To tile or not to tile

[leelasmom]

Pootie - that viv is gorgeous! I love how natural it looks. Very nice!

 

[ddma]

you could glue your tiles to a piece of plywood, grout it and put that into your enclosure as one piece, or you can put the tiles in seperately and not grout it and then they can be removed individually for cleaning but i would put a piece of fabric or cloth on the bottom of the tank then put tiles down this way the glass is protected.

 

[bambichik39]

did you glue your tile to any thing like a piece of luan (plywood)? did you grout the tile? and how has the clean up been as far as your dragons pooping on it. did you use a sealer on your tile? did u use slate or tile (porcelin)

I just wrote out a huge explanation and the website froze and didn't post.. haha anyways... i didn't glue them to anything. I also didnt grout, so I could remove monthly for a good cleaning. I just use a damp paper towel to clean up his stool. It comes off easily this way, I usually catch it quick, and if I don't, I just give it a little scrub and it comes right up. The tile I had already came sealed, it was leftover from our house. I used porcelain. I was previously using repticarpet for my beardie and sand for my leo's, but then switched them all over because I was so impressed with tiling. It's a lot easier,also someone else I talked to was worried it was too cold for them, but it warms up a little bit like the sand did from the heat lamp, so I'm very happy with it. plus, a LOT cheaper in the long run.

 

[ddma]

with having the tile , does your beardie ever get poop all over him from it smearing , with sand it doesn't get all over just stays in one spot.
that's happened to me before, writing a big explanation , submitting it , and comes back saying, page is not available and losing everything i wrote. lol

 

[bambichik39]

yeah, drives me nuts when i write a huge post and it just disappears.

to answer your question, no. he doesn't smear his poop or get it on him. he poops, and i find it in one piece in the same spot he pooped it out at. it's really easy to clean. i honestly dont know why i didnt switch sooner, i guess because i figured it would be a lot more difficult than it turned out to be. all in all the process of measuring and cutting took less than 30 minutes a tank.

 

[imageofeva]

i ended up doing a combination because the tank that em is in, is temporary. its a 60 gallon fish tank instead of a terrarium so its not as wide as i'd like it to be. i used 12x12 slate tiles and placed them on carpet gripper. there are gaps but none smaller than a 1/2. i filled it (not grouted but same idea) with left over play sand from previous set up. seriously, love it! looks great but is harder to keep warm (but that is the case with all my tanks in southern az with a swamp cooler running) yet nothing too challenging. she slept on it last night so i think she is ok with it. as far as the sand goes, it is loose but not loose enough to end up in her food dish.

 

[neecie]

I have tile and love it. BD gets to poop in his bath, but the days he doesn't get a bath I put down 2 pieces of paper towel where he always goes, then just pick that up and wet wipe if necessary.

 

[ddma]

CAN I USE THE SELF ADHESIVE linolium or vinyl tiles instead of slate tiles or tile. will the heat lamp melt it.it wipes clean just as easy ?

 

[fresnowitte]

CAN I USE THE SELF ADHESIVE linolium or vinyl tiles instead of slate tiles or tile. will the heat lamp melt it.it wipes clean just as easy ?

No..you must use a non adhesive linoleum other wise the adhesive will put off harmful fumes when it gets hot under the basking spot. Like I mentioned before I use a linoleum but it must be non adhesive.

I'm have a busy day going on right now it's Zak-n-Wheezie and my youngest son's Birthday's...but I will post some pic's for you either later or in the morning of some of my viv's. :wink:

 

[MALIBUSMOM]

Happy Birthday to all!