Product Review: Zen Habitats 4’x2’x2′ Reptile Enclosure with PVC Panels

Putting it Together

When I reviewed the original Zen Habitats enclosure, my husband Chad volunteered to put it together. Since he’s definitely the more handy person between the two of us, I gratefully accepted his help. However, this time, I was determined to prove whether Zen Habitats’ design is truly as “idiot-proof” as Chad concluded. So I volunteered as the “idiot” to put it all together, from beginning to end. If I could put this thing together, anyone can.

The aluminum frame pieces make a horrible screeching sound comparable to that of Styrofoam when they rub together. Not much can really be done about that, but if sounds like that feel like your brain is going to liquefy and pour out of your ears while your teeth fall out one at a time, well, you’ve been warned. However, the label stickers on the pieces were very helpful in preventing me from using the wrong pieces on the wrong parts of the frame, and they came off the metal without fuss or residue.

One of the selling points of this kit is that it doesn’t require tools for assembly, but I had to get out a hammer (and probably disturbed the neighbors downstairs) to get the joints all the way into the frame bars. It’s a very tight fit!

When sliding the mesh top into place, I noticed that the edges where the mesh meets the frame are a bit ragged. While it wasn’t a problem for me, had I been less careful while handling this piece, there would have been potential for a minor cut or scrape.

While using a flathead screwdriver to pry the wire port loose, the PVC was dented. As it turns out, the PVC panels are not as hard as the bamboo ones were. However, since it’s PVC, it’s waterproof, so no sealing was required this time around.

I did, however, use GE Formula #1 100% silicone sealant around the bottom edge and 6” up each corner to make sure the enclosure would be leak-resistant. Because PVC and silicone don’t adhere well, I had to use some sandpaper to rough up the contact surface first so the silicone would have something to bond to. It worked well! And unlike last time, the substrate shield was not bowed, which made installation with the silicone much easier.

The protective film on the acrylic pieces is a wonderful idea for protection, but it is a pain to remove. The acrylic also got all sticky once the film was gone, so it attracted every piece of dust, dirt, and hair (a curse upon this long, thick hair of mine!) within a 5’ radius. I highly recommend keeping a microfiber cloth on hand for dealing with this.

Aside from that, the doors popped right in as advertised, although for some reason it was much easier to pop them in/out in the middle rather than on their designated sides. The knobs were nice and easy to screw in by hand without a screwdriver.

The acrylic humidity shield was easy enough to place — just set it on top of the mesh and you’re done! However, I did have to cut it into a custom shape so it wouldn’t interfere with my configuration of heat and UVB lamps. Fortunately, since this particular piece of plastic is nice and thin, it’s easy to cut.