building your own cages...

H

heloderm

New Member
Hello,

I have a pretty good sized collection and all my cages are different sizes and such. I'd like to build my own do to cost as the ones I want are custom and cost $80ea no matter how many I buy. I want all my cages to be the same size so I have uniformity. Anyone with cage plans and costs would be great! I look forward to seeing some awesome pics (post lots!). I got the basic's, build a box and screen it in but what materials are people using and so on...

Thanks,

John
 
man I have so many great ideas now! I like the aluminum cages but I'm going to go with wood for simplicity. I plan on making 2 double level 5ft long cage racks so to speak. The cages will be 1ft wide, 2ft depth, and 3ft high. I got the cage size from some other breeders I've seen. I figure I can probably make both of these racks for around $800 or less which is what I would of spent on 10 cages! The nice thing about this is I plan on putting in a few custom things like drainage and and feeding holes.

Thanks again,

John
 
I will have to look for that just for the screen. Still gonna go with wood over aluminum because I have no experience with it. Good idea though.
 
Cool the aluminum ones really aren't tough to make but to get them to look like the commercial ones you need the inserts to join them. Wood is nice to use as well just watch out for pressure treated as it has arsenic in it.
 
SSSooooo I can't use the pressure treated wood. So my only other option is to purchase normal wood and water seal it.

Question on the aluminum ones...What's it cost to make them? How would you cut the aluminum with out pinching the ends? I don't care to much if they look like the commercial ones if they work and still look decent.

John
 
John,

Go to a hardware store like Lowes, they have the aluminum frame, the connectors, the spline to hold the screen in, and the tools to build your own. Also, if you go with wood, I don't think you will find aluminum screen much cheaper in 3 foot and 4 foot rolls than HD or Lowes.

On wood, arsenic was taken out of the formula for treated wood many years ago, when there was publicity about it, so unless you are buying used wood, pressure treated is fine, and easier than sealing.

If you are creating a block of breeding cages for females, or Carpet sized chams, your existing sizes of each cage might work, but if you are trying to give a comfortable sized cage for each cham, I would suggest 23.5"w x 23.5d" x 36"-47"t.

Using 2x2 as your frame, and using these measurements, you maximize the 8 foot lumber, and the 36 or 48 inch screen. These measurements also maximize the 8/10 foot aluminum screen edges as well.
I would guess your $800.00 figure is high, even for these larger dimensions, my guess would be closer to $500.00-$600.00 for materials.

Plan your water drip/mist system, and water collection system FIRST, your base you are going to build or use second, portability and access to all sides third, and the cages themselves fourth. I learned this after MANY cages!

Good luck to you, I will be building a set of outdoor cages next Spring, and the planning is 1/2 of the fun!:D

Nick
 
MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET
Material name ACQ Pressure Treated Lumber
.
1. Product and Company Identification
space
Product use Treated Wood Products
space
Product list See Product List found in Section 16
space
Synonym(s) ACQ Treated * ACQ Treated Wood * ACQ Type D
space
Chemical name Alkaline Copper and Quaternary Ammonium Compounds Type D
space
Chemical description Fungicide Treated Lumber. Water repellant products may contain hydrocarbon wax.
space
Manufacturer information Georgia-Pacific Treated Lumber LLC
133 Peachtree Street, NE
Atlanta, GA 30303
MSDS Request 404.652.5119
Technical Information 888.427.4778
Chemtrec - Emergency 800.424.9300
space
Emergency overview Sawing, sanding or machining wood or wood products can generate dust. Wood dust may
form explosive mixture with air. Dust may be irritating to eyes, skin and respiratory system.
.
2. Hazards Identification
space
Target organs Eyes, skin, respiratory system.
space
Eyes Dust or splinters may cause irritation or injury to the eyes.
Potential health effects
space
Skin Contact with skin may cause irritation.
space
Inhalation Dusts of this product may cause irritation to the nose, throat, or respiratory tract.
space
Ingestion Not applicable under normal conditions of use. May result in obstruction or temporary
irritation of the digestive tract.
space
CAS # Percent
Not Assigned 60 - 100
Components
Wood/Wood Dust
Monoethanolamine 141-43-5 1 - 5
Copper complex expressed as Copper Proprietary 0.5 - 1.5
oxides
Didecyl dimethyl ammonium carbonate / Proprietary 0.1 - 1
bicarbonate
.
3. Composition / Information on Ingredients
space
Component information This product may be regulated, have exposure limits or other information identified as the
following: Wood dust, all soft and hard woods, Copper compounds, n.o.s., Copper.
space
Eye contact In case of contact, immediately flush eyes with large amounts of water, continuing to flush
for 15 minutes. Do not rub the eyes. Get medical attention immediately.
First aid procedures
.
4. First Aid Measures
space
Skin contact In case of skin contact, wash with large amounts of soap and water, continuing to flush for
15 minutes. If irritation persists get medical attention.
space
Inhalation Remove from area of exposure. If the affected person is not breathing, apply artificial
respiration. If persistent irritation, severe coughing or breathing difficulty occurs, get medical
attention.
space
Ingestion If wood or wood dust is swallowed, get immediate medical attention or advice -- Do not
induce vomiting.
space
Material name: ACQ Pressure Treated Lumber
ID: GP-33Q Effective date: 03-06-2008



Still not something I'd be excited about, but that's me.
 
Great ideas here! I'll have to check out home depot/lowes and look into aluminum costs, I may just go that route. Instead of aluminum could I go with regular screen? I want to use a gutter for draining along with holes in the bottom with a screen on the bottom and a funnel. So many decisions.

John
 
If ingested don't induce vomiting? I could be wrong but doesn't poision control say to not induce vomiting when they are unsure how to treat ingestion? I'd rather be safe then sorry and stay away from pressure treated wood.
 
Certain toxins will create more damage coming back up then if left in the stomach. For these types of toxins a forumla is given which binds to the toxins and renders them harmless.

I have a number of friends who have used pressure treated wood with no problems, I highly doubt the chams are going to take a bite out of the wood. Still not sure what I'm going to do yet. I need to check on the costs of materials for aluminum cages. Lots of ideas but nothing is in stone yet!
 
heloderm said:
Lots of ideas but nothing is in stone yet!
Click to expand...

I wouldn't use stone:rolleyes:;)

You asked about aluminum. The other screen is pet screen or some type of fiber glass. Over time crickets can chew through this stuff. If you cup feed and leave no roamers than that will not be a problem. I went with the aluminum.
 
I would use and do use, just regular wood, and seal it with polyurethane stains. You just have to give it ample time (2weeks to one month) for it to dry completely and off gas most of the dangerous VOCs. In dry form it becomes inert.

Edit: for simple one cage one animal builds, I only wait a week. But for a project of this size and the amount of VOCs released by this much stain/paint, you will want to wait longer.
 
What would you all say is most cost effective? I was also going to use ply wood w/ the plastic mesh over it for the sides. This would keep the chams from seeing each other. I'm going to start building soon, just trying to get something on paper but it seems I keep changing my mind!

John
 
Instead of plywood, use this thin plywood type stuff. I know home depot has it in precut sheets that are 2x4 foot. PM Brye (Fearaffect) for the actual name for this..I'll be damned if I can remember. But anyhow, It's much cheaper than plywood and once stained/painted, will hold up to water very well. I even use it for bottoms on my cages.
 
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