Suggestions for arboreal enclosure

blooms

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Feb 20, 2009
Messages
222
I have a holiday coming up and I've been wanting to build new enclosures for a while. I have a couple questions.

1. would plastic or glass be better?
2. what thickness would be better 3 mm, 4 mm or 6 mm?

Thanks
 

mickey66

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 27, 2009
Messages
207
build your own

Well,

I just built two arboreal enclosures and it is very easy to do. I went to petco and bought two 10 Gal tanks (Glass) $10 each next, I went to Lowes and bought a large Plexi-glass sheet $9 they cut to L and W then I went to Home Depot for the hinges and screws and nuts, handles etc.....Total cost with Tanks,lids,hinges,handles etc. are about $20 each. They look real good for my first ones.:D Edit: I just re-housed my first Pokie....P. Regalis....was easy!
 

WARPIG

Arachnoangel
Old Timer
Joined
Jun 29, 2007
Messages
821
Made mine from 3/16th", too lazy to convert:}

PIG-
 

Motorkar

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 16, 2009
Messages
468
I have glass terrariums. They are 6mm thick. You could make 4 mm thick, but 6mm is easier to put together. Its main and only disadvantage is that they are heavier. My arboreal enclosures are 25 L (5,5 gallon).

The other thing is, that glass is much much cheaper and much better than plexiglass in my country. The plexi is matt and it gets yellow after some time!:barf:
 

robinsonxcr

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jul 21, 2010
Messages
7
thicker is best

I have glass terrariums. They are 6mm thick. You could make 4 mm thick, but 6mm is easier to put together. Its main and only disadvantage is that they are heavier. My arboreal enclosures are 25 L (5,5 gallon).

The other thing is, that glass is much much cheaper and much better than plexiglass in my country. The plexi is matt and it gets yellow after some time!:barf:
yeah, the thicker the glass (better than plexi imo) the easier every thing comes together, it all lines up more square. you should try to use the clamps that cabinet makers use to assemble but joints, i forget what the're called but should be easy to find.
 

robinsonxcr

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jul 21, 2010
Messages
7
thicker is best

I have glass terrariums. They are 6mm thick. You could make 4 mm thick, but 6mm is easier to put together. Its main and only disadvantage is that they are heavier. My arboreal enclosures are 25 L (5,5 gallon).

The other thing is, that glass is much much cheaper and much better than plexiglass in my country. The plexi is matt and it gets yellow after some time!:barf:
yeah, the thicker the glass (better than plexi imo) the easier every thing comes together, it all lines up more square. you should try to use the clamps that cabinet makers use to assemble but joints, i forget what the're called but should be easy to find.
 

Skullptor

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Feb 25, 2008
Messages
497
The other thing is, that glass is much much cheaper and much better than plexiglass in my country. The plexi is matt and it gets yellow after some time!:barf:
Yes. American made acrylic won't turn yellow, which cannot be said of acrylic outside the US. Make sure you are buying Acrylic and NOT polycarbonate...which you may have already checked. I thought I'd throw it out there just in case.
 

blooms

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Feb 20, 2009
Messages
222
Well I'm not sure if the plexi is acrylic or polycarbonate, but the yellowing idea has me worried. I am in China. Besides, I know a guy that will custom build fish tanks for about 1/2 the price it would cost me to do it with plexi. So thanks for the advice guys.
 

blooms

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Feb 20, 2009
Messages
222
Yes. American made acrylic won't turn yellow, which cannot be said of acrylic outside the US. Make sure you are buying Acrylic and NOT polycarbonate...which you may have already checked. I thought I'd throw it out there just in case.

I don't know, I'm just listening to advice. So I put the question to you what's wrong with polycarbonate?
 

Skullptor

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Feb 25, 2008
Messages
497
What's wrong with polycarbonate?
It will yellow with time, which acrylic will not. YES, there are products out there that will remove this yellowing, but, it's better to not have to deal with it...right?
 

blooms

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Feb 20, 2009
Messages
222
Thanks for clearing that up Skullptor. To be honest do to the likelihood of yellowing and cost, I probably will have it made out of glass by a Chinese guy I know who builds fish tanks. Maybe I'll only use plexi for the sliding door, because the door can easily be changed if it yellows and plexi is easier to melt/drill holes in for handles as well as ventilation.
 
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