Wire enclosure for BTS?

[jdheff1982]

As I was wondering around my local Petco, I found myself looking at the small animal cages. After picking up some aspen bedding for my BTS, I got onto PetSmart's website and looked at their selection of wire cages. I believe I found a cage which would work really well. It comes with a washable internal liner and can be expanded from 8 square feet to 16 by adding another cage to it. To top it off, it's on $74 for the setup. With my skink being over 1 year old, I don't think the spacing of the bars will be a problem. My goal here is to find a suitable enclosure and keep the cost down, too. I feel this wire cage will do just that; however, I have yet to read about any BTS owner keeping their reptile in a wire cage. I know it won't hold heat at all, but the ambient temp in my apartment is suitable.

Here's the enclosure: http://www.petsmart.com/small-pet/cages/midwest-guinea-pig-habitat-plus-zid36-5171984/cat-36-catid-600022?_t=pfm%3Dcategory

What do you think? Is it worth pursuing or is it this another lost cause?

EDIT: I've been looking at other guinea pig cages and came across a company which makes very reasonable and customizable setups: http://www.guineapigcagesstore.com/deluxe-covered-guinea-pig-cages

[Noah H.]

The only problem that might arise is maintaining consistent temperatures. That wire cage will allow air to circulate very easily, and it might be hard to keep the correct temperature gradient.

[jdheff1982]

The only problem that might arise is maintaining consistent temperatures. That wire cage will allow air to circulate very easily, and it might be hard to keep the correct temperature gradient.

Yeah, I am aware of that and can minimize it by installing cardboard panels and using a flood lamp.

I personally like the looks of the cages provided in the second link. Their deluxe cages with the loft seems cool. Uncertain if a bts would make the effort to climb a ramp regularly though. Although, mine climbs to his basking spot all the time. Don't know if the loft would be the basking area, feeding area, or cool-side hide area. I'd prolly just opt for their non-loft versions. I think I can make them work w/o sinking a ton of $$$ in extra equipment.

[Richard.C]

Just be wary of wire gaps,blues can sqeeze through supprisingly narriw gaps,or worse get trapped trying

[jdheff1982]

Just be wary of wire gaps,blues can sqeeze through supprisingly narriw gaps,or worse get trapped trying

Another reason the second link has better cages. The bars are in a grid pattern which would prevent my bts from trying to push through. Although I just read the openings are 1 3/8 inch big. Is that too big for a yearling NBTS?

[Akrix]

The grid panels in the second link are too big. I have those same panels for holding random supplies. When I was cleaning out my bts tank I put her in a little pen made out of them and she could easily squeeze through, she's a year old.
It also makes that setup extremely overpriced. Just make a liner and use these.

[DianaBlueTongue]

how will you maintain any amount of humidity in it? And like Richard said, they can squeeze through amazingly small spaces, reminds me of a ferret. I had a veryt heavily gravid female escape a wire cage similar to that this summer outside, thankfully she'd made a nice next buried under a flower pot near the pen. I don't recommend them.

[jdheff1982]

I was really hoping a wire cage would work, but I don't think it will. Back to searching...

[Richard.C]

I had a big adult female gravid lowlands years and years ago that trie to get through the smaller sized chicken wire,she managed to somehow get her head and shoulders through then got stuck so bad the wire actually cut into her and she had to be cut out of it,that wire was roughly around an inch wide,and she eas a big lowlands female

An option if something like that grabs you is using avairy mesh over the barred section,i reckon you could build something more sturdy though,just remember that open enclosures will need alot more heat to get asking site right,but added bobus is it offers a nice big thermal gradient unless u live in a hot area,i actually like very wrll ventilatrd cages and option of vig temp gradients

[Dood]

You're in Kansas so I think using wire in the spring, summer and fall would work wonderfully Aussie owners often keep their skinks in outdoor enclosures all year and several areas of the USA have a similar climate.

I use a 36x36 wire rabbit cage with 1" spacing for my guy, occasionally it gets up to 90'F here in southern Ontario and I can even leave him out overnight

I attached a sun screen for shade and our humidity is 60% to 90% all summer so I dont worry about that, but if you are in a dryer area, adding a soaking tub or wetting the grass under the cage should cover it.

For a smaller skink you could line the cage (or build one) with hardware cloth which comes in 1" down to 1/4 " spacings

[jdheff1982]

I had been thinking about building a cage using window screen for the sides and front; but, I would imagine toenails would get stuck.

[SmaugTheBluey]

To keep the price down you could probably use a couple of 2 by 4s and dry erase boards that home depot sells for cheap for the sides of the tank, than look for a window at a garage sale or at habitats for humanity. I've seen a couple people do it for their snakes it would probably work for a bluey