Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Who here has one and what are your thoughts on it?
Is it all one piece that fits over a frame and zips up with one zipper or are there many zippers and openings?

What about getting a light to close to it? It the mesh flamable?

Hi!
I have one, and personally I love it! They are inexpensive, easy to clean, big -of course, but they do have a tendency to rip. I think I have a 160 gal. Ive owned it for 2 years, and its held up pretty well. I once housed a colony of jacksons in it, but now it holds my cinnamon blue faced button quails. They are good for larger aborial reptiles, I have a 19 in. male veiled, and he loves the one he has. So I would recomend one, if you were interested in buying!
-Michele-
--------------
2.0 veiled chameleon (zebu and godzilla)
4.0 cinnamin blue face button quail

i prefer the reps over screen cages. Reptariums are inexpensive, light weight and easy to clean. if you know where to look u can find one for a low price. i got a 260 gallon(6'x2.5'x2.5') for 88 shipped. they usually sell for 97-110$
-----
1.0 veiled chameleons(Rocket)

I have one that I use for temp housing only. I have had it for a few years now and the zipper is starting to give out on it. I don't know about the larger ones but the one I have ( 20 gallon) only has one zipper and the frame is like PVC tubing that you put together. The mesh is not flammable but mine kinda melted. I set a light directly on top of it and after quite a long time it left a ring from the hood. Another draw back is the holes that any uneaten crickets can and will chew in it.
-----
Thanks Dawn
1.1 Veiled (Moe and Isis)
0.1 Helmeted Iguana (Louie)
0.1 Southern Toad (Tiny)
1.0 Bearded Dragon (Joker)
1.0 Rescued Adult Iguana (Gomez)
0.0.1 Water Dragon (Igor)
0.0.1 Crested Gecko (Lollipop)
3.1 Cats (Buffy, Spike, London, and Lilly)

couldnt you prevent that by putting the soft tray inside with tape around the top of it to stop them from getting to the mesh?

I don't have the soft tray but I am pretty sure that it goes on the outside of the reptarium. I also would not put tape inside the cage because it could get stuck to your cham.
-----
Thanks Dawn
1.1 Veiled (Moe and Isis)
0.1 Helmeted Iguana (Louie)
0.1 Southern Toad (Tiny)
1.0 Bearded Dragon (Joker)
1.0 Rescued Adult Iguana (Gomez)
0.0.1 Water Dragon (Igor)
0.0.1 Crested Gecko (Lollipop)
3.1 Cats (Buffy, Spike, London, and Lilly)

Reptariums are ONLY good for VERY short term use. I have one and I never use it! It lays around in the backyard. First the zippers snag way to easy. Second it is difficult to see into. Third it has no bottom so when your chameleon poops it will seap though and/or stick to the mesh bottom. Also if you mist you will be getting whatever it is set on wet. Sure you can use one of those plastic clear "liners" but then you are just containing and promoting bateria growth, just what you healthy chameleon needs. It is my opinion and most that take the housing and care of chameleons serious that the ONLY way to go is with a screen cage. They are easier to clean, they will LAST A LOT LONGER, and you will be ablr to actually see your chameleon. For what you pay for a reptarium for just $20 or $30 more you can get a cage that both you and your chameleon will be happier with. Anyone that says they prefer a temporary style(like the reptarium)of housing to a screen cage is crazy and needs to look at their husbandry a little bit closer.

Dennis Scott
-----
californiasilkworms.com
projectpardalis.com

I personally dont see the big difference between a solid bottom screen cage and a lined reptarium. Either way there will still be some water buildup. Heck I just taped a garbage bag around the bottom of mine. Works great and cleaning is made easy by lining paper towels under the *bathroom spots* or the areas where my plants dont catch the water.. Not a big deal.

I have had mine for about 3 years now and sure it has some wear and the zipper snags now and them, but you just snip the loose thread thats holding you up and your set. And its mostly wear ive put on it. Cutting holes for various tubing etc. All in all its good for abouter 3 years im sure.

I have had no complaint from mine. If you are worried about melting the screen with lights simply cut a piece of 1/4 to 1/2 inch plywood to fit on top of the cage, and cut holes for the lights. Works well, keeps the lights directly off the screen and wont melt it. The sides are also softer and I think less rough on your chameleons feet than the other screening.

Just my opinion though, we built a 2x2x4 cage this summer. (Pain in the @$$) for about 40$ and its ok, but I would have rather just spend the extra 30 bucks for another reptarium.

Erin
-----
1:0 Veileds (Gene, RIP Aurora)
1:1 Albino Clawed Frogs (Phedre and Jos)
?? Fire belly toad (Harold)
Various cats and dogs

http://www.screameleons.com/portal/alias__Screameleons/lang__en-US/tabID__3391/DesktopDefault.aspx

Check out that link for a comparison.

Take care.

Vincent

-----
Farrah & Vincent
Email: Screameleons@yahoo.com
Phone: (571) 437-0642
Website: http://www.Screameleons.com

I have to agree with Dennis. I've been breeding veiled chameleons for 5 years now. When I first started, I used the reptariums. I thought they were the greatest things. But after only a short period of time, the zippers started snagging, holes were being chewed by crickets, and the tops were badly miscolored by the lights. I now use only screen cages. They are easier to clean & disinfect. No more snagged zippers. Lighting is safe on top. Better vision. And no more chewed holes. And I don't feel like I'm feeding my chams nylon mesh gut-loaded crickets. Remember that whatever goes into your crickets, goes into your reptiles. All screen cages are definitely worth the couple extra bucks!
Cricket

I'll play devils advocate. I use mostly repteriums for a number of reasons. First, but definately not the biggest reason, when you have as many cages as I do, the cost difference becomes significant. Secondly, I deal a lot with very shy species. I find that its hard to see into the repteriums and at the same time, its harder for them to see out as well. With shy species, this can be an excellent care advantage. Third, I use a misting system for my cages that mists for a total of an hour a day. That is simply too much water for a paper towl bottom, or any other bottom, to soak up so the fact that they are a mesh bottom works in my favor as I simply have water collection bins under all my cages. I find that if I stay on top of keeping the cage bottoms clean, I don't have a problem with the mesh bottom and if I start to, they are easy cages to take and really clean. The cons that I simply deal with for the advantages above: the zippers get jammed and snag frequenty, the zippers break occationally, crickets can chew through (I've found as long as you don't over feed your cham to the point of a bunch of crickets remaining in the enclosure, this rarely happens), they're hard to see into and not the best looking cages.

Chris
-----
Chris Anderson
parsonii_hoehnelii@hotmail.com
Editor - Chameleons! Online E-zine: http://www.chameleonnews.com/
Admin - Captive Chameleon Bloodline Tracking Database (CCBTD): http://www.chameleondatabase.com/
Author - Chameleon Care and Information Center (CCIC) - http://www.geocities.com/ccicenter/(Currently Down)

Out of over 50 cages, I only have two reptariums that I currently use. And those chameleons are bowl fed. I also do a lot of watering. I always silicone the screen cage bottom to keep any water from leaking out. There's lots of professional breeders that use screen, reptariums, & both. It's really just a matter of preference. Pros & cons either way.
Cricket

I personnaly think the reptarium is great. altough it does have its disadvantageous, but there isn't a thing in the world that is perfect. you will always be cons to everything, and it is up to you to deal with it. I think it is very innapropriate to criticize one's view or opinion and call them crazy becuase it differs from yours.

If the zipper does get stuck, it is very easily correctable by cutting the threads that causes the problem, good as new! Circkets very rarely have the chance to chew through the mest. It takes time for them to chew through it, becuase the mest is quite strong. the only reason a cricket would have enough time to chew through the mesh is if you put too much crickets in them. Another way to eliminat this problem is to cup feed. there are so many advantageous to cup feeding, i don't see why you should have a problem with crickets in the first place.

About the chameleons being harder to view in a reptarium, would you not prefer the characteristics of the cage to benifit your chameleon more? The fact that the reptariums have lower visibility will make your chameleon feel more secure within its enclosure. I don't think that's a bad thing at all. Furthermore, its not like it terribly difficult to see into the mesh of the reptarium should the viewer wish to.

About the reptariums having no bottom, well that could easily be solve by putting paper towels at the bottom. All very easy solutions to the simple problems. you don't even need to wste money on soft trays.

Now i am not saying that you should choose reptariums above all cages, but the buyer should choose what suits his need the most, as all types of cage has its benifits and disadvantages. If you have money to on expensive cages, by all means, buy a metal screen cage, its great too. But a reptarium can be just as good, but with a lower price. for the same price you pay for a screen cage, you could get a huge reptarium. Its all a tarde-ff, and up to you to consider what is best.