Design & Functionality
One of the things I didn’t like about the previous version of the Toxirium PVC Reptile Enclosure was the ventilation slits. This design does make for excellent ventilation when combined with a mesh top, but the slits are also large enough that insects and particularly small reptiles can escape from the enclosure. This also means the enclosure is not compatible with bioactive without modification.
I am not a fan of acrylic doors — all of the PVC enclosures in my own collection have glass doors instead. Although lightweight and very shatter-resistant, acrylic is soft and scratches easily. It’s also flexible, and in the case of particularly large acrylic sliding doors, it can even become an escape risk for determined snakes. Another problem with the doors in the previous design is that they were impossible to remove/replace without taking the enclosure apart, so when they became scratched, I just had to live with the diminished visibility and strip of uncleanable “no man’s land” where they overlapped. I am glad to see that this problem was fixed with door tracks that make the doors removable. This makes them easier to clean, and in case you (like me) prefer glass doors, they can be easily replaced as well. The acrylic doors of the 40” x 16” x 16” enclosure are not large enough for the material’s natural flexibility to create an escape risk. Although the handles of the enclosure don’t fit very well, I do appreciate that Toxirium upgraded to larger handles rather than the tiny knobs of the previous design, which makes the doors easier to use.
The included “lock” is bizarre at best and essentially useless at worst. It’s just a tiny key-shaped piece of metal that you stick into a hole in the door to jam the sliding mechanism. Although there’s a suction cup included to prevent this key from getting lost, it’s extremely easy to remove, definitely not child-proof, and may fall out if you walk by too heavily or the enclosure’s occupant rattles the doors.
Even though the former design also came with the base and top pre-assembled, this version is notably stronger. Everything fits tighter and more securely, and both the base and top are reinforced by thick support bars. Each of the corner pillars are additionally reinforced by a rod that goes through the center. It all seems a bit overkill at first glance, but considering that these enclosures are intended to be potentially stackable, reinforcements like these are a good precaution against enclosure collapse, particularly if heavy substrates and/or décor are being used. That said, due to the nature of the materials used, while the panels are not flimsy, they will dent if abused, and the aluminum frame also has the potential to deform.
The mesh top is also quite strong, and will most likely gracefully withstand any cat that likes to hang out on top of terrariums, as I sat on it myself with no signs of immediate mesh failure (I am much heavier than even a very fat cat). I’m not saying the top of this enclosure would make a good place to store your dumbbells or bags of substrate, but it should be fine for normal abuse. I will note, however, that the thickness of the support bars on the top will cast significant shadows for UVB and daylight tubes/LEDs, so that should be taken into account when planning a high-UVI basking area. The mesh also doesn’t fit perfectly in its frame — my enclosure’s mesh bowed outward slightly. It’s unlikely to affect performance, but it is worth noting.
