I'm a reptile hobbyist and longtime woodworker, and have built a number of custom cages & cage tops for my collection. For glass aquarium locking cage tops, screens & ventilation vents, I've tried just about all the solutions out there - from drilling plexiglass, using peg board, using wire screen material (from fine window screen to heavier wire mesh), and buying prefabricated wood vents. All these items have their advantages & disadvantages.

I accidentally stumbled on to the best solution while working with one of my IT consulting customers. They are a manufacturer of high tech air filtration products for clean rooms. They changed their design, and ended up with some perforated aluminum they would no longer be using. Perforated aluminum is sheet material which has small holes mechanically punched, so there is no more drilling uneven & rough holes, no moisture/water damage, or torn screens. These sheets are .050" thick (just a tad under 1/16"), so it is strong enough to support heating elements and it won't burn or melt. The holes are small enough that even small hatchlings can't get through, but the density of the hole pattern allows plenty of ventilation. Aluminum is light, won't rust and can be cut & shaped easily.

Instead of paying me for my services, my client gave me a large supply of this perforated aluminum - much more than I'll ever use for my own caging. Typical home centers don't carry this, and it is usually only sold in large industrial quantities. I'd be willing to sell some of this aluminum to other reptile hobbyists building their own cages. Just contact me with the rough dimensions you require.

Happy Herping!

Sounds intriguing. But how much light does it let through?

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Mike
"Never worry about numbers. Help one person at a time, and always start with the person nearest you." - Mother Teresa

Can you post a pic of this? It sounds cool!

Steve

If it is the material (perforated metal) that I am thinking of it will not have sufficient openings to have a UVB light or heat source outside the enclosure. Other than that I would see no problem with it.

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!