Wood Vs Glass enclosures

[Red Ink AUS]

Hi Guys,

Just another random question from myself as you guys may have noticed from time to time i do this lol.

Now, wood vs glass enclosures (for any reptile doesn't have to be just for BDs)

Do you prefer one over the other?

If so why?

What do you think are the advantages of one vs the other?

Am I annoying you with silly questions like this?


Cheers,

 

[zebraflavencs]

Well, for dragons, yes a 40b is enough... but I just like the roominess one (human) can get with building a wooden enclosure... Now that same enclosure say for a gecko (leo) would kind of be ridiculous eh ? So for leos or same sized glass enclosures fit nicely...
Janie

 

[crypticdragons]

My reasons for preferring wood/pvc enclosures over glass are:

Weight. A large glass aquarium tends to be ungodly heavy, especially in the sizes that many of us use as enclosures. Typically with wood enclosures the weight is drastically less, and with pvc enclosures it is barely a fraction of the glass aquarium's weight.

security. With a glass aquarium, if not blocked and skinned correctly, a reptile can become easily stressed due to movement around his "environment". With a wood/pvc enclosure you block out this possibility as typically only one side of the tank can be seen out of. Though some have argued that it is not a great solution due to lowered interaction with the world around it, I personally feel that it gives reptiles a heightened sense of security.

Heating. Now this is specifically pertaining to wood enclosures, melamine to be exact. Melamine enclosures hold weight extremely well. I am able to reach the temps that I need at my basking sites with 40 watt bulbs in my melamine enclosures and Imsure that if i moved the light fixtures to inside the tank instead of atop a screen I could go even lower. i know some keepers that have the lighting systems setup inside the tank that use 25 watt bulbs and produce 100+ degree temps at the basking site and are able to maintain a near perfect gradiant throughout the tank. With my pvc enclosures they do not hole heat as well but I have some things in mind here in the future to try and alleviate that issue.

Cleaning. Well, most wood/pvc enclosures are front opening, giving you immediate access to the the entire tank. With an aquarium you have to first either be tall enough or use a step ladder to get to the top of the tank, then you have to lean down into it to attempt cleaning the tank.

These are just my observations on having gone from my very first beardie tank being a 55 gallon aquarium to a 40 gallon breeder to custom tanks all around lol.

 

[crypticdragons]

My reasons for preferring wood/pvc enclosures over glass are:

Weight. A large glass aquarium tends to be ungodly heavy, especially in the sizes that many of us use as enclosures. Typically with wood enclosures the weight is drastically less, and with pvc enclosures it is barely a fraction of the glass aquarium's weight.

security. With a glass aquarium, if not blocked and skinned correctly, a reptile can become easily stressed due to movement around his "environment". With a wood/pvc enclosure you block out this possibility as typically only one side of the tank can be seen out of. Though some have argued that it is not a great solution due to lowered interaction with the world around it, I personally feel that it gives reptiles a heightened sense of security.

Heating. Now this is specifically pertaining to wood enclosures, melamine to be exact. Melamine enclosures hold weight extremely well. I am able to reach the temps that I need at my basking sites with 40 watt bulbs in my melamine enclosures and Imsure that if i moved the light fixtures to inside the tank instead of atop a screen I could go even lower. i know some keepers that have the lighting systems setup inside the tank that use 25 watt bulbs and produce 100+ degree temps at the basking site and are able to maintain a near perfect gradiant throughout the tank. With my pvc enclosures they do not hole heat as well but I have some things in mind here in the future to try and alleviate that issue.

Cleaning. Well, most wood/pvc enclosures are front opening, giving you immediate access to the the entire tank. With an aquarium you have to first either be tall enough or use a step ladder to get to the top of the tank, then you have to lean down into it to attempt cleaning the tank.

These are just my observations on having gone from my very first beardie tank being a 55 gallon aquarium to a 40 gallon breeder to custom tanks all around lol.

the 2 highlighted words are incorrect
weight should be heat
and hole should be hold

sorry for the confusion its early.

 

[zebraflavencs]

*slides a strong cuppa java mud, Brian's way*
Janie

 

[Craiger]

My reasons for preferring wood/pvc enclosures over glass are:

Weight. A large glass aquarium tends to be ungodly heavy, especially in the sizes that many of us use as enclosures. Typically with wood enclosures the weight is drastically less, and with pvc enclosures it is barely a fraction of the glass aquarium's weight.

security. With a glass aquarium, if not blocked and skinned correctly, a reptile can become easily stressed due to movement around his "environment". With a wood/pvc enclosure you block out this possibility as typically only one side of the tank can be seen out of. Though some have argued that it is not a great solution due to lowered interaction with the world around it, I personally feel that it gives reptiles a heightened sense of security.

Heating. Now this is specifically pertaining to wood enclosures, melamine to be exact. Melamine enclosures hold weight extremely well. I am able to reach the temps that I need at my basking sites with 40 watt bulbs in my melamine enclosures and Imsure that if i moved the light fixtures to inside the tank instead of atop a screen I could go even lower. i know some keepers that have the lighting systems setup inside the tank that use 25 watt bulbs and produce 100+ degree temps at the basking site and are able to maintain a near perfect gradiant throughout the tank. With my pvc enclosures they do not hole heat as well but I have some things in mind here in the future to try and alleviate that issue.

Cleaning. Well, most wood/pvc enclosures are front opening, giving you immediate access to the the entire tank. With an aquarium you have to first either be tall enough or use a step ladder to get to the top of the tank, then you have to lean down into it to attempt cleaning the tank.

These are just my observations on having gone from my very first beardie tank being a 55 gallon aquarium to a 40 gallon breeder to custom tanks all around lol.

the 2 highlighted words are incorrect
weight should be heat
and hole should be hold

sorry for the confusion its early.

Brian,

I couldn't have said it better myself. For most all the reasons you've mentioned, they're the same reason I've come to prefer wood over all-glass. Granted, I just like building things. So....I'm always trying to find a reason to do so. Having reptiles gave me some reasons.

One of the reasons I don't necessarily prefer wood over all-glass is in reference to weight. I'm one that tends to "go big or go home". So all of my enclosures are either too big for one guy to move (scratch that.....make that two guys).....or are built into my housing structure and have become a part of the family room decor. So weight hasn't really been a big part of my decision-making process. If I can just make it a permanent part of the structure, all the better. I just won't ever be able to sell the house. LOL!

 

[beardielover17]

Brian pretty much wrote what I was going to write lol. No Francis you aren't annoying with these questions either.

 

[egg 80]

same as brian, cheers brian saved me typin lol ;D

paul

 

[crypticdragons]

Lol sorry to have apparently stolen everyone's thunder lmao

 

[beardielover17]

Lol sorry to have apparently stolen everyone's thunder lmao

lol steal it all you want! You saved me from typing all of that haha

 

[Red Ink AUS]

Anybody for a retort in favor of the opposition? Surely there "wood" be some opposing views as not everyboby prefers enclosures made from trees?

 

[staylor]

Anybody for a retort in favor of the opposition? Surely there "wood" be some opposing views as not everyboby prefers enclosures made from trees?

Ok I will be that person
You can move them to different rooms with ease.
match the decor of any room
there is no building involved
you can pick them up for cheap on craigslist
it can be changed into a fish tank...hmmm just might do that after I finish my build, oh wait I am supposed to be on the glass side
easy to sell

Thats about all I got

 

[Craiger]

it can be changed into a fish tank...hmmm just might do that after I finish my build, oh wait I am supposed to be on the glass side

Be careful with that. Having been a fishkeeper for 20 years, some of the chemicals we use to clean up after our reptiles can leave a residue in places we can't access for dilution. Once there, it can be toxic to fish once water is added. For that reason, I would never buy a tank for fish that had been used for reptiles.....except that of water turtles.

 

[beardielover17]

Along with what Craiger mentioned, reptile specific glass tanks are not meant to hold water. If you look on the bottom of most of the tanks it will say not to fill with water.

 

[staylor]

When I owned my house I had a Chiclid tank and put a lot of time and money into that tank. I decided that when I own my own house again I am going to get a tank again but will not get anything smaller then a 90 gallon and want a salt water tank next with a lot of live rocks. I really don't know what I am going to do with this tank when I am done with it.

 

[ladyknite]

Anybody for a retort in favor of the opposition? Surely there "wood" be some opposing views as not everybody prefers enclosures made from trees?

Quite the formidable question there Francis. hehehe

Although I really like my melamine enclosures due to their ability to hold heat and reduce my somewhat outrageous electric bill, I am well aware of what lurks beneath the surface. People seem to be under the impression that the sealants, and finishes they apply hold up indefinitely.

Wood, meaning ALL wood is porous. Regardless of sealing, caulking and other measures we take. With each cut of that wood, each screw that's driven, and each and every joint there are laden bacteria that we only think we clean out. We assume that the 1:10 bleach solution does the trick. And I suppose if that's what makes everybody sleep better at night, then it'll do. But me..........not so much. It's comparable to trying to clean the center of the tree trunk. Porous meaning things go beneath the surface.

Weight does have some validity, although I'm not into lugging my enclosures around. Reptiles like things to stay the same. Ironically that means leaving them in one place for me. Plus I'm just lazy and hate rearranging furniture. lol

I do like the access ability of my melamine enclosures much better than tanks. Those sliding door are fantastic.

I like my tanks for anything new coming into my house. Whether its a species i've kept before, currently have or something new. With the way wooden enclosures hold heat, throwing a unacclimated animal into an enclosure that bears those types of conditions isn't healthy and will cause undo stress.

 

[Craiger]

Anybody for a retort in favor of the opposition? Surely there "wood" be some opposing views as not everybody prefers enclosures made from trees?

Quite the formidable question there Francis. hehehe

Although I really like my melamine enclosures due to their ability to hold heat and reduce my somewhat outrageous electric bill, I am well aware of what lurks beneath the surface. People seem to be under the impression that the sealants, and finishes they apply hold up indefinitely.

Wood, meaning ALL wood is porous. Regardless of sealing, caulking and other measures we take. With each cut of that wood, each screw that's driven, and each and every joint there are laden bacteria that we only think we clean out. We assume that the 1:10 bleach solution does the trick. And I suppose if that's what makes everybody sleep better at night, then it'll do. But me..........not so much. It's comparable to trying to clean the center of the tree trunk. Porous meaning things go beneath the surface.

Weight does have some validity, although I'm not into lugging my enclosures around. Reptiles like things to stay the same. Ironically that means leaving them in one place for me. Plus I'm just lazy and hate rearranging furniture. lol

I do like the access ability of my melamine enclosures much better than tanks. Those sliding door are fantastic.

I like my tanks for anything new coming into my house. Whether its a species i've kept before, currently have or something new. With the way wooden enclosures hold heat, throwing a unacclimated animal into an enclosure that bears those types of conditions isn't healthy and will cause undo stress.

Very good points, Gina! Now I want to pull Frodo's enclosure apart. ;D

 

[ladyknite]

Craig,
you'ld be amazed at the test results I've had on tile for the last 3 years. Please people......don't go ripping tanks apart to take out tile.............try to remember I'm a geek.

 

[Craiger]

...try to remember I'm a geek.

You make it rather hard to forget, Miss PC. ;D

 

[crypticdragons]

...try to remember I'm a geek.

You make it rather hard to forget, Miss PC. ;D

LMAO