Flooring

[nanabanana296]

Hubby and I, mostly hubby are making the platforms and such from videos he saw on landscape lizards. My question is have any of you made removable flooring? We are going to do that made out of the same stuff our background and ledges are. We are also going to make our food bowels, what do you think?

 

[w0554096]

Hi there,
I also considered doing this originally, but ended up going with tile.
What changed my mind was mostly cleaning purposes.
Taking the entire floor out in one piece (styrefoam, grout coated and sealed) would be really hard to do, and it could possibly break. Our background actually broke right down the middle when we picked it up at one point as we were building it. It was about 48" long, and once covered in grout, the middle became very weak.

The other thing to consider, which I've found with our basking platform, is that it's difficult to clean once you've sprinkled the sand on it to give them traction.
There have been a few occasions that my beardie has pooped, run through the poo as they seem to like to do, then ran up on his platform to bask. When I arrived home and found poopy prints baked on leading up to her basking spot, I thought, oh well I just have to wash it. Yeah right. It literally needs to be soaked before the poop will come off, and even then I scrubbed most of the sprinkled sand off. So now there are some shiny slippery spots on her platform. Ugh.
Anyways, I lived and learned.

SO back to your orginal inquiry, unless you made tile-like pieces out of the styrefoam for a floor, so that they could be easily removed for washing (in which case you may as well go with tile lol) I definately would not reccomend it. Also, once you sprinkled sand on the sealant for traction, it would make it hard to wash off the poop. (Trust me).

Anyways, Good luck!

 

[nanabanana296]

Thank you so much, it was more hubby"a idea than mine. I want tile. I will probably get tile ( he he). The advice about the basking platform is great to know. He built a really cool one. It is drying until next weekend when he works on it some more. We will watch it closely. It is a hidey type of structure too. I found in my hermit crab stuff a great tree for basking. I have to clean it up really good.
How do you use the tiles? Do you permanently put them in place? I would think that would be easiest. Did you grout the cracks or use the stck on ones and put them close together?
I JUST LOVE THIS GROUP. I HAVE LEARNED SO MUCH AND GOTTEN GREAT ADVICE.

 

[nanabanana296]

BTW, do the dragons have traction on tile?

 

[w0554096]

I love tile.
It's pretty, cheap and easy to clean.
I use slate tile in my enclosures. They're cut to fit the tank, but I didn't grout them inplace. I wanted to be able to remove them both for cleaning purposes and also for if we have to move the unit, it'll be really heavy if the tile is installed.
I wouldn't reccomend grouting the tiles in place, mostly because it would be hard to get poop off of them.
If you want to have the floor permanant, you may be able to silicone the cracks, and then use a non toxic sealant over the silicone.
I would reccomend just have the tiles sit in there. If you measure and cut them properly, then they won't have large gaps for toes to get stuck in. Mine are nice and tightly fit together, and when I take them out to clean them, I just wedge a butter knife between two tiles and pull one up. Once the first one is pulled up, they come out nice and easy. Looks just as nice, if not nicer than having them grouted in, and gives you more options.
You can always change the tiles up to if you get bored of them, or they chip, etc.

Ah, and yes they do have traction. Don't buy porcelyn or marble type tile, those are very slippery and may get too hot. Slate tiles absorb heat but don't reflect it, so they get warm but never hot. Glass type tiles will get hot enough to burn them.
There's hundreds of types of slate tile. I went to my local Re-Store and ended up with enough tile for 3 4X2 enclosures for under 10 bucks. All different types of slate.
I'd also reccomend (from personal experience) staying away from the layered types of slate. Those start to chip off when they become moist. (I soak mine in water/vinegar) for disinfecting, so after 6 months or so they weren't nearly as pretty, though they still work.
Pick a tile that feels somewhat rough when you drag your fingernail across it.
It also helps keep their nails filed down.

 

[nanabanana296]

Thank you so much. It's confusing. I have Vic's with the peel and stick tile like you put in your kitchen. What about that?

 

[w0554096]

That would probably work similarly to shelf liner. A bit slippery, pretty easy cleanup.. Won't keep their nails filed or anything though. I'm also not sure wether or not the liquid part of the poop would seep between the seam of the tiles. You could try it, and if it doesn't work, just pull it up and replace it with something else.

 

[nanabanana296]

Auto correct is killing me- I have seen vivs with kitchen tile.

 

[nanabanana296]

Thank you.

 

[w0554096]

Happy to help.

 

[Erok000]

The sticky tile will actually give off fumes that will hurt your beardie under the heat light. I would NOT use them. FYI

 

[nanabanana296]

Thank you I did it know that.