Acrylic Terrarium

When you have a tortoise whose shell is 8” long, popular enclosures at Pet Store Inc. tend to be too cozy for comfort, especially if you plan on sparing your fellow chelonian from rearing up on their hind legs every time they desire to “about face”. To provide the space necessary for adequate living, one has to be creative. Once I used a kiddie pool filled with substrate to fulfill the recommended living space, but had to abandon this specialized accommodation after one-too-many escapes (owing to this forest-dwelling species’ propensity to climb). So I attempted to reproduce and improve upon a previous design my father and I constructed on a whim: the acrylic terrarium.

Below is a table detailing the costs of materials (excluding tools). I got all of these at my local Lowe's Home Depot.

The terrarium was planned to be 5 feet by 2 feet and 1 foot tall. The previous acrylic structure was about 2 feet tall: this meant anytime I’d reach in, I’d be elbow deep in tank and my range of motion inhibited. I also planned on using the leftovers to make a lid to hold in any humidity since I was now residing in Phoenix Arizona. I also substituted aluminum for faux wood because the metal will won’t snap or degrade.

Cutting the acrylic was difficult; the jigsaw caused unnecessary vibrations which eventually cracked the fragile plastic. Also, being a clear and slippery material, any lines marked with ink would be nigh invisible, so painter’s tape proved to be the best way to lay down where to cut. I later would use a table saw to cut the pieces for the removable lid which was ten times easier and straighter than any steady jigsaw work. At this point of construction, however, I neither had the time or money.

02010/05/11: One of two acrylic sheets ready to be cut via jigsaw. (Photo taken on balcony.)

02010/05/11: This first break. This piece was later salvaged.

02010/05/11: The acrylic sheet laid on the sawhorses to minimize vibration.

Assembly of the sheets was also problematic: sole application of bathroom caulk between the acrylic and aluminum was no good. I ended up using some epoxy on most of the pieces, caulk on the rest, and letting it set overnight with some heavy college textbooks that I don’t use anymore but couldn’t sell back either because the new editions turn obsolete faster than cellular telephones on top to keep the pressure on between the pieces. And, boy, do I have enough textbooks to accomplish that and then some.

02010/06/12: Adhearing the first pieces of aluminum siding.

02010/05/11: Evidence regular caulk peals away.

Three moons later, I was able to cut and assemble the lid: the plan was to have it fold accordion-style until the flaps rested on either side, held together by weak magnets. In the middle would be a rectangle large enough for the UV light to function. Unfortunately, the acrylic is too weak to support itself and, unlike glass, bends and sags under it’s own weight. To overcome this slight oversight, I cut guides from the unused portions of the aluminum angles and attached felt adhesive runners to the insides.

02010/09/18: Pieces left over to be used for the construction of the lid.

02010/09/18: Rough drawings and calculations for lid pieces.

02010/09/19: All pieces for the lid cut and lined up.

02010/09/26: Pieces laid flat with hinges attached.

02010/09/26: Pieces laid flat and pulled up in action.

02010/10/23: Terrarium completed with artificial pvc substrate and furniture.

02010/10/23: Close up of lid fully retracted. Shown are the magnets holding the lid.

02010/10/23: Lid shown fully extended across terrarium.

02010/10/23: Close up of top of lid.

02010/10/23: Close up of top of lid with opening highlighted.

02010/10/23: Aluminum pieces cut to guide the lid. Ruler used for scaling.

02010/10/23: Lid guides placed in place. There is a small overlap between the opposite ends.

Overall, this was a pretty satisfactory build. There were few miscalculations, but it still functioned as desired with no leaks. As for it’s fate, I regret to announce I have deconstructed it in 02013/03/28 and am currently using a slightly smaller commercial glass tank for the interim, measuring 4 feet by 15 inches and 17 inches tall. For the future, I intend to build a more grand, permanent habitat worthy of being called exhibit and home and I will update appropriately.