Should I Buy or Build a 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.

Then, after you have a general idea of what the pet needs, and where you will be keeping it you can begin to decide whether buying the cage or building it is right for you.You may find that a reptile tank is more suitable than a cage since you only have a small lizard, that's something to consider as well. There a different styles and sizes of tanks and cages that are available to purchase and obviously building some of them may be more difficult then others so let's talk more about making that decision now.

One of the first things I would ask you to consider is the "cost of the cage to buy vs. cost and time to build" the enclosure yourself. It surely doesn't make a lot of sense to go out and buy a cage for $250 if you have the time and talent to build it yourself on a weekend for $65 worth of materials does it? Well that is just one consideration, and if you don't think you're handy enough to pull off building a cage there are e-books and designs you can buy to give you the knowledge and expertise to do so, and they are really cheap! You can see my website mentioned in the resource box of this article to get started if you like.

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.

Aside from the fact that it may be cheaper to build a cage (once you learn how if you don't already know) it still might be better to buy one from an online store or pet store. Some of us would rather NOT spend the time and effort to build the enclosure even though we have the skill and time to do so. It might just be that we would rather sip margaritas on the beach for that amount of time or whatever. There's nothing wrong with that either since it's our time and money that will be spent so the decision is ours. If you do plan to buy here's some tips to get you started also.

Consider shopping around a little and compare prices. Most people will do this anyway since it's very common, but doesn't hurt to mention. Think also about purchasing from an internet based (online) store vs. the pet store in your neighborhood. You will usually find that pet stores have to charge more since they have electric bills and employees to pay and most internet stores don't, which can mean some of this savings will be passed to you the consumer. Look into it and try to get the best value for the money and not just the lowest price. Try not to purchase a shoddy cage because it is less expensive. If you have to buy another one because it broke easily or something, you spend a lot more in the long run.

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.

Wish you the best!

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

Please Rate this Article

5 out of 54 out of 53 out of 52 out of 51 out of 5 

Not yet Rated