Lid idea...not sure if it will work.

[TrpnBils]

I have a 10g aquarium I'll be using as a viv in a couple of weeks but the lid isn't handling the clips too well. It's supposed to be a "self-locking" lid with movable pins in the back (which, by the way, don't work at all). Anyway, it sits too loose and the edges are too far out for the clips to be effective no matter how I bend them. I can either get a new lid that they'll hopefully fit, or I can make my own.

Here's my idea. It might work, or it might be completely stupid, but I want opinions either way.

The top of my aquarium has a small lip around it on the inside, probably no wider than 1/4" or so. If I cut a piece of thick plexiglass or think plywood to fit onto that lip, it would be pretty much even with the top of my aquarium. Assuming I drill air holes, etc. in the top, the clips would fit. This would also hold in the humidity and heat better than a wire screen top I would think. I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing, so that's part of my question. What really sticks out in my mind is that the lid would now sit inside of the perimeter of the aquarium, rather than over the top of it...which, to me, seems like there would be less opportunity for the snake to escape. Will it really? I don't know, that's why I'm asking.

Anybody think that would be a worthwhile thing to try?

 

[gatorlink]

sounds like it could work. I personally would try plywood, cheaper but may not look as good as plexiglass. Better yet have you considered melamine, its so heavy there would be no need for a lock assuming you will be keeping a young corn in there

 

[Spirit]

Forget clips. If the lid fits, just buy 2 small utility straps... basically nylon straps like the ones on your backpack. Wrap one around either end of the tank, and pull the strap to tighten it in place. They cost $1 and work great.

Whatever you use for the lid though, just make sure it's strong enough that the snake can't break it in the middle.

 

[kyocera]

I am going to try the plexiglass idea that you mention above. I have been trying to figure out the same 10 gallon tank lid issue. I can buy the plexi cheaper than I can buy the screen lid. I'll know next week how it works. I'll let you know.

Kyo

 

[gatorlink]

If the lid fits, just buy 2 small utility straps... basically nylon straps like the ones on your backpack.

Hey spirit where can you buy these straps

 

[MADMAN]

i would think plexiglass or any glass would cause the tank to over heat with the heating light basically you will be turning it into a greenhouse it'll get pretty hot in the tank. But then again the snakes might like it.

so in turn i'll put my tank next to a window :crazy01:

 

[kyocera]

I don't use a heat light. Just UTH.

Kyo

 

[TrpnBils]

Gatorlink -
You can buy those straps at WalMart or just about anywhere. I know at WalMart anyway they're back near the crafts section with the elastic and stuff because I've had to repair my backpacking equipment more times than I care to elaborate on...lol. Also, I'm not sure if this was mentioned or not, but you might also want to get one of those plastic "squeeze clips" (not sure what they're really called) to go along with the strap. Whatever they're called, it would save a lot of time when you want to take the lid off and it would be secure the rest of the time. They're usually found right next to the nylon strap in WalMart.

Everybody else -
Thanks for the input. My main concern was the heat/humidity issue that Madman raised because glass aquariums obviously don't usually have vents in the sides. I think what I might do is maybe use plywood (so it's sturdier than plexiglass) and cut it out with two big holes instead of a bunch of little ones. Kinda like this:

_______________ <--- The board's formatting won't display
|
|______________| <--- this right, but the right side should
|
|______________| <--- be solid as well

Okay that looks like hell but you get my idea. Keep the parimeter of the lid solid, then have either one 1" or so strip of wood down the middle (and maybe one going the other way to form a "+") Then staple screen around the whole underside of the lid. I think that would provide enough ventilation, and it would still be solid enough to hold a snake in with the strap or clips.

The more I think about it, the more I think I'm going to go with plywood instead of plexiglass. Plexiglass can bend easily unless you get a really thick piece, and it could probably break easier than plywood. I dont' know what melamine is (I've heard of it but I wouldn't know it if it bit me), but that may be a better idea yet. I'll look into that when I upgrade to a 20g early next summer.

Thanks for the help, and Kyocera, keep us posted on how it works!

 

[Spirit]

Hey spirit where can you buy these straps

I got mine at the dollar store. :laugh: I'm sure you can find them just about anywhere. Look in the camping section.

 

[Drizzt80]

And forgive my stupidity, by why wouldn't just a couple of pieces of sandstone slate laid on the corners of the screen top not work? Simpler seems to be better in my experiences!

D80

 

[countMEout]

Nothing works quite as well as some plywood with an eight lb weight on it

 

[gatorlink]

thanks for the tips i'll try the straps. right now i have two red bricks on my lid and it's just not pleasing to look at

 

[TrpnBils]

And forgive my stupidity, by why wouldn't just a couple of pieces of sandstone slate laid on the corners of the screen top not work? Simpler seems to be better in my experiences!

D80

Drizzt, is that a leucistic rat snake in your picture there? Whatever it is, it's a nice looking snake...

 

[Drizzt80]

She happens to be my very difficult Blizzard. She goes for several weeks at a time without eating, and then eats like a horse for a time and then back to not eating again. She's on her fourth week of choosing not to eat. I can't figure her out. There doesn't seem to be a stimulus that I can find. She's the only one that does it. She's perfectly healthy and not skinny by any means. Only thing I can figure is that she self-regulates her calorie intake. She has definitely been removed from my potential breeder's list.

Thanks, I suppose that was more than you wanted, but she is a nice snake!
D80

 

[Virago]

I believ I have a lid like your talking about. The frame is all plastic with screen in it. I took a 1inch strip of 1/4 inch plastic and cut it the length of the tank. I then siliconed it to the black rim of the tank on the out side. Theni drill holes where the srews go in the frame into the strip. That way the screw/bolts went through the frme directly in the holes. I did this for the side bolts too. I can lift the whole tank up by the lid now. Very secure.

 

[TrpnBils]

Kinda sounds similar, except mine was bought that way and it sucks. It only secures the back and all you have to do is push up on either of the sides and it comes right off. The only thing I ever used it for was a collared lizard though so it didn't really matter if it worked or not at the time.

 

[TrpnBils]

Update!

Well, I built my lid over the weekend. The only plexiglass that Busy Beaver had was waaaaay too flexible, so I ended up using 5/8" particleboard. If anybody else is interested in building one, the dimensions are 9.5" x 19.5" to fit the lip on the inside of a 10g aquarium. I left a 1" strip of wood down the middle (longways, but it probably doesn't matter) and 1" all the way around the outside so it's still stable but it has enough ventilation. I'm going to attach the screen today sometime. The wood fits nicely and the straps should work, but there's one thing I'm not sure about what I want to do. The original screen lid fits nicely overtop of the wood piece, so instead of attaching screen to the bottom of the wood, I may just put the original lid on top of the wood and strap it all down. That way it would be sealed off from the inside (by the wood fitting inside of the aquarium) and the outside (by the lid overhanging the whole way around) and there should be less chance of anything getting out. If I do that though, I'm going to silicone the wood to the underside of the lid so the whole thing comes off in one piece.

But yeah, if anybody else is interested in trying this idea, it seems to be working for me.

Edit: When I get back to school tonight I'll try to post up a couple pics in case anybody has any more suggestions. The only stipulation is that you'll have to ignore my handywork with the wood - single digit temps, numb hands, and an angry Sawzall don't lead to precision cutting.