• Hello!

    Either you have not registered on this site yet, or you are registered but have not logged in. In either case, you will not be able to use the full functionality of this site until you have registered, and then logged in after your registration has been approved.

    Registration is FREE, so please register so you can participate instead of remaining a lurker....

    Please be certain that the location field is correctly filled out when you register. All registrations that appear to be bogus will be rejected. Which means that if your location field does NOT match the actual location of your registration IP address, then your registration will be rejected.

    Sorry about the strictness of this requirement, but it is necessary to block spammers and scammers at the door as much as possible.

new or second hand?

sazzy925

sazzy925

New member
hey all, my snake has nearly grown out of his old tank and im going to need to buy him a new one soon, my mum wants to buy a second hand one out of the paper but im unsure about this as im worried about the quality of the tank and how long the tank will last. I'd prefer to buy a brand new one even if it is a little more expensive than a second hand one, but my mum says it would be better to get it second hand. Should i stop worrying and go with my mums idea or should i stand my ground and tell her that i don't want a second hand one because it could be un safe or escapable!
 
For me it would depend on the price difference. If it isn't much of a price difference (only 10 or 15 US$), I would just go with the new. I would find out what was in the tank before: fish, herps, other.
Personally, I wouldn't be too worried about strength of the tank. Most tanks are actually fish aquariums and built to withstand the pressure of many gallons of water. You aren't going to have water in the tank for your snake. So even if the seems are less than 100% they should be plenty strong for a snake. Of course, you have to use personal judgement and not buy a tank that visibly looks old/weak.

My way of thinking:
If are able to find a cheap second hand tank, buy it and fill it with water. If it doesn't bust you should be good to go. If it does bust, you're only out a few dollars.:D
 
My 55 gallon is second-hand and I found it on the side of the road set out for trash. The only problem was water marks/"scum" (easily cleaned with white vinegar) and a broken support beam that runs across themiddle (only needed if you are holding water).

I would say to pick up the second hand one and give it a thorough cleaning.
 
I don't see why a tank that is older would be escapable. As long as a tank is taken care of they can last a looong time. IMO you and your mom should go look at the tank. As long as it is not cracked or anything missing it should be fine. :-offtopic I recently bought a used 75 gallon aquarium for my water turtle that is about 20 something years old. It works just as good as a new one at a fraction of the price. Just look at the tank and make sure it is not damaged and clean it throughly before using it.
 
My son and I get up nearly every Saturday morning and go to yard sales. Our ONLY mission, to buy used aquariums.

We usually find used 10 gallon tank, but on an occasion find a 20 gallon. Most of the they sale for around $5 each and most have screen tops with them. This past weekend we lucked out and found a 10 gallon Perfecto Reti-Habitat for only $5! This is one those that has the track/screen systems on them.

I usually spray them down when we get home with a Chlorine bleach solution and them stand for about 15-20 minutes then rinse them down.

I find that most used tanks need a little repair work on them. Usually the black plastic frame/rim around the top and/or bottom are coming off. This is a REAL easy fix and most people don't take the time to do it. Just simply take the frame off all the way, use a single edge razor blade to remove the old silicone around the outside of the tank's edge, place a new bead of G.E. II clear silicone around the outside edges and place the frame back on. Let is sit for 24 hours and use a razor blade to remove any of the excess silicone, and yes there will excess to trim.

I'd say go for a used tank and save a few $$. Hey, tell mom that the $$ you save you can put toward another snake! :crazy02:

Good Luck!
 
There is nothing wrong with second hand tanks as long as they don't appear to be damaged.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top