| When I was making my first cage my wife Cheryl | | | | as the half roof - something I neglected to think of |
| came out into the shed and asked me what I was | | | | at the time. |
| doing. I mumbled or grunted something about "building | | | | I also chose to make my own heat mats using |
| snake cage" whilst earnestly trying to figure out | | | | Flexwatt. My first commercial mat was far too hot |
| some small detail or putting in an annoying screw (I'm | | | | and buckled one of my plastic cages and the timber |
| not sure which), to which she rolled her eyes and | | | | it was sitting on. I had to throw it out. According to |
| ambled back into the house - I believe shaking her | | | | the instructions it was supposed to self regulate and |
| head and possibly rolling her eyes. | | | | not require a thermostat. It didn't work. So I decided |
| Anyway, I wanted to make a good cage. I had | | | | to make my own heat mat and attach it to a |
| made one already but it was far too small as I had | | | | thermostat. No problems so far and the results are |
| divided it into two sections by placing a timber divider | | | | far better. |
| in the middle. It cut the cage in half and was close | | | | To make the mat, I drilled holes in the back of the |
| enough to the floor to prevent interaction while | | | | snake cage and dismantled an old electrical cord. I |
| leaving enough space to slide a heat mat under. It | | | | attached a plug I bought from the hardware and |
| covered about 1/2 to 2/3 of the cage either side of | | | | attached it to one end and I soldered the other ends |
| the middle. | | | | onto the mat. I wanted to use a detachable plug so I |
| I decided to do it that way as it cheaper than | | | | could thread the cord through a small hole in the back |
| making two cages and the two children's pythons | | | | of the cage. I wanted the hole to be small enough to |
| were still small, having just graduated from the plastic | | | | prevent escape, even by small snakes. |
| containers. (When I housed them in the plastic | | | | The soldering was a bit difficult as the soldering iron |
| containers I used small terracotta plant bases for | | | | had not been refurbished ( I have since refurbished it |
| their hides. I cut a little out of the side of the base | | | | and it works perfectly now - you can find out how |
| for the entrance - this is a good tip for juveniles and | | | | to refurbish you soldering iron in my book "How to |
| young snakes or lizards) | | | | Build Reptile Enclosures".) |
| I housed the two juvenile carpet pythons in that | | | | I also had to drill a small hole in the back of the cage |
| cage, one each side, but as they grew I knew I | | | | for the thermostat probe, which sat on top of the |
| needed to make another cage. | | | | heat mat. I stuck the heat mat down with some |
| So I did some research and with a bit of help from | | | | tape but have since used double sided tape or clear |
| pet shops and some research on the web I was able | | | | duct tape as holds on better and longer. |
| to come up with what I thought was a simple snake | | | | You can put the heat mat on the base and then |
| cage plan. | | | | placed thin ply or something similar over the top. I |
| A snake cage design that: | | | | have yet to try this method. I have even seen |
| - was easy to make | | | | snake cages where tiles were glued and placed over |
| - was strong | | | | the heat mat, after applying a layer of glue or similar |
| - looked good | | | | substance. I now use inexpensive vinyl over the heat |
| - had appropriate thermal properties | | | | mat, as it is easily cleaned, and have newspaper or |
| - had easy access | | | | other substrates on top of that again. |
| - was lockable | | | | Melamine also makes a good base as it is easily |
| - was easily maintained. | | | | washable. Silicone should be placed around the edges |
| I suppose I should back up a bit and tell you how I | | | | to prevent water damage and leakage into the joins, |
| made the first snake cage. Having two juvenile | | | | but there is a trick to making a smooth silicone joint. |
| snakes about to graduate from their small plastic | | | | Placing the lights in the snake cage is relatively easy. I |
| cages meant I needed accommodation. Initially I | | | | decided that I would place an in-line switch to each |
| thought I had to make two snake cages with two | | | | light so I could control them from outside the cage |
| sets of heat mats, thermostats (I know there are | | | | without having to scrounge around finding the cord |
| alternatives), lighting and twice the amount of | | | | or a switch on a switch board. I have since |
| materials. | | | | automated all of these using timers. |
| So I decided, after multiple diagrams and fiddling | | | | I have quite a good range of tools in my shed but I |
| about, to make one cage and divide it in half. I still | | | | really didn't need a lot to make the cages. I think for |
| needed to heat both sides. I placed a divider in the | | | | most people, cutting the timber square is one of the |
| cage. It was close enough to the floor to prevent | | | | biggest issues. There are ways around this so that |
| the snakes going underneath yet high enough to | | | | constructing the cage is relatively easy (you can find |
| allow the Flexiwatt heat pad to slide underneath. | | | | these out in the book "How to Build Reptile |
| I also made the divider so that it fitted in the cage | | | | Enclosures"). |
| exactly but only held in place by screws. These | | | | I did a lot of looking around at various cages, trying |
| screws could then be removed if I wanted to make | | | | to determine the best material to build them from. I |
| the cage larger and build a second cage. | | | | built mine using MDF. I use it for a number of reasons. |
| I made a number of mistakes with this cage. | | | | - It has good thermal properties |
| The front was glass but it was fitted and did not | | | | - It's easy to use |
| slide or move. There were two hinged lids on top, | | | | - It comes out well painted |
| one for each side. As I had no experience, it didn't | | | | - It's easy to sand |
| occur to me that his was a poor design. I soon found | | | | - It does not buckle easily |
| that it was. I should have at least made a door at | | | | - You can work with relatively thin (1/2") material |
| the front, either sliding or drop down. The top door | | | | making it not too heavy |
| was a good idea, but not on its own. | | | | You do need to be a bit careful cutting it and I would |
| I chose to make the door on my new cage a single | | | | advise using a mask. It can be very dusty. |
| drop down door for a number of reasons. | | | | You also need to be a bit careful putting in screws. |
| First and foremost was ease. I didn't have to slide | | | | Put them in too hard and you damage the hole. They |
| the door and get a reptile from the other end as the | | | | will not hold properly. |
| snakes don't move out of the cage very quickly. If | | | | I would not advise making a snake or other reptile |
| you have dragons or frisky reptiles it is better to | | | | cage from pine or cedar. These materials can be |
| have either a sliding door or two drop downs or, | | | | dangerous to reptiles. A few pieces of pine for |
| alternatively a combination ie a drop down door at | | | | framing is fine but not the whole cage. |
| the front with a hinged roof on top. This allows ease | | | | Another good material is plywood. I do not use it |
| of access from above to retrieve the reptiles and | | | | mostly because it can be splintery. It does look good |
| also ease of access from the front for cleaning and | | | | however if you finish it with a timber finish a clear |
| accessorizing. | | | | coat. |
| Drop down doors are the easiest to make and the | | | | I also painted my cages (spray paint gives a nice |
| most forgiving of mistakes, particularly plexiglass. | | | | finish). I let them dry out for about a week before I |
| Drop down glass doors and sliding doors require a | | | | put the animals in there. This is to ensure that the |
| little more effort, and time. If you have limited room, | | | | paint has time to cure and that the amount of vapor |
| a sliding door is much more satisfactory. All my | | | | it releases has declined enough to be no threat to |
| subsequent cages have sliding doors but that is a | | | | the snakes. You can pop your head in the cage after |
| personal choice. | | | | 4 or 5 days and smell the inside of the cage. When |
| As I had carpet pythons, I did not need to have a | | | | the paint smell has almost gone ,the snake or lizard |
| UV light - usually you can use supplements to provide | | | | cage is safe to put the animals in. |
| any extra dietary needs with snakes. If I had wanted | | | | After painting it's just a matter of adding locks, door |
| to put in a UV light for a lizard in the first reptile cage | | | | holders and accessories like climbing branches, rocks, |
| I made, I would have had some difficulty because | | | | hides, water bowls, fake rock walls and whatever |
| the hinged roof and fixed front would have made | | | | you fancy. |
| the angle of access when installing a light difficult. I | | | | My children's pythons, blue tongued lizards and |
| had effectively eliminated half the roof and could not | | | | bearded dragon now happily live in their respective |
| access the back of the cage roof easily. The light | | | | habitats. |
| fitting should have been installed at the same stage | | | | |