Slate tile for flooring/basking - what should I do with it?

Hello,

It has been over a year since my beardie passed away. While I love these animals, I do not plan to continue owning reptiles and have been slowly letting go of much of my old supplies.

When I had her, I came into possession of a large slate tile. My parents were redoing their bathroom and the contractor gave them a large sample tile that never made it into the finished room. To my knowledge, the stone is real slate on top of ceramic. It is not treated with any chemicals as far as myself and my parents were told. It was designed to be on top of a heated floor so it should be able to sit on top of a heating pad and transmit heat without getting too hot, although I never personally used a heating pad with it. It is a little under a cm thick (0.8cm) and is 30cm by 60cm in size. I used it in part of my tank for many years and my beardie seemed to really love it. It gave her a good flat spot where she could run around and it helped keep her claws from getting too sharp. It was also very easy to clean if she decided to poop there instead of on her substrate. I never saw any signs that it was bad for her health; to be upfront she had a complicated health history prior to getting the tile and her death was further complications of that but she never developed any worsening issues in the six years she had the tile. That said I cannot guarantee anything about the tile, I don't know who produced it or what company it was purchased from and all the information I have is second hand from my parents. The tile has some white staining from calcium powder that I could never get off. I have only ever cleaned it with reptile terrarium habitat cleaners and hot water.

The new buyers of my tank supplies were planning to use it for reptiles and did not need the tile so it is the only thing I have left from her original tank set up.

Unfortunately I have found myself unable to throw it away. It feels like such a useful piece for a tank or terrarium set up and I really want to it to go back to the community somehow. If anyone would like it or knows of anyone in a other herp community who might like it, please let me know.

I have no idea how much it would cost to ship but i am willing to pay all or most of the shipping costs myself just for the peace of mind of knowing it's being put to use and to not have to move houses with it again. Because of the weight and size and the fact that it's slightly delicate (probably shouldn't drop a flat wide piece of tile) I don't entirely know what to expect out of the cost to ship and it would probably be dependent on where I am shipping to- I live in Ontario so the closer to eastern canada the better- but I am willing to work with whoever would like it, with the understanding that it would be a huge relief for me to not have it leaning against a shelf in my shoebox apartment.

That said, I would also understand if a lot of owners have reservations about using a tile where I cannot guarantee that it does not contain some chemical or dust. If perhaps it is better to just throw it out, or if anyone knows of an alternative use for it or some way to recycle it, I'd also appreciate that advice.
 

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Hello,

It has been over a year since my beardie passed away. While I love these animals, I do not plan to continue owning reptiles and have been slowly letting go of much of my old supplies.

When I had her, I came into possession of a large slate tile. My parents were redoing their bathroom and the contractor gave them a large sample tile that never made it into the finished room. To my knowledge, the stone is real slate on top of ceramic. It is not treated with any chemicals as far as myself and my parents were told. It was designed to be on top of a heated floor so it should be able to sit on top of a heating pad and transmit heat without getting too hot, although I never personally used a heating pad with it. It is a little under a cm thick (0.8cm) and is 30cm by 60cm in size. I used it in part of my tank for many years and my beardie seemed to really love it. It gave her a good flat spot where she could run around and it helped keep her claws from getting too sharp. It was also very easy to clean if she decided to poop there instead of on her substrate. I never saw any signs that it was bad for her health; to be upfront she had a complicated health history prior to getting the tile and her death was further complications of that but she never developed any worsening issues in the six years she had the tile. That said I cannot guarantee anything about the tile, I don't know who produced it or what company it was purchased from and all the information I have is second hand from my parents. The tile has some white staining from calcium powder that I could never get off. I have only ever cleaned it with reptile terrarium habitat cleaners and hot water.

The new buyers of my tank supplies were planning to use it for reptiles and did not need the tile so it is the only thing I have left from her original tank set up.

Unfortunately I have found myself unable to throw it away. It feels like such a useful piece for a tank or terrarium set up and I really want to it to go back to the community somehow. If anyone would like it or knows of anyone in a other herp community who might like it, please let me know.

I have no idea how much it would cost to ship but i am willing to pay all or most of the shipping costs myself just for the peace of mind of knowing it's being put to use and to not have to move houses with it again. Because of the weight and size and the fact that it's slightly delicate (probably shouldn't drop a flat wide piece of tile) I don't entirely know what to expect out of the cost to ship and it would probably be dependent on where I am shipping to- I live in Ontario so the closer to eastern canada the better- but I am willing to work with whoever would like it, with the understanding that it would be a huge relief for me to not have it leaning against a shelf in my shoebox apartment.

That said, I would also understand if a lot of owners have reservations about using a tile where I cannot guarantee that it does not contain some chemical or dust. If perhaps it is better to just throw it out, or if anyone knows of an alternative use for it or some way to recycle it, I'd also appreciate that advice.
I would just put it on craigslist and facebook market.
To be honest it would cost more to ship than to buy new. I bought a 4 foot x 2 foot piece a few months ago for like 28 dollars.
 

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