It is a Friday night on the football field, on one side Team Tanks and the other Team Tubs. They stare each other down, ready to tackle with a predator-like intensity. Who will win?
The social media pot-stirrers might be sad to discover that both tanks and tubs can be used for the animal’s benefit! It all comes down to the keeper being honest with themselves and using common sense. There are poor tank setups and poor tub setups. Enough caveats though, on to tanks and tubs (plus an even better bonus option).
Tanks
In this instance I’m referring to tanks as glass or acrylic enclosures; for crested geckos this would include Exo Terra style as well as converted 20 gallon longs (or similar).
Pros: Visually appealing, easily accessible with front access doors or mesh tops, pre-made ventilation, little to no modification needed, easily purchased on Amazon or pet stores.
Cons: Heavy, expensive, often not stackable so shelving is necessary, sometimes needing to be modified or more misting needed to hold enough humidity. For reptiles clear sides at every angle can be, potentially, more stressful because glass does not provide understandable separation from the inside and outside world. Plastic moldings with crevices can make for difficult cleaning. And of course, glass can crack and shatter.
Tanks are an obvious choice for crested geckos because they are prevalent and proven within the pet industry. Little to no modification is necessary and they are usually a one-and-done option. Tanks provide easy viewing of the animal and can be an artful addition to the home. Both bioactive (real plants, soil, cleanup crew, UVB) and sterile setups (paper towel bottom, fake plants, UVB can be used) work wonderfully with tanks. UVB is easily added to the Exo Terra style tanks with mesh tops. However, acrylic and converted aquarium style set ups are more difficult to use with lamps because the glass/acrylic will not let most of the UVB through.
On the downside, tanks can cost ten times more than tub setups. Price alone should not be the deciding factor when thinking of adding another living being to the family but it is something to keep in mind in your decision on gecko housing. Glass tanks in particular are quite heavy even before adding any decor. Glass tanks are better suited with shelves rather than stacking; Exo Terras ventilate on the top and stacking glass/acrylic enclosures can invite instability with slippery surfaces. The keeper needs to take into account Exo Terras generally need more misting because of the large ventilation area on top. Either limiting the airflow or more frequent misting can mitigate this issue.
Tubs
There are a number of different ways to use tubs from ones placed vertical similar to a converted 20 gallon tank, a snake rack style setup, or to stacked tubs using regular lids.
Pros: Inexpensive, can be purchased at a hardware or home store, hold humidity well, large interior space, easy to modify, safer without glass to shatter. Potential to help the animal feel safer with opaque sides. Easy to clean with smooth, rounded corners.
Cons: Ugly, no clear front/sides for viewing, necessary modification from standard form, can hold too much humidity if not properly ventilated.
Tubs get a bad rap because, to the human ego, they can be thought of as cheaping out – they are inexpensive and not necessarily something that displays the animal in a beautiful way. To the animal though, none of that matters. Size, functionality, and proper husbandry are important factors animal well being.
One of the upsides of tubs is the ease of modification. Contrary to common internetisms, tubs can be both sterile and bioactive. If you need more ventilation or UVB access, you can easily cut a hole in a tub or lid to add vents or mesh, unlike glass and acrylic. Tubs can be used in standard fashion with a lid, stacked, or even turned on one end to resemble a 20 gallon long setup. The do-it-yourself type hobbyist can benefit from buying or making a snake-style rack with large tubs for space savings and ease of access. Stacking tubs individually works in the same way, but when you have a lot of them, the stacking/unstacking and lid removal can be a large waste of time.
Tubs are definitely not as pretty as tanks but they can potentially provide more security for the animal with the opaque sides. One of the other downsides is that without proper modification tubs can hold too much humidity and create a moldy environment. This goes hand-in-hand with tanks notoriously not holding enough humidity – the responsibility falls on the keeper to mist more/less and add more/less ventilation.
In the end, while tubs provide an undeniably beneficial environment for the animal and are inexpensive, many keepers still feel they take away from the point of having these beautiful creatures and environments within the home. Not convinced that tanks nor tubs are the perfect option – keep reading.
PVC Enclosures
But wait! Tubs and tanks are not the only options? Enter, PVC.
Pros: Far lighter than glass tanks, opaque sides to add security for the animal, elegant design, stackable, safer without glass to shatter, hold humidity and temperatures well with thick walls, pre-made ventilation/doors, uniform look.
Cons: Usually not available at local stores (reptile expos aside), shipping can be expensive for fully built cages. Flat pack shipping is cheaper, but requires a bit of time and tools to assemble.
PVC enclosures are rising in popularity because of their size for the weight and price, plus increasing availability from quality manufacturers. A savvy reptile parent can easily find and order one of the many available PVC enclosures from high quality manufacturers.
They are less money for the size than glass/acrylic tanks, but shipping the fully built cages can also cancel that price savings. A great option to avoid shipping is buy at local reptile shows, and honestly, the same goes for tanks if that is the direction you want to go. The look, utility, and animal security of PVC enclosures outweighs most of the small negatives. As with all other options, bioactive and sterile environments are welcomed with these enclosures. Like quality furniture, these enclosures can be a beautiful part of the home while benefiting both the animal and keeper.
