Just got some glass, now how do I make the enclosure

[DerekG4]

Yesterday, a friend of mine got some glass panels for me to make an enclosure for a juvenile A. Geniculata, but I'm unsure how to make an enclosure out of this.

I told him I had wanted to make an enclosure similar to this

but out of glass instead of plexiglass or acrylic (Since I was told that it would eventually bend and warp with the humidity)

So now he gave me 6 (Including the lid) panels of glass, 4 of equal size and the 2 sides have small holes like in the picture above, but much less holes (9 small holes per side, 18 in total) and is about the only ventilation it has and I'm fairly worried its not enough air ventilation. I was also told not to use any mesh as the tarantula's tarsal hooks would get stuck in them, so I didn't get any.

Since the panels don't have any cuts in them, how do I make the door for it? Can it be a sliding door? Latch type door? Also, what can I use to glue the glass and keep it straight so it won't bend as I'm gluing it?

Here below are the pictures of the glass. The glass is 26 inches wide X 14.5 inches Long X 18 inches tall. One of the panels are also a little thicker than the rest, he told me I can use it as the base.

 

[BC1579]

As always, I’ll pimp out @petkokc and his videos.

Glass terrarium basics -

Glass enclosure for centipede -

I included the centipede vid simply because of the sheer size and magnitude of that project. I would encourage you (or anyone) to watch any of his videos, but particularly on anything pertaining to DIY. He’s got a real knack for visualization and he’s got great ideas.

 

[DerekG4]

As always, I’ll pimp out @petkokc and his videos.

Glass terrarium basics -

Glass enclosure for centipede -

I included the centipede vid simply because of the sheer size and magnitude of that project. I would encourage you (or anyone) to watch any of his videos, but particularly on anything pertaining to DIY. He’s got a real knack for visualization and he’s got great ideas.

Thanks for the videos, I'll probably do the tank in the form of the one on top. (With the magnets and removable lid) UPDATE: Never mind that, now I'm a little indecisive of whether I went the tank in the style of the centipede's tank or the other one. I feel like the centipede's style would be easier and cheaper for me, but for how tall my tank will be and where it'll be placed, I'd need to make a front door rather than an opening on top

He's using both plexiglass and mesh, the two things I was told not to use and he's using it (and I'm assuming his tarantulas are doing just fine, if not thriving, as I see he has quite many) so now I'm fairly confused. Should I use a plexiglass top instead of the glass one I have? I feel like the glass top is pretty heavy, I'm not sure if my counter can handle that much weight now that I think about it.

 

[BC1579]

Plexi is fine. Mesh is generally frowned upon for terrestrials. Arboreals are more...sure footed? Their tarsi are less likely to get caught. I’m sure someone can clarify that a little better, but I have mesh tops on my two avic enclosures and they’re fine.

I like plexi because you can perforate it as needed.

 

[DerekG4]

Plexi is fine.

I wish I would've read that before, I had plenty of plexiglass and I would've been started on the tank.
I was told that with humidity that the plexiglass would eventually start bending and warping depending on how thick and humid the tank is.

Mesh is generally frowned upon for terrestrials. Arboreals are more...sure footed? Their tarsi are less likely to get caught.

Yea, the species I'm getting is a terrestrial (A. Geniculata) so I don't think I should do those are vents then for it. Unless maybe I guess if the air vents have fairly large holes?

 

[BC1579]

I think plated plexi may warp over time, but molded plastics and acrylics probably won't. I have screen top on the enclosure of a T. stirmi, but I siliconed a piece of plexi to the underside of it. Air still flows through the holes on the plexi through the mesh, but the T can't get it's claws on it to hang or climb.

Plexi and acrylics also scratch easier than glass.

If it were me and I had the plates like you have, I'd go to a glass shop and see what it would take to knock a few holes in them. It might be cost-prohibitive, though. Worth a phone call at least. That way you'd have the best of both worlds.

 

[The Snark]

Just a tidbit. When working with glass, using silicone glue, pay attention to the ambient humidity. Above a certain point, that glue can fail to perform as desired. It usually isn't a problem but something to keep in mind.
On the plus side, if you are meticulous, think experienced machinist, there is nothing people do with acrylics you can't do with glass. And glass is so much classier.

 

[DerekG4]

I think I'll just use a plexiglass lid so I can drill holes into it safely instead of the glass, I'm afraid I'll crack the glass drilling into it. As long as I use those same white things Petko used on the lid (I forgot what they're called) to keep it into place. I'm assuming it may warp eventually, but as long as its still able to slide into place (Which hopefully those things will keep it in place and prevent it from warping those sides) it should all be okay.

I'm definitely gonna have to take a glass panel to a glass shop and have them cut it to allow a door.

 

[BC1579]

I've drilled glass before at home using my Dremel and the Dremel press, but it is a pain. I think, technically speaking, it's not drilling so much as it is abrading. That is to say essentially grinding away at the glass. It took a while and was not efficient.

I'm looking forward to seeing your project unfold. Honestly, enclosure design and decoration is one of the most rewarding things for me in this hobby. I love placing something in an enclosure and seeing a T use it like I though they would. Kinda reinforces some of the things I've learned here over the several weeks.

 

[BC1579]

And glass is so much classier.

And in many cases, cheaper.

 

[The Snark]

And in many cases, cheaper.

Yups. If you haunt the places that install glass commercially, and get your mitts on the basic diamond saws, it wouldn't be hard to crank out plate glass terrariums with pocket change expenses. When those companies replace a plate glass window they often throw the old pieces in the dumpster.

 

[Garth Vader]

I think I'll just use a plexiglass lid so I can drill holes into it safely instead of the glass, I'm afraid I'll crack the glass drilling into it. As long as I use those same white things Petko used on the lid (I forgot what they're called) to keep it into place. I'm assuming it may warp eventually, but as long as its still able to slide into place (Which hopefully those things will keep it in place and prevent it from warping those sides) it should all be okay.

I'm definitely gonna have to take a glass panel to a glass shop and have them cut it to allow a door.

I got some plexi for a lid to an aquarium enclosure and it warped pretty quickly. And this is for my G pulchripes so it isn't humid at all. I think there were two issues here that I would do differently next time- 1. The plexi was too thin, so I'd get thicker plexi next time. And 2. I attached it with 2 hinges in the back and one hasp in the front, so the next time I'd make it so it is held in place more, for instance with two hasps on each side instead of one in the middle, as that may have led to the warping.
This lid warped within about 2 days of use and it warped in the 2 front corners. I ended uo changing the enclosure out because it had warped enough that my T could have gotten out (maybe) but I don't like to task risks. Plus, enclosure projects are fun. I hope you have fun with yours and let us know how it turns out!

 

[BC1579]

A lot of times too many punctures contributes to flex. I mean, if you remove 20-30% of the structural integrity of a wall in your house you're gonna have some adverse reactions.

You can overcome this by using a thicker piece of plexi capable of withstanding more holes or, prior to any drilling, find a nice, thick strip of plexi. Cut it to length and glue/silicone it to the center of your sheet of plexi. If you drill your vents on either side of the rib, there should still be enough rigidity to hold everything straight.

The best solution, in my opinion, is attaching the punctured plexi to the underside of a metal lid. I actually just posted about this a few days ago. Not too expensive, and solves the problem instantly.

http://arachnoboards.com/posts/2706330/

 

[DerekG4]

I'm looking forward to seeing your project unfold. Honestly, enclosure design and decoration is one of the most rewarding things for me in this hobby. I love placing something in an enclosure and seeing a T use it like I though they would. Kinda reinforces some of the things I've learned here over the several weeks.

My favorite part is doing the insides of the tank (Adding the substrate, the logs, plants, landscaping) but I've never really had to make my own tank before, so this'll be something pretty new to me. I'm honestly both a little pessimistic and optimistic about it, I'm not too sure on how it may end up looking like.

get your mitts on the basic diamond saws, it wouldn't be hard to crank out plate glass terrariums with pocket change expenses.

I believe my dad has a diamond saw, not too sure though. If he does, looks like I don't have to go to the glass shop, at least not yet.

I got some plexi for a lid to an aquarium enclosure and it warped pretty quickly. And this is for my G pulchripes so it isn't humid at all. I think there were two issues here that I would do differently next time- 1. The plexi was too thin, so I'd get thicker plexi next time. And 2. I attached it with 2 hinges in the back and one hasp in the front, so the next time I'd make it so it is held in place more, for instance with two hasps on each side instead of one in the middle, as that may have led to the warping.
This lid warped within about 2 days of use and it warped in the 2 front corners. I ended uo changing the enclosure out because it had warped enough that my T could have gotten out (maybe) but I don't like to task risks.

Do you remember how thick your plexiglass was? Mine isn't really thin but I wouldn't say its thick either, maybe 1/5 of an inch. I'll use 2 hasps if 1 may cause warping.

A lot of times too many punctures contributes to flex. I mean, if you remove 20-30% of the structural integrity of a wall in your house you're gonna have some adverse reactions.

How many punctures should I do on the lid exactly? And how big?

You can overcome this by using a thicker piece of plexi capable of withstanding more holes or, prior to any drilling, find a nice, thick strip of plexi. Cut it to length and glue/silicone it to the center of your sheet of plexi. If you drill your vents on either side of the rib, there should still be enough rigidity to hold everything straight.

How thick exactly? The plexiglass I have currently is about 1/5 of an inch I believe. I think I'll add the vents by the rim then.

So far I think I have a rough idea of how to make it, minus the lid. Should I add the 2 hasps along with 2 magnetic door catches for it or is that unnecessary?

 

[BC1579]

I believe my dad has a diamond saw, not too sure though. If he does, looks like I don't have to go to the glass shop, at least not yet.

Glass drilling is tough. You have to keep the drill site lubricated and cool, you can't press too hard or you'll break the glass...I personally would not attempt it with nice glass like you've got.

How many punctures should I do on the lid exactly? And how big?

That's gonna depend on the dimensions of the plexi. Mine is roughly 10x20, and I probably made about 15-20 1/8" holes. They were spaced out about an inch or so apart.

How thick exactly? The plexiglass I have currently is about 1/5 of an inch I believe. I think I'll add the vents by the rim then.

That's pretty decent. If you had another strip of that same thickness that'd probably work. Again, depending on your dimensions it may not be necessary. Cut your piece to fit and place it on the enclosure. See if it begins to flex. If it does, you know you're going to have reinforce it (or get a thicker sheet).

 

[DerekG4]

Glass drilling is tough. You have to keep the drill site lubricated and cool, you can't press too hard or you'll break the glass...I personally would not attempt it with nice glass like you've got.

Alrighty then, I'll just take it to a glass shop. Hopefully it won't cost much to simply cut a piece of it. I just need to cut the "door" for it and that should be about it.

That's gonna depend on the dimensions of the plexi. Mine is roughly 10x20, and I probably made about 15-20 1/8" holes. They were spaced out about an inch or so apart.

It would be 26 X 14.5. At the moment it's not at that size, I'd have to cut it into that size.

Alrighty, I believe I finally thought of a design for the tank, I just need to cut the holes for the lid and cut a door for the front. I should be starting it maybe tomorrow at night.

Once, that's done I'll go buy substrate for it. What do you guys recommend best? I see a good amount of people use coco fiber, but what if I use soil? My local reptile shop sells some "Jungle Mix" and it looks pretty nice for a tropical species. I wanted to mix a few substrates to get a nice, naturalistic look. As well as getting 1 or 2 pieces of cork bark and some fake plants. Maybe some isopods and springtails too if they're not too expensive.

Not entirely sure either how I'll end up decorating it. Since it's visible from all sides, I'll do some sort of large log or something as a centerpiece.

 

[DerekG4]

Well, its been about 9 days so far and I'm still not entirely sure what cut to make for the door. Right now I'm thinking of a door that opens from left to right on the front (Same as the door design that opens from top to bottom but from side to side instead. Hope that makes sense). If anyone can has any other examples with glass doors or can explain to me how make a good one based on the glass that I have, that would be great. The main reason I'm stuck is because I'm not sure how to glue the lid and sides if I make an opening door. (The lid and sides won't be able to stick on the front side if the entire panel is the door)

I also realized the floor panel has to be cut about 2x the width because otherwise the 2 glass panels for the front and back won't fit properly.

This may be a bit off topic but today I went to my local reptile store and finally found out how much they cost. The owner told me he can order me a CBB 1.5 inch (Which is the biggest he can order) sling for about $60. Is this a good price for this size? Will it do fine on super worms? I know as adults they can eat super worms just fine but I'm not sure if a T this big can handle a worm of that size.

 

[BC1579]

That’s not a horrible price...at least not in my area. You can probably find better prices online, but then you have to deal with shipping costs.

GBBs are pretty strong eaters. I always experiment with mealworms, super worms, crickets, roaches...it’s not a bad idea to see what they like/don’t like. I have a T. stirmi that eats anything. My A. avics only eat crickets unless they’re mad hungry. In that case, they’ll eat a roach. I’ve never seen them attempt to eat a worm of any kind.

I’d prekill the worms either by crushing their heads or, in the case of the super worms, you can cut them in half. Roach nymphs would be good, as would pinhead crickets. You probably don’t have to prekill those, but keep an eye on the sling. I wouldn’t let the prey wander about if the sling doesn’t take it down right away, but that’s just me.

 

[DerekG4]

That’s not a horrible price...at least not in my area. You can probably find better prices online, but then you have to deal with shipping costs.

Its just that I had seen a couple of them online that were fairly cheaper for a larger size so I had got a little disappointed with the price the guy gave me. If it wasn't for the shipping prices, I'd buy it online.

GBBs are pretty strong eaters. I always experiment with mealworms, super worms, crickets, roaches...it’s not a bad idea to see what they like/don’t like. I have a T. stirmi that eats anything. My A. avics only eat crickets unless they’re mad hungry. In that case, they’ll eat a roach. I’ve never seen them attempt to eat a worm of any kind.

I’d prekill the worms either by crushing their heads or, in the case of the super worms, you can cut them in half. Roach nymphs would be good, as would pinhead crickets. You probably don’t have to prekill those, but keep an eye on the sling. I wouldn’t let the prey wander about if the sling doesn’t take it down right away, but that’s just me.

I was just wondering since I thought super worms would be fairly large for such a small Sling. I'll just pre-kill it and wiggle the worm around near it until it bites it.

By the way, since the T would be 1.5 inches (Granted that's the one I end up getting), would the height of my enclosure be potentially fatal for it? I had measured it for an adult A. Genic but not for a Sling. Would I have to add much more substrate to reduce the difference between the height? Then again I'd think a sling of that size isn't so heavy and shouldn't get hurt but I'm not entirely sure

 

[BC1579]

No need to dangle the prey. If it’s prekilled, I leave it out overnight. It’ll find it.

At an inch and a half, I’d store it in a much smaller enclosure. Maybe like a 6x6x6 inch enclosure. If you put it in an enclosure that size, you run the risk of not seeing the sling very easily and it may have a harder locating prey (or waiting for prey to stumble across it).

I have a GBB sling that’s slightly smaller than yours, and it’s doing very well in a 3x3x5 inch enclosure. Check it out.

http://arachnoboards.com/threads/nice-simple-acrylic-enclosure.300533/