Vision Cages....

I'm leaving this thread open for everyone to just say it how it is.......

What are the pros and cons of Vision Cages taken as a whole?

I'm curious to know whether they would be worth switching an entire collection over to.....

Thanks,

Jeff Godbold

This is how I see it

I purchased a stack of model 400s (5) and the cost was right 199$ shipped per unit. I placed my order and about 4 weeks later they arrived in great shape. Best part was there was no setup, just pull them out of the box and put the snakes in them. The 400s are very roomy and house my pituophis quite comfortably. I would definately buy from Vision again.

Here are the pros/cons as I see them:

PROs - Spacious, stackable, easy to clean, animals are easily viewed, well ventilated, accepts just about any type of heating device, and comes in wide array of sizes.

CONs - The glass door panels that come with each cage can be a chalenge to remove from the tract. Out of five cages, I have one that fits this description. Still removable but you must be careful in removing or you can break the glass due to the tight fit.

I bet you'l like them if you decide to purchase Vision cages.

Russ Bates

I also have several of the model 400s.

My only complaint with them is that when stacked, they do not lock together.
Because of their light weight, it is very easy to bump and move them. If the manufacturer would allow for a small foot on each corner and a corresponding void on the top in each corner, they would be much more secure in a stack.

Other then that, they are an excellent cage.

I have also used some of the larger Visions, and those I would not recommend.
They tend to sag in the middle if any weight at all is on top. The models with a cross bar in the center also prohibit the use of a showcase lock to secure the doors.

In general I really like the Vision cages. They have certain drawbacks that are not serious deficiencies, but issues to be prepared to address. First of all, an inventory of my collection of Vision cages which I have had for more than eight years:

2 Medium tubs (MDTUBR)
1 Large Display (#734)
1 Large Cage (#432)
3 Large Cage (#622)
6 Med Cage (#332)
2 Med Arboreal (#222)
2 Sm Cage (#221)
4 Sm Cage (211)

The face of the cage has a lip around it that make cleaing difficult, but is necessary for stability same with the ribs on the bottom of some models. Arboreal snakes love to hang in the upper lip or snag the lip as you pull them out making handling of venomous or aggressive animals very challenging. The sliding doors on some models are too small to move cage furniture or animals in and out easily. However, the glass can be removed easily, but again a challenge with aggressive species snapping at you.

The plastic takes a lot of abuse and they are easy to move. I use them for regular housing and for using at educational shows so they get bumped around a lot and take the abuse with little or no wear. Pressure washing them cleans them up well. I drilled a 1/4 inch hole in a corner to drain them out afterwords or you can use a shop vac. They stack, but I don't do this due to weight displacement issues and the saging of the larger cages. No matter what brand cage, you should use a shelving unit for support and heat control. Vision is easy to drill or cut and with a little modification, you can use showcase locks to secure the glass from sliding. I also drill and insert pins in the upper rails to prevent larger snakes from sliding the glass up and out of the track. They handled humidty reasonably well, but are not as good as wood for heat retention.

Overall: I really do enjoy my Vision cages. They have been a blessing and they do look nice and are rugged. Only had one need for customer service and the guys were quick and responsive (needed new rollers for the big display cage after losing them in a move). I purchased the cages through a distributor (Chicago Reptile House) and fortunately had a moving truck to move the cages. I recommend them to anyone asking.

Russ.....

Thanks for the reply. Heres what I'm working with:

Chondros
Jungle Carpet Pythons
Amazon Tree Boas
Crested Geckos

I currently have BARRS and absolutely love them!! They work great, look great and are affordable, but I've always liked the Visions and the only reason I havn't purchased from them before is because of the price. Doug BARR is awesome and I'm happy with his service and verything else but I thought the Visions would be a little better for the adult carpets...

Thanks,

Jeff Godbold

Species...

I thought I might add what species I'm working with:

I'm eager to hear if this cage is efficient for these particular species...


Chondros
Jungle Carpet Pythons
Amazon Tree Boas
Crested Geckos

I've thought of branching into the Scrub python realm but that wouldn't be for a couple of years...

Thanks,

Jeff Godbold

I keep alot of carpets

in Visions, and I don't like them at all. Here are my problems with them.

1. My carpets always hide on the upper lip over the glass, so they are not visible often.

2. Stacking them more than a few high is a problem, because the weight of the cages on top makes the few on the bottom difficult to open. You can forget removing the glass for cleaning when they are stacked.

3. I have discovered that sliding glass doors make cleaning harder. I only comfortable have access to one side of the cage at a time. Then i have to close the clean side, and reoped another side. It's annoying.

4. My carpets ALWAYS crap in the bottom lip, making it hard to see. If it solidifies there...its a royal pain to scrape it out and clean.

5. They are really dark. They have a much smaller front opening, proportionly, to other, front openeing cages. Without lighting, you won't see your snake much unless your right in front of the cage.

They are good cages, dont' get me worng, but for carpets, I HATE them. I have been selling them off for BARRS and BOAPHILE type caging instead. Much easier to clean, and easier to access.

Shawn

I own several Vision cages. I love them for the room they give my larger snakes. The sliding glass doors are easy to clean, and plenty of ventilation if needed through thr top or back. If not wanted, i cover the back holes for more humidity.

My only problem. Feces. I am having to bleach my vision cages alot. They are rinsed and air which takes time. The Feces seems to be seeping inside the construction.

Anyone know how to get the old seeped in feces out? I scrape as well, but to no avail. It's as though thr acid is eating through the Melamine.

Thanks.

Ok spell check is off. Sorry for the spelling...above.

Shawn,

I don't know if you read my ealier post on BARRS cages but I absolutely love them. In all actuality, I went in to a reptile store who had a really nice and clean display of visions for all of their snakes and it kinda reopened my interest in them. Personally I think they're way over priced but in the cage market......who isn't? Thats why I went with BARRS. Doug is a great guy and gives full support. His cages are also the most affordable on the market. But having that said, I like the look of visions as well....

Jeff Godbold

I think they are constructed fine, and make great cages for most things. But, because I work with carpets almost exclusively right now, They just don't work well with them. I mean, they work well, but require more work to clean, and its not as easy to view your snakes. I am a newspaper guy, meaning I like simple and fast. With over 75 carpets, I need cages that I can work quickly. I can clean three hinge front type cages in the time it takes me to clean one Vision, PLUS, I can see my animals better. I catch problem quicker that way when i can clearly see my animals all the time.

Shawn

From a business point of view, I think this thread belongs in the caging forum and not on the BOI.

This thread has the capacity to turn into the nightmare that another caging company has gone through.

Shawn

That is a good point. I know everyone has their own opinion, but I'm seeing a lot of people complaining about the same issues but also others saying they like them for the same issues as well........thats odd.....

Well I can pick up a few for a great deal, and I'm thinking about trying them out even though I'm going to stick with BARRS as well, maybe I'll start using both...

Thanks,

Jeff Godbold

Good point Laura, it should probably be moved.

Shawn

I'm asking about vision products and people are stating their experiences......isn't that what the BOI is for? I think it's fine where it is but thanks for your imput. Just wondering how it could turn into a nightmare if people are just discussing their experiences with Vision Cages?

Jeff Godbold

I guess it doesn' really matter where the post is placed as long as there's some input by experienced cage users....

Jeff Godbold

Jeff, the reason the thread might go south is that you keep on bringing up a cage from another mfr. while asking about Visions. One mention is OK, but if you keep on mentioning the other cage every time the Vision is mentioned, it becomes IMHO something other than a thread about what you asked.

But, since you DID ask, I got my Visions (a roomful of them) second hand and I am VERY pleased. They are lightweight which is a huge plus to me because my sons are off at work and college so moving them is easy.

To me, they are one of the most attractive cages on the market too. I like them so much that I house some of my birds in several of the taller models I own: lories are extremely messy, but beautiful, birds and the Visions keep the mess inside and are easy to clean. I conveyed this to a lory list I'm on and some of them are trying the idea also.

Well I'm kinda new to the forum and wasn't aware of some of the particulars. I mentioned the other manufacturer not to start a conflict but just to state what I had expereince in and how I felt about them in comparison with the manufacturer that I was originally asking about. I'm honestly ignorant with the Visions and needed a bit a of info, but I wasn't with the other so I felt like it was okay to state my opinion of such, but I apologize if I've broken a rule..........

Jeff Godbold

What your asking is also more of a personal question. The BOI is primarily intended to check the reputability, and trustworthiness of a particular business or person. I don't think anyone will say Vision is not a good company to deal with. What you are asking for is caging opinions and advice...which isn't ussually discussed here. You'd post here if you could trust them, or if you had a bad exp with them. L was right...nothing wrong with yoru questions, its just the wrong place. One of the mods will move it soon probably.

Shawn

I believe the proper forum should be "Consumer Reports" where products are discussed.

Until this thread is moved I'll just state that I work with Chondros and Diamond Pythons and have used Vision Cages for several years now.

In the last couple of years I have purchased no new Visions and have switched to another cage company because I found that the Vision Cages needed too much modification to properly house my GTPs. I still have about 15 Vision 222's and a couple 332's in use but much prefer the other new cages as they are much more suited to my humidity requirements. The only bad sheds I ever get now are from snakes still stuck in the Visions. I'll gladly sell off the rest of my Visions as soon as I can afford to replace them with the new caging.