# Building a glass top table style vivarium



## TOMBUCHANAN (Jan 21, 2007)

Wandering if anyones done this before or has any links to sites with instruction on how to do this. I'm trying to build a viv for my leos with wooden sides and bottom and a glass top for viewing and then sticking a few legs on it to make it in to a table. Hope that makes sense. All help appreciated.


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## dinofred1 (Jan 13, 2007)

saw one on ebay the other day on ebay,can't you buy a table and block it in


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## TOMBUCHANAN (Jan 21, 2007)

Yeah I could but a glass top coffee table and then build a wooden enclosure and attach it below the glass so you could see in to it. I just think that sounds like a bit of an expensive option.


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## dinofred1 (Jan 13, 2007)

car boots be surpriced what you can pick up,or convert a tv stand


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## Magpye (Jan 26, 2007)

I'm wary of the coffee table design from a welfare perspective:

Most predators of reptiles approach from above, by having a glass screen that is used as a surface for regularly putting items on and looking into it is likely to cause the animal stress. Having glass sides may also cause similar suffering if there are cats or dogs in the household.

The vivarium will be lower to the ground and may as a consequence be more sensitive to ground vibrations. I'm not thinking of the constant human traffic walking past it; but the noise that may be generated by a vacuum cleaner for example. Any nervous species by suffer inadvertently as a result.

I think it would be worth considering the animals needs are more important than those of you own aesthetic pleasure.


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## carl24bpool (Oct 26, 2006)

I have to agree with the points above. Especially if the table is going to be used to put things on like drinks or magazines etc.

That and teh fact that the lizard will never feel safe because of the open top viv.

I did this once with goldfish and even they didn't seem to be too happy about living in a table.

Prehaps the animal you intend to use will be okay, but as I don't know a lot about them I can only generalise really.


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## TOMBUCHANAN (Jan 21, 2007)

I understand your concerns but to be honest the viv that i've got my leos in now (it's a large viv) sits on the floor anyway. Since I first posted i've seen one of these vivs online, it used 'smoked glass' to prevent the corn snakes it was housing from being intimidated by 'predators' from above. Just to clear up any confusion I probably should have made clear earlier, I don't actually intend to use the viv as a table, it'll probably never have anything put on it at all. Still after any useful links anybody has though.


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## Guest (Feb 5, 2007)

you on about this:
eBay.co.uk: FISH TANK / TERRARIUM/ VIVARIUM COFFEE TABLE(BARGAIN!) (item 290079221940 end time 05-Feb-07 18:14:03 GMT)


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## TOMBUCHANAN (Jan 21, 2007)

Yeah thats the kind of thing I was looking for. Wouldn't have to be so tall/deep as I'd only be keeping leos in it and I imagined wooden sides instead of the glass but yeah thats the sort of thing. The price on that starts at £165 though which I thinks a bit much, be a lot cheap to make one I think.


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## eeji (Feb 22, 2006)

the main worry with that one on eBay is that its made from pine - the fumes are toxic to a lot of reptiles


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## TOMBUCHANAN (Jan 21, 2007)

Somneone must be able to offer some help...


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## jml220679 (Aug 1, 2006)

*table viv*

phone mike at viv builder, he'll price up any design u want.


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## TOMBUCHANAN (Jan 21, 2007)

I've spoeken to Mike and vivbiulder don't make the coffee table design because of the time and expensive involved. So i'm still on the lookout for anyone who know's how to make one of these. There must be plans on the internet somewehere surely!!!


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## Daniel (Jul 28, 2005)

i was in a shop once and they had a table tank for sale i inquired about the problems but the glass was 1 way and the tank had anothe sheet of glas that was raised of the outher to put stuff on to avoid intimidation
the fact of it being low well most people vivs are going to feel vibrations alot of peeps cats and stuff are there anyway the only reason a leo or outer rep would be scared is if it had been atacked before by one 
just my opinion
dan
the problem i can see though is there would be no way of fitting a lite inside?


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## Magpye (Jan 26, 2007)

I imagine the best method would be to have a wooden table surface with a large window in the centre. That way all of the cabing, thermostat, etc. can be secured on the inside to the underneath of the table surface where the wood is. 2 Panes of glass sounds like a good idea to reduce intimidation. Another factor for consideration is ventilation.


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## Daniel (Jul 28, 2005)

1 way glass is good and u can get glass that has liqiud going through it and u press a button and electrisity passes through it causing it to go black and u can turn this off and on when u feel
also to stop vibrations maybe have a thew sheets of foam stuff u know wat i meen!!! under the legs
dan


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## TOMBUCHANAN (Jan 21, 2007)

I've never heard of the glas that goes clear at the tousch of a button but that would be cool. 

Daniel, can you know where you saw the table that you enquired about or how much it was going for? I'm just wandering if theres somewhere that mass produces them or if all of them are going to be made through individual projects.


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## Daniel (Jul 28, 2005)

it was a reptile shop in brighton and it came with a breeding pair of sting rays for a grand
but they can order them in for for 300 qiud
dan


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## TOMBUCHANAN (Jan 21, 2007)

Thats a lot of money for a viv even if it a partiularly nice one. I think what I really need is photos of this kind of viv to get some ideas.Then if I try and draw up some plans and place them on here for some constructive criticism I can have a go at building one myself. 
If it works I could stick the plans on here for everyone else.


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## Daniel (Jul 28, 2005)

that one had all pumps and heating and filter and lights and stuff in and came with the 2rays so not huge amounts
dan


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