Yes the title is confusing, but I couldn't think of a better way to put it

What I am asking is, what's the best things you use in your set up that aren't designed for reptiles but do a good job at a good price?

For instance do you know of some place selling lights with ceramic fittings that make for good (and cheap)basking lights? Or some product that wasn't deasigned to be but makes a good substrate etc, well you get the point, umm I hope.

For me my best was the £10 odd I spent in B&Q and a dripper system. I got about 20 meters of tube, 20 dripper attachments and control taps, and now I have it dripping water at various points in my Iguanas cage, cheaper and better than anything I have seen desgiend for reptiles.

Unfortunatley B&Q doesn't have a pic of it on their web site, also a lot of Rat and Gerbil cage furniture is good for little lizards.

hemp bedding used for horses such as hemecore is great for substrate.
I picked up a load of hamster hides in tesco for use as snake hides
my large snake hide upstairs in quarintene is a grass collecting box from a lawn mower (made of strong plastic so easy to disinfect)
willow hanging baskets from wilkos for the snakes to hide in and climb on...and their bird houses are good for the snakes.


probably loads of other things as well but brain is mashed at the mo


great thread

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Lids from nescafe coffee jars, make super mealworm dishes

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The bamboo garned trim (like a mini fence for borders) makes excellent cage furniture - you can cut it to size, bend it to make bridges and backgrounds and all kinds

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Plant pots and plant saucers for hides.
Seedling trays as water bowls for smaller snakes, (the thicker black higher side ones) as they don't seem to tip them over and at about 50p each great price
Bird houses, I've yet to keep a snake that dosn't love them.
Plastic flowers for decorating the vivs.
Bamboo poles for climbing on and you can get the really thick ones from garden centres that are hollowed out that make great hides when cut down.
Coloured disco 60w spot bulbs,exactly the same as reptile spot bulbs but different packaging, and at £1 for a bayanet fitting even better price.
Eco earth stuff in a seedling tray (the ones above) soaked with loads of water in the hot end keeps the humidity really high for high humidity snakes (I use it for my rainbows) and they love to sit and soak in it too.

Was just about to edit and add this

Also attach it to the roof of the viv, it makes a great 'hammock' type hide and they love it

I also use some of the bigger wooden garden edging, the solid thick ones without the bendy wires inbetween, as a ramp for my bosc, cut down to size required.

the best ive found is ceramic light fittings from B&Q brill for the bulbs and none of that barnet (or however its spelt) fitting rubbish with it. Really simple just screw the ceramic straight into the viv. I suppose it only works if you have a 1/2 wooden/glass viv though

My spiders have plantpots as hides and bottle lids for drinking dishes.
Snake has a cardboard box as a hide, although he often still likes to hide under the bit of cork bark he has even though when he's under it its 4" off the ground lol

Oh I like that idea, I think I may borrow that one

I use plastic plant saucers as water/food dishes for new arrivals; theyre super cheap and so can be disposed of easily if animals in quarantine become sick, and you can get them in lots of colours - this makes identification of whose bowl is whose a bit easier.

We've got some broken paving slabs in our desert ig cage which are a great colour and texture, and were very cheap.

Other than that, lots of free polystyrene pinched from different places has been great for making fake rocks etc!

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