Basking Tire

[Evergreen]

I'll get straight to the point the best I can. I don't have a bearded dragon yet but I've done a lot of research (this site is fantastic!) but there is one thing that I just can't find any information on.

I bought 55 gallon aquarium and my biggest hurdle is finding a way to allow the Beardie sufficient access to the light as the tank is 21" high. I don't want to waste all that empty air space so I messed around with the idea of creasing ramps like I've seen in many vivariums. I new idea came to me today though and I can't find any information on it.

I have a motorcycle tire and my plan was to cut it in half creating a semicircle with the top being about 6" away from the top of the tank which is the distance I've seen recommended by most of the basking lights. My question is if the rubber would get to hot and burn the dragon. It's a good quality tire but I can't find any other pictures or thread where people have said anything about it.

If anyone has any thoughts, comments or advice I would really appreciate it. I don't have a picture but it is a Dunlop Harley Davidson tire.

 

[BadCon]

For a whole slew of reasons, I don't think that would be all that appropriate for an animal. The steel belts will be incredibly sharp if left exposed, the rubber contains compounds not suitable for constant direct contact, and there may be the issue of fumes when heated (not to mention getting incredibly hot due to the dark color and rubber surface). With so many other options available, and for little cost, it would be wise to keep the tire on the road and use something else for your little guy.

Lots of ways to build a raised platform, all for little cost. You can buy a few dollars worth of wood and build one, or you could buy patio paver bricks and create a tower. You can do what many others do on this forum and build a raised platform out of grout covered foam. Actually, that might be your best bet as its fun to do and you end up with something looking totally custom. Cheap too...can be done for less then $20 worth of supplies, and that will get you numerous structures.

 

[Evergreen]

Thanks BadCon, that's exactly the kind of reply I was hoping for. I have checked the tire for any exposed metal or shape edges and we would have found a way to cover the sharp edges made by cutting but I hadn't thought of the possible fumes. I'll defiantly take this into consideration but I would love to hear more opinions to. (Like I said I don't have a lizard yet and the hazards you presented are certainly serious, I won't go ahead with planning the tank around the tire until I know more)

I had planned on creating a system of ramps and a raised platform but I thought the tire posed a unique solution, but that's why this forum is so helpful! Thanks again BadCon, anyone else have any opinions?

What about painting the tire in a non toxic paint? (maybe acrylic?)

 

[Evergreen]

There has to be someone else out there with some thoughts! Maybe you've tried this and it worked or you read this and dismissed it immediately?

The tire itself does smell like a tire and I may or may not be able to alter that with a good scrubbing or three. Here are the results from my little experiment (I'll update it as time goes on)
*I used/am using two digital thermometers
*I "measured" smell at the tire itself where the dragon would be
1" -- With my heat lamp just an inch above the tire the temperature rose to 125F and my thermometer turned off. The tire was hot to the touch and I could only keep my hand on it for about 5 seconds without feeling uncomfortable. I could strongly smell the rubber at this point.
4" -- At four inches above the tire the temperature leveled out at 110F. The tire was warm to the touch but it was in no way uncomfortable to the touch. I could not smell the rubber any more then normal (what it smells like at room temp ~68F)
6.5" -- Temperature settled at about 104.5F. The tire was barley warm to the touch. Smell was same as that at room temp.
8" -- Temperature settled at 96F and the tire itself is skin warm. It's not enough to warm my fingers but it is warmer then the parts of the tire not in the light. Since this is about the temperature I'd need I'll leave the light focused on it for awhile and see if anything changes.

(This tank would be for an adult beardie so the basking area would need to be about 95F)
(I don't know what a lizard's sense of smell is compared to ours. Just because I can't smell something doesn't mean they can't)

 

[allaboutfish]

i personally wouldnt use it. i prefer driftwood or rocks. i put my rocks at the bottom bc they'll keep the heat, and a branch or two over the rocks so the beardie can get closer to the lamp if needed. i also really dont think a 55 gallon is a very suitable tank. while it do-able its just not wide enough. i would of personally went with a 40 gallon breeder, 75 gallon, or a hand made enclosure.

 

[MAK]

Tires are actually considered hazardous waste.... I would not expose your beardie to it. Just use logs or rocks.

 

[Evergreen]

Thanks everyone, I'll go ahead and scrap the tire. I'm going to try out the custom backgrounds, I've got a thread on DIY if you want to throw out any suggestions.

allaboutfish -- thanks for the tip. I actually first wanted the 55 gallon because I read in a care sheet that it was a good sized tank for a Beardie but regardless it looks like I actually bought a 70 gallon so the dimensions are actually 36x18x25 which is the same width of both the 40 breeder and 75 tanks (in length it's between the two).