Grow Tent as BCI Enclosure?

I've seen grow tents used as enclosures for large lizard species and always thought it was a pretty decent and cost effective way to house a reptile that needs a large space, but I haven't seen practically any examples of them being used for large snakes. I have a small female BCI boa that's currently in a 2 x 4 x 2 wooden enclosure but that's as large as I think I can manage as far as building my own enclosure, and any pre-made enclosure that's much larger is pretty pricey from what I've seen. I'd like to move my girl to something around 3 x 6 x 3 once she gets to be around 5 - 6 feet and a grow tent that size is pretty affordable, usually under $200 which sounds great to my wallet. So far from the research I've done the pros are:

- Very affordable
- Made to be climate controlled (holds temperature and humidity well)
- Easy to clean
- Lightweight, easy to move and store since they fold up
- Safe to use with heat bulbs (since some grow lights get very hot)

I feel like these pretty handily outweigh the cons which are:

- Generally not very pretty to look at
- Concerns with durability, which I feel would be less of a problem with snakes since they don't have claws
- Escape Concerns? From what I've seen though this can be pretty easily managed by sealing the vent holes

Does anyone have anything else to add to this? I'm really leaning toward this option when my girl gets to be an adult and I'm curious as to how many other people have considered this and why someone would choose not to use them.

Hi, an welcome to BP. Now, the grow tents I use on the farm won't work for any of my BC's. Your snake will try every corner, push on the walls trying to collapse them an find the zipper. Yes, the Boa will open a zipper. You can do a test by putting your snake in a popup tent. It might take a bit but the snake will try to borrow at the base of the zipper. Then bingo the zipper moves just enough. Hook an loop might work better.

How would you keep liquid from leaking out?

Watch craigslist an your local freecycle for large free tanks an cages. I have ten 100-175 gallon fish tanks behind my shop found that way. You can use a free tank as is or take it apart to make a custom enclosure. If your good at woodwork or have a friend. Make an addition to your enclosure.

Good luck!

I'm with 303_enfield..."grow tents" aren't sturdy enough to contain a determined (hungry or otherwise restless) boa, plus you haven't really addressed the heat either-
you cannot safely run a heat bulb INSIDE with a snake that WILL try to climb it & get burned (or even shocked when they're wet)...I don't see this ending well, sorry.

Snakes push & zippers move...just asking for trouble in so many ways. Nothing wrong with re-imagining useful things, I do it all the time, every time I go to a home
improvement or hardware store- but I'm also glad you ran it by us here, for health & safety concerns you haven't considered. You also mentioned they're easy to fold
up...guess how long it will take before a boa demonstrates that...:rofl:And all bets are off when it comes to safety with a folded tent + snake + heat bulb still functioning.

So, I should mention I've used grow tents for their intended purpose in the past so I do have an idea of the durability of them. Also, I plan on reinforcing the walls with bamboo which I've seen other people do and it seems to work out well for them. I'd think it would be easy enough to find a way to lock the zippers and since all grow tents I've seen are designed to withstand pretty sizeable water spills without leaking I don't see that being an issue (I never had that issue using them with plants). As far as the snake managing to fold up the tent, these tents aren't that type of "fold up" tent, it needs to be disassembled pretty deliberately and I don't see a snake managing to push in the metal locking pins on the bars to slide them apart... As far as other tank options go, even a 180 gallon glass tank would be a bit small for what I have in mind and I live in southern california so I'm having enough trouble keeping the humidity up. A 3 x 6 x 3 plastic enclosure is prohibitively expensive to buy / ship and a DIY wooden enclosure that size probably would be a nightmare to move around, I'd prefer to be able to move the tank by myself if I could.

I hope you let us know honestly how it goes then...& good luck.

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Originally Posted by JP23

I don't see a snake managing to push in the metal locking pins on the bars to slide them apart...

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I personally don't think a grow tent would work well for a snake enclosure but if you feel confident, you can give it a try, I hope you let us know how it works!

Long time ago, I kept my adult boa in a 4x2x2 glass tank that had a sliding screen top with a pin lock, she learned how to push the pin up from inside and was able to leverage and push the screen top open and get out.
She also eventually learned how to leverage her body against her heavy water bowl and flex the dual locked plexi door on her boaphile enough to get out right in the middle. Moved her to proline cage that had smaller dual locked heavier plexi doors (two small doors, large support between them) which she couldn't get out of and a freedom breeder tub which was simply too heavy for her to push.
Boas are crafty.

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Originally Posted by AbsoluteApril

I personally don't think a grow tent would work well for a snake enclosure but if you feel confident, you can give it a try, I hope you let us know how it works!

Long time ago, I kept my adult boa in a 4x2x2 glass tank that had a sliding screen top with a pin lock, she learned how to push the pin up from inside and was able to leverage and push the screen top open and get out.
She also eventually learned how to leverage her body against her heavy water bowl and flex the dual locked plexi door on her boaphile enough to get out right in the middle. Moved her to proline cage that had smaller dual locked heavier plexi doors (two small doors, large support between them) which she couldn't get out of and a freedom breeder tub which was simply too heavy for her to push.
Boas are crafty.

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If a boa could unlatch the locking pins and pull the bars apart all in one motion I wouldn't even consider them an option, but the way these are interlocked I would be baffled if she managed to both push the pins in and pull the bars apart. I tested this and I don't think it's even possible with how the tents are put together, the mylar shell being on actually prevents the bars from coming apart fully. My honest main concern as far as her getting out would be just brute forcing her way out of the zipper. I've used a couple different grow tents now for plants and I've settled on a
brand that has a particularly robust zipper that I think would be pretty hard for her to push her way through.https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach....com/a/E0QGpXl

My two cents: buy a proper snake enclosure. When bringing an animal home that means taking on the responsibility of housing it as it grows. A proper enclosure should be factored in when purchasing an animal.

You can spend $200 on a grow tent and experiment, then what happens if it fails?? Now you're out $200 and still don't have a proper enclosure. Now you've got a snake with no enclosure while you what? Wait for one to be shipped??

Just spend the money once and be done. You'll have this enclosure for 20 years or more, it's worth it. Instead of worrying about all the "ifs" and having to basically frame it with bamboo...just buy an enclosure made for a snake. Easy breezy.

I will say that this thread managed to get me curious...I'm not that familiar with grow tents, and after looking at some, what I COULD imagine using one for is a sort
of exercise "play-pen" for my big rat snakes. To install various interconnected branches or bamboo poles & give them some time to stretch out for a few hours a day,
and without them getting into trouble. (Rat snakes are generally great for clearing shelves!)

It would have easy clean up from drinking water or other 'spills', & it appears you could "lock" the zipper pulls together, though there'd still be some 'wiggle room' so
I'd just never leave a snake "home alone" this way. I know I've seen some open-air screen cages designed for reptiles to get some sun in...just never thought about
using a grow tent w/ indoor lighting.

Grow tents for those wanting to see them.

https://hydrobuilder.com/grow-tents.html

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Originally Posted by Craiga 01453

My two cents: buy a proper snake enclosure. When bringing an animal home that means taking on the responsibility of housing it as it grows. A proper enclosure should be factored in when purchasing an animal.

You can spend $200 on a grow tent and experiment, then what happens if it fails?? Now you're out $200 and still don't have a proper enclosure. Now you've got a snake with no enclosure while you what? Wait for one to be shipped??

Just spend the money once and be done. You'll have this enclosure for 20 years or more, it's worth it. Instead of worrying about all the "ifs" and having to basically frame it with bamboo...just buy an enclosure made for a snake. Easy breezy.

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This is the sentiment I've seen from a lot of people in the hobby, and I've never been able to wrap my head around it. Why can't a grow tent be a "proper" enclosure? You've voiced your opinion against the idea without saying anything specific on why. I have my girl in an enclosure I built myself right now and I am prepared to spend more money on a larger / more expensive enclosure if need be, but there's other issues besides price that I mentioned. A proper 6 foot long wooden enclosure needs multiple people to move around and I'm not certain it would fit through a doorway, I have both these issues with my current 2 foot wide box.

You asked for opinions, you recieved opinions. Sorry they were not the opinions you hoped for. Set it up and try it out. Take pictures and keep updating how it works out good or bad and then we will all know!

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Originally Posted by Alien

You asked for opinions, you recieved opinions. Sorry they were not the opinions you hoped for. Set it up and try it out. Take pictures and keep updating how it works out good or bad and then we will all know!

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I hope I haven't came off as argumentative in this thread, I do value these opinions but I feel like many of them are maybe a tad flawed and I hope to spark a healthy discussion on this topic. I've found that many people, having no idea what a grow tent is, will voice a dislike for them. People hear "animal in tent" and maybe think more of a camping tent? Can it be argued that perhaps a tent of a similar design that is manufactured with the specific purpose of housing a reptile couldn't overcome a lot of the inherent flaws of one made for plants? I feel like that could be a step forward in the hobby considering they do in fact have some really appealing unique advantages. This is not to say that using a grow tent intended for plants wouldn't have quirks that would have to be fixed to make it more appropriate for reptiles but I feel like many of them are pretty easy to manage. I do plan on testing this in the future and I'll be sure to update how things are going in a dedicated thread.

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Originally Posted by JP23

This is the sentiment I've seen from a lot of people in the hobby, and I've never been able to wrap my head around it. Why can't a grow tent be a "proper" enclosure? You've voiced your opinion against the idea without saying anything specific on why. I have my girl in an enclosure I built myself right now and I am prepared to spend more money on a larger / more expensive enclosure if need be, but there's other issues besides price that I mentioned. A proper 6 foot long wooden enclosure needs multiple people to move around and I'm not certain it would fit through a doorway, I have both these issues with my current 2 foot wide box.

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The folks in the hobby, at least the ones that have been around for any length of time know what methods work. Pioneers from the early days that imported these animals (boas) and watched them die due to sickness induced by stress or parasites they brought in from the wild. They eventually came to discover what options worked BEST across the board for their animals.

Plastic caging didn't evolve out of fad or trend. It became the standard because of the multiple bases it covers. Wood is decent, but requires more work to seal, clean and the cages are much heavier.

I have not seen Vincent Russo (THE COMPLETE BOA CONSTRICTOR) or Nick Mutton and Justin Julander (THE COMPLETE CARPET PYTHON) or Gus Rentfro, one of the top boa constrictor authorities in the world talk about grow tents.

If you are looking for affirmation to use a grow tent, you likely won't find it amongst people that have been keeping boas for any period of time.

Use what you want. It's your choice. However, years of trial and error and time tested methods all point to the proven type of caging.

Craiga was just passing on what has been passed down the line by experienced people in the hobby. Specifics are already out there as to why proven caging is used. Research, books, and experiences by multiple keepers and breeders are readily available. This board even has recommendations as to what caging works best in most situations.

Craiga's advice was good. Why waste $200 when you can make a move that will likely last your animal a lifetime right off the bat?

Again, use what you want. Remember boas are complex and there is a difference between surviving and thriving.

It appears you are wanting folks to approve of a grow tent and I just don't see a lot of experienced keepers going that route.

The choice is yours.

Good luck.

Your thinking outside the box, that's good. Without it nobody learns. But your still thinking in the box, about a 6' wooden enclosure. Just make it modular, screws are cheap. It doesn't need to be wider at the most 30" but 24" works fine. Most newer homes have 32" doorways while older homes are 28". A T18 animal plastics is 24" wide an 60" long. It will fit any doorway, even a 1973 singlewide trailer, this I know first hand.

The problem with a grow tent is heating your reptile. With plants I use seed heating mats an grow lights. Grow lights produce little heat, most are LED now. Plus, everything is on racks an shelving. If you could regulate seed mats it might work. But heat lamps are a very bad idea. They will melt or burn the tent, just depends on the material. My tents are 10'x30' an I don't think they could keep any snake bigger then a hognose in it. An the hognose would find away out in time.

Think like a snake. Your in an enclosure that the sides move! You want out an you'll find it. Now, you found a vine (extension cord) an your going to climb it. There's this nice warm thing on the end of it an you want it. Now, unless the heat lamp has a cage around it your burnt. It could be done. But to mitigate all the risks it would be cheaper to buy a T20.

What ever you do stay safe an good luck!

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Originally Posted by 303_enfield

Your thinking outside the box, that's good. Without it nobody learns. But your still thinking in the box, about a 6' wooden enclosure. Just make it modular, screws are cheap. It doesn't need to be wider at the most 30" but 24" works fine. Most newer homes have 32" doorways while older homes are 28". A T18 animal plastics is 24" wide an 60" long. It will fit any doorway, even a 1973 singlewide trailer, this I know first hand.

The problem with a grow tent is heating your reptile. With plants I use seed heating mats an grow lights. Grow lights produce little heat, most are LED now. Plus, everything is on racks an shelving. If you could regulate seed mats it might work. But heat lamps are a very bad idea. They will melt or burn the tent, just depends on the material. My tents are 10'x30' an I don't think they could keep any snake bigger then a hognose in it. An the hognose would find away out in time.

Think like a snake. Your in an enclosure that the sides move! You want out an you'll find it. Now, you found a vine (extension cord) an your going to climb it. There's this nice warm thing on the end of it an you want it. Now, unless the heat lamp has a cage around it your burnt. It could be done. But to mitigate all the risks it would be cheaper to buy a T20.

What ever you do stay safe an good luck!

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Excuse me while I politely pick apart this post lmao ok,

crafting my own "modular" 6 foot long wooden enclosure has inherent problems itself, more hassle than building my current enclosure which was a not a fun undertaking. I actually considered for a long time getting a T18, but decided on building my own enclosure which is already 2 x 4 x 2 so a T18 would be a $400 upgrade for 1 extra foot of length.

Safely affixing a heat lamp / installing an adequate heat pad or thermal emitter requires some thought but I've done this safely in the past with my plants. Growing tropical plants in the winter in washington state has prepared me for this. I'm also currently using a ceramic heat emitter with the protective cage, which I would move over.

I don't know if I mentioned this earlier but I plan on using bamboo sheets to line the walls, so they wouldn't move around so much which would probably discourage my girl from pushing around trying to find ways to escape. All the vent holes would be sown / taped shut from the outside, and the tent I plan on using has a pair of cinching vent covers per vent.

again, I appreciate the comments here and it's interesting to me what issues people come up with. At this point, as apposed to dropping $600+ on a T35 or building my own 6 foot modular wooden enclosure I'm going to try to make a very in depth record of my experience when I do move my girl to a grow tent. This will be in a dedicated space that she can't escape from if she does manage her way out of the tent. Thank you again guys, I'll be hanging around the forums if I have any more general / less controversial questions in the future .

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Originally Posted by JP23

This is the sentiment I've seen from a lot of people in the hobby, and I've never been able to wrap my head around it. Why can't a grow tent be a "proper" enclosure? You've voiced your opinion against the idea without saying anything specific on why. I have my girl in an enclosure I built myself right now and I am prepared to spend more money on a larger / more expensive enclosure if need be, but there's other issues besides price that I mentioned. A proper 6 foot long wooden enclosure needs multiple people to move around and I'm not certain it would fit through a doorway, I have both these issues with my current 2 foot wide box.

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It's the sentiment you're going to continue to hear from experienced keepers. Many of us were in this hobby LONG before these forums even existed. So we did play around with things and through trial and error we learned.

It seems to me you just want people to be echo chambers for what you want to hear. Not gonna happen, not from experienced keepers who put the animals first. There are enclosures on the market, readily available, designed SPECIFICALLY for snakes, some even built with arboreal or semi arboreal needs already accounted for.

The doorway excuse sounds pretty flimsy too. We all have doorways. I'm guessing yours aren't a whole lot smaller than everyone else's, if not standard size.
Some enclosures come modular so that eliminates that problem.

As for grow tents, the walls aren't sturdy, the zipper isn't secure, I don't know specifics about heating, so I won't touch there, and saving money isn't a good excuse.
When you buy an animal you take on the responsibility of caring for it for life. That means planning ahead. That means taking proper equipment and enclosures into consideration before bringing the animal home. Since you already have the animal it's up to you which way you go.

Your snake, do what you want. You can choose to do it right, or not.

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Originally Posted by Craiga 01453

It's the sentiment you're going to continue to hear from experienced keepers. Many of us were in this hobby LONG before these forums even existed. So we did play around with things and through trial and error we learned.

It seems to me you just want people to be echo chambers for what you want to hear. Not gonna happen, not from experienced keepers who put the animals first. There are enclosures on the market, readily available, designed SPECIFICALLY for snakes, some even built with arboreal or semi arboreal needs already accounted for.

The doorway excuse sounds pretty flimsy too. We all have doorways. I'm guessing yours aren't a whole lot smaller than everyone else's, if not standard size.
Some enclosures come modular so that eliminates that problem.

As for grow tents, the walls aren't sturdy, the zipper isn't secure, I don't know specifics about heating, so I won't touch there, and saving money isn't a good excuse.
When you buy an animal you take on the responsibility of caring for it for life. That means planning ahead. That means taking proper equipment and enclosures into consideration before bringing the animal home. Since you already have the animal it's up to you which way you go.

Your snake, do what you want. You can choose to do it right, or not.

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Let me first start off by pointing out again that I am 100% able and prepared to spend the money on / build a conventional enclosure for my animal. She's in a "proper" 2 x 4 x 2 custom wooden enclosure I built for her, which will last her right up to her adult size and she'll be returning to it if I encounter problems. I have never once said that grow tents are the only option for me, only that they have EXTREMELY appealing advantages that I feel are overlooked. You've mentioned exactly two reasons why you feel they are inappropriate for housing a reptile. The walls of a grow tent are in fact sturdy, and I have mentioned I plan on reinforcing them with bamboo. I don't view this as being a problem, pretty confident on that one. Securing a zipper also doesn't sound too monumental of a task, might take a couple minutes of thought and tinkering with different locks. Many of the enclosures on the market I feel are a bit small (mostly in height) for what I would like for my snake, she likes to climb up high on her branches in her current enclosure and I would like to continue to encourage that behavior. If I want to give her an enclosure that I feel suits her best, without becoming / hiring a carpenter or shelling out literally thousands of dollars then I might just give something different a try. What I'm choosing to do here is not a matter of "this is right, that is wrong", there's NO examples out there of people actually trying this with snakes, everything is speculative. I'm going to test this with my snake and report back real issues I encounter, just for you guys here. That I feel will be the only way to determine what is "right" or not.

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Originally Posted by JP23

Let me first start off by pointing out again that I am 100% able and prepared to spend the money on / build a conventional enclosure for my animal. She's in a "proper" 2 x 4 x 2 custom wooden enclosure I built for her, which will last her right up to her adult size and she'll be returning to it if I encounter problems. I have never once said that grow tents are the only option for me, only that they have EXTREMELY appealing advantages that I feel are overlooked. You've mentioned exactly two reasons why you feel they are inappropriate for housing a reptile. The walls of a grow tent are in fact sturdy, and I have mentioned I plan on reinforcing them with bamboo. I don't view this as being a problem, pretty confident on that one. Securing a zipper also doesn't sound too monumental of a task, might take a couple minutes of thought and tinkering with different locks. Many of the enclosures on the market I feel are a bit small (mostly in height) for what I would like for my snake, she likes to climb up high on her branches in her current enclosure and I would like to continue to encourage that behavior. If I want to give her an enclosure that I feel suits her best, without becoming / hiring a carpenter or shelling out literally thousands of dollars then I might just give something different a try. What I'm choosing to do here is not a matter of "this is right, that is wrong", there's NO examples out there of people actually trying this with snakes, everything is speculative. I'm going to test this with my snake and report back real issues I encounter, just for you guys here. That I feel will be the only way to determine what is "right" or not.

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Ok. Like I said, your snake your call.

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Originally Posted by JP23

I hope I haven't came off as argumentative in this thread, I do value these opinions but I feel like many of them are maybe a tad flawed and I hope to spark a healthy discussion on this topic. I've found that many people, having no idea what a grow tent is, will voice a dislike for them. People hear "animal in tent" and maybe think more of a camping tent? Can it be argued that perhaps a tent of a similar design that is manufactured with the specific purpose of housing a reptile couldn't overcome a lot of the inherent flaws of one made for plants? I feel like that could be a step forward in the hobby considering they do in fact have some really appealing unique advantages. This is not to say that using a grow tent intended for plants wouldn't have quirks that would have to be fixed to make it more appropriate for reptiles but I feel like many of them are pretty easy to manage. I do plan on testing this in the future and I'll be sure to update how things are going in a dedicated thread.

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Part of the problem is that even if we've seen a "grow tent" before, they vary WIDELY & all we can do is be a bit skeptical (in favor of what's best for the snake)

without SEEING exactly what you're intending to do. For me personally, I'm still a glass tank fan, & for what it's worth, I don't think storage tubs are any worse

for snakes that what you're trying to do with a grow tent, & they might even be worse...I'm just not a fan of plastics in general. But in the same way, I'd caution

you to find out EXACTLY what your grow tent is made of and what chemicals may remain on the surface that your snake can inhale or absorb*. There are many

things used these days, even in clothing intended to be next to OUR skin that can cause problems, & snakes don't have the size or the immune system that we

have. One reason I favor glass is that it's inert & doesn't off-gas chemicals...so what about these grow-tents? Manufacturers don't worry about health problems

or lawsuits when you're using a product in a way they did not intend...so please remember that. And I have a feeling that when people first started talking

about using plastic storage bins to house snakes there were just as many objections then as you're getting now. ;) I love "thinking outside the box" but just

don't forget that safety (health!) comes first over any advantages. I look forward to your updates, actually.

(*for example, the camping kind of tents can be treated with fungicidal chemicals, which are toxic...anything like that used on grow-tents? & remember brands may differ widely.)

Maybe I missed it, but grow tents aren't usually see through. Are you just not planning on seeing your snake?

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Originally Posted by wnateg

Maybe I missed it, but grow tents aren't usually see through. Are you just not planning on seeing your snake?

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I think some have "windows" but I wondered that too...that would be a HUGE downside for me.

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Part of the problem is that even if we've seen a "grow tent" before, they vary WIDELY & all we can do is be a bit skeptical (in favor of what's best for the snake)

without SEEING exactly what you're intending to do. For me personally, I'm still a glass tank fan, & for what it's worth, I don't think storage tubs are any worse

for snakes that what you're trying to do with a grow tent, & they might even be worse...I'm just not a fan of plastics in general. But in the same way, I'd caution

you to find out EXACTLY what your grow tent is made of and what chemicals may remain on the surface that your snake can inhale or absorb*. There are many

things used these days, even in clothing intended to be next to OUR skin that can cause problems, & snakes don't have the size or the immune system that we

have. One reason I favor glass is that it's inert & doesn't off-gas chemicals...so what about these grow-tents? Manufacturers don't worry about health problems

or lawsuits when you're using a product in a way they did not intend...so please remember that. And I have a feeling that when people first started talking

about using plastic storage bins to house snakes there were just as many objections then as you're getting now. ;) I love "thinking outside the box" but just

don't forget that safety (health!) comes first over any advantages. I look forward to your updates, actually.

(*for example, the camping kind of tents can be treated with fungicidal chemicals, which are toxic...anything like that used on grow-tents? & remember brands may differ widely.)

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That's actually an interesting point that I didn't think about, I'd think they'd be safe considering they're generally used for plants meant for human consumption so their should be some level of attention to potentially dangerous chemicals. I plan on washing the tent then letting it air out for a while. The good thing with grow tents generally is that even the top of the line brands are still affordable, and all of them use the same 600D Mylar which I'll have to do some research on. I have never heard of any problems with this from the tegu community either, since they're pretty much the must well documented group of reptile keepers using grow tents I might ask around and see what I can find out about this.

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Originally Posted by wnateg

Maybe I missed it, but grow tents aren't usually see through. Are you just not planning on seeing your snake?

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I'm deliberately trying not to mention specific brands here, but the brand I plan on using does have viewing windows on their tents and it definitely would be a huge downside if it didn't.

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Originally Posted by JP23

That's actually an interesting point that I didn't think about, I'd think they'd be safe considering they're generally used for plants meant for human consumption so their should be some level of attention to potentially dangerous chemicals. I plan on washing the tent then letting it air out for a while. The good thing with grow tents generally is that even the top of the line brands are still affordable, and all of them use the same 600D Mylar which I'll have to do some research on. I have never heard of any problems with this from the tegu community either, since they're pretty much the must well documented group of reptile keepers using grow tents I might ask around and see what I can find out about this.

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While they're used for plants that are meant for human consumption, plants are not normally touching the sides of the tent, are they? And even so, you wash fruits & veggies prior to eating them...at least you should. Just be careful not to "assume" it's safe. Even when you buy new clothing they recommend you wash it prior to wearing it, because the cloth has been treated with various things, yet most of us don't do that. Just want to be very sure with alternative uses, & for sure wipe it down first before using.

I just looked & found this (claim non-toxic):
http://www.growshopchina.com/sale-80...rial-600d.html

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

While they're used for plants that are meant for human consumption, plants are not normally touching the sides of the tent, are they? And even so, you wash fruits & veggies prior to eating them...at least you should. Just be careful not to "assume" it's safe. Even when you buy new clothing they recommend you wash it prior to wearing it, because the cloth has been treated with various things, yet most of us don't do that. Just want to be very sure with alternative uses, & for sure wipe it down first before using.

I just looked & found this (claim non-toxic):
http://www.growshopchina.com/sale-80...rial-600d.html

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If everything works out like I'm thinking, she'll hardly be able to make contact with the walls of the grow tent itself. I'm lining the walls with bamboo sheets and I might line the bottom with something to hold the substrate better. I'm even considering a bioactive enclosure (should be easy enough in a grow tent xD) which should make it so that she has a hard time reaching the bottom of the tent through the substrate also, so unless she's constantly rubbing on the top of the tent I'd think everything would be fine.

Same questions apply for the bamboo...;) Just because a product came from nature doesn't mean it's still "natural" or safe, not treated with potentially toxic stuff.

Question: the mylar is bonded to a nylon canvas fabric, right? the only mylar I'm familiar with tears easily (mylar balloons & auto shades), it's very thin? Just thinking
how a heavy boa might push around branches or the water bowl & could maybe tear the finish? I may be wrong, wish I had a sample of the material in front of me.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Same questions apply for the bamboo...;) Just because a product came from nature doesn't mean it's still "natural" or safe, not treated with potentially toxic stuff.

Question: the mylar is bonded to a nylon canvas fabric, right? the only mylar I'm familiar with tears easily (mylar balloons & auto shades), it's very thin? Just thinking
how a heavy boa might push around branches or the water bowl & could maybe tear the finish? I may be wrong, wish I had a sample of the material in front of me.

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Yeah, the mylar is the reflective material on the inside that is bonded to canvas fabric. I've always just heard the whole thing referenced to as "600D mylar fabric" and I just say mylar. How easy it is to tear would depend on the quality of the tent, which if someone was to use them for reptiles I'd have to say it's a MUST to buy from a reputable brand. I feel like this wouldn't be too much of an issue or big lizard keepers who use grow tents would mention it which I haven't seen. I need to research more on the safety of the bamboo for snakes in particular but from what I've seen the tegu keepers haven't had any problems with it. That's been a pretty big theme with my research is just referencing back to the only actual recorded use of tents in the hobby which are tegu keepers. So far I haven't heard a lot of negative experiences from them.

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Originally Posted by JP23

Yeah, the mylar is the reflective material on the inside that is bonded to canvas fabric. I've always just heard the whole thing referenced to as "600D mylar fabric" and I just say mylar. How easy it is to tear would depend on the quality of the tent, which if someone was to use them for reptiles I'd have to say it's a MUST to buy from a reputable brand. I feel like this wouldn't be too much of an issue or big lizard keepers who use grow tents would mention it which I haven't seen. I need to research more on the safety of the bamboo for snakes in particular but from what I've seen the tegu keepers haven't had any problems with it. That's been a pretty big theme with my research is just referencing back to the only actual recorded use of tents in the hobby which are tegu keepers. So far I haven't heard a lot of negative experiences from them.

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Well if tegus aren't tearing it with their nails, it must be OK? But I just know from experience that some "bonded materials" don't stay that way (bonded) forever.

I never personally had an issue with my grow tent when I used it for my plants, and I abused it for a good couple of years. I don't know the method they use to bond the mylar, or if there are some that hold up better than others. I haven't seen many complaints from general reviews of the tents on amazon and I would definitely think that tegu owners would be the first people to become aware of this issue. I think if it's well taken care of it will last just fine, especially if protected from the animal by lining it in some way on the inside.

Just spend time reinforcing it. With some handy skills, determination and planning they're great open spaces for reptiles. Of course people are saying no, it's not the norm, we've always done it this way! If I can adult tegu proof it, you can snake proof one. Just find a way to secure your heat source and a way to make it not able to be pulled down, etc. Test, monitor, continue to check, etc.