Exo Terra viv's....opinions etc

[Colin D Wilson]

Ive moved this from another thread as i was unfair on Tracy for us to discuss vivariums on her orignal topic

So as a new thread.....here we go !!!
On a personal note, and in my opinion only so NOT GOSPEL !!
As much as they are nice looking tanks the Exo terras are really only suited to arboreals where a thinner layer of substrate is only needed.
From what i've seen the maximum amount of substrate you can get in there is a couple of inches till it meets the front doors, this is not really sufficient for a fossorial species or opportunistic burrower (5-6 inches would be far better)
I've seen people gradient the substrate up to about 6 inches at the back....but....when the spider decides to have a refit of it's living area you end up with substrate piled up against the front doors and no way in (apart from it all falling out over the carpet )
in my opinion petpals (although less esthetically pleasing) are the better option.
Saying all this i have a few friends who use Exo's and the spiders have "become accustomed" to the environment and are living quite "contently"

[Stuart Common]

Colin: Exo Terra also do plastic ones with vents on the side at the top as well as on the lid itsself, I pictured it to be one of these from the description rather than the glass ones that you mention with the front opening doors, with the plastic ones if you get a large size you can get quite a bit deeper substrate in them

[Nicola Dolby]

I totally agree with Colin on this one, Exo-Terras are ideal for arborials but thats all. Can I recommend you contact Custom Aquaria from Northampton, you can google them and get their details. If they can deliver to you they'll make some ideal tanks for your Grammostolas. Alternatively there's Clear Seal tanks, although a bit more expensive they're ideal for terrestrials and burrowers. You can get excellent viv lids for them as well.

[Colin D Wilson]

This spured me to have an intensive google around at all the varieties of Exo viv's available, quite a wide range i must add.
I have made this opinion...
The glass terrariums are excellent for what they were designed for ...reptiles.
The screen type seem to be aimed towards phasmids etc. again excellent
The faunarium designs will be ideal for terrestrial spiders, although the price put me off a little as the same sized "petpal" is available in wilko's for only a fiver of which i'll stick with for the mo.

[Kate Arbon]

Agreed. I bought one of the 12x12x12 Exo Terras for my G. aureostriata. He was my second spider and my first big spider, and I wanted to splash out on the 'best' tank. Now nearly 3 years later the novelty of fancy glass tanks has warn off somewhat and personally I like Faunariums best, to me the plastic looks clearer than some other 'pet pal' type tanks.

I did what you said Colin and put the dirt in my Exo on a gradient. Luckily when the spider did his landscaping he decided to go the same way, taking dirt from the front and piling it up at the back.

Exos are good for the front access. But the problems I have are the mesh lid (several times I have had to rescue my Chaco when he was found hanging from the lid by one foot) and the low substrate level - for the same reason, he keeps roaming now he is mature and every evening I hear him fall from the lid. I have put an egg box in there now so he doesn't have such a high drop, as I can't put substrate above the bottom of the doors. Somewhat detracts from the attractive tank when you have to fill it with egg boxes tho, lol.

[Richard Shah]

I have two 30^3 exo terra glass terrarium... they seem very good, although I don't use their foam backing, it takes up way too much space!

[Yvonne Woolley]

Me too

I agree about the Exo Terras as Colin knows i have 8 in my lounge luckily all my terrestials are fine with their hide well dug in and the sustrate up to the doors, I loved them at first but i too have changed to the all glass Custom Aquaria made to measure ones and they look good and do the job better too and the prices are great iIhad 5 made so far and another 4 on order i should get them in the week. More Spidey Homes waiting to be be occupied, I can,t wait!!!!!! Newark here i come LOL

[Dave Freeman]

I agree about the Exo Terras as Colin knows i have 8 in my lounge luckily all my terrestials are fine with their hide well dug in and the sustrate up to the doors, I loved them at first but i too have changed to the all glass Custom Aquaria made to measure ones and they look good and do the job better too and the prices are great iIhad 5 made so far and another 4 on order i should get them in the week. More Spidey Homes waiting to be be occupied, I can,t wait!!!!!! Newark here i come LOL

i have the same idea, exo terras are really dear compared to similar glass enclosures of a different or no brand.

I can currently get 12in cubes with sliding front doors and an allowance of 3 in substrate to those doors for 20 quid.

[Tracy Sherwood-Farnfield]

Colin: Exo Terra also do plastic ones with vents on the side at the top as well as on the lid itsself, I pictured it to be one of these from the description rather than the glass ones that you mention with the front opening doors, with the plastic ones if you get a large size you can get quite a bit deeper substrate in them

Yep, that is the type I have! It is not as deep as my other one (which I think is the one most people seem to have, with the lid on top and quite steep sides) but still has a reasonable depth of substrate in it. Thankfully the 'vent plucking' has stopped and she is now busy 'landscapping' instead, which effectively involves rolling substrate up into balls and pushing as much as she can out of the side vents in the process!! She will never have clean 'paws' that girl....

[James Box]

i have 3 exo's...two are being used for huntsman (Heteropoda sp and T modesta), and one is for the snake.
for most of my needs i'm opting for cheap plastic containers and sweet tubs.
the only problem with the plastic containers is i bought a number without thinking just how opaque they are...so i'm only seeing the animals when i take the lid off for feeding. a bit dangerous in some cases!
i do like exo's, i think they look nice...and the features can be good. but i'm quite into sweet tubs at the moment, especially the tall jars!

[Oli Dodds]

Yep, that is the type I have! It is not as deep as my other one (which I think is the one most people seem to have, with the lid on top and quite steep sides) but still has a reasonable depth of substrate in it. Thankfully the 'vent plucking' has stopped and she is now busy 'landscapping' instead, which effectively involves rolling substrate up into balls and pushing as much as she can out of the side vents in the process!! She will never have clean 'paws' that girl....

Any links to where you can buy these vivs?

[Andrew Murdoch]

Hi Oli

Oli, I bought my vivs from www.triple8reptiles.co.uk and got a good service without any hastle.