to see my snakes, so they ended up in the closet. My Showcase cages look nice to me and are stackable. I also find that they hold in heat and humidity a lot better here. I also called the tubs tacky, not the tanks. Tubs have their place for breeders, I have to say that they are SUPER easy to clean and make great use of space, allowing one to keep many snakes. If I was a breeder I would be proud to show off a room full of tubs, but I only have four pet snakes. So, nothing against your tanks. It's just not what I find appealing.

[Minpin1985]

I am sorry it came off as that I was bashing you. I have used many different tanks and tubs before, and though tanks are a huge step up from tubs in the ability to decorate them, I could not stand having them laying all over the place. I also live in a very dry climate, so I had to wrap the screen tops in seran wrap, which required tape to hold on. I also lost snakes before from malfunctions of cage clips. Opening from the top was also an inconvenience. Having the inability to stack tanks also held me back, because the tanks took up too much room. I simply don't have the room for four 55 gallon tanks. Having tanks scattered about simply looked bad to me. Tanks and tubs are simply unappealing to me and were unhealthy for my pets in my climate. I tried tubs after tossing my tanks, but they didn't look nice either, and it didn't leave me the ability to see my snakes, so they ended up in the closet. My Showcase cages look nice to me and are stackable. I also find that they hold in heat and humidity a lot better here. I also called the tubs tacky, not the tanks. Tubs have their place for breeders, I have to say that they are SUPER easy to clean and make great use of space, allowing one to keep many snakes. If I was a breeder I would be proud to show off a room full of tubs, but I only have four pet snakes. So, nothing against your tanks. It's just not what I find appealing.

It's ok. I understand. I checked out that website and love the tanks they have but since we just purchased two Zilla Critter Cage Tanks, it will probrably be a year or two before we can afford to replace them. (I am sure you understand, seeing as how the economy is the way it is) but I know that someday we do want to replace our tanks with those and eventually whatever snakes/lizards we have, only use those at that website! www.showcasecages.com We have a difficult time keeping up the temp (usually stays 83 - 85 degrees in the hot spot) though so we have a heat light and UTH. Also the humidity is rough trying to keep up but we found a way to keep it 50-65 % humidity but I think once we get some of those cages, it will be easier. I know you said you live in a dry climate, so you cover a lot of the vents but remember that snakes to need ventalation or else they can get upper respitory infections...

[AliCat37]

I know you said you live in a dry climate, so you cover a lot of the vents but remember that snakes to need ventalation or else they can get upper respitory infections...

I actually had worse problems in my rack lol. I've never had respiratory infections in any of my critters, but their humidity had been too high and my bp ended up with some sort of scale rot? I'm not really sure in all honesty, but it went away after I bought these cages. It's like the top part of some of his scales started to flake away. But it went away once he moved and had a couple of sheds. I don't cover all of the vents, the ones in the front for the lights are not covered. I just cover the one over the uth. Either way there is more ventilation than in some other cages like boaphile or even some tubs. BUT that's a whole different story. My ball looks extremely bright now that he is in his showcase cage, it's like he looks as shiny and good as he does when he sheds, but it's 100% of the time.
I can definitely understand having to wait a while to afford a new cage! I too am waiting to get my next cage until I have some money. I just spent a bunch on building a cage and a lizard lol. I do have to say that I like the zilla critter cages, and if I had to get tanks again I'd go with them (mostly because I LOVE their tops).

OH and I forgot the other nice thing about these cages is that they came the exact same week I ordered them lol. And the 4 foot cage probably weighs as much as a 20 gallon tank. They're SUPER light. Which is nice for me since I'm tiny :x