[loxocemus]

i made this design several years ago now, i made a polypropylene version (this version is the "deluxe" metal version) and used it for a few years i believe, it was used for burrowers and regular snakes, it never caused a problem, the burrowing use also included about 4" of moist coco/moss mix piled on top, it worked perfectly even in this scenario.

the version i built and used was slightly different, i had the stat probe fixed to the "sitting surface" this tweaked design places it inside to simplify the look. one *important* point this unit has to be calibrated due to the stats probe position, what i mean is a thermometer probe has to be place on the surface and the the stat gradually increased till u get ur 90of for example, ur stat will almost certainly not show 90 on the dial/display, it will be close but not exact, hence the calibration, simply because of mat variation, the material between the probe surface and the bottom of the snake.

so lets begin, this example is a 17x11 version, just because, u can use any size mat or use multiples, i recommend only habistat mats with this design, thats all iv used with it and i think their the best available, im not a fan of the cheaper "printed" type mats.

the mat, i often trim the clear plastic edge back some to get the smallest unit possible it is not necessary

the bottom sheet, cut to size from aluminium warehouse (https://www.aluminiumwarehouse.co.uk/aluminium-sheet-cut-to-order) i recommend 1.2mm 6082 as it has excellent corrosion resistance

edged with 20x10mm alu flat bar its stuck to the sheet using 3m double sided tape, make sure u get the position right as its a very very firm attachment,
the flat bar is attached/3m to the bottom sheet only, the top sheet is left removable for servicing (https://www.aluminiumwarehouse.co.uk/aluminium/flat-bar/page/2) this is principally a spacer and fixing edge

plus 10mm underfloor insulation (Electric Underfloor Heating Insulation Boards 6mm & 10mm XPS | eBay)

as above plus cutouts, one square for the mats block, the thicker block side goes down, the channel is for the stats probe, it is towards the mats edge to allow a higher possible temperature, ie if the probe is in the middle of the mat it will max out sooner than a probe placed near the edge, a higher temp can be brought down, a temp thats not high enough and maxed out on the stat is no good to anyone (again this is why calibration is important)

plus mat, the stats probe is underneath in the channel cut out

top sheet added, the drilled holes are at the flat bars midpoint/5mm, they are of the size necessary for the chicago screws, the best method for drilling the holes is to have the complete unit clamped together with edges square and flush, then simply drill thru the entire piece, top sheet-spacer-bottom sheet, then it makes no difference if ur position is off, all the holes will be in line with each other.

close up of the mat cable the probes cable exiting, iv sketched a hole as the exit point, but it would be far far easier if a section was just removed from the flat bar length

the entire assembly is held closed with chicago screws/binding posts (https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_sacat=0&_nkw=chicago+screws&LH_PrefLoc=1&_sop=15) this design would use 9mm, this allows the unit to be servicable, u can use more than pictured

as above, closer view

internal design

when i designed this i really wanted it to be thin, ie take up little room and be hidden under substrate, i wanted it to be servicable, with the unit pushed up to a cage side (or back) the cables exiting the unit can exit the cage via a hole at floor height, so the idea was to get heating, to get control, but with none of it visible or even in the cage, all thats in the cage is the unit, the snake is unable to interfere with any component, i have also used it in large tubs.

all the above material (inc the chicago screws) can be replaced with plastic material choices, i have made some with polypropylene sheet, i used thicker polypropylene as the edge spacer, i used plastic chicago screws, the metal version is just nicer looking, the metal is a better conductor of heat, its very easy to sterilize. u can also combine materials ie alu sheet with a polypro spacer would be ideal, iv used hardwood as the spacer but i dont recommend that in moist caging.

is it cheap? i doubt it (though with postage and material minimums it is cost effective the more u make), i never made it to save money i designed it to solve a problem, heatmats inside a cage that are protected from and for the snake. the design above is 12.4mm thick, that isnt bad even if i do say so myself (its actually the stats probe that determines the overall unit thickness)

as i said this version needs calibration simply because the probe is internal, and may not experience the same temps as the outer surface, once calibrated its essentially set and forget. i have tested this design extensively, the problems i found were minor and easily fixed, and those fixes are included above.

use as you will : victory:

if anyone wants the sketchup file to pick apart and modify id be happy to email it

rgds
ed

ps polypro sheets on ebay https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_...olypro.TRS0&_nkw=polypropylene+sheet&_sacat=0

 

[loxocemus]

dual chamber hide

the chamber hide

i designed this a few years ago, they are essentially a modified retes stack but are enclosed. **because they are enclosed they cannot be used like a retes stack.

i used the foam material because its light and easily worked, i used a one piece cutout but u would get more hides by just cutting lengths from the block and gluing them together, i just liked the one piece cutout shape

blue craft foam, depending on the species its for u can use 50mm thick or 75mm CRAFT FOAM SHEETS BLUE EXTRUDED STYROFOAM MODELLING SCULPTING - FREE UK POSTAGE! | eBay

the layout for my particular hide shape, the walls are 25mm thick, they can be sanded into shape, they do not absorb matter and are easily sterilised

i cut the shape out using a dremel drill bit meant for plasterboard

so the bottom chamber is capped by a lid with an access hole, i used slate as its heavy and i just like the material, u can also use wood, plastic, foamboard

bottom chamber, ideally over the heatmat

both chambers together, the upper chamber can be partially filled with moss if you want or need a moist environment, the access holes are offset, ie bottom is to the left, top to the right, to prevent light entering the bottom chamber. this dual chamber is ideal for small caging tubs were space is short as it gives a cool hide and warm hide in the same area (slate is especially suited for this specific need)

in practice i found animals would use both levels equally, feeding an animal usually just involved leaving the food at one of the access holes. the hide above is 18x12, for a large adult corn i would use 75mm foam or for an average sized corn or similar i would use 50mm. the pieces are not fixed together in any way, which means u just lift a layer to have a peek, levels are interchangeable if cut to the same layout. a dual chamber using 75mm is approx 6" high, the 50mm foam results in an approx 4" high hide, so their quite low profile for their area size and the size of snake they can contain.

rgds
ed

 

[loxocemus]

internal view of the dual hide above

branch fitting/fixing

i made some of these a few years ago for a friends chondro caging, to support the perches, the design allows different diameters of perches branches yada yada

i used a cheap plastic cutting board like these White Plastic Large Medium small Chopping Board Kitchen Cutting Board heavy Duty | eBay

the V shape helps prevent rotation, but this still happens with enough torque, i modified some to prevent any rotation (modification next post)

u can get multiples per board, more than pictured with a smart layout

if one is not enough they can be stacked to provide a thicker support

i used these bolts to fix them in place (thru rub walls) screws could also be used in classic wooden caging BLACK CAR MOTORBIKE VAN NUMBER PLATE FIXING BOLTS & NUTS LICENSE FITTING SCREWS | eBay

rgds
ed

 

[loxocemus]

pin modification to prevent perch rotation

the fitting with a 5mm hole drilled into it

shelf pin 5mm 25x SHELF SUPPORT PINS, STUDS , METAL PEGS

in place pin

a matching grove, hole, or cutout prevents a perch spinning

rgds
ed

 

[loxocemus]

this is another branch perch fixing that can be made with a cheap hole saw set, using two different sized holesaws. the small inner circle is cut out first, with the larger circle cut out last. i recommend cutting half way thru the material on one side, then the hole is completed from the other side, this gives a cleaner cut.

each layout makes 2 separate fittings when cut in two

with a pin to prevent perch rotation

rgds
ed

 

[loxocemus]

the semi circular fittings were made for pvc pipe perches, they are often used for static arboreals like chondros and etb's

rgds
ed

 

[loxocemus]

off the shelf vivarium conversion to drawer cage

the drawer cage is an old design, it goes waay back to bob applegate and even before, it consists of two sections, the upper cage and the lower drawer portion. its a great captive replication of a burrow in a cage, its also handy for keeping pairs together, as they can be separated for feeding, one in the drawer, the other in the main cage. the drawer sections are usually heated by heatmats, in a two drawer cage only one needs heated, the one at the cages "hot end", in the large drawer design only a portion of the drawer has to be heated, again usually mirroring the heated cage end.

a regular off the shelf cage, but these are actually very good quality as i bought one once to test mods on

Melamine Vivarium OAK 36 x 24 x24

i prefer plant trays or large level cat trays as drawers Garland Planting Tray, Seed Tray, Work Tray, 53 x 40 X 9,5 cm very sturdy | eBay

the main portion of this mod is the drawer area, the length and width are cut to the main cages dimensions, the height though, thats the most important part to get right in the entire build, it is as follows

internal height = heatmat+drawer+spacer* is ur cut height, so in this design its approx 97mm, this gives a sliding gap of 1mm, i always go for tighter tolerances as u never know what species that cage may house in the future, so design for the smallest babies

to make sure the cage and drawer section align correctly, and stay aligned, shelf pins are used as below

with drawers in place, single and dual





access to the drawer from the cage is via a hole cut into the floor, the hole has to be at the front, if it was at the back it would act like a guillotine as the drawer back passes the hole! so entry point at the front, the hole has another fitting around it, a substrate barrier and drawer cap in one, i have used round food tubs of the right size, a hole is cut in the tubs bottom that matches the floor entry hole, the tub lids can be used to close the drawer section off from the upper cage.

floors with entry caps

complete cages closed single and dual

complete cages open single and dual

internal minus glass

as i mention above the only difficult part in these conversions is getting the drawer section height exact, as a spacer* i used a blank dvd disc, one on each corner, this overall height mark, one at the front and the back gives ur cut line, if ur not sure, add a 1mm or 2mm, then plane (or file/sand if u dont have a plane) down any excess material till u get ur best fit.

an additional point i have learned when using the drawer caging for humid species, if the drawers are filled with moist substrate the moisture will condense on the underside of the *cage* floor, and melamine is not waterproof, so the way around this is to cover the under side of the cage portion (the ceilings of the drawers effectively) with a layer of heavy duty self adhesive vinyl, its very durable as there is no wear and tear on that surface.

u can also do internal cage conversion ie theres no additional drawers section but instead the glass is moved up to make way for drawers and a false floor, but its a bit more technical and very cage specific so this is the method i suggest for a first attempt.

rgds
ed
ps this design can also be changed to make one large classic design cage into two smaller drawer cages by adding a midwall, taking advantage of the 2 sliding doors setup

 

[loxocemus]

the 50 litre cage

this cage is built around the 50lt rub in single unit form, its also designed for standard 600mm melamine.

when selecting a drawer it should ideally be a solid color, to prevent light getting in, the idea of a captive burrow is that its a retreat into the safety of darkness, of being hidden from predatory eyes. thankfully rubs come in solid colors including black

possible equipment for the above would be a 17x11 mat under the drawer and a reptile radiator in the upper cage with led strip lighting (iv used all 3 in such designs and they go together quite well).

rough dimensions based on the specs of the box

this type of setup would be ideal for all sandboas, all rosys, all common hogs (not madagascan), species like diones leopards, mountain kings, san louis potosi, housesnakes, mexican milks, species of that size and habit.

this design is stackable, the viewing panel can be glass or acrylic ideally around 5mm

a similar design but around 1200x600x600 single unit

a variation of the above, 2 units, that can be temporarily split or permanently divided

rgds
ed

 

[loxocemus]

regarding the 50lt cage, there is a 33lt size too and this would make a as good if not better replacement in this design, reducing drawer height while increasing upper cage height.

rgds
ed

 

[Whosthedaddy2]

This is a set up I would like to have dabbled with.

I tried it with my double decker RUB design for the anacondas but think it's worth a go with the design you've suggested.

Well done

the 50 litre cage

this cage is built around the 50lt rub in single unit form, its also designed for standard 600mm melamine.

when selecting a drawer it should ideally be a solid color, to prevent light getting in, the idea of a captive burrow is that its a retreat into the safety of darkness, of being hidden from predatory eyes. thankfully rubs come in solid colors including black

image

possible equipment for the above would be a 17x11 mat under the drawer and a reptile radiator in the upper cage with led strip lighting (iv used all 3 in such designs and they go together quite well).

rough dimensions based on the specs of the box

image

this type of setup would be ideal for all sandboas, all rosys, all common hogs (not madagascan), species like diones leopards, mountain kings, san louis potosi, housesnakes, mexican milks, species of that size and habit.

this design is stackable, the viewing panel can be glass or acrylic ideally around 5mm

a similar design but around 1200x600x600 single unit

image

a variation of the above, 2 units, that can be temporarily split or permanently divided

image

rgds
ed

 

[loxocemus]

this is the 33lt version

the upper cage height in those is just random, if someone was building stacks of them for heterodon id suggest anything from 300 to 450 for upper cage height (a full 600mm board as a back piece would give an upper cage height of @436mm). the 33lt is a better drawer, the 50lt i think is too deep/high for this short a cage, i just forgot the 33lt was the same floor area with lower height when i did those previous sketches : victory:.

if you didnt like the swing doors there is a design with 2 units per cage that uses classic sliding doors, the midwall partition lines up with the inner doors edge, so like the swing door u have complete access to the cage. the only quirk with this design is the midwall has to come right up to the glass door inner surface, so the snake cannot get into the neighboring unit (or get trapped trying to).

rgds
ed

This is a set up I would like to have dabbled with.

I tried it with my double decker RUB design for the anacondas but think it's worth a go with the design you've suggested.

Well done

 

[loxocemus]

Regarding the drawers in the previous designs, they are obviously pre-made plastic containers meant for other uses, many of the original drawer cages had 90 degree box drawers built to fit the cage. this means that rather than the cage being designed around a pre-made container the drawer can be of any size and maximize the use of the drawer level space. i have made my own drawers and they have the same problems as cages, "corners", cleaning debris (poop) thoroughly from a 90 degree corner is annoying, time consuming, the seamless curve or corner of a plastic tub is more hygienic and plastic trays require little to no work to adapt them to a cage design.

lastly i have attached large drawers to heavy duty drawer sliders Soft Close Drawer Slides/Rear Runners Side Mount Ball Bearing Slides Heavy Duty | eBay in the past as i like the effortless quiet opening of a heavy tray, iv used them on large trays with lots of moist substrate in them, but u do have to design for weight displacement depending on the plastic.

rgds
ed

ps the two piece substrate barrier in the sketches is designed to fit with the viewing panel to prevent a gap between the barrier and the door, either to prevent substrate falling in or an animal getting in there (or trying to), its also designed to not be visible from the front.

 

[loxocemus]

a mod for a non spill water tub, these are often used with large constrictors, retics etc and the mod prevents the tub being moved around and tipped over from just the weight of the animal, it can be further modified with extra batons to be placed further along the cage length, it does not have to be placed in a corner.

this one is not my design but i have no idea where i saw it originally. the baton material can be anything but id suggest upvc 25mmx20mm rectangle trim uPVC Window Door Architrave Skirting Plastic Beading Trim Pack of 4 X 1250mm 49" | eBay
(or larger if its a sizable tub) rubs make good water tubs as the rims are fairly strong and will resist flexing

water tub, corner placement

tub with batons, side fixed baton prevents tipping, bottom baton prevents moving around

just baton placement, its a cheap quick mod that can help with those troublesome tub movers/spillers

rgds
ed

 

[loxocemus]

humidity tub, this could be especially useful for balls in racks in low humidity rooms. its just a low profile round food tub from tesco asda etc, cut a hole in the lid, then zip tie or hot glue a round piece of this https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/Crafts/14339/i.html?_nkw=plastic+canvas+7&_sop=15 thats larger than the cutout, to the underside of the lid, so its nice n' neat from the outside. a couple inches of water and sit it on the heatmat area. its a small tub so it doesn't use precious space, the mesh allows evaporation and prevents the animal drinking the water.

iv also filled these with clay drainage beads used for houseplants (or even moss), plus water, to increase the surface area, add weight and allows filling the tub up with more water while keeping a good evaporation rate. these tubs can be scaled up for cages, and fixed to the sides of arboreal cages (iv done this with p.baroni).

if u dont have a heatmat in the cage setup u could use one of the really small mats like these HabiStat Heat Mat UK 4"x5" 102mmx127mm 4 Watts under a scaled up tub, no stat needed : victory:

if it was a bigger cage and therefore a bigger tub id use this http://www.habistat.org/heating/heat-mats/habistat-heat-mat-uk-11-x11-280mmx280mm-12-watts , they do adhesive versions of those mats too.

rgds
ed

 

[loxocemus]

wheeled base for viv stacks.

there *will* come a time when u have to move a stack of vivs, whether its repainting the reptile room or needing access to rear wiring, water leaking from the ceiling above the stack (yup happened to me, drip drip next to the electrical), nothing beats being able to move an entire stack around easily and quickly.

the batons can be a spacer if u choose to bolt/nut the castors on, this prevents the bolt/nut heads interfering with the cage bottom. if u screw the castors on the batons provide fixing material, i recommend 50mm wide thread screws when using 50mm batons, pre drill the holes to prevent splitting, these screws would also be ideal for fixing the batons to the board.

i also recommend a mid baton for every 2ft over 4ft, 3ft and smaller lengths dont need them. the board itself can be anything, plywood, melamine or mdf, plywood is the strongest of the three though.

the front 2 castors should ideally be the brake type, only use heavy duty castors, not chair or sofa castors, i had a cheap one fail once and the stack started to tip when i was moving it. consider something like these https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_...&_nkw=heavy+duty+castors&LH_PrefLoc=1&_sop=15 if you are building a base for stacks of very long caging consider adding castors at the midpoint.

rgds
ed

 

[loxocemus]

simple and quick arboreal hide

arboreal hides come in many forms depending on the animal, size and whether its diurnal or nocturnal are the main design factors. anyway this one is simple because it uses really useful boxes, which come in many sizes and colors.

i recommend the solid black boxes for this build and nylon wingnuts and bolts for attachment.

upside down rub in the cage corner

inside view of the upside down box, its simply held up by four nylon wingnuts so its easily removed for cleaning etc. to get the holes for the bolts right just drill four holes in the rubs floor, hold the box up to the ceiling, mark the ceiling thru the holes, drill them out. both hole sets will match up every time.

box in place minus lid (or floor in the arboreal hide sense)

to access the animal you just undo the handles and ur holding the lid with ur animal sitting on it you have to provide enough room between the wall and the box for access to the handle though. the entry hole can be in the "front" face of the box instead of the side face.

the above is just a basic 20-30min mod with little layout or tools needed, basically a drill, drill bit for the bolt holes and ideally a hole saw for the box entrance but that can also be done with just a little saw blade.

you can go a little fancier with aluminium u channel and the complete lidded box sliding out (the holes u can see on the bottom u channel surface are for screwdriver access when fixing channel to the ceiling).

there is also a variation where u cut "keyhole" holes in the lid that connect with bolt heads in the ceiling for a more simple push/pull click access but the layout is more technical and tolerances are tighter. for a first or quick/easy rub arboreal hide you cant beat the first type, wingnut attachment upside down.

rgds
ed

 

[Whosthedaddy2]

I've also seen large diameter black tubing ornpipe suspended from the roof

Having a hide box off the floor makes all much sense to an arborel snake and frees up space

 

[loxocemus]

if u look at a lot of cages the floor is covered in stuff but all that ceiling space is just empty, stuff like cornsnakes would have a ball with an extra hide up in a corner.

u could actually mod the box to have heating.

rgds
ed

I've also seen large diameter black tubing ornpipe suspended from the roof

Having a hide box off the floor makes all much sense to an arborel snake and frees up space

 

[loxocemus]

if anyone has any mods to suggest let me know and il do my best to add them.

rgds
ed

 

[Whosthedaddy2]

Or even suspend a hanging basket with hemp liner to be like a bit me at for feeding