Review on 🦎 REPTI ZOO 34 Gallon Large Glass Terrarium Tank with Foam Backgrounds, Double Hinge Door, and Screen Ventilation - Reptile Terrarium 24" x 18" x 18" (Knock-Down) by Will Rahman

I usually buy an Exo-Terra brand terrarium when I need this type of terrarium (although I have other brands), but recently I've been searching the market for a 24 x 18 x 18 inch aquarium and decided to give repti - try the zoo. Later this year I will be building a 5 or 6 foot terrarium and since Repti-Zoo and Carolina Custom Cages are the only two known companies that sell larger terrariums I thought this would be a good opportunity to meet Repti. - Zooterrariums before investing in a large aquarium - especially since I had no luck with their electronics (all Repti-Zoo thermometers and hygrometers I received were defective). Below are some thoughts on this terrarium compared to what Exo-Terra has to offer: Screen Top: The Reptizoo mesh is not as thin as the Exo-Terra therefore 1) less UVB is filtered and 2) the Zilla- Spring clips are easier to clean Install. Because the Reptizoo mesh is strong, the spring hooks also don't deform the screen, so we didn't have to resort to backing boards under the hooks to prevent the screen from tearing (which we do on the Exo-Terra). Her top is one long open section, unlike Exo-Terra which divides her into 4 quadrants, allowing Reptizoo more flexibility in terms of lighting. Double mini-dome lights hardly fit this Exo-Terra size unless they're diagonal and the canopy lights sit flat because of the crossbars - we add strips along the bottom of the lights to keep them from swaying. Reptizoo's only weakness is that you have to leave a one centimeter gap between the frame and the mount due to a heat resistance issue with their plastic frame, which the Exo-Terra doesn't seem to have. In addition, Reptizoo's outer frame is quite wide, which does not allow the use of a thin high-power UVB lamp next to a mini-dome heat lamp; both lamps are very common in the US and should be placed as close as possible for optimal vitamin D synthesis. The smallest slimline (14" lamp with 12" bulb) combined with a 5.5" Minidome measures 19.5" which is 1/4" more than the two ends - 1" when calculating the required spacing in Cord Management: The Exo-Terra has 2 cords on the back (the Reptizoo does not), but there have been reports of reptiles getting trapped inside causing injury and death, and eating insects hiding there. The Reptizoo has a prominent grommet on the right side of the tank that allows cables to be routed to the side rather than up or back, but I personally find that the cables hanging off the side of the tank (like the grommet itself) , ruin the look . Terrarium. Both Reptizoo and Exo-Terra have integrated cable management systems into their tops. Reptizoo uses 6 half-round clips (1 in the back left corner, 2 in the back left side, 1 in the back right corner and 2 in the back right side) that are inserted, but they are only suitable for very thin wire. There is a channel on the back of the clip for the cable to run through. However, if you are using a thermostat, you will need to cut the groove deeper for the cable to fit. Thermostats are very common, so I was surprised that the Reptizoo design didn't have a place for them. Also, the slides pop up easily and unexpectedly. The idea is good, but the implementation is lame. The Exo-Terra, on the other hand, relies on a pair of sliding bars (one on each side of the back) that cover a series of wire holes, and you open one or more rooms by sliding the bar back and forth. The holes fit all wire sizes I've used so far and you can block any holes if you like. Ventilation: Before purchasing this device, I asked if there was a model that did NOT have grille holes on both sides. Tank, but Reptizoo NEVER replied. While the 4 3/16" holes provide cross-ventilation, unless you live in a humid environment, there will be a dramatic drop in relative humidity (RH). Moisture is critical to proper hair styling and health, so this is a big concern. We replaced these panels with acrylic sheets to keep the relative humidity above 40. The Exo-Terra has numerous small holes drilled along the frame just below the doors (off center to avoid pinheads etc) allowing for adequate ventilation while maintaining humidity levels. Bottom: Both brands embed the legs in molded sockets to allow adequate ventilation for the UTH, but the Exo-Terra has shorter legs to allow for minimal clearance - we need to add grommets to prevent pinching the UTH cable to avoid. Reptizoo, on the other hand, offers a lot of freedom. However, in the questions section, Reptizoo states that their bottom is entirely glass (similar to Exo-Terra), but it appears to be covered in composite material and I don't know how durable it will be (especially since their plastic top gets hot) . frame) doors and locking mechanism Reptzoo comes without a handle (therefore the doors are difficult to open), while Exo-Terra is fully functional out of the box; It comes with a built in handle/knob built into the locking mechanism. Reptizoo requires you to physically lock the doors (they sent 2 keys on the suction cups) to keep them closed. The lock is surface mounted - when the key is turned a tongue pops out, acting as a physical barrier in front of the doors. However, due to the minimal gap between the unit and the glass doors, you will need to push on the doors to close them, otherwise you will hit the bottom edge of the door, causing the glass to break/crack. Exo-Terra works without a key - just turn the handle to lock the doors. Also, the bottom of your door is framed so the edge of the glass is protected. Other: Both companies use a foam backdrop that mimics rocks and rocks - the Reptizoo has a flat back, while the Exo-Terra has a pair of vertical channels on either side designed for routing cables (see Cable Management for details). Although I have received some backgrounds from Exo-Terra that have been a bit short (up to 1/2 inch) over the years, their backgrounds are cut from a single sheet - their Reptizoo piece by piece. What I received is 2 mismatched pieces glued together and the seam is awful - impossible to hide. Reptizoo's "breathtaking" design calls for a frame at all corners, while Exo-Terra is made entirely of glass for a seamless look; As such, the Reptizoo is more like an old-fashioned box, while the Exo-Terra is more like a tank. Although the ad claims that assembling the tank is a 5-minute task for one person, I didn't think that was true. Since you have to hold all four sides together to put the top on, you really need an extra pair of hands. Also, like the previous reviewer, one of the parts arrived damaged - someone had previously removed one of the four main bolts holding the tank together. Exo-Terra ships its unit already assembled, so no assembly is required. Overall, the Reptizoo Terrarium is an attractive choice - 3.5 stars. I wanted to round up to 4 stars as cost is the main factor (I paid $160 for Reptizoo while Exo-Terra was listed for $280 despite being historically priced competitively with the Reptizoo division), but the Reptizoo's customer service leaves much to be desired. much to be desired (no response to questions, plus I once received a weird email from them after returning a faulty Revain hydrometer); So I rounded up to 3 stars instead. Both are good but not perfect.