The importance of a plan when building a reptile cageWritten by Mark Chapple
Would you put together a model plane without look at finished plane or looking at plans? Does a builder build a house without a plan? The answer to these is pretty clearly no. A homemade snake or other reptile cage is so much simpler though, you say. I can just put it together as I go. Not so, my young apprentice. There are many pitfalls awaiting inexperienced. Simple things you can miss. Silly mistakes you can make, and believe me, it is very easy to make them. There are a host of things that can make a simple cage take much longer than it should plus some possible costly mistakes. If you have never kept a reptile, then before you even plan a reptile cage, you need to do some research on what sort of cage your retile will need. A snake will need cages of certain dimensions; lizards will need other dimensions and arboreal species yet another type of cage with different dimensions. It’s also helpful if you know how large your pet will get so you can plan ahead. Another benefit of a plan is it helps you to think about your pet reptiles other needs such as heat mats, basking lights, UV lights, misting systems, substrates, decorations such as artificial walls, artificial trees and branches, and how these can be made and placed in cage. Once you have a clear idea of what you want finished product to look like and how large it will be you are ready to plan how you are going to construct it. At this stage, having a plan, however rudimentary, is important. Once you have a plan in place you can think through issues. In many cases it will allow you to remove problem before you even start, as plan often reveals an error or issue. Naturally, more detailed reptile cage plan, more you can make allowance for possible issues. It can also eliminate waste and save money as you only purchase correct amount of material.
| | The Fun of Do It Yourself Snake and other Reptile CagesWritten by Mark Chapple
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 parts, examine locks, joins and vents. How is lighting done? What about heating? Use this information to design your own cages, based on needs of your reptile and its size. Work out size of cage you require and design it accordingly, altering basic designs as needed to suit your purposes. Building something yourself is a great feeling. I personally enjoy process of shopping for materials and deciding which is best for purpose. There are quite a few questions to consider, such as: what should I make base from what is best way to make a vent how do you make 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 best light fitting
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