Tile users...COME ON IN

[amazingparkour]

Tile users, what are you opinions on using tile as a substrate? Pros and cons? I'm planning to switch over to tile from newspaper because it's so much easier to clean...just lift the dirty tile and clean it, not to mention, it trims their nails too .

What size tiles would I need (and how many) to fit a 40g breeder? Any input is appreciated, thanks much.

 

[jeritta]

We are switching to tile because it does not stink like the carpet. It is so much easier to clean and it does trim their nails. So there are our reasons for switching.

 

[Shekibobo]

Personally, I'm a huge fan of tile as a substrate. Individual tiles are very easy to clean, and periodically, I'll just take them all out and give them a good scrub-down.

Figuring out the size and quantity of tiles can be tricky, though. You want as little space between tiles as possible, and you want to make sure that they all lie flat on the bottom of the tank. If any of them are raised, crickets will find their way under the tiles and just die and rot. In addition, tiles are rarely uniform in size. If you go with multi-colored tiles, you can almost guarantee that they won't be the same sizes. I would almost recommend bringing in the tank to the hardware store and making sure they all fit in flat with little space between them before you make the call. Lowe's will cut tile to your specifications. I haven't found any other hardware stores that do. Also, go with non-laminated (rough) tiles. It's a more natural environment and it gives them something to grip.

I also use a rubber shelf mat underneath the tiles. This helps make sure you aren't banging the tiles against the glass tank and prevents damage, and also works well to keep any feces or other hard-to-remove substances off the glass of the tank itself. That way, if it gets really messy, you can just throw out the rubber mat and get a new one. You can usually find this material in rolls in the shelving/storage department of a home improvement store and it's relatively cheap.

Good luck.

 

[Smeagol358]

Good things about tile...
----Easy to clean.
----Heats well.
----Doesn't hold bacteria.
----Trim nails.
----Looks good.
Bad things about tile...
????

 

[dEEjHaY]

Good things about tile...
----Easy to clean.
----Heats well.
----Doesn't hold bacteria.
----Trim nails.
----Looks good.
Bad things about tile...
????

Lol.. the thing I like the most about tile is, you can do what you want with it, you can get slate, or ceramic, choose the colors, if you want to get fancy you can cut and place pieces how you see fit and just grout it all down.

 

[amazingparkour]

Hmm...looks like tile is the way to go ...gotta go to Lowe's this weekend.

 

[whispersinmyhead]

I went to home depot and got tiles and a cutting blade (Dry cutting blade) for my table saw. This was a mistake. If you have a friend or hopefully a tile place to cut them using a wetsaw, it will be a big headache solved. I love tile because of the reasons stated in the above posts. Make sure you get some with a rough surface for grip and away you go. Only thing I don't like is the way I cut them.

I am sure you and your Beardie will love tile!

 

[amazingparkour]

I went to home depot and got tiles and a cutting blade (Dry cutting blade) for my table saw. This was a mistake. If you have a friend or hopefully a tile place to cut them using a wetsaw, it will be a big headache solved. I love tile because of the reasons stated in the above posts. Make sure you get some with a rough surface for grip and away you go. Only thing I don't like is the way I cut them.

I am sure you and your Beardie will love tile!

Thanks much for your input, I'll definitely use the cutting service at hand. I'm gonna take a look and do some comparison on the different types of textures and I'll see what I can find. Are there types of tile that are better than others? I heard some are porous and can harbor bacteria... :study:

 

[nair88]

i have yet to see any real cons of having tile. as far as the type, i got natural slate - it seemed to be the best choice from all the tile i saw at lowes.

 

[whispersinmyhead]

I actually don't know what type of tile I have. I think it is a little porous though. Hasn't been a problem so far I clean my tank every two weeks thoroughly where I remove the tile and give them a quick scrub. Nice and easy to clean. I have a glass enclosure and I will say leave a little room so they site flush because I had a problem corner and crickets kept getting under the tile and dying. I would say as far as size goes I would definitely get as large as you can but still remove them easily for cleaning. My Enclosure is 20" deep so I went with 12"X12" tiles and cut some shorter. Less cracks means less mess under the tiles if your Beardie is well hydrated