PVC & RHP: Reptile Basics vs. Animal Plastics & VE vs. Pro Heat

[RedRabbit]

PVC enclosures can be an excellent upgrade, so I'm eager to see whatever you decide on!

If you have the space to spare, I would actually suggest going for a little more height, i.e. at least 4' x 2' x 18". All of my cages are actually 4' x 2' x 2'. Firstly, it will give you more vertical space to put in a branch, rod or shelf for your BP to enjoy climbing for enrichment and exercise. Secondly, for your own comfort, you'll probably appreciate the extra room when you have to reach into the far back of the cage to clean it. When I'm doing a deep-cleaning, I sometimes find myself practically half-climbing into the cage to scrub the rear corners, and even though I'm a fairly slim person, I would feel pretty cramped with the 15" height.

For deciding on enclosure brand, Animal Plastics of course has a well-established reputation, but Reptile Basics seems to be of reasonably reliable quality as well. Snake Discovery recently did a video tour of the Reptile Basics facility that gives you a behind-the-scenes look at part of their cage-building process: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9D9osb5VdM

Alternatively, I will also throw in a recommendation for Focus Cubed Habitats. Their cages are definitely more expensive than Animal Plastics, but have a TON of customization options (including your choice of RHP installation) and are exceptional quality. All of my current cages are from Focus Cubed, and they were spectacular to work with. Here is their website: https://focuscubedhabitats.com/

This is the cage stack, plus matching base with thermostat recess and storage cupboards, that houses my BPs:



And this is the (even more customized) cage stack for my boas, including "header" and "footer" pieces to house their thermostats:



Lastly, regarding your question about RHPs - from everything that I've read, Pro Products are still the gold standard. With that said, I actually just have Vivarium Electronics RHPs in all my cages, since they were the default available option at the time I ordered, and they have been quite serviceable so far.