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All mesh vivarium?

A

AngelbloodShinra

New member
Hello. o_o just asking if all-mesh vivariums (like this one: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=1285&item=4370557562&rd=1 ) are any good for housing cornsnakes - I'm looking into getting a cornsnake, and as I currently live at the top of a largeish flight of stairs, any lightweight alternative to heavy glass-and-wood type vivariums currently look a very good option! But first, I'd like to know if such a vivarium would be detrimental to the snake's wellbeing or not, and there don't appear to be any posts pertaining to this yet. Thanks!
 
Keeping heat and humidity stable are issues you'd have with an all-mesh viv. People around here generally don't think it's a good idea, although I have no direct experience with them.
 
Well, I have never kept anything of mine in an all mesh vivarium, but here are some experiences my friends have had.

Generally, chameleons are kept in all mesh vivs. They are notorious for needing high humidity but they do well in mesh vivs. It will probably be a little more labor intensive, requiring you to mist them with a spray bottle and have a good humid hide to facilitate shedding.

The other concern is temperature. My friends who breed chams keep their mesh vivs in a temp. controlled room. Keeping any herp in a mesh viv hinges on having a good ambient room temperature, with some supplemental heating (like a light) if needed.

Having babysat said chameleons, I can tell you one more thing about mesh vivs. They close with a zipper. I would be concerned about a snake managing to push the zipper open with it's head. When they are closed they have a small enough opening that it keeps in medium sized crickets, but if there is a way out, it will be discovered eventually. One way you could deal with this is to safety pin the zipper thingy in place every time you close it.

I don't see why it wouldn't work. Depending on what temps you keep your room at it may be more work maintenace wise though. If looks aren't that important to you, you might want to just get a clear rubbermaid bin. They only cost a few bucks, and are sturdy and lightweight.
 
Ah, thank you. Heat stability would likely be a problem in my room(it's invariably freezing in there on winter mornings), so I guess it's back to figuring out a way to carry a heavy vivarium up the stairs singlehanded. XD (unless I can find a large and sturdy enough clear plastic alternative with a secure enough lock nearby, that is).

In response to Sisuitl:

Looks won't really matter so long as I can see the snake and it can't get loose. I'm not sure I can get these Rubbermaid crates nearby though, but I'll look into it.
 
What size corn are you getting?. A baby corn only needs a 10 gal tank (viv). They don't weight that much. A min. 20 gal for adult. :)
 
Try CagesbyDesign.com

Cages by design makes Beautiful Custom Cages for Reptiles. You can custom make your cage to any size. The cool thing about their cages is that they come disassembled (in a fairly small box) and you assemble at home. This would solve your problem of stairs. You can choose between glass or acrylic cages. Good luck and have Fun!! :twoguns:
 
I keep my two corns that I have together for breeding in a 65 gallon one of those right now. The main concerns are the temperature issues and humidity. I've never had a problem with temperatures (but our house is kept at 70 degrees F and that room is 75 degrees) - I keep a regular 60W light bulb over the tank for heat. As for humidity I have a hide box with coconut bedding in it that they can use. They also have a big enough water dish. I like them because they're lightweight and cheaper than glass aquariums. As long as you can control the temp and humidity they work great. I've never tried it but they're also supposed to work with UTH. Just my .02

~Katie
 
If you want a lightweight, prebuilt enclosure, try a Vision cage. I'm not terribly strong and I can lift my 24"Lx"22"Wx14"H easily by myself. They're cheaper than CagesByDesign (but they're a nice option if you want to spend a few extra bucks) and although they're not glass, you can still use any under tank heater on them and they won't melt or warp. So far I've been very satisfied with mine. LLLReptile sells them w/ "enclosure packages" on their site if you want to look into them; I bought my cage from them but didn't opt for the package so I bought the accessories separately instead. Just add ".com" to their name and it'll take you to their site.
 
One other thing to keep in mind with mesh vivs is the snake will rub on it. They naturally move around the parimeter of whatever it is they're living in, and i would think the mesh could potentially cause problems if the snake were to rub its head on it a lot while looking for a way out.
 
TrpnBils said:
One other thing to keep in mind with mesh vivs is the snake will rub on it. They naturally move around the parimeter of whatever it is they're living in, and i would think the mesh could potentially cause problems if the snake were to rub its head on it a lot while looking for a way out.
Click to expand...
I was just going to say this. Nose rub is a big problem with snakes kept in mesh cages.
 
Ok...I'm gonna defend it once more (although it's probably opening a whole can of worms)...I've never had a problem yet with the mesh cages. In my experience my snakes tend to stay along the ground looking for a way out. This means that they're following the tray on the bottom and not rubbing against the mesh. Granted it could happen and likely would if the snake tried to get out all of the time. I'll also agree that it probably isn't necessarily for everyone. I have that room at a different temp and whatnot from the rest of the house which helps. I wouldn't put an animal in one of those in a house with AC on high though. Just remember, there are reasons why some people don't like them as well as reasons why others - like me - like them. You always have to weigh your particular situation and then choose accordingly.

I do have to make a comment though - Lenny pointed out that an adult corn needs a 20L minimum...they're actually not that heavy and I can easily lift it myself. That's always an option.

Just remember - it's only my opinion. :rolleyes:

~Katie
 
Thanks for the feedback - I'm also looking into some entirely plastic vivariums with acrylic sliding panels, also seen on ebay. Thing is, my local source say that they tend to crack after a few years with the constant heat and that I should just get a normal heavy one. However, considering my source just happens to be a reptile/fish shop that just so happens to stock the normal heavy type of vivarium, I'm wondering if this advice is rather, er, biased. What do you guys think?
 
Just a comment about the sliding doors: A baby corn can easily get out from inbetween the sling doors. A yearling may even be able to so I would watch out for that. There are some ways around them excaping. I'm sure people here know the ways around just ask
 
reptile_addict said:
Just a comment about the sliding doors: A baby corn can easily get out from inbetween the sling doors. A yearling may even be able to so I would watch out for that. There are some ways around them excaping. I'm sure people here know the ways around just ask
Click to expand...

That is a good point about the sliding doors. It may be that they are perfectly fine but I know I've gone in to pet stores with sliding doors and seen the snakes wedged in the tracks. I guess they like it because of the feeling of security (not a lot of space) but it could be dangerous. I don't know how you'd go about fixing that though...I know some people on here have cages with sliding doors. What do you guys do?

~Katie
 
I have heard about using some tape inbetween the 2 doors so it leaves less of a gap. You want to find something that leaves no residue behind
 
I stuck a folded over piece of paper towel tube between the sliding doors of mine, it is tight enough that the snakes won't push it out, but still easy to take out when you want to open the cage.
 
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