BLUE TONGUE SKINKS

Hi everyone i currently have a wooden 3 foot vivarium for my baby skink and want to upgrade to a bigger one. I however want to know is the wooden viv or the glass exo terra ones better?
She is an Indonesian blue tongue so humidity needs to be high. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated

I'm not even a bts owner yet (still researching) however the exo terra ones only get up to 36 x 18. That is their biggest size (at least that I know of) so it wouldn't really be an upgrade. Not sure how wood would go with humid conditions, but perhaps melamine or pvc would work?

Wooden vivs hold heat better than glass. If you make it out of PVC or melamine and seal the seams properly, it'll hold humidity well too, if it's a closed top. Exo terra vivs have mesh tops so humidity can escape.

I'd never keep a lizard of any kind in glass viv.

Mine either go into plastic rearing tubs (about 100-150L capacity) , smaller skinks (water skinks like my current rescue) into 10L converted clickclack tubs, adult beardies and BTs have 4ft x 2ft x 2ft timber tanks (home made by me) with sliding glass front doors.

I use marine ply to build my tanks.

LeadedCactus83 wrote:Wooden vivs hold heat better than glass. If you make it out of PVC or melamine and seal the seams properly, it'll hold humidity well too, if it's a closed top. Exo terra vivs have mesh tops so humidity can escape.

Biggest cons with glass tanks
>> mesh lids -- most sit all the lights including the UV globe or tube on top , and wonder why their lizards get sick (mesh will block 40% of the UV from the getgo).
>> mesh lids -- allow all the heat created by the basking globe, the ceramic heat emitter and any heatpads in/under the tank to immediately escape --> you need larger wattage basking and CHE to hold suitable viv temperatures
>> mesh lids -- ARE NOT CAT PROOF
>> glass has a very poor R value (ie glass is a very poor thermal insulator
>> glass produces reflections which can upset a lizard who will think it's being stalked and harassed by another lizard
>> glass tanks mostly are top opening , this really freaks out young / small lizards when the keep looms over them and reaches in.

Pros for glass tanks
>> I can't think of any.

I'd steer clear of MDF / particle board tanks which are veneered with melamine - take a look at what happens to MDF / particle board when it is wet.... it became s crumble.

I'd steer clear of PVC tanks , the stuff outgases constantly even at room temperature , and the tank is a confined space so the gases / fumes are unable to escape and the pet forced to breath these gases and fumes 24/7 365d/yr.

kingofnobbys wrote:

LeadedCactus83 wrote:Wooden vivs hold heat better than glass. If you make it out of PVC or melamine and seal the seams properly, it'll hold humidity well too, if it's a closed top. Exo terra vivs have mesh tops so humidity can escape.

Biggest cons with glass tanks
>> mesh lids -- most sit all the lights including the UV globe or tube on top , and wonder why their lizards get sick (mesh will block 40% of the UV from the getgo).
>> mesh lids -- allow all the heat created by the basking globe, the ceramic heat emitter and any heatpads in/under the tank to immediately escape --> you need larger wattage basking and CHE to hold suitable viv temperatures
>> mesh lids -- ARE NOT CAT PROOF
>> glass has a very poor R value (ie glass is a very poor thermal insulator
>> glass produces reflections which can upset a lizard who will think it's being stalked and harassed by another lizard
>> glass tanks mostly are top opening , this really freaks out young / small lizards when the keep looms over them and reaches in.

Pros for glass tanks
>> I can't think of any.

I'd steer clear of MDF / particle board tanks which are veneered with melamine - take a look at what happens to MDF / particle board when it is wet.... it became s crumble.

I'd steer clear of PVC tanks , the stuff outgases constantly even at room temperature , and the tank is a confined space so the gases / fumes are unable to escape and the pet forced to breath these gases and fumes 24/7 365d/yr.

If the PVC doesn't have a noticeable odour then it's safe. There's plenty of reptile tanks that are made with PVC that are safe. Like these: http://www.herphouses.com
http://www.pvccages.ca
http://www.apcages.com/home/
Melamine is perfectly good to use so long as the seams are properly sealed with water proof aquarium safe silicone. The melamine layer itself is waterproof so it's only the ends that you need to worry about. If those are covered and sealed, the risk of bloating is practically non-existent.

I would definitely steer clear of wood as it cannot be sanitized properly under high humidity conditions. Fine if you have Australian skinks but your Indo needs way too much humidity for a wood cage. When they go to the bathroom it just seeps into the wood through the substrate if they are buried in it, and you just can't get the smell out. I had an issue with mold also when I used one for snakes years ago. I know there are those of you who frown on PVC types, but myself and many others who keep and breed have been using these for years with no issues. Just about every breeder I know uses these or racks. Mine are from API (Animal Plastics) and I absolutely love them. Too much heat is lost in a glass tank, the larger the more difficult to heat. And then there's the security thing, I know I had some rather uncomfortable skinks (years ago when I had glass cages) until I put black paper around the back and sides.