Glass-top, Front-Opening Terrarium?

This is where you discuss the conditions of your crabitat -- temperature, humidity, substrate, decorating, etc.

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Lephantome92
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Glass-top, Front-Opening Terrarium?

Post by Lephantome92 » Sun Jun 25, 2017 10:52 pm

Does anyone know where I can get the aforementioned affordably? I adopted some crabs from someone who didn't want theirs, and they came in a front-opening tank that has a small side screen and a screen on top. The tank is about 30"x12"x12", but only gives around 3" for substrate. Would it be cheaper/better to just get a new terrarium, or turn the current one into a topper? If the topper route is easier, do people with experience doing it find it feasible to take out the bottom in one piece so that could be the top, then I just need to find a small piece of glass for the side, or should I just smash it and get a larger piece of glass/plexiglass for the top and side? Also, what size bottom would I look for? I have two lighting fixtures: just a standard hanging lamp that came with it that has a standard bulb, then a dual hood that has individually controlled day and night bulbs that I would prefer to not need to replace, unless the fixture is included in the new terrarium.

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Re: Glass-top, Front-Opening Terrarium?

Post by wodesorel » Mon Jun 26, 2017 1:19 am

Used, if you're lucky. New ones are over a hundred, usually a couple.

They are in a 20 gallon long equivalent, if that helps. You could use it as a topper for that size or a 29 gallon tank if you wanted it to fit perfectly on top. However, that's only if it would be an appropriate size for the number and size of the crabs that are to be living in it.

If you wanted to go larger, a regular aquarium would be much cheaper used or new.
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Re: Glass-top, Front-Opening Terrarium?

Post by GotButterflies » Mon Jun 26, 2017 5:37 am

Another thing that you can do is buy a piece of plexiglass or glass and have it cut to size to put in the front so that you can make the substrate higher and still open the doors


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Re: Glass-top, Front-Opening Terrarium?

Post by Lephantome92 » Mon Jun 26, 2017 6:08 am

Thank you for the suggestions. Would less than 6" of open air be enough for them? Right now they have about 8 and that seems like just barely enough to climb around. Also part of why I was thinking along the lines of upgrading was because I have a hamster wheel for them that I think one has figured out

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Re: Glass-top, Front-Opening Terrarium?

Post by wodesorel » Mon Jun 26, 2017 10:58 am

I mean, that kind of space is doable, but I think both you and the crabs would be happier if there were more. They like to climb, and we humans have to be happy, too!
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Re: Glass-top, Front-Opening Terrarium?

Post by Lephantome92 » Mon Jun 26, 2017 8:21 pm

I called PetSmart, and they had a 20 long for under 30 dollars, so i snatched that up quickly. This weekend I'll make it the bottom of a set


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Re: Glass-top, Front-Opening Terrarium?

Post by Lephantome92 » Tue Jun 27, 2017 6:59 am

So originally i was thinking i would need to get the bottom of the terrarium out in one piece to make a glass lid, but i just realized that because it's front-opening, i can just flip it and save an hour of work meticulously scraping off glue! One potential issue i may run into is there's the possibility at least one is molting, and either another is just digging to dig, or wants to molt soon. Is there much i can do to make the transfer even though he's/they're underground? If i absolutely must wait, i will, but that gives the others time to start molting. Would digging laterally and putting the molter in iso with an individual light be an option? I'd have to change the bulb by hand daily, but that's a small price for a successful molt while upgrading tanks

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Glass-top, Front-Opening Terrarium?

Post by GotButterflies » Tue Jun 27, 2017 8:17 am

Congratulations on the new tank! You can move the ones that are topside over. I personally recommend waiting until the molter comes up. When the molter comes up, just dip him/her in the freshwater of the new crabitat.

Edit: you don't need to move the light for the molter. Just make sure heat & humidity stay 80/80 for the molter

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Re: Glass-top, Front-Opening Terrarium?

Post by Lephantome92 » Tue Jun 27, 2017 9:28 am

Will the surface crabs be fine with little to no climbing space till the molt is done? I was gonna add about 6 inches of sub now, then the last 3 when the last one comes up and use that sub

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Re: Glass-top, Front-Opening Terrarium?

Post by Hermias_mom » Tue Jun 27, 2017 10:27 am

Lephantome92 wrote:Will the surface crabs be fine with little to no climbing space till the molt is done? I was gonna add about 6 inches of sub now, then the last 3 when the last one comes up and use that sub
Crabs are amazingly resilient. They should be fine with little to no climbing space till the molt is done, but there's a lot of things you can put in the tat to increase the amount of things for them to climb. That will help it feel bigger to them, I think. For instance, in a ten gallon aquarium, after you get 6" of sub in there, there's only 4-5" left above the substrate for climbing space, water pools, food dishes, hides, etc.. In a ten gallon, my crabs would climb the underside of the reptile mesh lid, multiple branches I placed across the tank, the coral mountain, moss pit, shell shop, repti-hammock, coco hut, etc. Second levels really help them get more exercise in a limited space.
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Lephantome92
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Re: Glass-top, Front-Opening Terrarium?

Post by Lephantome92 » Tue Jun 27, 2017 11:06 am

If i would have fun with some clippers and the current mesh lid once the tanks are together, would it pose any risk to the crabs? Now that you mention that, it would be a wonderful way to keep shells from gathering substrate every week

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Re: Glass-top, Front-Opening Terrarium?

Post by wodesorel » Tue Jun 27, 2017 11:08 am

That mesh is super sharp along the edges when cut. I have one where i need to repair the screen and I've been avoiding it for .months because I tore my thumb open just getting it apart.
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Re: Glass-top, Front-Opening Terrarium?

Post by Lephantome92 » Tue Jun 27, 2017 11:22 am

If i put some foam on the cut edge, then sew fabric over that, would that protect the crabbies enough?

Edit: i should clarify: stick foam on the edge, then wrap it in fabric and sew through the mesh so the foam can't come off

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Re: Glass-top, Front-Opening Terrarium?

Post by Hermias_mom » Tue Jun 27, 2017 12:11 pm

Lephantome92 wrote:If i put some foam on the cut edge, then sew fabric over that, would that protect the crabbies enough?

Edit: i should clarify: stick foam on the edge, then wrap it in fabric and sew through the mesh so the foam can't come off
Maybe, but probably not. The cut metal would cut right through the foam, eventually, I should think. And the crabs might tear the foam/fabric up. And then there's the potential for mold growth on a constantly humid foam/fabric.

Might consider using aquarium safe silicone to coat the cut metal mesh edge, or some type of hard vinyl/plastic tubing that you've slit open longways, then shove that over the cut metal edge (if it's a straight cut, or you can curve the tubing around in a circle). Puncture resistant gloves are always recommended for working around sharp metal / cutting metal. Kevlar or Spectra gloves are my favorite - those gloves will resist cat claws and teeth, and eagle talons and such, as well as box cutters, etc. If you use regular heavy-duty leather work gloves, those sort of work, but the metal can cut through them if you get it angled just the wrong way or apply too much pressure. Also, those don't give you a lot of flexibility with your fingers/hands. Whatever you do, PLEASE use some type of hand protection when cutting/working with metal.

Needle-nose pliers, or 90 degree bent needle nose pliers are also useful for bending the cut wire mesh after you've cut it. Might be able to bend it out of the way, then coat the sharp ends in aquarium safe silicone.
Last edited by Hermias_mom on Tue Jun 27, 2017 12:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.
4PPs and tons of FUN in a 29 gallon!
Hermia(F), Helena(F), Branch(M), and Tiger (M)
RIP Athena

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Re: Glass-top, Front-Opening Terrarium?

Post by Hermias_mom » Tue Jun 27, 2017 12:12 pm

wodesorel wrote:That mesh is super sharp along the edges when cut. I have one where i need to repair the screen and I've been avoiding it for .months because I tore my thumb open just getting it apart.
:( Sorry to hear that! How painful!!!
4PPs and tons of FUN in a 29 gallon!
Hermia(F), Helena(F), Branch(M), and Tiger (M)
RIP Athena

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