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Whether you are buying a reptile for the first time or you already own a snake, bearded dragon, or lizard then figuring out where it will be kept is and important and obvious first step. There's tons of different kinds or reptiles and as a result tons of different kinds or cages or tanks. They all have different features and functions and that makes knowing what your pet needs important. After you know know however then you might be asking whether it's better to build your own cage or buy one. Let's talk more about that here.

Start by looking at your pet's needs and that can give you an idea of what enclosure or cage is needed. For instance, if you have a lizard that needs lots of different light and is going to grow much bigger then you need to think about what material is best suited for this. You may also need to consider where it will be kept (indoors or outdoors) to know whether it needs to be able to weather humidity or lots of sun. This is a big consideration and you need to understand your pet's needs first.

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.

In reference to building the reptile cage or tank, remember, if your pet is going to grow larger in the future you may need another cage. Even if you aren't sure how to build one at this point, learning from someone who does or buying an e-book written by an expert, can save you money on ALL the cages you ever need to build. It's like learning a trade, but a lot easier. Building your cage can be a great money saver and YOU control the look and feel, not the manufacturer.

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.

Don't forget such things as the reptile's lighting needs, how will you get the pet in and out of the cage, or whether there will be a lot of moisture inside. You want to keep this stuff in mind so you buy the right cage for your needs and not buy one that lacks what is best for you. Purchasing a cage is probably the easier way to go, but you won't usually get to tweak the style and design of it, uless you decide to get a custom cage builder to handle the job, but that means big bucks.

Hope this helps!

Author's Resource:

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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