Putting Zen Habitats To The Test! | Strength, Durability, and Debunking Myths!
Reptile owners are always on the lookout for the best, safest, most secure enclosure for their scaly friends. A durable, long lasting enclosure is crucial for the well-being of pet reptiles, as it ensures lifelong protection and prevents escape. In this article, we will be putting our Zen Habitats enclosure through a series of tests to assess its strength and durability, and debunk commonly heard myths. Our goal is to provide reptile owners with the information they need to make an informed decision when it comes to choosing the right enclosure for their pet!
How Much Weight Can Your Screen Hold?
A curious cat decides they want to curl up and stay warm next to a heat lamp, or a rowdy dog gets curious at the sight of a little critter inside of a mysterious box - CRASH! The screen of the enclosure falls through; allowing your animal to escape, or severely injuring your reptile and potentially your other pets. Pets crashing through the top of enclosures is unfortunately quite a frequent occurrence. This situation can unfortunately lead to the death of the reptile inhabitant, and injure a dog or cat that falls through the screen. If the situation is not promptly caught, lighting fixtures falling are at risk of starting a fire.
Zen Habitats screen is designed to effortlessly support the weight of a housecat, as well as a large breed dog.
Our screen can hold over 100 lbs of weight!
How Much Weight Can Your Mounting Support Bars Hold?
Our inside mounting bars are ideal for inside mounting lighting and heating elements. They are also equipped to support the weight of hanging decor! Whether you plan on inside mounting lighting, radiant heat panels, faux vines, or hanging plants, our mounting bars are sure to support the weight!
Our mounting bars can support 25+ lbs!
How Durable Is The Meridian Zen Habitat?
The Meridian line is designed with convenience in mind, however, this habitat boasts incredible durability for an enclosure that only requires 8 screws for assembly!
Each screw hole is threaded with metal to ensure optimal grip and reduce the chance of stripping.
The Meridian enclosure boasts a 5-year warranty against defects. With our customer-first, make-it-right policy, Zen will ensure your pet has a safe, durable habitat to thrive in for their entire lifetime.
The Zen Habitats Meridian enclosure is durable enough to last for the entire lifetime of your pet, and beyond!
Are Your Enclosures Waterproof/Water Tight?
Our PVC panels are waterproof, however, our enclosures are NOT watertight. But we have a solution!
Zen Habitats created a pre-cut liner designed to hold bioactive substrate and prevent the risk of leaks from the enclosure. You can check out our BioBasin here!
We added 5 gallons of water into our enclosure with a BioBasin, and found no reduction in water level after 24 hours. Though we do not recommend adding standing water into your enclosure, the BioBasin can support high levels of moisture and prevent water leaking from the enclosure.
Do the Doors Vibrate When Opened or Closed?
To test the level of vibration that occurs during the opening and closing of the doors, we conducted this test with 5 gallons of water in the bottom of the habitat. While water is in the enclosure, the doors are added to the tracks to show minimal vibration of the water while the doors are opened or closed.
Our doors are designed to be easily and smoothly opened and closed to reduce stress of your animal.
How Do Your Panels Hold Up In High Moisture/High Humidity?
Our PVC panel enclosure is designed to support all humidity levels, from 0-100%, making it a wonderful choice for bioactive enclosures.
Our wood panel enclosure is designed for arid species, and should be kept below 50% humidity for optimal function and durability.
We conducted a test of our own panels and two other materials that are commonly used to build reptile enclosures. We measured the thickness of each, and then submerged each material in water for 120 hours to test the absorbency.
Beginning Measurements:
Zen PVC Panel: 6.3mm
Zen Bamboo MDF (Wood) Panel: 5.8mm
Melamine: 16mm
Plywood: 7.8mm
Measurements After 24 Hours:
Zen PVC Panel: 6.3mm
Zen Bamboo MDF (Wood) Panel: 6.3 mm
Melamine: 20.9 mm
Plywood: 9.2mm
Measurements after 72 Hours:
Zen PVC Panel: 6.3mm
Zen Bamboo MDF (Wood) Panel: 6.6mm
Melamine: 20.9mm
Plywood: 8.7mm
Measurements after 120 Hours (Final):
Zen PVC Panel: 6.5mm
Zen Bamboo MDF (Wood) Panel: 7.3mm
Melamine: 21.6mm
Plywood: 9.6mm
Materials that swell when exposed to water are likely to warp, pull apart, and break down over time when exposed to high-humidity environments.
In conclusion; the Zen Habitats Meridian enclosure line is a convenient, yet durable choice that will provide your pet reptile with a safe and secure environment!
To watch the test video, click here!
Find our full line of Zen Habitats enclosures here.
