I need your help convincing my parents....
 

Hey guys, so about a week ago, it was getting dark outside so it was time for me to close the blinds, her cage is next to a window so I only use natural light for her night time / day time schedule, when suddenly the unit came crashing down on top of her cage, and the top was more of a mesh so inevitably it ripped. My father then went to the pet store just before it closed and he had (i wasn't there) 2 options, 1: buy a top that isnt for this cage but fits over the top which causes a small gap at the front or 2: buy the same cage (which they had in stock at that time) that would work perfectly but it costs 200$~ because the top itself isnt on sale. So he obviously chose the top that causes a gap at the front which is about 1/4 of an inch. I have covered it with duct tape, which again this is all against my will, I really didnt like this idea to start with but anyway, it was covered with duct tape with the adhesive facing inward towards the inside of the cage. Since then it has been fine but tonight i head a thunk and I thought i heard the typical thermometer tipping over but her tail was stuck to the adhesive, luckily she is okay with no harm but this cannot be good. Duct tape will not last and I know corn snakes are escape artists so its stressful to sleep or to leave the house at times. I need you guys to help me convince my parents to buy a new cage for the top. I really appreciate it. Thanks guys!

Also, here is a really bad illistration of where the gap is, the cage has a hang-over gap
I have the top cliped to the cage so its held down. The other sides do not have gaps.
http://i.imgur.com/rhFUN8t.png'

Also, I have re-duct taped the gap but instead this time with the soft side facing in.

Pet stores like petco sell really cheap tanks (costing equivalent to the amount of liquid they hold, for example a ten gal would cost ten bucks) and they have matching tops of them and clips, in total it would set you back like 25 bucks. If your snake is a little large a small enclosure wouldn't hurt him/her for a little bit while you save up money for a new tank, it's a good cheap alternative that I'm sure your parents would agree to, and if you don't have a local person like this you can order online for around the same price, maybe just a little more for shipping but certainly not $200

How large is the hole in the original tank lid? It will be unsightly, but you can repair holes with hot glue. I bought a used tank with holes in the screen and that's what I did. I've had a snake it in for 5 years now with no escapes.

I regularly see cheap tanks for sale on this Ohio-based group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/872634776177420/

The problem of getting a new tank is that I would have to buy another UTH, which would only make it more expensive.

What is the name/brand of your original tank? Have you looked online for just a replacement top?

I've swapped UTHs to different tanks. 9 times out of 10 the adhesive stays on the pad, but I use aluminum tape around the edges for good measure. Not a huge deal. When I find myself in need of a tank, I always search craigslist. There are a ton of affordable tanks on there. Like jagodzinski said, the internet is also a great source for screen tops, if you don't have a ton of money to spend.

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