Give me your ideas!!

[soulweaver]

here's the deal.

if you were going to build 70 cages for pythons and you wanted to make it easy to clean and quick, without costing an arm and a leg, what would you build it out of?

or if you prefer how would you build them?

they need to be a mixture of 2,3, and 4 foot cages.

There has to be an easy way to do this, so hoepfully someone has thought of something i haven't.

cheers

SW

 

[CodeRed]

I have always wanted to fibre glass the floor of the enclosure so the poos just wipe off ... no more scrubbing when they miss the paper.

 

[SNKMST]

I always wanted to have side opening doors instead of sliding with no lip on the bottom so that everything could just be scraped out with a squigie (spelling).

 

[snakes4me2]

I saw a pic on here somewhere the other day and it had a slide out base which I thought was a good idea as you could just slide it out and hose it down (plastic or something similar i spose). As for the rest I would think that malamine would be but the cheapest.

 

[pythoness]

Contact your local cabinate maker. they have access to a waterproof melamine type thing. it's a bit extra but would fix the problem altogether

 

[shamous1]

I heard of a guy in Melton who makes light-weight plastic cages. I can't remember who told me though. I'll see what I can find out.

 

[Boxing_pelican]

Getting 70 cages for pythons that dont cost an arm and leg is a little ambitious.
The slide out base sounds like a good idea.

 

[OuZo]

Getting 70 cages for pythons that dont cost an arm and leg is a little ambitious.

Lol he means each cage...as opposed to your standard melamine cage price

 

[mysnakesau]

I'll second the melamine - kitchen cupbaords aren't hard to wipe over, surely a snake box couldn't be any different. It looks nice and clean, easy to clean without scrubbing or worrying about it getting wet, and cheaper than some of your fancy timbers that would need waterproofing.

My hubby is making me a snake enclosure, as we speak, out of melamine. All sides are solid with glass sliding doors at front and used household airvents in the back wall. Has cost us around $100, but mind you we pick up fairly cheap material from a local factory-seconds place.

Someone will guess where I pinched this idea from . He deserves all credit but I am always uncertain of naming ppl on the open forums, even just their user name, without their permission.

Kathy

 

[soulweaver]

Re: RE: Give me your ideas!!

I always wanted to have side opening doors instead of sliding with no lip on the bottom so that everything could just be scraped out with a squigie (spelling).

This is a good idea, i also like the aspen idea in teh reptile mania dvd, where the dude just goes around with a vaccume cleaner.

 

[CodeRed]

Re: RE: Give me your ideas!!

I always wanted to have side opening doors instead of sliding with no lip on the bottom so that everything could just be scraped out with a squigie (spelling).

This is a good idea, i also like the aspen idea in teh reptile mania dvd, where the dude just goes around with a vaccume cleaner.

I like the aspen idea too but the missus wont let me suck up snake poos with her new dyson.

 

[Tristis]

RE: Re: RE: Give me your ideas!!

what she dos'nt know wont hurt her

 

[Magpie]

RE: Re: RE: Give me your ideas!!

Best bet would be to go and steal somone elses I reckon.
If there was a cheap and effective way, we'd all be using it and people would be looking for an even cheaper way.
The only way you will get 70 cages without spending a heap is to use plastic tubs.

 

[soulweaver]

RE: Re: RE: Give me your ideas!!

I was talking about per cage, not for all 70.

 

[pugsly]

RE: Re: RE: Give me your ideas!!

If you built them all yourself in 3 banks of 2x2x2's 3x2x2's and 4x2x2's it works out at less than $100 per enclosure, but thats still adding up to $7000.. so unless you know a cabinet maker who can get you cheap Melamine, and a Glazier for the glass then its going to cost you a GTP...

 

[OuZo]

RE: Re: RE: Give me your ideas!!

We're more looking for ideas on diffreent cage designs (and even substrates) which are quicker and easier to clean than pulling out newspaper and disinfecting each time. Watching Reptilemania inspires ya

 

[Ricko]

RE: Re: RE: Give me your ideas!!

id be asking around for mates who know people. thats how i got everything. did 2x 4x2's at $120 for wood and then the fitout

 

[SNKMST]

RE: Re: RE: Give me your ideas!!

heheh i didnt think you would notice I stole the squiggie idea haahahah

 

[NoOne]

70 Good cages will cost an arm and a leg basically, once you add in electical stuff, stats, vents, glass, track etc.
As far as easy cleaning BC is to clean but it does cost money and you have to do a total clean from time to time.
As far as cleaning newspaper/butchers paper and disinfecting each time is the best way to keep them clean, anything that your not disinfecting each time isn't going to be as 'clean' but thats not to say it's needed.
I don't think theres going to be a way to re invent the wheel when it comes to cleaning without alot of mucking about.

One way you can save ALOT of money on melamine is by buying offcuts from kitchen/cabinet markers, most have a few scuffs and dents in them but once they are cleaned it's not noticable.
If you are building them to sell then that wouldn't be worth doing, but if it's for yourself it's great, all the melamine cages i have are built out of offcuts and they look the same as the brand new.
You do get some funky colors though (which i like) not just white, green, blue, brown, eicky looking 70s fake timber style :lol:

I built a cage 1600x 1500x 600 out of offcuts and it cost me about $70 for the melamine.

 

[NoOne]

Heres an example of a cage i did a little while ago, each enclosure is 950wx550dx500h, the melamine cost $40, glass and track $150, microclimate stat $130, globes and wiring $20.
$340 all up.