Few questions regarding cage construction

Hello everyone, Im preparing to build my first cage and have been going over plans for some time now. I do have what I believe will work very well drawn up on paper and Im ready to begin purchasing materials and start working on it. I've never done anything handy like this but I've been thinking about this long and hard and it's just somethign that I'll need to get good at since I intend to keep larger herps and intend to be in this hobby for the rest of my life.

Anyways, a few questions I've got are maily regarding what type of wood to use for my enclosure. I've been torn as to which to use, melamine or oak plywood. I've read that melamine is easily chipped and also weighs a ton. On the other hand it's already laminated and I dont have to put anything on it (other than caulking). Oak is lighter (?) and more attractive I think but I've got to treat it. Could somone please point me in the direction (a link preferably) to exactly what is used to treat the wood and how to use it? Do you apply it before or after the cage is assmbled?

Help in this regards is greatly appreciated. I intend for my cage to be 4-5x2x2-3 so weight is an issue. 8"-1' of substrate and I'll have a dam on the front to keep it in. I'm going to have sliding glass front windows.

Also I'd really appreciate some information on how to get lighting inside the cage? Thanks!

Bill Bowers

Oak is actually a fairly heavy wood, very dense. Whatever you use for sides and top I'd recommend a melamine bottom.

You can seal any wood with a waterproof sealant or varathane. That way you can have the beauty of wood and the ease of cleaning provided by laminates.

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Choice of materials will depend in part on the amount of work you want to put in the cage and what you want the finished product to look like.
Melamine will require minimal sealing, mainly just the joints, but it isn't that nice to look at.
Oak plywood will require additional steps to protect it, but the finished cage will be much better looking.

Some things can be done to reduce the weight when using the plywood. You don't have to use 3/4" material on the back for instance. You can use 1/4" plywood there using a rabbet joint to recess it into the back of the cage.

I've been moving away from using melamine for cage bottoms myself. Some of my cages have been in use for several years and in a few of them I'm starting to notice the melamine coating starting to bubble, especially under the heater.
Instead I've started using plywood for the bottom as well, but sealing it by covering it with linoleum. It can be some cheap ugly pattern you get for 75 cents a square foot since it will not be seen.
Other material can be used as well such as a 1/4" plastic material.
With a foot of substrate being used, you will also want to seal that far up the inside walls.

As for lighting, that will depend on what you intend to house in the cage and whether the light will just be a florescent fixture or a heat lamp.
Either way you will just attach the fixture to the ceiling of the cage. You can secure the cord to the ceiling and run it out the back, or drill a hole behind the fixture and wire it as it is installed.
The easiest way to install a florescent fixture is to purchase one of the plug in type shop lights of the desired length. I prefer the ones with the built in bulb guard as opposed to exposed bulbs.
Just be sure it's an on/off type light and not one where you have to press and hold the switch for a few seconds to turn the light on. With the latter you can't use a timer.
If you're needing a screw in type light for heat, say for monitors or bearded dragons, then use a keyless fixture mounted into a low profile wire mold or conduit box.