Reptile & Amphibian Forums

thanks i want to use glass and not plexiglass

I WOULD SUGGEST 1/4 INCH IF YOU WANT TO USE GLASS BUT I PERSONALLY PREFER PLEXIGLASS JUST BECAUSE OF COST AND WEIGHT THE PLEXIGLASS IS MORE CONVENIENT.

I use 1/4 inch glass in all my cages. I prefer glass to plexiglass because it is more scratch resistent and it is easier to clean because you don't have to worry about the effects of chemicals on it.

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Jared Douglas

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or did you make them, What are they made of and what do they cost?

I built them.

They are 4ft x 2 ft x 1ft and made of 3/4 inch and 5/8 inch melamine that has a white coating on it. The top and bottom are full 4ft x 2ft sheets of the 3/4 inch wood. The back is 4ft x 1ft of the 5/8 inch wood. The sides are 23 3/8 inches x 1 ft and are one of the 4ft x 1 ft 5/8 inch boards cut in half minus 5/8 inch to allow for the back board. All the wood was purchased at Menards. Look in the shelving section for melamine. The pieces are screwed together and the seams are calked. The glass track was purchased at Rockler.com. It houses two pieces of glass that are 1/4 inch thick. The glass track is secured with liquid nails. Once it is installed you measure the front opening and follow the instructions on the glass track to figure out the size of the glass needed. I ordered glass from a local glass shop. The glass is the most expensive part of the cage. I believe it is $38 for the two pieces. Make sure you get the corners rounded and the edges polished so it slides smoothly in the track. The vents were purchased at menards and then were spray painted black. I use under tank heaters. The
cages hold heat well but are VERY heavy. They cost around $80 to build.
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Jared Douglas

I use 1/4 inch TEMPERED glass. You can swing a bat at tempered glass and not break it (although I haven't tested that). The only vulnerable parts are the corners, which would be protected by the track. Tempered glass has to be cut to size before it is tempered (heating process), and it is a bit more costly. You can see the difference in quality. Look around your house; some newer windows, and doors are tempered also glass table tops should be tempered. When you go to the glass shop to place your order, make sure to tell them "NO Bugs." The "bug" is the little logo that you see in the corner of some window. Good luck,
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Zoodude

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