NEW exotera Vivs!!

[Herpguy2004]

if you havnt seen these yet you should! there soo cool. natural looking background. latched front glass doors and a top opening screen. the bottoms are sealed so u can have streams and such and there fairly cheap! i got this one for $50 canadian and its 12x12x12. i currently have one Avic Avic T in it right nowhttp://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/508/5269ViV.jpg

[Bartman]

Wow that looks amazing. Would probably work really well for baby gtp's and emmy's. What do you guys think?

Thanks for sharing!

[Tim and Julie B]

I saw all the different sizes at the Calgary show they are pretty nice! First thing I thought of was T's as well! The had the largest one parcially aquatic.......it looked really good.

[Herpguy2004]

ya they get pretty big and there decent prices to! they would be good for snakes as they completly lock up. the only thing i dont see them working to good for is terestrial lizards as they dont have a very big bottom area.

[YoungBuck]

Oh wow!! Are the tops mesh covered or totally enclosed? I might get one for my Spotted Python~!

[Slannesh]

Tops are Mesh.

I've seen these at a few of the pet stores around town recently as well.. was considering the 24" squared one for some Cresties when they get bigger.

[Invictus]

IMO, not worth it. The rock backgrounds are some sort of spongy material, which will absorb moisture (and thus become a breeding ground for mold) in no time.

[Slannesh]

Backgrounds are a type of polystyrene foam... pretty much the same thing as styrofoam... I doubt they would absorb moisture, but anything with claws will probably shred them pretty quick. If I do end up with one of these i'm gonna give it a quick covering of sealed grout or something similar so it'll last longer.

[Herpguy2004]

ya theyre designed to take water contact. theres even passages behind the wall for tubes and wires so u can run pumps in and all that good stuff. and yes anything with claws would probably shred it up real good

[clint545]

Yeah really like the design ideas on them. I think the foam background should be removable in my opinion. I like how the doors swing out instead of sliding, make for easier cleaning.
Was going to grab the larger one, think it would be suitable for an adult Crestie.

[BoidKeeper]

So it's a glass tank with front opening doors and a piece of foam stuck to the back piece of glass on the indside? I wouldn't think crickects would stay in there very long.
Cheers,
Trevor

[Herpguy2004]

actually the crickets cant escape. i just put some in and so far non are behind the foam:P i believe the foam is removeable though. i was told it was. i just havnt tried. it doesnt seem to be glued. just kinda press fit in there.

[ATBlover]

no the foam isnt glued in ...i took it out at the pet store...if i got one i would get the 24" by 24" and use it for a baby GTP...without the background...it's stupid and would absorb moisture but the tank isnt too bad....but i dont really need a small tank like that....Connor

[Ryan23]

Just checked these out today and I think they'd be great for numerous species especially T's, Cresties, and frogs. Seeing as the foam background is removable any issues with that are gone and everything else about them is perfect.

[snakers55]

Here's mine, housing some baby amazons.
http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/3421amazons.JPG

[ChokeOnSmoke]

I just saw these as well and think they would work great for cresties. Great for display.
Kind of weird on one of the packages they have a bearded dragon... and a leo on the other.....

[DataRipper]

I think the overall idea is good ..they are cheap..and great for small herps..i have seen one at a local pet store and they seem well made..

[Siretsap]

We received one on Saturday. They are perfect for cresties or other arboreal geckos. Exo Terra really outdone their selves on this one, and the price is very well worth it.

They are even big enough for my cat, ask Stav or Agar they seemed to like seeing my cat in the tank ;)

[havenbounce]

Yes they are nice looking but a big warning!! You cannot have an overhead heater touching this encloser in anyway!! It will melt the top and the background. Even having a overhead heather that hangs over it you have to make sure it's not too hot. So it's really only good for nonheat loving guys!!
Ginnette

[Slannesh]

Yikes... double check your temps if it's melting the styrofoam!

http://www.dow.com/styrofoam/europe/uk/ins/invert/bal_des.htm

Styrofoam melts at about 135 degrees celcius.

http://www.eccleston.co.uk/kmcoshh.htm
A quick search on google said that expanded polystyrene melts at 200 degrees Celcius

Needless to say that's way hotter than any herp could survive in.

[havenbounce]

Nope not to hot. We set it up with a 50W light on it and in less that 5 minutes the background started to melt and the lid melted. The lid has mesh but it also is made with a plastic frame with a plastic piece that goes across the middle. The temp was less than 80C.. I work in the pet industry and I can tell you that they are working on this problem because of this happening. A heat lamp of no kind can be placed directly on top of the lid. It needs to hang from a good distance. Again all this melting happened in 5 minutes! So I would only put thing that don't need overhead heat. (undertanks work fine but this is designed for tree climbers so undertank may not be enough for some)
Thanks for your info though
Ginnette

[gargoyle]

80C???? that's 176 degrees farenheit!!!! That's crazy!!! any herp will die in those temps!!!!!! I would expect it too melt! You should really check your information and setup!

[havenbounce]

oooops should be 80F sorry. (I'm used to metric in everything and forget the temp on the tanks are not metric)
Sorry.
It's was 80F

[DataRipper]

the pet store close to me has one on 12 hours a day 150w overhead light siting right on the screen .. With no melting what so ever..

[concept3]

haven bounce 80f is under 30c and no plastic or styrofoam product on earth would melt in that temp range. So theirfore your making it up or need a better way to measure your temps.

[gargoyle]

I can't see 80F melting the plastic,,,that would mean that on a hot summer day, this enclosure should go to liquid....I've gotta second quess this information! I'd like to see some pics of the setup that melted, and what did the melting!

[clint545]

Yeah, If they're melting @ 80F then they've got some lousy quality control at the manufactors:)

["Red-eye"_Matt]

My fiance bought me one of monday and I am going to be setting it up for my red eyed tree frogs in the next few weeks. They look great and should make the cleaning go a lot easier.

THE best thing about having an animal/computer room is that I can adjust the temps for the whole room and therefore additional heating is not that big of an issue as it is pretty minimal.

Matt

[havenbounce]

The inside of the enclosure was about 80F (the heat lamp was only on for 5 minutes so didn't have time to get any hotter) I have no clue how hot the heat bulb itself was! It was a 50W Heat Glo Nocturnal Infrared Heat Lamp inside a Exo Terra Incand. Metal Reflector. It melted the plastic cross bar on the lid and the top part of the foam (about an 1") I saw it and can take a pic...! here's something that I just read on their web sight
"Installing the Exo Terra Glo Light
Use the clamp the clip the Glo Light on either the left or the right side of the terrarium; do not rest the lamp’s reflector directly on the plastic parts of the screen top. Be careful not to position the light bulb directly over the plastic parts of the screen frame but position the center of the lamp over the metal screen only, at least 10 cm or 4” above the screen. Only bulbs of maximum a 100W should be used" http://www.exo-terra.com/products/glass_terrariums_instr.html
So please do not call me a liar (I'll leave that job to you men...lol)
Ginnette
ps the back is made from non-toxic polystyrene. Polystyrene is that not the same stuff that coffee cups and some fast food places use for their food. Yes it does keep stuff warm but will it melt it a match is put against it? Or a heat lamp touches it?

[Double J]

I have purchased three of the 12 inch cube exo-terra tanks for some Lygodactylus kimhowelli geckos. I have found them to be well made, practical, affordable, and attractive.
I do have one concern though... has anybody else noticed a strong rubbery odour coming from the rubber splining on the lid that holds the screen in? The smell is relatively strong on my tanks, though other that I have seen set-up have lacked the smell completely. I am guessing that thoe ones I purchased were just "fresher"... meaning that perhaps they were made a relatively short time ago and possibly the rubber has not had a chance to finish off-gasing?
Either way... these tanks are great. I plan on moving a number of animals in my collection into these tanks in the near future.

[gargoyle]

Havenbounce: Actually I didn't "call you a liar" I said I'd have to second quess the info at hand! Anyways it seems that you didn't follow the instructions for this it states not to do what you did, place it above the plastic! the manual states to clip the "glo light" above the lid, so that it does not come in contact with the lid. I'd say that almost any plastic that comes within an inch or so of a heat bulb (50w or not) it will show some melting. I'd say just follow the direction and it should be fine! I'm going to purchase one of these tomorrow just to test it out, setup exactly as the instructions say and I'll let everyone know what happens in a couple days after I've given it a good test. I'll probably use a higher wattage bulb (75 or 100) just for the test! give me a couple days!

[havenbounce]

No you did not it was concept3 who claimed I made it up. I got the enclosure from someone with no box and no instructions. I just checked out their sight 20 minutes ago to get that warning. I had posted the warning because I know alot of people do not read instructions and wanted to save someone from having the same thing happening to them. Have since hung an over heat lamp (about 6" off the lid) and have had no problems. I have spoken to a rep from Hagen and was notified that this problem is common and that they are working on a new design for the lid so that it won't happen again. I think the design is great for non heat loving reptiles.

Ginnette

[Siretsap]

You shouln't put a bulb on any plastic surface...

We bought 2, and they are totally worth it for cresties or other arboreal geckos, not to mention what you can make for amphibians. Really not dissapointed on these purchases.

[JD@reptiles]

I bought one from PCPC and I am really happy with mine. So is my green tree python.

Jordan

[Ptindy]

Well, I'm sure my uroplatus would love them, how much is the 2 by 2 by 2 running for, anyone know? Thanks.

Mike

[Slannesh]

Well first off if you put the heat lamp ON the plastic bit it wasn't at 80F. Probably more like 280F :) Try heatgunning a heatlamp sometime.. they get very hot. I've got a heatlamp on my beardie cage that regularly tempguns at over 300 F when I temp the bulb directly. Even through the wire top it heats the floor to 100 F at a distance of about 18"

No one was calling you a liar havenbounce, it was just that your post was worded strangely and when I first read it I thought you were claiming that the styrofoam and plastic was melting at 80F which is impossible for either of those materials without some sort of solvent involved.

Although your experience does bring up a good point. Heat lamps are dangerous when they're improperly used and secured.

I'm planning on buying one of these tanks when my cresties get a big bigger as well :)


My big concern here is that you say the styrofoam melted... that means that INSIDE your enclosure it was 200 F or higher. I really hope there wasn't an aboreal species in there at the time.

I'm sure where your probe was it was only 80F but the fact that even being generous on the melting point of the styrofoam and calling it 175F it HAD to be at least that hot where the styrofoam melted. Much too hot for any species i'm aware of, especially anything that would fit in one of those enclosures.

[havenbounce]

The foam melted right on top were in touched the lid. It was only about an inch long. No nothing was in it at the time. Was just setting it up and planned on letting it air out a bit because they smell pretty strong when you first set it up. Mine was already out of the box for awhile but had never been opened, so I can't imagine how they smell fresh from the box.
There is now a happy Wahlbergs Velvet Gecko in it.
Ginnette

[clint545]

Ptindy - I believe the 2x2x2 is $119 +tax. At least that is the price at the pet store near me.
I also believe the current prices might be a Promotion price too but not 100% sure!:)

["Red-eye"_Matt]

Can anyone send me a link for the 2' x 2' x 2' tank. I checked the exo-terra website and the largest I can find there is 18" x 18" x 24" tall. That is the size we have and I am curious to see a larger one as they seem to be great tanks.

Matt

[noahspets]

Matt - I work at a pet store and the biggest one we can get is 18 x 18 x 24. I would like to find out as well if there is a bigger one.

Double J - I have noticed that smell and it was quite strong, but only for a little bit after you take it out of the box.

Haven Bounce - I own 3 18 x 18 x 24 exo terra terrariums myself and we have 2 set up at the store. An 18 x 18 x 18 and an 18 x 18 x 24. We have heat lamps on all of them. There is 50 watt exo terra sun glow bulbs on 3 of the 18 x 18 x 24's and the 18 x 18 x 18 and a 50 watt exo terra infrared on the other one. We have never had any problems with melting of anything, whether it be the styrofoam or the lids. We made sure that when we placed them though, that the bulbs were in the middle of the screen.

IMO I think the ExoTerra All Glass Terrariums are awesome. They look good and they are extremely functional. The lid, the background, the holes for wiring, the glass in the front for water, the swing out glass doors with the latch, the raised floor for a UTH is all great. They are definatly worth the little bit of money. Now the next best thing would be if they got into making HUGE ones. But I am sure that will come.

[mark129er]

Hagen, the distributor of the new terrariums, has issued an advisory to retailers. The statement reads that ALL incandescant heat lamps and even some flourescant lamps should be suspended a MINIMUM of 4 inches above the mesh top as there is a potential for melting.

Not the exact wording (couldn't be bothered to memorize it) but pretty close.

I haven't used them, they look good but are a bit small for my uses. I work in a pet store that sells them. The advisory came in just yesterday.

[noahspets]

We haven't got anything from Hagen yet. Oh well, probably tomorrow.

[Cruciform]

I stopped by Superpet in London the other night and checked out the cages while I was picking up some Provent-a-mite. They look good, and are quite affordable.

I'm going to pick up one of the bigger ones for the LTR and see how it goes. I think the spotteds will definitely end up in these too :)