How to build a simple PVC reptile or amphibian cage. This is a beginners tutorial that uses very simple tools. This inexpensive design can be scaled up to 8 x 4 x 4 and easily waterproofed with silicone.
None of the hardware stores near me in Arizona have pvc board larger than 1/4", and even then they cost $45 for one 2 x 4 ft board :( Not sure where everyone is finding these...
I build the simple shelves you see in the background of the video. I dont stack cages because the lights are best if outside the cage and because the cage walls can distort if they are not shored up with extra material.
Thank you so much for this video! I want to build my chameleon a forever enclosure (2x2x4ft). I have cold dry winters so a pvc cage is what I’m looking to make. What could I do for the top to be screen so I can have ventilation & set his lamps on? Also curious how much this build cost you!
Because I’m not a professional and I’m also trying to do some things similar with absolutely no guidance from anyone else… perhaps try cutting out a large section from the top and getting some screen mesh that’s sturdy enough for what you’re trying to use as heating and stapling it in with heavy duty, staples or seal it with silicone, whichever one you prefer; it won’t look beautiful, but it should get the job done. If you really wanna go all out, though, you can technically make removable screen squares, similar to what you see in the store-bought ones, and secure it in with some sort of bolt in clamp. I’ve seen this done on wooden enclosures and though it may be a little bit more tricky with PVC I believe you could get it done with some research. I hope this helps 🥺
Is a 4x2x2 big enough for an adult? To make a screen top, figure out how big of a square hole you need on top to fit your lighting and cut it out. Buy 1/4" stainless steel hardware cloth to use as screen. Cut scrap pieces of pvc or buy some extra trim boards to make a frame the size of the square hole you cut out, staple the hardware cloth to it and trim the excess hanging out, flip the whole piece over so the hardware cloth is on the bottom and screw it down to the top of the enclosure where you cut the hole out. That will make a slightly raised, neatly framed piece on top for you to sit all the lights on.
might be a stupid question but is the PVC the same as a Ceiling Tile because thats what they wanted to sell me at home depot. That did not seem correct to me.
No, I do not. But I think the construction is so simple that you could get together with a couple friends and try one. Even if its no good you will have learned enough to build a second one much better. Life skills :-)
The side panels sit in front of the back panel, so have to be 1/2 inch less deep than the top and bottom panels, which are 24 inches. The top and bottom panels sit on top of the back panel for structural reasons. The side panels are also the same height as the back panel so 24 inches. I have a video showing this Ill try to find it
They are called several of names which makes it really confusing. But i believe you shouldn;t get the ones labelled as foams.. Those are the ones used in standeess and are not weatherproof.
You could put a screen on the inside over the holes. Just make sure it's a fine weave so they don't try to push into it and scrape up their noses (I used chicken wire for this purpose once and my snakes were convinced that if they pushed hard enough they could get through the wires. 😑 lol)
The cost varies a lot with location and specific materials. But the 4 PVC panels are about $35 each. The vents are about $15 and the glass track is about $20. I use the thin glass that I get from the hardware store (window glass) because I dont have kids that could break them and get cut. If the cage is larger than 4x2 I would use a thicker glass like 1/8 inch. I used 1/4 glass for similar 8x3x3 ft cages, which is more expensive but much safer.
Curious what kind of PVC board you're using, and where you sourced it? I'm assuming it's not the lower density material often used for exterior trim? The little bit of searching I've done has only turned up extremely expensive materials--like, several hundred dollars for a 4x8 sheet. Thanks for sharing your channel!
I agree. I always see videos like this "I made a cheap reptile enclosure with pvc" and i mean dozens of tbese videos and not a single person has a link to where they got their pvc sheets or even saying where and how much on the video.... baiting people for sure
@@jmonahan1 😆Total BS, cheapest 1/2" 2ft x 4ft PVC sheet I could find online is $136.87 a sheet, Home Depot has absolutely nothing but thin & long trim pieces which are useless to this project. I called my local Rona and Lowes too, they said they don't carry anything close to 2x4 PVC. My local industrial plastics shop (which has the best prices by far) wants $120 per 2x4 sheet. So, yeah. Expect this project to cost upwards of $500+ when all is said and done. Manufacturers of reptile enclosures get their supplies at cost, that's why they can afford to make and sell them for $500. Making them yourself for under $100? Yeah those days are long gone. $35 a sheet, maybe in 2013.
Menards and Home Depot have them for $35 for 4x2 sheets. You can buy larger 4x8 panels which are less expensive per sq foot, but are harder to cut to size.
Yes, you want to cut this material in a well ventilated area if you are using power saws. But once built you wont have trouble unless you lay a hot lamp right on the material itself. Dont do that! 🙂
When I built the 8x3x3 versions I divide the front space with a support. You can actually see it in the background in this video when Im cutting the panel on the workbench. This way the front glass can be made up of 4 pieces, like 2 smaller cages almost. This makes the glass much less heavy and easier to slide.