The Fun Of Do It Yourself Snake And Other Reptile Cages

By Author: Mark Chapple
Total Articles: 3
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Are you nuts? You think banging your finger with a hammer is fun? No, I don't. But building your own snake and other reptile cages can be a fun and rewarding experience.

Before you even start, it is important to spend some time planning your reptile enclosure and carefully examining at how other cages are manufactured. Check out all of the parts, examine the locks, joins and vents. How is the lighting done? What about the heating?

Use this information to design your own cages, based on the needs of your reptile and its size. Work out the size of cage you require and design it accordingly, altering the basic designs as needed to suit your purposes.

Building something yourself is a great feeling. I personally enjoy the process of shopping for materials and deciding which is best for the purpose.

There are quite a few questions to consider, such as:

what should I make the base from

what is the best way to make a vent

how do you make the base water resistant

what sort of lock should I use

what sort of door should I use and how ...
... do I make it

what is the best light fitting

How should I heat it

Getting the materials home and the anticipation of starting your reptile cage is an exciting time. The will be frustrations to overcome, problems to solve but the feeling of accomplishing and achievement you finally get from building something yourself is fantastic.

Every time you go into the room and see the cages you made you can feel good about them. Sure, you will sometimes get a bit picky about the smaller details. What could you have done better, what if you had done this here etc. - well maybe next time.

Some people even use the skills they learn to make cages for other people and make a bit of money. Once you have the skills and tools it is easy. Even if you don not have all of the tools, there are ways around it. You can go to local cabinet makers when you need something cut to size that is too large for you to handle. They are generally happy to oblige for a small fee and you get a perfectly square piece of timber.

On a final note, making your own cages is a fun and rewarding experience and is recommended it to anyone considering it.
About the Author Mark Chapple is the author of "How to Build Reptile Enclosures". Find out how to build snake and other reptile cages. Full color pictures, detailed diagrams and easy to follow, step-by-step instructions. Plus a host of reptile keeping hints and tips. http://www.reptile-cage-plans.com