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 #2212201


FuriuZ_BoaZ
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 Boas cages glass or wood?

ive had my boa trixie in glass since ive had her two years ago and i know she was held in glass when i bought her from the pet shop but ive been doing alot of checking and it seems some people hate glass im looking at getting a permanent house for her and i have the options of a 7 foot long 2 foot wide wooden container or a 6 foot long 2 foot wide glass container both are great deals for what they are even tho i think i can make a better house for her out of wood (im very skilled with my hands) i was just wondering if there is really a diffrence to the snake? will she care either way?
03/30/11  02:08pm

 #2212203


Fairy Frog Mother
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   Message To: FuriuZ_BoaZ   In reference to Message Id: 2212201


 Boas cages glass or wood?

Wood for energy and heat efficiency- definately.
Glass is a bear to keep heat and humidity at proper levels in. For your own sanity, Id go for wood.



03/30/11  02:20pm

 #2212282


FuriuZ_BoaZ
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   Message To: Fairy Frog Mother   In reference to Message Id: 2212203


 Boas cages glass or wood?

thanks FFM and after reading the forums all day and night i had a feeling if you responded you would say that lol thanks still not sure thinking about building my out out of a dense wood to keep mold out and humidity in
03/31/11  12:27am

 #2212306


Cphill58
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   Message To: FuriuZ_BoaZ   In reference to Message Id: 2212282


 Boas cages glass or wood?

I am in the process of building a 2x2x4 enclosure for a RTB ...I will post pictures of the steps this week end ..part of it is done so those won’t be shown but I can answer questions...

Cp
03/31/11  02:03am

 #2212350


FuriuZ_BoaZ
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   Message To: Cphill58   In reference to Message Id: 2212306


 Boas cages glass or wood?

awesome thanks Cp cant wait to see them
03/31/11  12:33pm

 #2212444


Cphill58
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   Message To: FuriuZ_BoaZ   In reference to Message Id: 2212350


 Boas cages glass or wood?

Me too...LOL

weather is supposed to be cooling off again , but I hope it won’t rain...last weekend it snowed an inch ruining all my plans of working out side with saws and stuff...

Cp
03/31/11  11:20pm

 #2212451


ShadowAceD
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   Message To: Cphill58   In reference to Message Id: 2212444


 Boas cages glass or wood?

Both have good and bad points.

Wood:

Good - Holds humidity well, easier to maintain temperature, offers more security if only the door allows for the animal to be seen. Can be custom built easier. Can often stand on its own and does not need a stand to be placed one. Offers a surface for animals to rub on to help in the shedding process.

Bad - Porous (sp), can harbor bacteria, mold, fungi, other harmful chemicals, materials ... etc. etc. Incredibly heavy. Harder to move around. Often needs to be sealed to avoid damage from water. Excessive humidity, weight or misplacement can cause warping and permenant damage.

Glass:

Good - Not likely to culture bacteria, fungi or any of the above mentioned. Already assembled.

Bad - Notoriously difficult to maintain proper temperature and humidity. Leaves animals feeling more prone. Heavy, bulky and often difficult to move on its own. Rarely can stand alone and needs a piece of furniture to rest on. Does not offer a place for an animal to rub on to help with shed. Can break easier than wood. Animals are more likely to strike in it since they have no concept of glass.

If you go with wood, I would suggest finding a type of "contact paper" to seal the wood with to avoid the probelms of exposed wood. This also keeps you from having to seal the wood and risk harming your animal. Below is an example of my set up. You can see that the white is not the wood, nor is it paint, but an adhesive "contact paper" that keeps harmful material from being harbored in the naturally porus surface of the wood.




03/31/11  11:52pm

 #2212453


Cphill58
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   Message To: ShadowAceD   In reference to Message Id: 2212451


 Boas cages glass or wood?

I will be using sheet vinyl to water proof the interior.

Previous lizard enclosure build:
Piece of junk wood box that was for sale ...10.00 ...previous occupant was a snake...wood was soiled and stained with fecal matter. Treated with bleach and vinegar and rinsed with water. Allowed to dry sanded mechanically and then covered the interior with panel board. 9.99 for 1 sheet (4x8) The exterior was then sanded and painted with STONE TEX and then sealed with clear (satin coat).

Made a 5" front to keep substrate in and allow sliding plexiglass tracks to be mounted bottom and top. Added lights and vents sealed all interior joints with clear caulking.... Allowed to dry some more.
Overall the euros loved it ...








A few staples to make sure the board and glue set well...





This was a rush job for some friends that were moving across state and I needed to baby sit their mali euros...This time I am making a much nicer enclosure ...with greater thought into the humidity the boa requires.

Cp







04/01/11  12:37am

 #2212554


FuriuZ_BoaZ
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   Message To: Cphill58   In reference to Message Id: 2212453


 Boas cages glass or wood?

ok so i have made up my mind and i am going to build my girl a house out of wood <.< lol now i see that most say 4x2 or 6x2 but is there such a thing as to big i know that housing a larger cage is an issue but i wanted to make her a 8x3x2 long and wide she is currently 5 foot 7 inches is that to large for her? should i prepare to put a devider up while she grows into it? i know that moving it will be a huge hassle but im a big dude and know alot of other big dudes im planing on making 3x3 platforms to get it off the floor so standing it would be 8x3x2 standing 3 foot tall i might goto 8x2x2 FFM says over 2 high is a hassle to heat properly so im trying to learn i love my girl and havent always treated her the say i should and she deserves the best i can provide and 8x2x2 gives lot of room for her to have alot of stuff to keep her happy but is it to big? i hear alot about loosing themselves is that bad?
04/01/11  11:34pm

 #2212558


ShadowAceD
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   Message To: FuriuZ_BoaZ   In reference to Message Id: 2212554


 Boas cages glass or wood?

Larger female boas sometimes end up in eight foot cages. The debate over too much space can go on forever, but it is a bunch of ridiculous theory.

Boas do not have a set territory in the wild. Their range can span countless miles. The only thing you need to remember about space is that there has to be a LOT of things for the boa to hide behind, in, under, above and so on and so forth. A secure boa is a happy boa. A boa kept in a massive enclosure with no where to hide is a stressed and unhappy boa.

Personally, I would make the 4 X 2 X 2 right now, but make the right end (as you look at it) with an end that is hinged or temporarily held on. Why? Because when she gets bigger, you can make an extra couple of feet or so and attach it to that end then seal it. A lot of prefab cages actually have this option. It also benefits you in having a cage that can break down further if the need to transport arrives.

Hope that helps.
04/02/11  12:23am

 #2212571


Cphill58
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   Message To: ShadowAceD   In reference to Message Id: 2212558


 Boas cages glass or wood?

In a lot of cabinetry you will find that kitchen cabinets and counters are 20"deep as a guide the average arm from arm pit to wrist is the same. The 24" depth is really nice for a couple of reasons...
1 the arms reach, cleaning and decorating...
2 the extra material to calculate gets expensive as 4x8 sheets divide nicely into 4’s and 2’s ...whereas a 3 foot cut will leave you with a 12" waste on a 4 ft board. Think carefully about the material list and do some drawings to see if the waste can be minimized. The only reason I had a divider in the euro enclosure was to keep 2 females and 1 male seperated.

My boa I have now is 4 ft....reportedly a female so the chances of her getting 8-9 ft are good..in the end I would like a 6 ft enclosure ...but for now I am happy to let her grow some before I take that on. The thought of her being able to have a branch to climb on also makes me excited to get it done whilst she is still small and still eager to climb..... I have seen 6 and 7 foot boas stretching for the ceiling when they get a chance.
04/02/11  03:19am

 #2212624


FuriuZ_BoaZ
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   Message To: Cphill58   In reference to Message Id: 2212571


 Boas cages glass or wood?

i see what you mean with the 3 feet deep it does make more sense with a 2 foot deep i went to home depot to check pricings and i think im going with a 2 foot deep but i still want to do 8 foot long make one for her right would i need a devider or will she be plenty happy with all that space?
04/02/11  12:24pm

 #2212654


Cphill58
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   Message To: FuriuZ_BoaZ   In reference to Message Id: 2212624


 Boas cages glass or wood?

With that large an area heating may become more of an issue, I don’t think the TOO MUCH ROOM myth is valid...but you need to provide proper temps throughout.

Cp
04/02/11  03:20pm


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