Any tips for fixing cage?

[Zaphod42]

Over the past couple years I've bought 3 4ft boaphile cages. The first two have been great...the third one is cursed. It arrived with a crack in the corner and the smell was really bad. The other two had a bit of a smell but it went away after a week. This was still super stinky after 2 months. The next issue was the hinges and stuff started to get all rusty. The temp and humidity is the same as the other two cages and they're fine. Last week while cleaning the cage I noticed a huge crack in the floor. I'm just waiting to walk into the room one day and see the cage in pieces, lol.Has anyone ever switched out the hinges and brackets on a boaphile before? Is it difficult? Can you think of anything I can do for the crack in the floor?








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[Noelle7206]

Re: Any tips for fixing cage?

Were these new? or used, I assume?

[Zaphod42]

Re: Any tips for fixing cage?

Were these new? or used, I assume?

Nope. Brand new.

[Pandorasdad]

Re: Any tips for fixing cage?

Have you called Jeff? I know he's not around here anymore, but I assume he's still answering his phones. I'd try that first.

The hinges should be relatively easy to change. I've never had to do one in my Boaphiles.

As for the crack, I guess you could use an epoxy resin to seal it, but I'd call Jeff first.

[Zaphod42]

Re: Any tips for fixing cage?

I called Jeff when the cage first arrived cracked. It took almost two months to get a hold of him and he gave me $50 off a rack. Beyond that not a lot of help.

[acephantom903]

Re: Any tips for fixing cage?

The latches from what I know are common to rust with boaphile. If you don't have an animal in the cage currently, you can remove the latches (I believe only a screwdriver is needed) and bring them to Home Depot or Lowe's or similar stores. Someone in the store will have an idea on how to replace it and hopefully sell you weatherproof parts. With the nuts, those are easy. Take off one with a wrench -- I believe they are imperial not metric -- and bring it to the same home construction store and bring it to one of the workers in the nut aisle and they will help. Again, buy weatherproof/stainless. Clean all rust from all surfaces before adding the new parts. Even stainless steel can rust if it is touching rust.

I am not sure what to do with that crack. It looks like it is about an 1/8" deep lifted off the rest of the 1/2"? I agree with above and epoxy resin would probably be the best chance but there will still be an abrasive crack as it is no longer perfect. If you can't get ahold of Jeff you may want to use epoxy to hold you over as you figure out what you're going to do. Building cages isn't too hard if you have the right materials. Or you can buy another one from Jeff or from another source.

EDIT: An example of building cages: http://www.redtailboas.com/f140/new-...losures-74569/

[Pandorasdad]

Re: Any tips for fixing cage?

Beyond that not a lot of help.

I'd call that no help whatsoever.
Is the area around the crack pliable? If it is, the epoxy should be OK. If not, I'm afraid I'd want that cage replaced. How long have you had it?

Side Note. This makes me rethink the idea of buying Boaphiles. His response to this situation will be telling indeed.

[Zaphod42]

Re: Any tips for fixing cage?

It's not all that pliable, I didn't mess with it too much but it seemed like I would make it worse if I put any sort of pressure on it. I've had the cage for just over a year so I'm pretty bummed about it. I really like the look of the boaphile cages but I'm switching over to AP for the next set of cages to see how they hold up. If I owned a place instead of renting I would totally build cages but wood is just so heavy to move : /


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[acephantom903]

Re: Any tips for fixing cage?

They sell sheets of PVC like the person used in the link I provided in stores like Home Depot and Lowe's. That is what Animal Plastics use for their cages. Boaphile molds it somehow. Animal Plastics literally just take the sheets out of stores and cut it to the lengths and put in starting holes for you. I have an Animal Plastics cage and I like it but the more I think about upgrading to an adult size cage (a couple years out), the more I want to build my own out of PVC. PVC sheets are comparable to wood in strength and ability to cut with tools. Main benefits for using it is that it is waterproof and lightweight.
Veranda HP 1/2 in. x 48 in. x 8 ft. White PVC Trim-H120AWS6 - The Home Depot

[Pandorasdad]

Re: Any tips for fixing cage?

If I owned a place instead of renting I would totally build cages but wood is just so heavy to move : /

So true! I'm about to move a homemade melamine cage halfway across the country.

Animal Plastics literally just take the sheets out of stores and cut it to the lengths and put in starting holes for you.

For which I am glad to pay them. i don't want to have mess with any of that.

[bcr_229]

Re: Any tips for fixing cage?

For which I am glad to pay them. i don't want to have mess with any of that.

LOL since my husband has a machine shop in the garage, I'm planning on making him mess with that.

OP I wouldn't try to repair/bond the crack itself. You can get a piece of thin vinyl sheet, which is quite flexible and inexpensive, cut to cover the whole floor, glue it in, and apply a bead of silicone sealer all around the seams so nothing gets under it. An alternative would be a scrap of vinyl flooring if you can find someone remodeling a house.

[Noelle7206]

Re: Any tips for fixing cage?

Nope. Brand new.

Wow, I would have thought that he would have replaced it...that doesn't sound right? Maybe something got "lost in translation"?

[natieb]

Re: Any tips for fixing cage?

You can get a piece of thin vinyl sheet, which is quite flexible and inexpensive, cut to cover the whole floor, glue it in, and apply a bead of silicone sealer all around the seams so nothing gets under it. An alternative would be a scrap of vinyl flooring if you can find someone remodeling a house.

This is the approach I would take.

Jeff has historically been known for his excellent customer service, so it's really disappointing to hear that he didn't take care of the issue for you.

[Zaphod42]

Re: Any tips for fixing cage?

Thanks all! I'll hopefully have some 6ft AP cages arriving soon so I'm going to switch some snakes around and then work on fixing this cage, I've only had it for just over a year so I hate to throw it out. It's so weird that this one has had so many problems and the other two have been fine. Lame sauce.

[Pandorasdad]

Re: Any tips for fixing cage?

It's so weird that this one has had so many problems and the other two have been fine.

There can always be flaws in any manufacturing process. There may have been an air bubble in the mold that got in there. Still, Jeff should have replaced it.