I gave it a shot but I'm underwhelmed! Maybe I got a "defective" enclosure? Or maybe I assembled it incorrectly? (I did put the screen on upside down lol) I emailed them and will happily follow up if there were mistakes on either end. If so, maybe another review will be on the way. Regardless, here's my affiliate link! www.zenhabitats.com/?aff=24
@@hilljack2yackie I feel like the bamboo one would be more expensive. Maybe not, because they do paint the pvc one to look like bamboo, if I remember correctly
I had to have surgery and threw myself a little all night 80's movie festival the night before and, it's honestly a good idea because it's too hard to sleep the night before anyway, good luck!
To be HONEST most enclosures are overhyped and overpriced when you can do a better job yourself realistically for half the cost. Edit: He was spot on with how much it cost to make too about $100 bucks at most but charge $350+ for a cheap experience. Not even stackable. The reviews are just so misleading
Agreed. I got a reptile tank for free and couldn't find a lid that fit the specifications, my brother and I built the most sturdy mesh lid ever for half the price of a screen lid off amazon.
For real. I made a 16 tub rack for under 250, I see similar made of cheaper materials go for almost a thousand. People really need to learn to DIY if you want to be serious in this hobby
@@maxie1199 Not only that but just use common sense. I have a 4x2x2 for my juvenile female tegu. I did buy it from a company LLL reptile which was $250. I understand profit and I think reasonably 250 is not bad for a thick material,one piece, heat and uvb bulb sockets included (not needed to add on for extra cost like a lot of places), stackable enclosure. Which is $100 less than this and is able to be low and high humidity since there is no top screen and can open and close back vents.. Meanwhile you can blow on this too hard and it would fall apart. Made a 6x2x2 for a BRB female for 100 bucks and made it stackable myself. The more we stop letting ourselves get ripped off the sooner they will stop doing this.
Looking at the prices i can most definitely build something with half the cost! What seeming odd about it is that it seems like the "laminate" they use wouldn't hold up to just a little moisture and would begin to rot after a while.
@@kms1011 Yeah they sell those separately too. I appreciate Alex's review though, it's definitely helped me cross Zen Habitats off my list, the stuff looks hella flimsy
I actually Really like mine, Some complaints of mine is the sticky tape they provide is garbage and my bamboo slides at the corners were kinda .. scrunched? VERY HARD for me to put together but now that its assembled I like it.
I was going to get a zen encloser over the exo terra but I think I'm going to get a exo terra now thanks also thanks for not lying and being truthful about the product and not lying
I bought skittles enclosure from Carolina Custom Cages and couldn't be happier. Its a solidly built, easy to assemble enclosure. Its all glass so its fairly heavy. And the metal top has no sharp edges lol. They sell and ship through Amazon, but you can search on their website to see all their options. They do a good job of keeping Amazon stocked so if its unavailable at the moment they'll get it restocked soon.
"It definitely seems to be directed towards bearded dragons. There's actually a beardie right here..." Oh, there's probably a picture on the instructions somewhere-- *picks up beardie* I... really should have seen that coming, given what channel I'm watching
Terrible craftsman and in this video obnoxious. I'm not affiliated with Zen Habitats, but most DIY builds to this scale, are ugly or not cheap anyway without proper tools. No big deal if one does not care if a habitat fits in with the rest of the home vibe or esthetics, but many do. Seems to me overall the product is a great option, if that is what a customer is going for. I think also unprofessional to not even do a little bit of research on a gifted product review, before assembling and not taking the build even remotely seriously. Didn't even take into consideration (until end of the video) the whole package deal, for example...free shipping. Other products may cost less, but to ship total cost is the same or more... or not even available to a walk in customer for the area.
@@ashleecaraveo2831 Apparently others who have these things aren't pleased with their products. And their reviews are misleading apparently, cherry picked. Things aren't sturdy, security issues, wobbly stacking things. The English word escapes me. So, I guess. Just build your own without buying their stupid shit. Price isn't worth the crap quality.
@@michellejensen9580 I agree. They had a few negative reviews on Amazon and they no longer sell the product on there. I bought one before seeing this because it is cheaper than Carolina and Zoomed. It is about $200 less for an equivalent size from either brand. Hopefully I’ll have better luck putting it together. The company should honestly answer him regarding his concerns so he can do a follow up video but they are likely to just take offense.
_Because Legos, are an art, you can have it be whatever you want it to be. With Legos, Your imagination can run wild an free, like a majestic stallion._ Also, legos come with thorough instructions.
I actually have that exact cage for my beardie. I dont know if i just got lucky but i got it awhile ago and i have loved it so far. I really like how light it was to move. I got it because I liked the size and that there were 3 sides of solid material instead of all clear. I think it makes it feel more secure. I love the look of the cage and it easy to clean. I had no problems with the assembly and it was fairly easy and quick. Everything fit, it shipped well, the paper easily came off the acrylic in one piece, i had no problems with the board chipping, all the plastic corner connectors fit perfectly, and mine is way sturdier and doesnt rattle like his. overall maybe i just got lucky but my beardie seems very happy in it and I really like it. It was kind of pricey but still cheaper than other cages of that size. Also i think i got mine on sale. I would have built my own but i bought this on an impulse and I dont really regret it. Thats my two cents if it helps anyone :)
Same here I have several and the amount of weight it can hold sheesh it’s actually better this way because you can disassemble it if you ever need to move
I just bought one and put it together yesterday, they changed the paper to be a clear easier to peel plastic and it's pretty simple to put together with just a wooden mallet. the size is wonderful and my beardie loves all the space, plus with payment plans it's easier to get one and play it off over time if you need to!
I got one for my bluetongue and i love it . I had to use a rubber mallet to put it together but other then that it wasnt too bad then again i got the pvc version so the sidings i didnt have a issue with. Edit: yikes looks like you got a pretty bad one mine went together pretty nice and its mot wobbly much at all? And yhe holes for my windows were the right size lol
The problem with sending an item for review to an HONEST person is that you'll wind up with that pesky element of TRUTH rather than the sticky treacle of ego stroking that the company may have been wanting and expecting.
I've been really surprised to see these keep popping up because they just don't look like good enclosures to me :/ I'm glad I'm not alone... I'll be honest and say that I'm a snake person, and requirements for reptiles vary so maybe I just don't get it but I wouldn't want any of my snakes in this thing. The Bamboo composite just seems like it would warp, chip, and bubble when exposed to high humidity, spills, and urine. The metal pieces along each edge and the substrate blocker all have gaps and grooves that could trap loose substrate and bacteria. The sliding doors seem like they could also pose hazards for accidentally catching on substrate, decor, and reptile limbs. The open screen top makes me nervous with all my snakes needing pretty high humidity. I realize it could be altered to keep moisture in more efficiently but why would I spent $320 on something I need to alter? I like smooth plastic enclosures that are easy to fully wipe down and disinfect if need be, hold humidity well, and are much cheaper or equivalent in price to this. Just my two cents and thank you for this review!
They have a pvc bamboo one cuz I purchased it.... those gaps are not in mine, it comes with a thing to put on the top yet let enough room for 2 overhead heat lamps , it’s way too expensive and I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone else for a snake. I bought it for my baby boa constrictor (not this same one cuz mine is PVC) and I can fit my pointer finger in between the sliding doors without hassle...... meaning she can fit her tiny little body through the gap. We had to use weather stripping to close the gap. Needless to say after spending so much money I wasn’t impressed by that
Honestly I don't own reptiles so I'm not a first hand expert, but you took the words right out of my mouth. The enclosure looks nice but that's about it. I wouldn't expect it to hold an animal long term. Looks like a bacteria death trap and like it would warp or rot really quickly.
do i currently own any reptiles? no. do i plan on it? maybe. have i watched every one of his videos and know how to take care of multiple different reptiles? yes.
He's not the friendliest person in the world XD. If you're going to ask him to review something it had better be a damn good product, because he doesn't get excited for anything less XD
@ॐ गणेश ॐ No, it was doomed from the start. Read the damn directions and use as little force as possible. He hated the thing from the start. Probably had the wrong screws.
I had a completely opposite experience. Got the 4x2x2 PVC enclosure. It came quickly and was in perfect condition, the instruction video on youtube was easy to follow, and I had it completely put together in less than an hour. My ball Python loves it. One negative....it was a pain to get the paper off the sliding doors. Probably took 20 minutes of the hour assembly time.
I really liked my Zen Habitat. I didn't think the price was too bad for the size and quality of the cage itself, I got mine on sale. I used a video to build mine since the instructions kinda sucked. It's way easier to assemble this if you have 2 people though. i didn't buy a substrate liner either, i just used something else as a liner and my enclosure has been fine! The fact the screws didn't fit makes me think your cage may be defective, I didn't have any issues with mine.
If you haven’t purchased from Animal Plastics before, try them. They’re incredible. Comparable price, but from what I saw in this video, the quality is superior. Sturdy. Light. And easy to put together.
Animal Plastics is hands down the best one out there honestly. I've gotten a few brands and price wise and quality wise they are 1000% it just takes forever to get your stuff because literally everyone orders from them. xD
i bought their 4'2'2' PVC enclosure for my ball python recently (after her sterilite tub got a tiny crack in it and she managed to escape... thus the new cage) and i feel mostly positive about it. my only real gripes are with one of my door handles being loose & that i have to currently lead my thermostat probes in-between the sliding doors since i can't use the wire grommet. my BP is a very active snake who loves to climb... she could definitely get out through the wire grommet & would probably hurt herself trying. to be fair to zen habitats though, they do mention that the wire grommet isn't good to use when you have a snake, so i should've prepared for that. i'm probably going to end up having to cut some holes into the wire mesh for my probes at some point which'll be a pain since the mesh is pretty strong. i get the feeling you had some sort of miscommunication with them or they made a mistake since they didn't send you the actual PVC enclosure. mine came with the substrate shield & the acrylic humidity shield. i didn't have to buy them separately or make any note of it in my order. i didn't have any issues with the paper sticking to the acrylic as i pulled it off either, so i think you might've just gotten unlucky there (or i got lucky, could go either way lol). the "wood" panels for mine are the actual PVC panels that just have a woodgrain pattern on them, so they don't flake. they're just a solid wall. they do have just a liiiiittle bit of wiggle room when put into place, but it's really not enough to be of concern to me. fortunately my snake is big enough where she can't fit in-between the sliding doors (she's about 5.5 months old, ~230 grams) though she definitely tries sometimes, lol... definitely an issue for a smaller snake. i only made a few minor errors assembling it (i followed the video on their site from start to finish) but it's pretty sturdy once it's all put together. it holds heat & humidity perfectly with the acrylic shield on top, but i did add some aluminum foil to a bit more of it since i'm paranoid about my BP's humidity (she specifically needs a *minimum* of 70% humidity. she had a bad shed recently while it was being allowed to dip into the 60% range) so maybe the humidity shield on it's own isn't as good. idk. not willing to test that out since i live where the winters are bitterly cold (like a -10F dip cold) and very dry, but maybe someone else is... that said, i'm pretty happy with mine. maybe my mind'll change after i try and deep-clean it for the first time but right now, it does what i needed it to, it's big and it looks pretty nice, plus it was cheap for a PVC cage. i'm aware assembling one yourself is... sometimes cheaper, but from what i found while researching, it was negligible. the price was the main reason i bought mine since the shipping was free. i spent a long time comparing prices specifically for 4'2'2' PVCs, and zen's was the cheapest when shipping was taken into consideration.
@@moonflesh i still think it's alright. i'm probably going to move my ball python out of it at some point in the future and reuse it for a more arid species, though. reasons being, my ball python looks a bit big in there now, and also if you pour water into the substrate and don't have the floor of the enclosure sealed with something like aquarium-safe silicone, it can leak out of the corners since it's hard to get them 100% airtight, but that's only a problem if you have a species with higher humidity needs (like a BP) or if you're bioactive (like i am now) and you have plants to water. i did have to seal it up with silicone which was pretty annoying, but it was easy to clean at least. i don't think these issues would arise for a more arid species, though, which i believe the enclosure is specifically catered towards seeing as it has a screen top & i mostly see people using zen's 4x2x2 for their bearded dragons. i still think it's a good enclosure; i just don't think it's ideal for a high humidity herp.
I love my Zen habitat enclosure. I have the PVC for my 4’ Adult Ball Python. If you take your time and put a little serious effort into it, it goes together nicely.
I bought one back in I think April for my beardie. Now that I’ve had it for a while, it really isn’t what I was expecting. Took a long long time to build, and it’s hard to clean when my lizard makes a mess in it. Overall kinda bitter I spent the money but I needed to get him a bigger tank
Zen Habitat: Gives 400$ enclosure to get some good press. GoHerping: NOT WORTH IT! haha definition to staying true to himself this is why I love GOHERPING never afraid to tell the truth!!
I recently bought and assembled this enclosure for my beardie and have to say I have had a really positive experience with it. The pieces fit perfectly for me, I didn't really have any problems when setting it up. The bars on the top of the enclosure go on the inside, and they hold up the UVB bar so it isn't blocked by the top like other enclosures with a flat top. It also keeps heat in really well, as well as low humidity. I do get that the price can be steep, but I don't mind since I know I can stack enclosures down the line or get storage units that fit perfectly. It's great for if you plan to get more pets down the road.
I just got one a few days before this and I definitely didn’t have as hard of a time. I recommend anyone who gets it to watch the whole assembly video before starting! A lot of the issues he had could have easily been avoided. I agree that it’s a bit pricey for the materials, but for someone who wants a big enclosure and doesn’t have the time or interest to do it themselves, it’s a good option. Also the doorknobs do fit if you just use a screwdriver. It screws into the plexi. And for the paper, lay the plexi flat and pull straight upward. I got most of them off in one piece that way. Anyway love ur videos and I’m glad you were honest with your experience!
For my ball python I was trying to choose between a Zen habitat, a boaphile, and a animals plastics enclosure and I went with boaphile and I really enjoy it but I think next time I'm going to go with animal plastics And I know now not to gets zen habitats I've been a bit iffy about them for a while just because they enclosures looked flimsy but I've never seen a video of anybody showing it but now I know
I just finished putting together the Zen 4x2x2 and an expander. I intend to double stack another set of the same on top. They are expensive, no doubt. And if you have the space, skills and tools, you can build something just as good or better. But, you won't do it in an hour, in your living room, with nothing but a mallet and a screwdriver. So, I guess it depends on your skills, time, wallet and commitment! I'm satisfied with the purchase. And, you def have to peel that acrylic protective layer off slowly and carefully!
as someone who plans on owning reptiles in the future (currently own one axolotl), THANK YOU FOR POSTING THIS! even if you got a ‘defective product’, the fact that they didn’t (or didn’t care enough to ensure the quality) repeatedly check the product they send to an influencer who is most likely doing a review.
These are aimed at the upper middle class. Its a brand like anything else where i live. I will admit they should offer something more for the cost though. They have no gimick really.
I just got one of these, watched a tutorial about how to put together the specific size I got, and boom, it works great. (I just wished they included an actual paper or something about how to put it together)Messed up one or two times, but that’s not the fault of the seller, but the fault of me. My snake loves it so far, and it’s amazing compared to the plastic tub I had to keep her in. I was completely broke at the time, didn’t have enough money for a full on terrarium, but I was able to afford heating pads, hides, bedding, a humidity hide, and a water dish, as well as one or two rocks and plastic plants to help her shed. But now I can see her happy with plenty of space, and I can easily look in to see if anything is wrong and immediately help.
@@GoHerping there was no hope to begin with then, dang 😩 the stickers on the acrylic did me in, it feels like they were pranking you with how hard it is to peel! (Although they probably knew with that convenient tutorial editing 😂)
I really like the 4x2X2 we got. It was easy to put together watching the video link they sent me in our email confirmation after we ordered. We didn’t have any issues getting paper off or with damaged edges. One door knob was loose but we put some glue on the screw and it was fine. It looks really nice in our tv room upstairs. And our bearded dragon has a lot more space than she did in the tank she came to us in. She doesn’t glass surf anymore. And I would definitely buy from them again.
I got this tank for my beardie and it worked well for me! It was pretty easy to set up and my beardie hasn’t scratched the acrylic much especially cause he can only reach the substrate shield on the bottom. I’d recommend it. But yeah, expensive.
You probably were a little more careful and patient when you set yours up. I think these are decent enclosures. Yes they are expensive but all the enclosures out there are expensive. I definitely wouldn’t base someone’s decision about this enclosure on this video alone.
@@tinaleighton6390 Exactly. Terrible craftsman even at a beginner level and this video is obnoxious from the start dragging the box from the garage...up the stairs...need I go on?! I'm not even as annoyed with him as I am with the "supportive follower comments" on how great this video was. I think also unprofessional to not even do a little bit of research on a gifted product review, before assembling and not taking the build even remotely seriously. Didn't even take into consideration (until end of the video) the whole package deal, for example...free shipping. Other products may cost less (not look as nice or just another ugly DIY), but to ship total cost is the same or more... or not even available to a walk in customer for the area.
I had none of those problems... I got their pvc enclosure because I'm doing bioactive for a ball python. I live in an apartment so I don't have any access to building space or tools to build my own enclosure. The only problem I had was that the holes for the handles were tight, but I just used a screw driver to get the screw in. Which I prefer so the handle doesn't spin around. I'm loving it so far.
I'm loving it too. It's crazy to think a screwdriver helped the screw go in 😂 I'm glad some other people are defending the company. I love my zenhabitats and so do my pets
@@hilljack2yackie mine is not small at all lol. But that's a problem with most sliding door enclosures. You could try a rubber strip or something to close the gap.
What bothers me the most with this enclosure is the substrate barrier. Why didn't they just put it in BELOW the sliding doors like most other terraria? Looks kinda stupid and is unpractical. Also, I'ts not moisture proof at all. You still have to get in there with a ton of epoxy. Just build your own wooden terrarium, it's cheaper, relatively easy and you can adapt it the way you want
The fact alone that you have to pay for the substrate barrier without it being included for free is stupid. If I have to pay over $500-600AUD for a 4x2x2 I better get free extras.
I made a custom viv around that size for like $150 and its sooo much better than that thing in all the ways. Thank you for being honest and not selling out for free stuff!
leopard geckos dont need large enclosures so buying one from a specific company isn't really necessary. you can just watch facebook marketplace for used aquariums or enclosures second hand. much cheaper and more sustainable than unnecessarily buying new.
Ok. I've waited three months for my enclosure as it was on back order. I can't finish putting it together because I broke two plastic pieces inside the metal rail. They sent me replacement pieces that are touring the US as we speak. The video is not correct for instruction. Most pieces were not labelled, and the paper on the door pieces is a nightmare to get off! I like the look and feel of it so far. But my lizard is still waiting for the parts to actually use it. Sad mom. My box also came destroyed and taped everywhere. Packaging should be addressed. Keep your fingers crossed that my parts arrive after their week of traveling.
I actually made my own Bearded Dragon's enclosure out of just plexiglass,wood and chicken wire. It's the same size as the one in the video and the materials to make it cost about 1/3 of the price of a terrarium at my local pet store
"Its actually so thin...'Wobble wobble'". You're actually tied in 1st place of my favorite reptile utubers😂👍 Chandlers wildlife is also great. Very different types of humour but both so very entertaining!👊
"Which one do you want?" "The most expensive one!" "Okay, but we're gonna leave out several pieces." Why are assembly required things always like this? There's always a missing piece or a part that just doesn't fit correctly. I'm not sure about for reptiles, but for other small animals and cats (catio enclosures) I've always found DIY projects out of things like C&C grids to be way more effective, easy, and cost efficient. But hey, your cats like it so maybe it can just be a cat bed since you can barely use it for your reptiles, lol.
I’ve got the PVC one, and it’s pretty damn great. It’s pretty steady and looks amazing. People are saying that they can build a “better” one for $100, but I’m pretty sure it probably looks pretty ugly and DIY (Be realistic). This is a beautiful enclosure and it’s functional with the support bars and the small goodies. Just a perspective from someone who’s had a positive experience with it.
It's a good thing you man handled it and broke the corner. Now I know it is particle board and that thin, I will not get one. I was eyeing it for a long time. Thanks you saved me some money.
The enclosures never seemed like the sturdiest or the most well thought, but it seems that user error was quite strong in this particular instalment.....
Yeah, saying that a product doesn't fit together well and is flimsy etc. when you've taken zero time to lay everything out and just spend ages wacking the shit out of it with a rubber mallet is kinda a little backwards.
I appreciate this review so much so so so so much! Other reptile/animal youtubers have been touting this enclosures figurative horn for awhile now and the reviews on their website are as you said in your video about ALL 5* *eye-roll* thats suspicious . This would've been the most expensive enclosure i'd ever purchased. however im alot happier with my facebook marketplace steals when they happen even as rare as they are, and will just continue keeping an eye out for enclosure that way. THANKS AGAIN FOR SAVING ME TIME AND MONEY!!!!!!!!!! YOU ROCK!!!!!!
I just bought one of these and I am hoping you just assembled it wrong. The company is well-known for their superior customer support so I think you can find a lot of help from them. Their fan page on FB is also very welcoming and inclusive. Even the negative feedback is responded to appropriately. I really hope yours is just a fluke and I didn’t just waste half a grand on this. 😭 Shipping is included btw
Approximately 2'x4'x2' repurposed coffee table to cage enclosure for (usually under $100). I bought a used coffee table for under 40 dollars (glass top, solid wood structure, and chipboard laminated magazine shelf(I dropped it down a few inches from the bottom as the flooring)). Add plexiglass and a few quarter piece dowel cuts on the inside of the enclosure, and drill airflow holes at the top of at least the sides every inch or so .....it's actually pretty easy and effective, and can be used anywhere in your home. This is just a basic idea that we used...a few other additions may/will be necessary depending on your reptile husbandry requirements....I made mine for about 85$ ten years ago and only the bottom has needed to be replaced for about 20 dollars (I used cement board over the particle board and then good laminate). It's a pretty simple diy and ten years ago, the same premade design went for 1k-1500 easy. Im sure it's cheaper now but it's way cheaper of u have very basic building skills
Hopefully instead of being pissed they appreciate an honest review and improve their product! But based on what he said about other channels giving it a good review I have the feeling they just pay people for good reviews ..
@@tigerlilly1280 I mean you are not wrong, but I work at the Marketing department of a company. I can tell you that I wouldn't be amused about this review and here is why: Alex sais he thinks it's maybe a faulty production because of the doorknobs not fitting, but didn't reach out to them before uploading the video. Yes, they just sended him the enclosure and didn't pay him, but it just would be fair for both sides, if he would have reached out earlier, asked them about the knobs, about the bambus that already chipped and other things that went wrong and upload it with their statement.
I brought the Zen Habitat and am satisfied. It was not my first choice to be honest. I live in Alaska and need an enclosure that can stand up to high humidity for my halmahera skink. The shipping for enclosures was either insanely expensive or discontinued due to covid. I scoured local resources for building materials and was not satisfied, i looked into purchasing materials online and with shipping limitations it was overpriced or impossible. As a last resort i contacted Zen Habitats, they shipped the enclosure for free to AK which is a miracle. Its a pain in the ass to put together, we did have issues with the door knob not fitting right and you need to follow the directions exactly or else good luck getting it apart. Overall it satisfies my needs and my skinks needs. With winter coming i wanted him out of the glass enclosure and in PVC, he also grew enough that a 40 gal did not seem appropriate anymore. I have been observing that they are very good at customer service and often work on resolving issues. Its not perfect but it is a huge upgrade.
Hey I have question, my adult beardy is in a 40 gallon, it’s a little tight but he doesn’t really move that much, and I take him out A LOT. So he’s doing great otherwise, just curious if It’s a requirement to bump him up. Thanks
Measure him, my beardie was in a 40 gal when I got him and didn’t move around bc he didn’t have enough space. We now have a 120 gal and he used every inch :)
Definitely upgrade. A lot of the time a beardie wont move if it doesn’t have the space. Your beardie might be lazy and not move around in a larger enclosure but it should have to opportunity to. 40 gallons is in no way the bare minimum anymore, everyone reputable and knowledgeable in the us will say a 4x2x2 is the bare minimum and anything under is ridiculous. My beardie is in a 6x2x2. However where I live we are a lot more forward with tank sizes than in the us/canada, the legal bare minimum here is a 5x2x2.
So happy to see this I got one for my beardie and was very disappointed for my money. I left a truthful amazon review not worth the money, I also had to wait 4 months to get mine and the stand is a joke its just the frame of the enclosure and is super short.
Can't comment on why you think the paneling is not good enough, but I just watched the assembly video on their website and had the thing together in about 5 minutes. It was perfect, no problems. Seems more than sturdy enough for a non-bioactive enclosure. I've had exoterras and homemade systems, and yeah 350 may be a little steep, but it went together well and it looks good. I like mine.
THANK YOU for posting this! Kristen Leanne had just posted about liking hers and I immediately got on their site to search. Based on your video, I think I'd rather spend more for a better product. THANK YOU FOR SHOWING THE WHOLE SHABANG AND FOR BEING HONEST!
This video made me hesitate buying a Zen Habitat, but I'm super happy with mine and the service. It comes in a flat pack box, and it's really easy to put to together with just a rubber mallet and a screwdriver for the door handles. Make sure to watch three or four reviews of Zen products and not solely on this video alone. I gave it a go as I had taken in a 4 year old bearded dragon and she needed more that the 40 gallon tank she was in.
I gave it a shot but I'm underwhelmed! Maybe I got a "defective" enclosure? Or maybe I assembled it incorrectly? (I did put the screen on upside down lol) I emailed them and will happily follow up if there were mistakes on either end. If so, maybe another review will be on the way. Regardless, here's my affiliate link! www.zenhabitats.com/?aff=24
Love your vids :)💖
Okay
I have one and the build quality is so cheap, I’m disappointed
Hi
Ok
"Which one do you want"
"The most expensive one"
Thats a businessman speaking
And than he gets a bamboo one not a pvc one?
@@hilljack2yackie bamboo? Oops. Bamboo LAMINATE
@@hilljack2yackie I feel like the bamboo one would be more expensive. Maybe not, because they do paint the pvc one to look like bamboo, if I remember correctly
@@hilljack2yackie all of the ones on their site are the same material, but they didn't even send him the most expensive lolz
@@heysaucemikehere1804 the PVC is more expensive and yes it’s print is bamboo
I have surgery tomorrow so I’m gonna do the responsible thing and stay up all night rewatching GoHerping videos
good luck
@@GoHerping your such a kind, down to earth creator. Thank you for caring about your fans!
I had to have surgery and threw myself a little all night 80's movie festival the night before and, it's honestly a good idea because it's too hard to sleep the night before anyway, good luck!
At least it will make it easier to stay asleep during the surgery. Honestly a smart thing to do
Plot Twist: Jessie is the surgeon not the patient.
Lmao they ain’t never sending him anything ever again
He’s not missing out.
Honestly he’s stuck lucky then. 😂
@@breakthemould4611 I definitely wouldn't suggest anyone to sign a sponsorship agreement unless you have stake in the company
@@GoHerping lol
@@Makingofabetterlife and mislead my viewers?
Alex's upload schedule is the definition of chaotic neutral
Lol I know
Yeah
Yeah
Its better to wait for certain hours but I get excited and want to upload asap lol
@@GoHerping ok
To be HONEST most enclosures are overhyped and overpriced when you can do a better job yourself realistically for half the cost.
Edit: He was spot on with how much it cost to make too about $100 bucks at most but charge $350+ for a cheap experience. Not even stackable. The reviews are just so misleading
Agreed. I got a reptile tank for free and couldn't find a lid that fit the specifications, my brother and I built the most sturdy mesh lid ever for half the price of a screen lid off amazon.
For real. I made a 16 tub rack for under 250, I see similar made of cheaper materials go for almost a thousand. People really need to learn to DIY if you want to be serious in this hobby
@@maxie1199 Not only that but just use common sense. I have a 4x2x2 for my juvenile female tegu. I did buy it from a company LLL reptile which was $250. I understand profit and I think reasonably 250 is not bad for a thick material,one piece, heat and uvb bulb sockets included (not needed to add on for extra cost like a lot of places), stackable enclosure. Which is $100 less than this and is able to be low and high humidity since there is no top screen and can open and close back vents.. Meanwhile you can blow on this too hard and it would fall apart. Made a 6x2x2 for a BRB female for 100 bucks and made it stackable myself. The more we stop letting ourselves get ripped off the sooner they will stop doing this.
Yup, I made a much larger enclosure for 100 bucks
I didn’t even put a review because they won’t post mine lol
You can tell he isn’t being bribed because the review is negative. At least we know he’s honest.
Shots FIRED! 🔥
I love this fucking kid. He always tells it like it is.
@thecasualtrollingpuma by a rival enclosure manufacturer
@@piperatoms5926
Zen habitats are actually pretty great, i’m getting one it’s awesome.
@Caden Brown
Im sure they work, just over priced and over hyped.
He's the worst reptile RUclipsr out there.
I honestly live for your awkwardness
Lol same
i live my awkwardness
Oh that's a mood
@@GoHerping it's beautiful
Mood
Well I'm glad you're honest about it. The truth will set you free
@JAMES FARIA the bio says “I’m basically the Cuban Justin Y.” So it’s not surprising
He's not sponsored tho
Yeah, set him free of free PR
"but first it will piss you off"
Looking at the prices i can most definitely build something with half the cost! What seeming odd about it is that it seems like the "laminate" they use wouldn't hold up to just a little moisture and would begin to rot after a while.
they have wood printed PVC options (vs. the bamboo laminate)... they definitely didn't send alex the most expensive item like he asked for.
@@arrow-child They might have, but that means their stuff is bad, so either option sucks...
Yeah it seems like you'd need a lining on the inside to prevent from shit falling in between the cracks and water/humidity disintegrating the "bamboo"
It most likely wouldn’t hold up, that’s why they made a pvc option. I’d still recommend just making your own, it’s cheaper and more fun!
@@kms1011 Yeah they sell those separately too. I appreciate Alex's review though, it's definitely helped me cross Zen Habitats off my list, the stuff looks hella flimsy
I’ve been wondering about these enclosures for a while. They have became kinda popular in the hobby now.
the power of an influencer swarm
I would check out reptile kages. I bought one for my northern blue tongue and love it, was simple to set up and looks great.
I had a similar thought but the people I did see reviewing them tended to have a filter on them (as in easily bought)
I actually Really like mine, Some complaints of mine is the sticky tape they provide is garbage and my bamboo slides at the corners were kinda .. scrunched? VERY HARD for me to put together but now that its assembled I like it.
Yes I heard something about these
I was going to get a zen encloser over the exo terra but I think I'm going to get a exo terra now thanks also thanks for not lying and being truthful about the product and not lying
they're very different but exo terra has a lot of nice features
Thanks for responding love you videos
Also for being truthful.
I bought skittles enclosure from Carolina Custom Cages and couldn't be happier. Its a solidly built, easy to assemble enclosure. Its all glass so its fairly heavy. And the metal top has no sharp edges lol. They sell and ship through Amazon, but you can search on their website to see all their options. They do a good job of keeping Amazon stocked so if its unavailable at the moment they'll get it restocked soon.
I enjoy my zen habitat quite a bit
"It definitely seems to be directed towards bearded dragons. There's actually a beardie right here..."
Oh, there's probably a picture on the instructions somewhere--
*picks up beardie*
I... really should have seen that coming, given what channel I'm watching
I wasnt looking at the video so thats what i thought it was until i saw your comment and went back lmao
Exactly what I thought 😂
The creators of Zen Habitats first created Zen because they were trying to build the perfect enclosure for their pet bearded dragon.
I can’t tell if this is a terrible enclosure or ur a terrible craftsman lmao
the answer definitely isn't neither
Both.
Terrible craftsman and in this video obnoxious. I'm not affiliated with Zen Habitats, but most DIY builds to this scale, are ugly or not cheap anyway without proper tools. No big deal if one does not care if a habitat fits in with the rest of the home vibe or esthetics, but many do. Seems to me overall the product is a great option, if that is what a customer is going for. I think also unprofessional to not even do a little bit of research on a gifted product review, before assembling and not taking the build even remotely seriously. Didn't even take into consideration (until end of the video) the whole package deal, for example...free shipping. Other products may cost less, but to ship total cost is the same or more... or not even available to a walk in customer for the area.
@@ashleecaraveo2831 Apparently others who have these things aren't pleased with their products. And their reviews are misleading apparently, cherry picked. Things aren't sturdy, security issues, wobbly stacking things. The English word escapes me.
So, I guess.
Just build your own without buying their stupid shit.
Price isn't worth the crap quality.
@@ashleecaraveo2831 they're not as good as you think tbh.
Maybe Ikea should get in the business of selling flat package terrariums. They would probably do an amazing job for a reasonable price.
Ohhhh this 100%! Even the style of this screams IKEA.
Yeah, Ive seen many people use ikea products to DIY their own enclosures
To be blunt.. I could make a better terrarium from random crap I find at Walmart. It's also kinda sus that they don't seem to have honest reviews
That would be a funny sequel vid
Yes definitely sus. Probably removed all the bad ones so they can sell more.
@@GoHerping do it
Honestly my Walmart had a good selection of pet/reptile supplies.
@@michellejensen9580 I agree. They had a few negative reviews on Amazon and they no longer sell the product on there. I bought one before seeing this because it is cheaper than Carolina and Zoomed. It is about $200 less for an equivalent size from either brand. Hopefully I’ll have better luck putting it together. The company should honestly answer him regarding his concerns so he can do a follow up video but they are likely to just take offense.
Alex: I hate putting things together
also Alex: has done multiple videos assembling legos
me just realizing that: excuse me wut?
Lol
Wait u right wtf... how did that happen 🤔
_Because Legos, are an art, you can have it be whatever you want it to be. With Legos, Your imagination can run wild an free, like a majestic stallion._
Also, legos come with thorough instructions.
I actually have that exact cage for my beardie. I dont know if i just got lucky but i got it awhile ago and i have loved it so far. I really like how light it was to move. I got it because I liked the size and that there were 3 sides of solid material instead of all clear. I think it makes it feel more secure. I love the look of the cage and it easy to clean. I had no problems with the assembly and it was fairly easy and quick. Everything fit, it shipped well, the paper easily came off the acrylic in one piece, i had no problems with the board chipping, all the plastic corner connectors fit perfectly, and mine is way sturdier and doesnt rattle like his. overall maybe i just got lucky but my beardie seems very happy in it and I really like it. It was kind of pricey but still cheaper than other cages of that size. Also i think i got mine on sale. I would have built my own but i bought this on an impulse and I dont really regret it. Thats my two cents if it helps anyone :)
I totally agree. Same experience as you :)
Same here I have several and the amount of weight it can hold sheesh it’s actually better this way because you can disassemble it if you ever need to move
I just bought one and put it together yesterday, they changed the paper to be a clear easier to peel plastic and it's pretty simple to put together with just a wooden mallet. the size is wonderful and my beardie loves all the space, plus with payment plans it's easier to get one and play it off over time if you need to!
I was just like "is that a kitten cat?" Then I was like " is that two kitten cats? " then I was like " is that three kitten cats? "
lol when he opened the door and 3 cats came walking out i was like how many cats does he got in there lmao
I'm going to start calling cats kitten cats now.❤
I literally was thinking that, along with "Why is he trying to get something done with 3 cats in the enclosure with him?"
It was kinda like a clown car lmao they just kept coming
They were so helpful ^.^
Do I have school in 5 hours? Yes. Am I sleeping? No. I'm watching a man put together a Zen habitat enclosure
"watching someone get cut tf up by a Zen Enclosure"
Same and proud
Same
your school has no business being open in the first place
@@aardfay maybe online school
I got one for my bluetongue and i love it . I had to use a rubber mallet to put it together but other then that it wasnt too bad then again i got the pvc version so the sidings i didnt have a issue with.
Edit: yikes looks like you got a pretty bad one mine went together pretty nice and its mot wobbly much at all? And yhe holes for my windows were the right size lol
@@lilly-rk3rv eww
Mine is pvc too. Great for a blue tongue...... terrible for a baby snake
@@lilly-rk3rv dude, what?
@@lilly-rk3rv it was really random and unnecessary
@@lilly-rk3rv why.. Does that matter???
The problem with sending an item for review to an HONEST person is that you'll wind up with that pesky element of TRUTH rather than the sticky treacle of ego stroking that the company may have been wanting and expecting.
I told you I'm seeing a doctor about my sticky treacle.
I've been really surprised to see these keep popping up because they just don't look like good enclosures to me :/ I'm glad I'm not alone...
I'll be honest and say that I'm a snake person, and requirements for reptiles vary so maybe I just don't get it but I wouldn't want any of my snakes in this thing. The Bamboo composite just seems like it would warp, chip, and bubble when exposed to high humidity, spills, and urine. The metal pieces along each edge and the substrate blocker all have gaps and grooves that could trap loose substrate and bacteria. The sliding doors seem like they could also pose hazards for accidentally catching on substrate, decor, and reptile limbs. The open screen top makes me nervous with all my snakes needing pretty high humidity. I realize it could be altered to keep moisture in more efficiently but why would I spent $320 on something I need to alter?
I like smooth plastic enclosures that are easy to fully wipe down and disinfect if need be, hold humidity well, and are much cheaper or equivalent in price to this.
Just my two cents and thank you for this review!
Yeah as a bird owner all i could think was hope reptiles never ever spill water
They have a pvc bamboo one cuz I purchased it.... those gaps are not in mine, it comes with a thing to put on the top yet let enough room for 2 overhead heat lamps , it’s way too expensive and I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone else for a snake. I bought it for my baby boa constrictor (not this same one cuz mine is PVC) and I can fit my pointer finger in between the sliding doors without hassle...... meaning she can fit her tiny little body through the gap. We had to use weather stripping to close the gap. Needless to say after spending so much money I wasn’t impressed by that
@@hilljack2yackie any idea why they have the plywood cage?
It dont seem safe
@@bjam89 for smaller reptiles.
Honestly I don't own reptiles so I'm not a first hand expert, but you took the words right out of my mouth. The enclosure looks nice but that's about it. I wouldn't expect it to hold an animal long term. Looks like a bacteria death trap and like it would warp or rot really quickly.
do i currently own any reptiles? no.
do i plan on it? maybe.
have i watched every one of his videos and know how to take care of multiple different reptiles? yes.
thats how it starts lol
@@carisoul2180 of course :)
omg, watching the struggle of ripping that paper off was pissing ME off lol
Saw "Zen" in the title, thought it might be good to listen too while I was falling asleep.
I was wrong.
As someone else has said, your good background noise, you'll just be mine for reading and doing homework.
Man they're gonna ask for the thing back after this video lol
Something tells me he doesn't want it lol.
I was just thinking the other day why doesn’t go herping ever get free stuff like the other youtubers. Oh that’s why 😂
🤣
He's not the friendliest person in the world XD. If you're going to ask him to review something it had better be a damn good product, because he doesn't get excited for anything less XD
Lol the cats and Alex all inside the cage😂
Rubbing alcohol will get that paper off easy
Exactly! Maybe even warm water. A warm room might even help. He made this and all the other quirks harder than necessary.
@ॐ गणेश ॐ No, it was doomed from the start. Read the damn directions and use as little force as possible. He hated the thing from the start. Probably had the wrong screws.
Totally but it shouldn’t be a problem in the first place, the paper should be easy to come off
@@feez357 did you *see* it?
@@feez357 he used the screws that were included with the kit.
I had a completely opposite experience. Got the 4x2x2 PVC enclosure. It came quickly and was in perfect condition, the instruction video on youtube was easy to follow, and I had it completely put together in less than an hour. My ball Python loves it.
One negative....it was a pain to get the paper off the sliding doors. Probably took 20 minutes of the hour assembly time.
just spray the acrylic with water and the paper should come off with a sponge when rubbed
My exact thoughts
Funnily enough, that'll take the bamboo veneer off the other sides too 🤣
I like how nicely you handled this! You were honest and transparent with the viewers but gave the company a benefit of the doubt in their products.
The sound of the metal rubbing together scared my dog and he ran into a wall 😂😂😂
I really liked my Zen Habitat. I didn't think the price was too bad for the size and quality of the cage itself, I got mine on sale. I used a video to build mine since the instructions kinda sucked. It's way easier to assemble this if you have 2 people though. i didn't buy a substrate liner either, i just used something else as a liner and my enclosure has been fine! The fact the screws didn't fit makes me think your cage may be defective, I didn't have any issues with mine.
If you haven’t purchased from Animal Plastics before, try them. They’re incredible. Comparable price, but from what I saw in this video, the quality is superior. Sturdy. Light. And easy to put together.
Animal Plastics is hands down the best one out there honestly. I've gotten a few brands and price wise and quality wise they are 1000% it just takes forever to get your stuff because literally everyone orders from them. xD
@@animalswithadamaris3381 it’s so worth the wait, though!
Do you have a recommended cage for a bearded dragon ?
i bought their 4'2'2' PVC enclosure for my ball python recently (after her sterilite tub got a tiny crack in it and she managed to escape... thus the new cage) and i feel mostly positive about it. my only real gripes are with one of my door handles being loose & that i have to currently lead my thermostat probes in-between the sliding doors since i can't use the wire grommet. my BP is a very active snake who loves to climb... she could definitely get out through the wire grommet & would probably hurt herself trying. to be fair to zen habitats though, they do mention that the wire grommet isn't good to use when you have a snake, so i should've prepared for that. i'm probably going to end up having to cut some holes into the wire mesh for my probes at some point which'll be a pain since the mesh is pretty strong.
i get the feeling you had some sort of miscommunication with them or they made a mistake since they didn't send you the actual PVC enclosure. mine came with the substrate shield & the acrylic humidity shield. i didn't have to buy them separately or make any note of it in my order. i didn't have any issues with the paper sticking to the acrylic as i pulled it off either, so i think you might've just gotten unlucky there (or i got lucky, could go either way lol). the "wood" panels for mine are the actual PVC panels that just have a woodgrain pattern on them, so they don't flake. they're just a solid wall. they do have just a liiiiittle bit of wiggle room when put into place, but it's really not enough to be of concern to me.
fortunately my snake is big enough where she can't fit in-between the sliding doors (she's about 5.5 months old, ~230 grams) though she definitely tries sometimes, lol... definitely an issue for a smaller snake. i only made a few minor errors assembling it (i followed the video on their site from start to finish) but it's pretty sturdy once it's all put together. it holds heat & humidity perfectly with the acrylic shield on top, but i did add some aluminum foil to a bit more of it since i'm paranoid about my BP's humidity (she specifically needs a *minimum* of 70% humidity. she had a bad shed recently while it was being allowed to dip into the 60% range) so maybe the humidity shield on it's own isn't as good. idk. not willing to test that out since i live where the winters are bitterly cold (like a -10F dip cold) and very dry, but maybe someone else is...
that said, i'm pretty happy with mine. maybe my mind'll change after i try and deep-clean it for the first time but right now, it does what i needed it to, it's big and it looks pretty nice, plus it was cheap for a PVC cage. i'm aware assembling one yourself is... sometimes cheaper, but from what i found while researching, it was negligible. the price was the main reason i bought mine since the shipping was free. i spent a long time comparing prices specifically for 4'2'2' PVCs, and zen's was the cheapest when shipping was taken into consideration.
Hi!! Whats your opinion on it 10 months later? What was deep cleaning it like ?
@@moonflesh i still think it's alright. i'm probably going to move my ball python out of it at some point in the future and reuse it for a more arid species, though. reasons being, my ball python looks a bit big in there now, and also if you pour water into the substrate and don't have the floor of the enclosure sealed with something like aquarium-safe silicone, it can leak out of the corners since it's hard to get them 100% airtight, but that's only a problem if you have a species with higher humidity needs (like a BP) or if you're bioactive (like i am now) and you have plants to water.
i did have to seal it up with silicone which was pretty annoying, but it was easy to clean at least. i don't think these issues would arise for a more arid species, though, which i believe the enclosure is specifically catered towards seeing as it has a screen top & i mostly see people using zen's 4x2x2 for their bearded dragons. i still think it's a good enclosure; i just don't think it's ideal for a high humidity herp.
Reptile man: “I hate assembling things”
Also reptile man: Aw hell yeah more legos
I love my Zen habitat enclosure. I have the PVC for my 4’ Adult Ball Python. If you take your time and put a little serious effort into it, it goes together nicely.
It's the lil frog hop for meee lol.
Hope you and Alice are doing well and settling in well :)
I bought one back in I think April for my beardie. Now that I’ve had it for a while, it really isn’t what I was expecting. Took a long long time to build, and it’s hard to clean when my lizard makes a mess in it. Overall kinda bitter I spent the money but I needed to get him a bigger tank
Would you recommend it?
@@PatrickGreen44 I would if that matters
@@dyoung0847 okay thanks!
Reptile Kages are better imo
@@callicat704 they are also significantly more expensive
Zen Habitat: Gives 400$ enclosure to get some good press.
GoHerping: NOT WORTH IT! haha definition to staying true to himself this is why I love GOHERPING never afraid to tell the truth!!
yeah but he made it look so difficult...I just put mine up with no problems.
i love that you get a kick back from them with a link but were still honest in your review 10/10 thank u
Me: oh my gosh finally finished my homework, I need to sleep it’s almost midnight.
Alex: Posts video
Me: woke
Lol
And then there’s me who is still working on homework while watching this...
I recently bought and assembled this enclosure for my beardie and have to say I have had a really positive experience with it. The pieces fit perfectly for me, I didn't really have any problems when setting it up. The bars on the top of the enclosure go on the inside, and they hold up the UVB bar so it isn't blocked by the top like other enclosures with a flat top. It also keeps heat in really well, as well as low humidity. I do get that the price can be steep, but I don't mind since I know I can stack enclosures down the line or get storage units that fit perfectly. It's great for if you plan to get more pets down the road.
“The most expensive one”- Alex getting his money’s worth
I'm glad that this is a more in depth review than Clint. It does look very cheaply made. Thank you for this insight.
I just got one a few days before this and I definitely didn’t have as hard of a time. I recommend anyone who gets it to watch the whole assembly video before starting! A lot of the issues he had could have easily been avoided. I agree that it’s a bit pricey for the materials, but for someone who wants a big enclosure and doesn’t have the time or interest to do it themselves, it’s a good option. Also the doorknobs do fit if you just use a screwdriver. It screws into the plexi. And for the paper, lay the plexi flat and pull straight upward. I got most of them off in one piece that way. Anyway love ur videos and I’m glad you were honest with your experience!
For my ball python I was trying to choose between a Zen habitat, a boaphile, and a animals plastics enclosure and I went with boaphile and I really enjoy it but I think next time I'm going to go with animal plastics And I know now not to gets zen habitats
I've been a bit iffy about them for a while just because they enclosures looked flimsy but I've never seen a video of anybody showing it but now I know
Alex: I don’t like assembling things.
Also Alex: posts a full video on LEGOs.
See he always says his opinion and never click baits he is a good youtuber
I think it is defective, it looks like it was returned.
I just finished putting together the Zen 4x2x2 and an expander. I intend to double stack another set of the same on top. They are expensive, no doubt. And if you have the space, skills and tools, you can build something just as good or better. But, you won't do it in an hour, in your living room, with nothing but a mallet and a screwdriver. So, I guess it depends on your skills, time, wallet and commitment! I'm satisfied with the purchase. And, you def have to peel that acrylic protective layer off slowly and carefully!
The beginning of the video: *slaps enclosure*
Me: "This baby can fit so many leopard geckos!"
Your videos are so funny! They always make my day :)
as someone who plans on owning reptiles in the future (currently own one axolotl), THANK YOU FOR POSTING THIS! even if you got a ‘defective product’, the fact that they didn’t (or didn’t care enough to ensure the quality) repeatedly check the product they send to an influencer who is most likely doing a review.
I wouldn't have minded them doing a quality check on mine, it's not abnormal to do
@@GoHerping totally agree, but it’s pretty clear they didn’t :/
I like that you were honest and not easily bribed. This is the first less than ecstatic review I have seen.
These are aimed at the upper middle class.
Its a brand like anything else where i live.
I will admit they should offer something more for the cost though.
They have no gimick really.
I just got one of these, watched a tutorial about how to put together the specific size I got, and boom, it works great. (I just wished they included an actual paper or something about how to put it together)Messed up one or two times, but that’s not the fault of the seller, but the fault of me. My snake loves it so far, and it’s amazing compared to the plastic tub I had to keep her in. I was completely broke at the time, didn’t have enough money for a full on terrarium, but I was able to afford heating pads, hides, bedding, a humidity hide, and a water dish, as well as one or two rocks and plastic plants to help her shed. But now I can see her happy with plenty of space, and I can easily look in to see if anything is wrong and immediately help.
“I don’t know why it’s not fitting together like it was”, he says, after hammering it together AND apart AND TOGETHER AGAIN with a genuine mallet
it said to use a mallet 🤷
@@GoHerping there was no hope to begin with then, dang 😩 the stickers on the acrylic did me in, it feels like they were pranking you with how hard it is to peel! (Although they probably knew with that convenient tutorial editing 😂)
I really like the 4x2X2 we got. It was easy to put together watching the video link they sent me in our email confirmation after we ordered. We didn’t have any issues getting paper off or with damaged edges. One door knob was loose but we put some glue on the screw and it was fine. It looks really nice in our tv room upstairs. And our bearded dragon has a lot more space than she did in the tank she came to us in. She doesn’t glass surf anymore. And I would definitely buy from them again.
“They were like ‘which one?’ And I was like ‘The most expenzsivest’”
*B U S I N E S S*
I love seeing reviews from a wide range of people, especially when it’s not sponsored so you can give an honest reaction without pressure of that
I'm here to watch a man hammer together a Zen Enclosure and nothing else.
I'm watching this video 4 years later, looks like Zen Habitats has come a long way in that time. I just got my 4x2x2 this week and it's great!
I got this tank for my beardie and it worked well for me! It was pretty easy to set up and my beardie hasn’t scratched the acrylic much especially cause he can only reach the substrate shield on the bottom. I’d recommend it. But yeah, expensive.
You probably were a little more careful and patient when you set yours up. I think these are decent enclosures. Yes they are expensive but all the enclosures out there are expensive. I definitely wouldn’t base someone’s decision about this enclosure on this video alone.
@@tinaleighton6390 Exactly. Terrible craftsman even at a beginner level and this video is obnoxious from the start dragging the box from the garage...up the stairs...need I go on?! I'm not even as annoyed with him as I am with the "supportive follower comments" on how great this video was. I think also unprofessional to not even do a little bit of research on a gifted product review, before assembling and not taking the build even remotely seriously. Didn't even take into consideration (until end of the video) the whole package deal, for example...free shipping. Other products may cost less (not look as nice or just another ugly DIY), but to ship total cost is the same or more... or not even available to a walk in customer for the area.
I wasn’t trying to dig on goherping lol but yeah there’s video instructions on the website to help set it up
I had none of those problems... I got their pvc enclosure because I'm doing bioactive for a ball python. I live in an apartment so I don't have any access to building space or tools to build my own enclosure. The only problem I had was that the holes for the handles were tight, but I just used a screw driver to get the screw in. Which I prefer so the handle doesn't spin around. I'm loving it so far.
I'm loving it too. It's crazy to think a screwdriver helped the screw go in 😂 I'm glad some other people are defending the company. I love my zenhabitats and so do my pets
My right handle spins and if your ball python is small, WATCH OUT!!!!! They can slide in between the doors if my pointer finger can!!!!!
@@hilljack2yackie mine is not small at all lol. But that's a problem with most sliding door enclosures. You could try a rubber strip or something to close the gap.
@@katiemccracken156 we had to use weather stripping and mines a baby
What bothers me the most with this enclosure is the substrate barrier. Why didn't they just put it in BELOW the sliding doors like most other terraria?
Looks kinda stupid and is unpractical.
Also, I'ts not moisture proof at all. You still have to get in there with a ton of epoxy.
Just build your own wooden terrarium, it's cheaper, relatively easy and you can adapt it the way you want
The fact alone that you have to pay for the substrate barrier without it being included for free is stupid. If I have to pay over $500-600AUD for a 4x2x2 I better get free extras.
I made a custom viv around that size for like $150 and its sooo much better than that thing in all the ways. Thank you for being honest and not selling out for free stuff!
Thx for posting this I’m in need of a new enclosure for my Leo (I have ten gal rn) so any tips on good quality inexpensive enclosures 😗💅🏾
Animal Plastics is hands down one of the best, you will have to wait a while to get the actual enclosure, but they are well worth the wait.
@@prestondavis3342 thank you - I was looking literally everywhere for a 4’x2’x2’ tank that yk, wasn’t $600, and I found one for $160
leopard geckos dont need large enclosures so buying one from a specific company isn't really necessary. you can just watch facebook marketplace for used aquariums or enclosures second hand. much cheaper and more sustainable than unnecessarily buying new.
@@star1729 you’re welcome! 😃 The Animal Plastics T8 is a fantastic enclosure, you won’t be disappointed!
Ok. I've waited three months for my enclosure as it was on back order. I can't finish putting it together because I broke two plastic pieces inside the metal rail. They sent me replacement pieces that are touring the US as we speak. The video is not correct for instruction. Most pieces were not labelled, and the paper on the door pieces is a nightmare to get off! I like the look and feel of it so far. But my lizard is still waiting for the parts to actually use it. Sad mom. My box also came destroyed and taped everywhere. Packaging should be addressed. Keep your fingers crossed that my parts arrive after their week of traveling.
I actually made my own Bearded Dragon's enclosure out of just plexiglass,wood and chicken wire. It's the same size as the one in the video and the materials to make it cost about 1/3 of the price of a terrarium at my local pet store
Least zen video for building a zen habitat. I love it
Alex is the reason we know the actual quality of those enclosures. I actually thought about getting one but... I guess not anymore lmao. Thanks Alex.
He waaaayyyy over exaggerates as the main assembly isn't difficult. The instance of wrong in the assembly is human error.
"Its actually so thin...'Wobble wobble'". You're actually tied in 1st place of my favorite reptile utubers😂👍
Chandlers wildlife is also great.
Very different types of humour but both so very entertaining!👊
"Which one do you want?"
"The most expensive one!"
"Okay, but we're gonna leave out several pieces."
Why are assembly required things always like this? There's always a missing piece or a part that just doesn't fit correctly. I'm not sure about for reptiles, but for other small animals and cats (catio enclosures) I've always found DIY projects out of things like C&C grids to be way more effective, easy, and cost efficient. But hey, your cats like it so maybe it can just be a cat bed since you can barely use it for your reptiles, lol.
I was just considering purchasing 3 because I can't find a decent size exo terra above 50 gallons. Thank you for the honesty.
I’ve got the PVC one, and it’s pretty damn great. It’s pretty steady and looks amazing. People are saying that they can build a “better” one for $100, but I’m pretty sure it probably looks pretty ugly and DIY (Be realistic). This is a beautiful enclosure and it’s functional with the support bars and the small goodies. Just a perspective from someone who’s had a positive experience with it.
It's a good thing you man handled it and broke the corner. Now I know it is particle board and that thin, I will not get one. I was eyeing it for a long time. Thanks you saved me some money.
The enclosures never seemed like the sturdiest or the most well thought, but it seems that user error was quite strong in this particular instalment.....
Yeah, saying that a product doesn't fit together well and is flimsy etc. when you've taken zero time to lay everything out and just spend ages wacking the shit out of it with a rubber mallet is kinda a little backwards.
I appreciate this review so much so so so so much! Other reptile/animal youtubers have been touting this enclosures figurative horn for awhile now and the reviews on their website are as you said in your video about ALL 5* *eye-roll* thats suspicious . This would've been the most expensive enclosure i'd ever purchased. however im alot happier with my facebook marketplace steals when they happen even as rare as they are, and will just continue keeping an eye out for enclosure that way. THANKS AGAIN FOR SAVING ME TIME AND MONEY!!!!!!!!!! YOU ROCK!!!!!!
I just bought one of these and I am hoping you just assembled it wrong. The company is well-known for their superior customer support so I think you can find a lot of help from them. Their fan page on FB is also very welcoming and inclusive. Even the negative feedback is responded to appropriately. I really hope yours is just a fluke and I didn’t just waste half a grand on this. 😭
Shipping is included btw
Our man is bulking up! Looking good, Alex!
alternate title:
Alex beating a square thingy with a mallet
Approximately 2'x4'x2' repurposed coffee table to cage enclosure for (usually under $100). I bought a used coffee table for under 40 dollars (glass top, solid wood structure, and chipboard laminated magazine shelf(I dropped it down a few inches from the bottom as the flooring)). Add plexiglass and a few quarter piece dowel cuts on the inside of the enclosure, and drill airflow holes at the top of at least the sides every inch or so .....it's actually pretty easy and effective, and can be used anywhere in your home. This is just a basic idea that we used...a few other additions may/will be necessary depending on your reptile husbandry requirements....I made mine for about 85$ ten years ago and only the bottom has needed to be replaced for about 20 dollars (I used cement board over the particle board and then good laminate). It's a pretty simple diy and ten years ago, the same premade design went for 1k-1500 easy. Im sure it's cheaper now but it's way cheaper of u have very basic building skills
Imagine being the marketing guy of Zen Habitats, sending a 350$ enclosure to Alex and get this video 😂😂 bet he is pissed af now 😂😂😂
Hopefully instead of being pissed they appreciate an honest review and improve their product! But based on what he said about other channels giving it a good review I have the feeling they just pay people for good reviews ..
@@tigerlilly1280 I mean you are not wrong, but I work at the Marketing department of a company. I can tell you that I wouldn't be amused about this review and here is why: Alex sais he thinks it's maybe a faulty production because of the doorknobs not fitting, but didn't reach out to them before uploading the video. Yes, they just sended him the enclosure and didn't pay him, but it just would be fair for both sides, if he would have reached out earlier, asked them about the knobs, about the bambus that already chipped and other things that went wrong and upload it with their statement.
I brought the Zen Habitat and am satisfied. It was not my first choice to be honest. I live in Alaska and need an enclosure that can stand up to high humidity for my halmahera skink. The shipping for enclosures was either insanely expensive or discontinued due to covid. I scoured local resources for building materials and was not satisfied, i looked into purchasing materials online and with shipping limitations it was overpriced or impossible. As a last resort i contacted Zen Habitats, they shipped the enclosure for free to AK which is a miracle. Its a pain in the ass to put together, we did have issues with the door knob not fitting right and you need to follow the directions exactly or else good luck getting it apart. Overall it satisfies my needs and my skinks needs. With winter coming i wanted him out of the glass enclosure and in PVC, he also grew enough that a 40 gal did not seem appropriate anymore. I have been observing that they are very good at customer service and often work on resolving issues. Its not perfect but it is a huge upgrade.
Hey I have question, my adult beardy is in a 40 gallon, it’s a little tight but he doesn’t really move that much, and I take him out A LOT. So he’s doing great otherwise, just curious if It’s a requirement to bump him up. Thanks
Not really a 40 is the minimum but of he doesn't really move dont waste your money, if he did move more I would say upgrade
I would definitely upgrade
My poor boy is stunted and came in a 20 gal. He's kinda lazy and doesn't move about too much, but I hope to upgrade soon.
Measure him, my beardie was in a 40 gal when I got him and didn’t move around bc he didn’t have enough space. We now have a 120 gal and he used every inch :)
Definitely upgrade. A lot of the time a beardie wont move if it doesn’t have the space. Your beardie might be lazy and not move around in a larger enclosure but it should have to opportunity to. 40 gallons is in no way the bare minimum anymore, everyone reputable and knowledgeable in the us will say a 4x2x2 is the bare minimum and anything under is ridiculous. My beardie is in a 6x2x2. However where I live we are a lot more forward with tank sizes than in the us/canada, the legal bare minimum here is a 5x2x2.
So happy to see this I got one for my beardie and was very disappointed for my money. I left a truthful amazon review not worth the money, I also had to wait 4 months to get mine and the stand is a joke its just the frame of the enclosure and is super short.
Damn. Had my heart set on one of these for a blue tongue skink. Might go in a different direction now.
Can't comment on why you think the paneling is not good enough, but I just watched the assembly video on their website and had the thing together in about 5 minutes. It was perfect, no problems. Seems more than sturdy enough for a non-bioactive enclosure. I've had exoterras and homemade systems, and yeah 350 may be a little steep, but it went together well and it looks good. I like mine.
I love how he’s commenting the simplest things under other peoples comments 🙈
THANK YOU for posting this! Kristen Leanne had just posted about liking hers and I immediately got on their site to search. Based on your video, I think I'd rather spend more for a better product. THANK YOU FOR SHOWING THE WHOLE SHABANG AND FOR BEING HONEST!
I love my Zen habitat. I got the one with the pvc panels. Its sturdy, was super easy to put together an holds temperature well.
that's good, maybe I got unlucky
I have a pvc 4x4x2 on the way. I hope it’s sturdy. I’m waiting to see quality and sturdiness before I order a stand.
I love that your so honest and humble ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
You asked for the most expensive one but they didn’t send you the most expensive one tho lol
No they didn’t lol mine is the most expensive one. It’s PVC
This video made me hesitate buying a Zen Habitat, but I'm super happy with mine and the service. It comes in a flat pack box, and it's really easy to put to together with just a rubber mallet and a screwdriver for the door handles. Make sure to watch three or four reviews of Zen products and not solely on this video alone. I gave it a go as I had taken in a 4 year old bearded dragon and she needed more that the 40 gallon tank she was in.
I’m soon getting a red tail boa, how big of a cage do you recommend
For an adult, you'd probably want a 6x4x4 or an 8x4x4
I would saw about maybe a 55 gallon minimum. But do more research I may be wrong.
I have mine in a 8L×4w×4h
if it’s a true red tail, maybe a 6x4x4. If you’re talking about a boa imperator, maybe a 5x2x2
@@euxph0riarue741 8 feet
Best ASMR video out there