# Faunariums Dangerous?



## madonion (May 19, 2011)

I was told this morning from a reputable reptile shop owner that faunariums are dangerous for snakes as they can damage their noses on the grills and that they are designed for insects really! He suggested a RUB which I know a lot of people use but are these really a better option than faunariums?

Cheers


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## becky89 (Nov 24, 2009)

I've not heard that before, I've used them in the past and never had a problem. I like RUBs a bit more than faunariums tbh, can add as much or little ventilation as needed, more range in sizes, locking lids and cheaper too.


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## violentchopper (Jun 20, 2008)

My corns can escape from faunariums so I have to tape them down. I have not had any issues with nose rub. RUBS are better but I don't think they are good for young corns as they can escape as well and possibly get stuck


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## madonion (May 19, 2011)

violentchopper said:


> My corns can escape from faunariums so I have to tape them down. I have not had any issues with nose rub. RUBS are better but I don't think they are good for young corns as they can escape as well and possibly get stuck


How did they escape, through the doors?


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## emmilllyyy (Oct 9, 2010)

my baby corn is in a faunarium and hes fine, its all i had spare really, they both do the same job so its up to you what you want to use


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## emmilllyyy (Oct 9, 2010)

madonion said:


> How did they escape, through the doors?


i think they mean through the gap between the lid and the base, theres a small gap that they could possibly get squished in if they were small enough


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## grannykins (Oct 9, 2006)

I havent had any problems with faunariums, but I have had a small snake get its head trapped in the gap between the rub and its lid. It didnt survive.


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## corny girl (Aug 30, 2009)

emmilllyyy said:


> my baby corn is in a faunarium and hes fine, its all i had spare really, they both do the same job so its up to you what you want to use



They don't both do the same job :whistling2:. With a faunarium it is harder to keep a constant temperature or humidity due to the massive amount of ventilation in them. RUBs/tubs hold a better temperature & humidity. I bought a faunarium for my corns when i first got snakes, soon ditched it in favour of RUBs as i was having terrible trouble keeping the temperature stable (even with covering the lid with cardboard). IMO RUBs are far better for keeping snakes in & are much cheaper too (you can start off small & go up a size as the snake grows too). Not heard about the nose rub thing but any snake can rub it's nose in whatever it's kept in if it is intent on escaping :whistling2:.


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## emmilllyyy (Oct 9, 2010)

corny girl said:


> They don't both do the same job :whistling2:. With a faunarium it is harder to keep a constant temperature or humidity due to the massive amount of ventilation in them. RUBs/tubs hold a better temperature & humidity. I bought a faunarium for my corns when i first got snakes, soon ditched it in favour of RUBs as i was having terrible trouble keeping the temperature stable (even with covering the lid with cardboard). IMO RUBs are far better for keeping snakes in & are much cheaper too (you can start off small & go up a size as the snake grows too). Not heard about the nose rub thing but any snake can rub it's nose in whatever it's kept in if it is intent on escaping :whistling2:.


did you use a heatmat or a ceramic though? mines on a ceramic and its perfectly fine


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## AilsaM (May 18, 2011)

My little 4 month old bloodred corn is in a faunarium and no probs with temps or escapes, the stat on heat mat keeps it at 28.5/29.5*C at the warm end, cool end is room temp.


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## **louise** (Nov 10, 2010)

I don't like usuing fauns after one of my corns escaped through one. Luckily I caught him straight away but this is how he escaped....










I use RUBs now or similar storage boxes.


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## corny girl (Aug 30, 2009)

emmilllyyy said:


> did you use a heatmat or a ceramic though? mines on a ceramic and its perfectly fine



I used heat mats underneath. How can you use a ceramic with them, surely the heat from a ceramic would melt the top? Do you have any pics of your set ups?


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## violentchopper (Jun 20, 2008)

My corn has figured how to open the big door and when she was a bit smaller she could squeeze through the gap. I had actually said the Day she escaped "faunariums are great, I doubt a snake could escape that" then went to get my corn and she had gone lol wise words eh


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## madonion (May 19, 2011)

I may need to have a re-think! I dont want to lose them and apparently there is too much light in a faunarium as well.


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## Smigsy (Jul 30, 2009)

when i got my first royal he didnt have a problem with nose rub but my newest royal did. i used the same faunarium for both think its down to personal preference realy as the faunarium i used was only temporary and now in vivs no nose rub problem :2thumb:


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## violentchopper (Jun 20, 2008)

madonion said:


> I may need to have a re-think! I dont want to lose them and apparently there is too much light in a faunarium as well.


Just put a bit of tape on each long side and a bit of tape of the doors. I think the doors are pointless anyway. Good if you have a lizard and wanna drop bugs in. Also my corn escaped from a 33ltr RUB and they have bigger spacers on the lid. She climbed up a branch to reach. I doubt a ceramic would melt it either as it only heats up to what you set it to and I think it would take alot more heat then we require to do it. I've seen people use ceramics with RUBs


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## NickBenger (Nov 18, 2010)

Never had a problem with a Faun...


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## corny girl (Aug 30, 2009)

violentchopper said:


> Just put a bit of tape on each long side and a bit of tape of the doors. I think the doors are pointless anyway. Good if you have a lizard and wanna drop bugs in. Also my corn escaped from a 33ltr RUB and they have bigger spacers on the lid. She climbed up a branch to reach. I doubt a ceramic would melt it either as it only heats up to what you set it to and I think it would take alot more heat then we require to do it. I've seen people use ceramics with RUBs



RUBs can withstand high temperatures (think it says what temp on the bottom of them), i doubt the plastic lids on a faunarium would :whistling2:. I think even 30+*C on it constantly would soften it.


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## NickBenger (Nov 18, 2010)

corny girl said:


> RUBs can withstand high temperatures (think it says what temp on the bottom of them), i doubt the plastic lids on a faunarium would :whistling2:. I think even 30+*C on it constantly would soften it.


Do you mean if you used a ceramic?...because a mat on the bottom certainly has no effect on the plastic.


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## corny girl (Aug 30, 2009)

TheDogMan said:


> Do you mean if you used a ceramic?...because a mat on the bottom certainly has no effect on the plastic.



Yeah, someone posted up saying they use a ceramic with a faunarium. Surely the heat from a ceramic would soften the plastic lid of a faunarium as it is a different type of plastic to what RUBs are made from?


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## NickBenger (Nov 18, 2010)

corny girl said:


> Yeah, someone posted up saying they use a ceramic with a faunarium. Surely the heat from a ceramic would soften the plastic lid of a faunarium as it is a different type of plastic to what RUBs are made from?


I dnt know have never thought about it, the plastic isn't very thick tbh (on the lid that is). I don't think they were made to be used with ceramics.


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## madonion (May 19, 2011)

I dont have a problem with the heat from a heat mat getting through to the faun. I am using a 11" square mat and both fauns are sharing it - temperature has been fine - although the thermostat has not switched on for the last few days as it has been quite warm out! I am torn now as to put them into RUBs or to just leave them in the fauns :?:


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## beth18 (Oct 2, 2009)

violentchopper said:


> My corns can escape from faunariums so I have to tape them down. I have not had any issues with nose rub. RUBS are better but I don't think they are good for young corns as they can escape as well and possibly get stuck



As advised by a good friend/experienced reptil keeper ....

I use rubs for my CB'10 yearling Cali King & Everglades ... to stop them from escaping through the gap in the lip I have insulated it with blue tac ...
it blocks the hole the snake cant get stuck to it = win


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## louise83 (May 10, 2011)

My cali king is in a faunarium. He escaped about an hour after we first got him! through the tiny hole on the back left hand side of the faun....big book covering it now but he has doubled in size so doubt he would be able to pit through. Caught him because he is a nosey wee thing and hid behind the faun with his face peeking out...........:Na_Na_Na_Na:


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## violentchopper (Jun 20, 2008)

Yeah I covered the spaces on a RUB with cotton wool balls and sticky tape. Worked fine


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## violentchopper (Jun 20, 2008)

Another thing you can use is bulldog clips. Make sure you get the right size otherwise it don't grip properly. The lip of the tub has sections so measure first before you buy


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## azza23 (May 4, 2011)

fanariums are quality for young snakes. easy to clean,stackable,OK looking and well ventalated. I use them and never had escapese or nose rubbing.


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## Dustcart (May 31, 2008)

I am getting a hatchling corn in a couple of weeks and she's going straight into a Faunarium! I have used RUB's many times before but very small snakes such as hatchling corns CAN escape though the gap between the lid and base (as mentioned on this thread before).
Yes there is major ventilation.............cover it.
When the Corn gets bigger, she'll go in a viv or a RUB.


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