Homemade Snake Cages

Snakes are one of the most widely kept reptiles. Being reptiles, they're fragile by nature, but not picky when it comes to housing. Snake cages don't have to be an expensive endeavor. With a little bit of ingenuity and a few basic materials, a suitable enclosure can be easily constructed.

  1. Enclosure

    • The first thing needed is a box with an open top. There are several things you can use: an upturned bookshelf with the shelves removed, a loose drawer, a trunk with the lid removed, or you can just make one yourself using five flat pieces of wood, nailing the edges together to form a box. The size you need depends on the size of the snake, but it is important that the enclosure be shallow with a lot of surface area. This gives the snake room to move around and gives it access to the heat that will eventually come from the top.

    Lining

    • Line the bottom of the box with pine shavings, bark chips or even newspaper. This will provide a suitable substrate for the snake to move upon. Never use cedar chips. Cedar contains a toxin that the snake may absorb through its skin and thus are not recommended.

    Screen Top

    • The lid should be built of chicken wire pulled tightly over the open top of the box. Cut the wire to form and staple down the edges to the box so it is sealed. Place the snake's heat lamp, a necessary component to almost any reptile enclosure, atop this screen.

    Glass Window

    • It is important that snakes receive a healthy amount of UV light. There are specialized UV light strips that can be purchased from pet shops that are very effective when placed over top of the screen. Another option, though, which also will allow you to see your snake from the side, would be to cut a square hole in the front of the box. Following this, glue either a sheet of glass or transparent plastic over the hole; this will serve as a viewing window and allow for natural UV rays to enter the enclosure.

    Lid

    • Somewhere on the box, cut a rectangular hole. Screw a flat piece of wood that's slightly bigger than the newly created hole over it, using a single screw on each side. This will serve as a lid. Simply unscrew one of the screws and the other should act as a hinge, allowing you to slide the piece of wood aside, revealing the hole and allowing you easy access to the enclosure. As an alternative, simply purchase and install a lockable doggie door from your local hardware store.