How to save money & have fun

[Zephyr]

Wayne, on the cages, do the fronts fold up or something with hinges? I may want to build something like this...

[dekaybrown]

but since it's free, just toss and replace frequently.

I dump it all out at cleaning time.

My Asian Green snake requires a lot of humidity, so no cardboard in there, besides his idea of hiding is to stay wrapped in the vines

food options are another way to pinch the pennies, I have found fillet fish at dollar stores before.

I breed my own mice, but there is a subject onto itself.......

Regards,
Wayne

[dekaybrown]

Originally Posted by Zephyr

Wayne, on the cages, do the fronts fold up or something with hinges? I may want to build something like this...

The bigger one had hinges on top, and now does the one that had the corn snake in it.

The arboreal enclosure for the green snake has a removable glass, the bottom sets into a groove, and the top is secured by a wooden "bar" across it.

The next big enclosure challenge will be the upgrade for Chomper.

His box will be 8 feet wide, 4 deep and 3 tall.

His current box will house a ball python nicely, or maybe a milk.

Have fun,
Wayne

[Snake lover 3-25]

here are my pics!!!

[dekaybrown]

I like that, very clever!

very art deco

Thanks for showing us that, infinite possibilities in there.


Wayne

[jitami]

Walmart sells their meat in plastic containers... think the old styrofoam meat packaging, only plastic and deeper. I wash those, throw them in the dishwasher, and save for water dishes. My guy always has room to swim and there's plenty of room to add fish for a little hunting practice. They're easy to wash, but if they get grungy or I get lazy I just toss them. Only real problem is that they're too large to easily change water without removing everything else in the viv, but I like the look and availably of swimming water, so I deal with re-arranging the tank often!

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

I went to the dollar store, and bought these little 3 packs of microwaveable containers that are black, turned each upside down after cutting a triangle into the side of it... makes a perfect hide for 33 cents! For the rack that houses small snakes, I bought those cardboard-ish things that you start plants in and you plant the whole thing in the ground. Flip them upside down, cut a triangle and voila, eight little hideys for a dollar! For a while I was using plastic ask trays as water bowls from the dollar store too, but I had problems with a lot of my snakes tipping them. I finally got fed up and I went to Wal-mart and looked in the pet section... all their bowls were at least a dollar, I wanted something cheaper yet... so I went over to the dinnerware section... and I got the PERFECT water bowls. They were 80 cents each, they are ceramic and about 5 inches in diameter. They work wonderfully for my snake rack! They also sell larger ceramic bowls (made for eating) for as little as 50 cents a piece! I just selected the ones that were the most flat-bottomed and least likely to tip. I also work at a pet store, and when we get fish tanks in, the larger ones come packed in a big box with these cardboard cushion things to hold the corners of the tank in place to prevent damage. They are pyramid shaped and they let me have all I want!!!

Yard sales and warehouse sales are great too. I just picked up a solid wooden shelf at a warehouse sale that is 6 feet high, 32 inches long, 14 inches wide, has four shelves including the bottom one, and it was only SEVEN dollars... all because a little kid had drawn on one of the shelves. Simple solution? I spraypainted it with semi-glossy black paint and Voila, a wonderful new shelf for my snake room that is nice and closed on three sides for the snake's security! I am planning on putting either ten gallon or 15 gallon tanks into it.

[adamanteus]

You're all making me feel foolish.... I spend a small fortune on my vivs and furnishings.

[Snake lover 3-25]

why?????

to tell you the truth... the real first two snakes i had.... (well... i had 2 for 2 days... then i found the rest of their littermates...) but you know those big spigetti pots.... i put some dirt and a few pieces of wood and there you go i had a cage.... of corse this was 4 or so yrs ago........ when i knew nothing..... but i fed them worms... and ended up letting them go after about 6 months to get the corns.... worst mistake EVER!!!!!!!!

[adamanteus]

All my vivs are custom made from melamine, 4ft wide, built in stacks of three. Under floor heated, thermostatically controlled, slate floors, toughened glass sliding doors (with dressed edges and finger grip handles ground in). Realistic looking plants, adjustable plastic vents in the rear, etc.