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Old 05-21-2016, 12:31 PM   #1
Kiki_3173
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Default Vivarium Vents or Mesh?

I recently purchased a TV armoire to hack into an enclosure that will house both my dwarf and Syrian (separately of course) & I am in the planning stages. They currently live in 2 IKEA Hack enclosures. Butters, my Syrian, lives in the Lack cage on the bottom and Ari, my dwarf, lives in the Billy cage on the top. I will have to put an entirely new back on this piece and I can't decide between using a strip of mesh (like I did on the Lack cage) or using vivarium vents. Any advice would be appreciated!!!




Below, is the new piece of furniture I will be using:
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Old 05-22-2016, 04:59 PM   #2
Kiki_3173
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Default Re: Vivarium Vents or Mesh?

Not one person can offer any advice about vivarium vents??
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Old 05-22-2016, 10:42 PM   #3
Piebald
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Default Re: Vivarium Vents or Mesh?

Hmm looks like you got missed!
I'm sorry I don't know enough about what you're project is like to offer much advice! Your DIY skills look top notch and mine are not lol. What do you see as the possible issues in choosing between the two? Is it aesthetic? Ease of using the material? Chewing issues? Adequate ventilation?
Can you show an example of what you mean by a "vivarium vent"?
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Old 05-22-2016, 10:56 PM   #4
PandaBaby
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Default Re: Vivarium Vents or Mesh?

Hey

I have a vivarium for my Syrian.

There were plastic vents in the lower and upper corners. I changed them to metal to prevent chewing and escaping. I got these off amazin and they cost less than £3 each. We also cut a large hole across the top of the tank and then placed wire mesh over the top for extra ventilation. Got from local hardware shop for about £7. Works a treat.

Here are the vents. They were the size of our holes:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The 2 vents we had didn't feel like enough ventilation. So that's why we added the mesh on the top also.

I also purchased a small rubber wedge for the glass door just incase to ensure the door can't be opened on its own. It cost 99p off ebay.

Hope this helps ��
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Last edited by PandaBaby; 05-22-2016 at 11:00 PM. Reason: Added link
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Old 05-23-2016, 04:15 AM   #5
kelza
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Default Re: Vivarium Vents or Mesh?

Hi Kiki - I agreewith PandaBaby, mesh on the back and vents on the sides. More ventilation is always better. I also found a similar size to the vents Panda linked above from Amazon (US):

Amazon.com: Round Stainless Steel Air Flow Ventilation Louver 65mm Upper Dia 5 Pcs: Home Improvement

PandaBaby - Those vents are brilliant! I have already saved them into my hamster wishlist for future DIY use myself!
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Old 05-23-2016, 04:31 AM   #6
Ceretrea
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Default Re: Vivarium Vents or Mesh?

I'm afraid the only thing I know about vivarium vents is the chewing issue. I think I'd use mesh for durability but it depends on where, how high and if the hamster can reach them I guess?
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Old 05-23-2016, 01:50 PM   #7
Kiki_3173
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Default Re: Vivarium Vents or Mesh?

Quote:
Originally Posted by PandaBaby View Post
Hey

I have a vivarium for my Syrian.

There were plastic vents in the lower and upper corners. I changed them to metal to prevent chewing and escaping. I got these off amazin and they cost less than £3 each. We also cut a large hole across the top of the tank and then placed wire mesh over the top for extra ventilation. Got from local hardware shop for about £7. Works a treat.

Here are the vents. They were the size of our holes:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The 2 vents we had didn't feel like enough ventilation. So that's why we added the mesh on the top also.

I also purchased a small rubber wedge for the glass door just incase to ensure the door can't be opened on its own. It cost 99p off ebay.

Hope this helps ��
Thank you so much PandaBaby for your advice on viv vents!! I was worried about the chewing issue & wanted to go more for the metal ones. Also felt as though they might now allow for enough ventilation on their own, so I will be meshing an opening in the back of the enclosure too!

Are they siliconed in?
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Old 05-23-2016, 01:55 PM   #8
Kiki_3173
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Default Re: Vivarium Vents or Mesh?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Piebald View Post
Hmm looks like you got missed!
I'm sorry I don't know enough about what you're project is like to offer much advice! Your DIY skills look top notch and mine are not lol. What do you see as the possible issues in choosing between the two? Is it aesthetic? Ease of using the material? Chewing issues? Adequate ventilation?
Can you show an example of what you mean by a "vivarium vent"?
Thanks anyway Piebald I was worried about having adequate ventilation with just the vents. I've seen many others use them in IKEA hacks, but I have a large section of mesh on the back of my IKEA Lack, yet it still feels a little stuffy in there at times. I think I like the idea of having a section of mesh on the back, but using the viv vents on the sides for cross flow of air.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg vivarium vent.JPG (27.6 KB, 2 views)
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Old 05-23-2016, 01:58 PM   #9
Kiki_3173
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Default Re: Vivarium Vents or Mesh?

Quote:
Originally Posted by kelza View Post
Hi Kiki - I agreewith PandaBaby, mesh on the back and vents on the sides. More ventilation is always better. I also found a similar size to the vents Panda linked above from Amazon (US):

Amazon.com: Round Stainless Steel Air Flow Ventilation Louver 65mm Upper Dia 5 Pcs: Home Improvement

PandaBaby - Those vents are brilliant! I have already saved them into my hamster wishlist for future DIY use myself!
Thank you kelza!!! After reading all of you replies, I have decided to include both the mesh on the back & vents on the side. As I mentioned to Piebald, I have mesh across the top back of my IKEA Lack cage, but sometimes it feels a bit stuffy in there. I think putting the vents on the sides would allow for more air flow.

Thank you SO much for the link too!!!!
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cage, dwarf, piece, lack, lives, vivarium, syrian, mesh, hack, vents, furniture, advice, appreciated, strip, back, decide, put, ikea, house, separately, enclosure, recently, purchased, armoire, planning

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