What type of enclosure do you have?

[Boots]

Might as well start off a subforum on enclosures with a poll on the type everyone has. :)

[sschind]

Here is a picture of my newly finished, yet to be inhabited snake enclosure. Its a standard 55 gallon tank (48x13x21) with one side replaced with two home mede screens. The screens have an 1/8 inch gap that allows for a partition to be slid down separating the two sides or it can be removed for one large cage. The flip down front doors are glass with aquarium hinge. I've made a few of these now and they work great. I have two 75 gallon ones for my bearded dragon and collared lizards.

[Daniel]

Here are some pictures of my selfmade terraria-cupboards. The first one is only for my adult snakes:

http://www.gartersnake.de/Bilder/terrarien/terrarium1b.jpg

and the second one is for my semiadults or juveniles:
http://www.gartersnake.de/Bilder/terrarien/terrarium3.jpg

Best wishes,

Daniel

[Cazador]

Simply amazing! Do you provide supplemental heating, Daniel?
Rick

[Thamnophis]

Looking good, Daniel.

I´m going to create something like that this winter (if I can find the time).

And Sschind2... that looks like a big terrarium. Thos measurements are in inches, I guess.

[sschind]

Yes, those are in inches. The center divider makes each compartment 24x21x13 but it can be removed for larger snakes. I really like Daniels setups but I have more time than money and not mutch patience (or craftsmanship) when it come to working with materials of that nature. Plus I have an abundance of used and broken tanks so half my battle is already won. In the future though I may just stick with a standard 25 US gallon tank for my garter terrariums. Laying one on its side will actually give me a few more square inches of floor space (I'll lose an inch of height but that will actually help in the rack system I am planning) than the divided 55 gallon and it each one will be a lot lighter and easier to deal with.

[Stefan-A]

I use a home made one for my T.sirtalis couple. I don't have any good pictures of it, but here's two.

http://koti.mbnet.fi/thamnoph/extra/inprogress1.jpg

http://koti.mbnet.fi/thamnoph/extra/inuse1.jpg

Basically, it's a 21x21mm frame with 4mm birch plywood walls and two swing-down doors made from 4mm LEXAN. The size of the cage is 110x70x50cm (~43x27x19 inches). I had my reasons for choosing material this thin. I move a lot, so it had to be light. And it really is light as a feather, light enough for me to handle by myself.

It's my second attempt so I'm still just trying out a few ideas. My next enclosure will be better than this one. My first one was similar, but made of 12mm plywood with 6mm sliding glass doors. It was pretty light too, once you remove the glass doors, but I found the door solution impractical.

Off topic: Couldn't find any forum rules regarding image or file size. Are there any, or is common sense the rule here?

[Thamnophis]

Looks very nice, Stefan.

Lexan... that´s some kind of plexiglass, I believe?

Doesn´t this material get scratches easily?
How did you make those doors? Have you attached them at the upper side, so you can lift them by pulling them towards you? Are they hanging on hinges?

[abcat1993]

This is turning into a "build your own cage" thread. I want to build a cheap, light, and big. Although, I doubt my dad would let me get ANOTHER cage in my room; or any room :( .

[ssssnakeluvr]

All those are nice.....:rolleyes: I house mine in sterilite tubs....:o But then again I have about 40 garters at this time (and will be getting more.....and more......lol!)

[sschind]

All those are nice.....:rolleyes: I house mine in sterilite tubs....:o But then again I have about 40 garters at this time (and will be getting more.....and more......lol!)


Thats why I am selling off all my corns and most of my kings. When I first got into reptiles I always said I was not going to be one of those guys that keeps his snakes in drawers. I wanted them to be out on display. Well, with 100+ snakes displaying them all would be impractical (for me at least) so into the drawers they went. After a couple of years of basically keeping and not enjoying the snakes I decided to get rid of most of them and concentrate on fewer snakes so I could display them in cages. Actually my 6 garters are in 9" round deli containers right now and I even like them better than than the tubs.

Mind you, I am not opposed in the least to keeping snakes in tubs. There is nothing at all wrong with it, it's just not something I want to do. I know it is neccesary sometimes and that is fine.

[ssssnakeluvr]

I would love to house them in 10 and 20 gallon aquariums...don't have that kind of money and room tho!!!!!

[abcat1993]

I keep my newt in a 10 gallon, anole in 45/35 (nobody knows) tall, my garter in a 15/20 (they're all my dad's old tanks; he didn't even know they were in the garage still!), and my praying mantis (which eats pinkies :eek:) in a big plastic thing they sell at petco with the handles.

[Cazador]

That's one reason I like Daniel's setup so much. For the cost of a 40-50 gallon aquarium, you could make your own upright display case with a glass front. That way, the snakes remain clearly visible. The question is how to light each shelf and yet divide them into distinct sections at the same time.

[Stefan-A]

Looks very nice, Stefan.

Lexan... that´s some kind of plexiglass, I believe?

Doesn´t this material get scratches easily?
How did you make those doors? Have you attached them at the upper side, so you can lift them by pulling them towards you? Are they hanging on hinges?
Piano hinges attached at the bottom.

Lexan is polycarbonate, plexiglass is acrylic, but yes, both are plastics. Both have a density less than half of that of glass and neither shatters or breaks as easily. They are also easy to drill holes in etc. There are two major types of lexan, one with a relatively soft surface (comparable to acrylic/plexiglass) and one that has a surface that is as hard as glass and is in fact often used instead of glass. The only drawback is the price, they cost at least twice as much as glass and four times as much if you want the harder type.

[sschind]

I would love to house them in 10 and 20 gallon aquariums...don't have that kind of money and room tho!!!!!

I totally understand. I think most people would rather display their animals if they had a choice. Sometimes we do things out of necessity and that's the way it has to be.

[Thamnophis]

Piano hinges attached at the bottom.

Lexan is polycarbonate, plexiglass is acrylic, but yes, both are plastics. Both have a density less than half of that of glass and neither shatters or breaks as easily. They are also easy to drill holes in etc. There are two major types of lexan, one with a relatively soft surface (comparable to acrylic/plexiglass) and one that has a surface that is as hard as glass and is in fact often used instead of glass. The only drawback is the price, they cost at least twice as much as glass and four times as much if you want the harder type.

Piano hinges attached at the bottom, I like that idea!
Thanks for the answers.

[abcat1993]

is lexan or polycarbonate the stuff they make Nalgines (I don't remember how to spell it) out of?

[Cazador]

Yep. I believe lexan is the commercial name for the polycarbonate material.

[brain]

I built this for a buddy of mine. Top section floor space is 2'x4'.
The small section in between are for heat tape and lighting.
If you will note I have provided a hole which leads to a tub. The front was completed with a face frame which had slding doors. To cover the smaller section I made a drop down door.

http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=6&pictureid=13

http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=6&pictureid=15

http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=6&pictureid=14

My other cages are not this elaborate. Just small single units.

[gregmonsta]

My recent build ... again lol

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/DSC03589.JPG

... and the step by step :D

http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/enclosures/4597-task-commences.html

[adamanteus]

My almost complete vivs.... just need doors and decor.

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//537/medium/2009_0104vivs0002.jpg

[Snake lover 3-25]

wow james those are cool!!! yours too michael and greg!!!:)

[reptile3]

i just love Greg's!!! Brian great start!! James awesome!!

[adamanteus]

wow james those are cool!!!


Thank you, Shanley.:)

[adamanteus]

James awesome!!

Thank you, Stephanie.:)

[Stefan-A]

They're all very nice, especially compared to the ones I've made.

[infernalis]

James, Want to help me build one like yours in July while your here?

Think of it this way, it's like leaving some of yourself behind after you leave.

I certainly have the room to put one in, and after we do the first, I could just copy it later, and some day my snake room could look remotely like Gijs & Sabine's.

OK, wishful thinking there, note I said "remotely"

[Gijs & Sabine]

I certainly have the room to put one in, and after we do the first, I could just copy it later, and some day my snake room could look remotely like Gijs & Sabine's.

Thanks, Wayne :)
Gijs build it all himself as well, it's not so hard to make, it just needs a lot of calculation before starting ;)

[infernalis]

Your so welcome Sabine. I find your snake room very impressive.

[brain]

They're all very nice, especially compared to the ones I've made.

Stefan
Didn’t make yours of ¾” pine with the raised door … no the sliding door?

[Stefan-A]

Stefan
Didn’t make yours of ¾” pine with the raised door … no the sliding door?
I've made a few out of 18mm pine. Two with sliding doors, one with a hinged door and I have one I haven't finished yet. I've also made a couple out of plywood, with hinged and sliding doors. Most of the projects are over in "Yet Another Project".