Sliding vs Cabinet style doors

[fallfromatree]

I'm drawing out plans for my first custom-built enclosure and wanted to tap the knowledge of everyone here. Do you prefer sliding or cabinet style doors? I'd think cabinet style would allow more accessibility when cleaning the tank, but in practice that might not matter.

If you prefer cabinet style, have you tried a viv with the door on the top as opposed to the front?

 

[Claudiusx]

Personally I prefer sliding glass. It would be too much of a hassle to secure a cabinet style door so that it doesn't open and if the door was at the top It would be too much hassle removing the lights.

-Brandon

 

[JeffSimpson]

I was actually about a day away from making a very similar post, heh, but you beat me to it. When you say cabinet-style, do you mean a left and right door, or a single large door that opens in the front, but is hinged at the top or bottom?

I think aesthetically, personally I would avoid having a left-right door as you would have that center post that would obstruct some of the view. 8) Functionally, I don't think it would matter. For my design I'm leaning towards having a single door that opens in the front. A piano hinge would be at the top, and then a locking lid support would help hold the door open for cleaning.

Personally I prefer sliding glass. It would be too much of a hassle to secure a cabinet style door so that it doesn't open and if the door was at the top It would be too much hassle removing the lights.

Not that I would recommend it, but you could have the entire top hinged, so when you open it, the lights and all rotate up, and back. The problem would then be trying to reaching into the tank, as it would may be 2+ feet deep.

As for the doors in the front, there a bunch of ways that you could lock them. A simple hook/eye lock, maybe a magnetic catch, one of those half circle locks you twist (like you'd find on a screen door), etc. It's just a question about how visible you want it to be.

 

[Backlash]

i prefer sliding glass doors, they seem to be a bit more secure and cant be pushed open at all, for cleaning the doors lift up and out pretty easily, that way i can take the doors to the sink and wash them there, as well as reach into the viv and clean it out as easily as if it were cabinet style doors, then just pop the doors back in.

 

[norbertbd]

I thought long and hard about this one. I chose to have 2 doors on the front. I really like it for the convenience. I can get at Norbert easily no matter where he's at and it's also very easy to clean inside the tank. I also put a window on each end. He seems to really like being able see out three sides of the viv.

 

[slacker13]

i prefer sliding glass doors, they seem to be a bit more secure and cant be pushed open at all, for cleaning the doors lift up and out pretty easily, that way i can take the doors to the sink and wash them there, as well as reach into the viv and clean it out as easily as if it were cabinet style doors, then just pop the doors back in.

Though I just finished my viv and haven't started using it yet I do agree that the sliders simply lift out and can be removed at any time. I think whether you choose sliders or other is a matter of preference.

i prefer sliding glass doors, they seem to be a bit more secure and cant be pushed open at all,

I think some very strong magnet/fasteners would take care of that.

I suppose one argument that can be made for hinged over sliders is that you have a better seal. Though I am going to feed my beardie in another cage I am sure I will still add a cric or two in his new viv. The sliders seem like a easy way for crics to get out. I used 1/4 in glass for mine and their is still a gap large enough for the little creatures to escape.

 

[Backlash]

I suppose one argument that can be made for hinged over sliders is that you have a better seal. Though I am going to feed my beardie in another cage I am sure I will still add a cric or two in his new viv. The sliders seem like a easy way for crics to get out. I used 1/4 in glass for mine and their is still a gap large enough for the little creatures to escape.

i geuss that might be true, me and my dad custom made the tracks for the doors so theres less about a 1/16th in. gap inbetween the two panels, so no crickets would get out. But that is null and void for me because i also feed in a seperate container.

 

[beardieaddict]

i have the cabinet style viv and there ok but they take a lot of room to open the door i am planning on buildig some with sliding glass soon i think i would like the sliding better anyways good luck with what ever you choose

 

[cadjockey]

When I got my beardie viv, I didn't have a choice between sliding doors or swinging doors. It was already sort of pre-made. I just gave it an updated look.

I like the fact that sliding doors do not obscure the view; however, I do not like the noise that the glass makes in the frame as it slides. It squeals, especially if debris is caught up in it. Nails against the chalkboard feeling...yes I had to go there.

We siliconed the handles to the glass (again to limit the obstructions). We took normal cupboard door handles minus the screws and adhered them to the glass. (I didn't want to risk breaking the glass by cutting a whole for the screws.) I imagine that it wouldn't be such a problem if our doors were not 4' high, but they are. Our beardie Harold lives in a beardie mansion (4'lX4'hX2'w). I had to silicone a second set just in case they come off one day...I like to be prepared. :wink: Also it was a HUGE pain when the handles did pop off one day. Let's just say, more is better. :wink:

With the swinging doors, I would be worried about someone leaving them open accidentally. It only takes once :!: At least with the sliding glass noise, I can tell when the kids are at the viv. My own little sense of security.

I am not a fan of the hinged door as fingers can and will get slammed on or worse yet, lil Harold can get it in the face if it swung down fast.

 

[midwestreptiles]

Id say go with your heart... lol

But seriously im going with cabinet style doors tw of them one open left one right. Just for being more cost effective for building a lot of adult enclosures. Having to buy track and tons of plexi for lets say 6 to 12 tanks can add up. Im just doing cabinet style with screen so i wont have to buy vents either the doors will provide enough venting, air in and out!

Good luck post up pics when your done.

 

[cadjockey]

Just a thought....I work as a architectural tech. :wink:

If you are using the doors as venting, my question is, how big are those doors going to be. (viv size to door size ratio) You want to have sufficient venting; however, you do not want to lose too much heat. (I am assuming that this viv is for a bearded dragon.) They need to maintain their temperatures to thrive and providing a huge vent compared to the size of the viv could be substantial heat loss.

Also location of the doors might be a consideration. Having a door right next to the heat source might not be such a good idea.

Like I said just a thought (it is my inner nerd rearing its head :study: )...better to think this stuff through at the design stage where it isn't so expensive.

 

[cadjockey]

To those concerned about crickets getting out of a sliding glass enclosure... I haven't had a problem. We just made sure the tracks were as close together as possible.

I have glass in all four walls of the enclosure. I used aquarium grade silicon to seal the edges. I have sliding glass on both sides of the unit, but we have chosen to only use the one side. The other side, I siliconed the gap. If I change my living space around, I have the option of opening the backside by removing the silicone.

I figured if I did have a problem I would just install a piece of thin weather stipping down the front edge. The rubber/ bristle edge would stop the crickets from exiting. Not the most esthetically pleasing, but manageable.

The crickets I feed my beardie are way to big to squeeze through the space and Harold doesn't let them last long enough to give them the chance to find the exits. :twisted:

 

[midwestreptiles]

Just a thought....I work as a architectural tech. :wink:

If you are using the doors as venting, my question is, how big are those doors going to be. (viv size to door size ratio) You want to have sufficient venting; however, you do not want to lose too much heat. (I am assuming that this viv is for a bearded dragon.) They need to maintain their temperatures to thrive and providing a huge vent compared to the size of the viv could be substantial heat loss.

Also location of the doors might be a consideration. Having a door right next to the heat source might not be such a good idea.

Like I said just a thought (it is my inner nerd rearing its head :study: )...better to think this stuff through at the design stage where it isn't so expensive.

Your opinion is appreciated but im not new to cage building or care requirements for beardies! Ive been caring for them for years and breding them for the last 3.

That said im building normal 4x2x2 enclosures lots of them so i need to cut cost yet be effective at the same time. To start the front will be framed with 1x4 which will make the opening smaller. Then the doors will be framed out of 1x4 as well making the actual screen openings about 14" x 14" roughly per door. Which is not very much at all. Most people's vivs have tons of 6" x 12" metal vents which provide the same amount of heat lost/ air flow as my doors will. Also my cages are all in my reptile rom which the ambient temps are around 80 so eat lost is no issue in my cages actually keeping the cage temps down is more of an issue!!! Most mycages only use 50W bulbs to maintain a 110 basking spot. Cage ambients temps do not need to be that high just the basking spot. I try to keep the cool side around 80-85 so in my room i need good cage vents.

Thanks for the input though, but in my case there are many other factors you need to consider.

 

[cadjockey]

Just a thought....I work as a architectural tech. :wink:

If you are using the doors as venting, my question is, how big are those doors going to be. (viv size to door size ratio) You want to have sufficient venting; however, you do not want to lose too much heat. (I am assuming that this viv is for a bearded dragon.) They need to maintain their temperatures to thrive and providing a huge vent compared to the size of the viv could be substantial heat loss.

Also location of the doors might be a consideration. Having a door right next to the heat source might not be such a good idea.

Like I said just a thought (it is my inner nerd rearing its head :study: )...better to think this stuff through at the design stage where it isn't so expensive.

Your opinion is appreciated but im not new to cage building or care requirements for beardies! Ive been caring for them for years and breding them for the last 3.

That said im building normal 4x2x2 enclosures lots of them so i need to cut cost yet be effective at the same time. To start the front will be framed with 1x4 which will make the opening smaller. Then the doors will be framed out of 1x4 as well making the actual screen openings about 14" x 14" roughly per door. Which is not very much at all. Most people's vivs have tons of 6" x 12" metal vents which provide the same amount of heat lost/ air flow as my doors will. Also my cages are all in my reptile rom which the ambient temps are around 80 so eat lost is no issue in my cages actually keeping the cage temps down is more of an issue!!! Most mycages only use 50W bulbs to maintain a 110 basking spot. Cage ambients temps do not need to be that high just the basking spot. I try to keep the cool side around 80-85 so in my room i need good cage vents.

Thanks for the input though, but in my case there are many other factors you need to consider.

My response or suggestions were actually towards the 'original' email listed at the beginning of the thread...the first time builder who was asking for input. I must have lost track of the thread and assumed it was the first guy commenting on his plans. I wasn't really aware of you building your own as well and that you were an experienced builder/ breeder...but if you have valuable info to share, gladly accepting input.

I just put forth some insight that many people don't think about when designing- hot air rises, escapes etc. Basic concepts.

I just started these little discussions as I have noticed that a lot of people buy this animals thinking that they just have to shove them in a container, feed periodically and walk away. Obviously some people aren't even aware that these pets can be handled - as per the poll on the web page. Quite frankly if a person is going to fork out $160-200 for the animal, $250 +/- for the initial set up, some common sense has to prevail, which I have discovered hasn't been the case by what I have been reading on some of these discussions on this website and others.


Also just because pet stores carry certain vivs and setups, doesn't necessarily mean that it is a good setup. Some set ups are not meant for bearded dragons and through trial and unfortunately error, some of these marketing schemes ending costing people their money and their pets.

I would like to use the heat rock and some of these UVB bulbs as a perfect example of 'not such good ideas'. I don't know how many times I have walked into a pet store and somebody has tried to sell me a bad idea.

 

[midwestreptiles]

No problem im not mad and in most peoples situation they are building a viv for they're room or living room where temps might be lower and air flow and heat loss are very important when planning a viv.