Grow Tent as BCI Enclosure?

[Bogertophis]

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.

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.)