Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Does anyone have any experience/raves/gripes about the larger Exo Terra terrariums, TetraFauna ReptoHabitats, Zoo Med glass terrariums, etc.? I'm comparing various terrariums with front-facing doors as possibilities for housing & displaying some small/medium snakes in the next year. Any experiences/opinions/recommendations would be appreciated.

I don't have experience with the large ones, but I do use 1 24"x18"x12" and 2 18"x18"x12" for young boas. I had glass cut for the top, then I drilled and installed a radiant heat panel (28 watt Reptile Basics) wrapped the sides and back with reflectix insulation. They work like a charm with this set up.
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Reptiles Make The World Go Round.

Hi Randall,
Regarding the glass you had cut, how did you install that - just laid it on the top frame and maybe added some silicon?

And for installing the RHP, did you silicon it to the glass or did you drill holes in the glass top, or did you silicon wood to the glass top and screw the panels into the wood?

BTW, I use alot of 10gal glass tanks for smaller snakes. I just get the regular screen tops one can find in pet stores, and I lay a 28 watt heat panel right on top. Works quite well. I still run heat tape under the cages but only use it during the cooler times of the year.

I had the glass cut at a local glass shop, had them polish the edges, and placed it onto the lip for the screen top. I then use spacers to make up the difference for the lock down tabs that hold the screen down. I drilled the glass with glass bits, and use wing nuts to hold the RHP in place. I wanted to make it easy to remove and adjust if I decided to use them for another animal species once the boas in them outgrow that particular sized enclosure.
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Reptiles Make The World Go Round.

Last questions:

What thickness of glass did you use?

What type of glass - plate (aquarium), safety, tempered or laminated?

I got it in 1/4". Figured it wouldn't hurt to go overboard on the thickness. Although if I was to do it again I'd go thinner, to save some money. (I think it was around 70 bucks for all the glass I had them cut and polish).
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Reptiles Make The World Go Round.

Rack of Reptiles (3) by Randall Turner Jr, on Flickr

Not the best photo, but it shows the exo terras from a few months back.
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Reptiles Make The World Go Round.

I could be wrong, but I do believe it was just standard plate glass that I had them use. (don't remember it being anything else).
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Reptiles Make The World Go Round.

I have a few, they are pretty much the same deal. They work well but like any screen-topped cage, humidity will go right up and out, so best to cover the top depending on the species. Also, the glass doors are thin plate glass, so do not accidentally kick them.