Decide whether to Build or Buy your Reptile Cage

If you are a first time Reptile owner or contemplating owning a snake, lizard, or bearded dragon, then planning on where you will be keeping them is an obvious first step. As there are many different types of reptiles with various needs, there are also different types of reptile cages/enclosures. Each serve different purposes and figuring out which is best suited for your reptile's needs is paramount. Once you figure that out then it's a good idea to ask whether buying a cage or building one is best for you. That's what I'll help you answer here.

Start off by considering your pet reptile's needs or size so you can have a general idea of the type of cage that may be needed. What I mean is, if you have a pet snake that will require a lot of hot lighting then you should be thinking about materials able to withstand the heat. Also if you knew you were keeping you pet outside then the enclosure needs to be able to "survive" in the elements and not break apart. You need to start with this in mind and know your pet's needs while considering this.

Once you are familiar with reptile's needs, and the location you will be keeping them start to consider whether to buy or build the enclosure. Sometimes a reptile tank might be a more sensible option for very little smakes or lizards and should be considered. With that said there are all kinds of various designs and styles of cages you could buy or build and that makes building some of the more complicated then others, but let's look a little closer.

Fist of all you need to consider the cost of buying the enclosure compared with building it and the time and effort involved. If you can build a cage with your skill and time and only spend $100, but the same cage costs around $300 in the store then it might be worth it. That's one thing to consider and if you're worried about not having the skill to build a cage there are good e-books and resources that can be easily followed to guide you and are dirt cheap! Check out my website listed in the resource box of this article if you need somewhere to get started.

When it comes to building the cage for your pet, don't forget to consider whether your reptile will grow bigger and if you need to plan to build another cage. Remember if you're not sure how to build it now, being guided by an expert through a book or resource, can really save you more money for the next cages you might need. Consider it as learning a trade, but not as hard. Deciding to build (or learn to build) your reptile cage is a great way to save money and you can control the finished product's look and features.

Even though you may realize that building the enclosure is cheaper you might still opt to buy one anyway online or in a pet store. Even though we may have the time and talent to build one we may NOT really feeling like doing it. Maybe we'd rather be playing with our kids or watching the game. That's ok too, after all, it's our time and money so we can choose what is best. Now if planning on buying remember a few things.

Consider taking a look around for your cage and shopping around a bit. Most people will automatically do this, but it doesn't hurt to mention. You should probably think about buying one online instead of at the pet store in your area. Most people will pay more for things from the stores since pet stores have overhead and costs to be there whereas online stores don't and many will beat their competitor's prices if asked. I think it is really worth considering, and don't forget to buy "value" rather than just "price". Don't make the mistake of buying the cheapest cage (if it's crappy) due to the price since there's a good chance it may fall apart and cost more since you have to replace it.

Keep in mind your reptile's lighting needs, how large the access holes/doors need to be to clean the cage, and whether it will be very wet inside the cage. You want to have these things in mind when you shop to get the cage with the right features and specifics you need. Deciding to buy a cage is probably less work, but as a result you can't always decide on the design or features without hiring a custom cage which can be much more expensive to do.

Hope this helps!

Article Source: http://www.mycontentbuilder.com

Ben Farlandwants you to know how to choose between whether to build or buy your next Reptile Enclosure and get answers to other reptile related questions at his and also answers other Reptile questions on his Reptile Supply and FAQ blog

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