Building an Enclosure with Acrylic/PVC and Screen Framing?

[amandarenee]

I have a very oddly sized shelf that I need to get two enclosures on to (34"x16"x19" usable space) and have been running the numbers on making either two enclosures, or one large enclosure that is divided in to two.

I found twinwall plastic sheeting at my local hardware store, and from a few reviews I have read it seems it works well for cage building. My plan is to use the twinwall on the sides, back & floor, and use a clear acrylic/screen combo on the front and top.

My initial plan was to use standard screen framing to frame the entire enclosure, which I have used before to convert a 20L to an upright. The more I look at the scraps I have, the less I like the idea. I was checking out my Zilla Acrylic Atrium (or whatevertheheck it's called, the one Pangea used to carry that got discontinued), and I realized that the "lip" of the framing that the plastic sheets are glued on to are MUCH wider than those on standard screen framing (1/4" vs. 1/8"). Will the standard framing work well enough to construct an entire tank from? Or is there a (cheap!) alternative that I can try instead?

Is it possible to buy the plastic framing the Zilla is made out of?

[StellarAwesome]

That's just a fancily named Coroplast.

Two things about Coroplast-
Eventually it will separate from Silicone
Eventually it will rot. Maybe being indoors it'll last a bit longer, but eventually it dries up and starts splitting and cracking and becomes very sharp and jagged. I really should get pictures of the really scary realtor signs that are brought in at a year or two-three years of age. Exposure really makes these things look terrifying.

I've been using coroplast for really cheap doors that'll last a while but eventually I'll have to make a permanent solution.

And I have seen some people use it for cages- especially some arboreal snake cages, but I just wonder how long they've had them and what exactly they're doing to it in terms of heating and lighting. If you do go with it- especially if you had those frames, it would be easy to replace the panels I imagine.

[amandarenee]

:P

Bleck. Back to the drawing board!
In actuality, I realized that the giant 24x18x24" Exo Terra I nabbed for $50 a week or two ago could be divided in to two perfectly sized adult enclosures. I've divided Exo Terra's before with great success, so I'll just stick with what I know, instead of trying to get all fancy and complicated.

[Purple Trex]

I've had coroplast guinea pig cages for two and half years thus far. Still using the same coroplast, and it's holding up well. Don't know how it would hold up for a reptile cage.

My piggie cage -
http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-...67836260_n.jpg

[StellarAwesome]

I've had coroplast guinea pig cages for two and half years thus far. Still using the same coroplast, and it's holding up well. Don't know how it would hold up for a reptile cage.

My piggie cage -
http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-...67836260_n.jpg

That's what I'm thinking. So many people use it for guinea pig cages- but for the most part they aren't really getting wet or have direct heating applied to them.
Definatly though do a routine check every few months because with the stuff does go I could see a little guinea pig foot getting really badly hurt on this stuff.