Switching from tile

[bman123]

Well after 3 times of feeding my baby Mack snow I'm thinking about switching from tile to repti carpet. I have a gap about 3/4 on one side and 1/4 inch in the back. When I put her crickets in there they go straight for the cracks and hide from her. She has trouble getting them and if I stick the tongs in there to move the crickets she gets spooked and won't ear anymore of them.

I got the right amount of tiles so it should of fit perfect. My option is go to lowes buy 1 6x6 piece of matching tile and have them cut it 3/4 inch wide 6 inches long. I would need one piece of tile and have it cut twice to get the 2 pieces to fill in the gap on the side.
I would have to buy another piece of 6x6 tile and have them cut it like 6 times to fill in the gap in the back.

So now I'm thinking about just ditching the tile and getting 2 pieces of repticarpet. It is like $14 for 2 pieces that are 35inches long and 11 3/4 wide. I'd have to cut off 5 inches from each piece so it would fit my 20lomg.

I like the look of the repti carpet but heard that the leos toes get stuck in it, so what I want to know is this.

Will the carpet get the leos nails stuck in it?
How is the carpet compared to tile for heat transfer?

I have a uth without a tstat and I have the temps just ight with the tile. I have to put 6 single pieces of newspaper under the tile to keep the temps perfect. With the carpet would I have to use that much newspaper or maybe more?

I don't care about spending the $14 as it will make feeding extremely easier on me and her. I've got to get this back surgery on Tuesday so easier is better for me. Is there anything else I can use that looks like repti carpet but is significantly cheaper?

I won't use newspaper or paper towels as it looks tacky, sand is a no go, the tile must go, I won't use that kitchen roll as you'll still see the newspaper under it. I'm thinking the carpet is my only option.

I'm about to call around and see if anyone of the stores sell it with two pieces In a roll maybe it will be cheaper. It's $7 for one single piece and it only comes in one package at my local PS so I'm bout to try to find somewhere that sells it with 2 rolls per pack.

I reall like the tile and it looks sweet but right now it is a bain in the keester. If she was a adult it would be easier because I would use the large honkin crickets but I can't use them now and it will be quite some time wrote I can use them.

Tell me what ya think. I can't order any online as I don't have a CC so I need to get it locally I have a pets dumb and a pet supplies rust in my area plus some small mom and pop shops..

 

[Chevalrose]

You could fold/roll newspaper or fabric to fill in the gaps in the back? I would actually go with your tile idea. 2 more tiles is going to be cheaper than $14 worth of repti-carpet.

I wont be getting my gecko for another couple weeks but I plan on tiling. I've heard bad things about repti-carpet plus I don't think it looks as good as tile. Also, you'd probably want to get 4 pieces...that way you can just exchange one set for the other when you wash them.

To me it seems more efficient/cost effective to stick with the tile.

 

[bman123]

Yeah but I have to go to lowes and hope someone there can cut the tile. That's gonna be the problem. I can get the side filled in with on piece but the back is gonna take a couple pieces.

I just need a quick fix lol, I need my set up to be as easy as possible because this surgery is gonna make it hard on me.
I'm bout to call lowes now..

 

[gmaier19]

its super easy to get tile cut at lowes. they only charge like 25 cents for each cut too.

 

[bman123]

I'm getting the carpet, I need something simple for the next month while I heal from this surgery. After that I will deal with the tile. Lowes is far away and it hurts really bad when I drive so repti carpet here I come lol

 

[Chevalrose]

I know my local Lowes cuts tile and they said they do the first 5 cuts free.

 

[TFerguson]

3/8" layer of Quikrete concrete... you can stain it whatever color you like... seriously..

T Ferguson

 

[bman123]

I bought the carpet for a 30 gal tank they only had two Boxes left so I bought them. It is 5.5 inches longer then my tank but I'll just cut it.
My back is so jacked today I can barely walk, there's no way I was gonna drive 20 minutes to the next pet store to save a $1 and buy the liner for a 29 gal tank.

I didn't want to buy the carpet but I need something now. The closest lowes is 20 minutes away, the store is huge and I can't do that much walking in my current condition. Hopefully she likes the carpet.

When I get it in there i will take some pics of the tank with her in there. Hopefully she stays still so I get a decent pic..

 

[gixxer3420]

I wouldn't have bought the carpet, the geckos nail do get caught in it. I don't believe this was the quick fix you were looking for.

 

[b_man8486]

i would go with either tile or non adheisve shelf liner that works good too..and you can go to walmart get a big roll that pretty much is the width of the tank and you can get it several different colors plus its easy to clean.

 

[jfreels]

Their nails and teeth get stuck in it. Mine never sat flat. I would put books on it and other things and edges would curl or the middle would bow and then crickets and worms would get in through the gap that was created.

I used the back side for a while, but it's rougher. Then I tried the "iron" method to smooth out the fibers. Didn't really work. Then I went to tile with sand to fill in the gaps. I have not looked back since.

 

[bman123]

I used sand to fill in the gaps with my raptor until I caught him with his nose flat on the tile licking the sand up from between the cracks. He passed the sand 3 times and I took it out as soon as I saw him eating it.

I have a major migraine so I haven't changed the tank.

 

[bman123]

One side of the carpet is alot smoother then the other, it's almost perfectly flat like someone pressed and left something very heavy on it.
I unrolled it and have two heavy books sitting on each end to see if the corners go back down.

After looking at a few setups with the carpet in it I like the way it looks, sure I'll never have to buy tile again but that crack is a pain in the you know what.. I'll try one sheet of the carpet tomorrow and see if I like it, if not I'll just return the other one on Monday..

 

[CallDr]

All the tile brands don't have the same dimensions, even if they say 6x6 or 12x12. I got the tile that had rounded corners because of the silicone making the bottom not square.

The best way to get the tile to fit without big gaps is to make an "exact" pattern of the bottom of your tank before you go to Lowes. Since you have a 12x12x30 I would use 2 12x12 and 2 6x6 in the middle. BUT...... they will not fit "perfect. So I cut some rep carpet to wedge between or fill the gaps. If you used 2 12's and 2 6'S your gapps would be in the middle and not on the edges.

 

[CallDr]

Carpet........

It never comes flat or fits your tank perfect either ( silicone de-lima )

To get your carpet flat you need to take a Towel and dampen it. ( not wet but damp ) Basically..... you will be Steam the carpet flat.

Your Iron will MELT the carpet...... so take it slow..... never put the Iron directly on the carpet.

Then take your Iron and Iron it flat.

Now as far as the carpet having those little fibers that the leo gets stuck on.......

Take your carpet ( once flat and dry ) and then take Plain Paper Towels.

You have to do this slow and a little section at a time. Put the paper towel over one section of the carpet and Iron it "just enough" to "melt" the loose fibers. You will know it's done right because you kinda have to peal off the paper towel. It just want lift off......... then throw that pice away and use another PT till you finish.

Same thing when washing the carpet. After you have washed the carpet you can put it in the dryer...... but not completely dry. Use a Towel to flatten out the carpet again get it flat so it lays right in your tank.

Problem area? Get some double sided tape and place it along the parts you want secure.

Last.... Green carpet looks nice but shows all the Dust from you feeders. So brown looks cleaner...LOL!

 

[bman123]

I couldn't get brown locally so I got the green stuff. I have the carpet in there now and it fits flat and perfect enough for me. I layed it out last night and placed a big heavy book on the ends to keep them down and a book in the middle to keep the hump down that it had.

I put it in with the smoother side up, I put her in and she took of running and didn't get stuck at all, she walked slow and I watched her and she didn't get stuck when she was walking. It's gonna be what happens when she eats, that's what I'm worried about

I like the way the carpet looks in the tank, it looks nice. I kept my tile and I'll try to figure that mess out after I feel better. I will have to watch the dusting of the crickets tho, the calcium powder is gonna stick out big time with the green carpet.

I just switched her to the carpet today and I haven't tried to feed her yet, I will around 5pm like normal and see how it goes..

 

[CallDr]

follow this link and shipping is not bad if you like the rep carpet. You get 2 that will fit your tank..... one to use and another to keep as a clean replacement.
http://www.petmountain.com/product/reptile-bedding/505663/12-in.-x-30-in.-29-gallon-2-pack.html

 

[bman123]

I didn't think I would like the repti carpet once put it in but I do. Well I'm gonna try to feed her now so let's see how big a mess I can make with the dusted feeders lol..
I will know how much i like it when I have to clean it.

I'll give it a honest try, if it's good I'll probably keep buying it. I have two now and that should last me a while before I buy new ones. I'm not worried about the price of them I will see how often I have to replace them.

I just can't drive to lowes in my current being and carry tile and walk thru that big ole store. Maybe they have the motorized wheel chair thingies there lol, then I can get my roll on.

I'll try the carpet but if it's a major pain then I'll get the tile when I feel better...

 

[bman123]

Well so far so good with the reptile carpet. I put a small amount of powder in a baggy and put the crickets in, I shook em up real good and dumped em in. It didn't even make a mess with the powder which is great, I just have to use a small amount of powder but the crix were still coated very good.

I took all her hides out so it was just her water bowl in the tank. This way she knows it's food time. She immediately started looking around for the crix. I dumped 6 in and she ate them all in about 5 minutes. She didn't get her nails or her teeth stuck on the carpet once so that's great. She's a pretty good hunter.

She does this funny tail wag thing when she eats. She has her tail high in the air and waves it really slow side to side before she bites them, it's prettty funny to see. The crix started to look for somewhere to hide as soon as I put them in but there was no where to go. The carpet is working great so far.

It took 5 minutes to feed her compared to the 20 minutes yesterday since I had to mov the crix out of the tile gap. My carpet is almosT perfectly flat now which is good. The crickets have no where to hide now and that really speeds up feeding time.

I am really liking this carpet right now but I will have to see how it goes the next couple days. It was a quick fix for sure even tho it did cost more then it would of to re tile my
tank, but it's all good for now lol. Nice and easy is what I needed and that's what I got..

 

[Latlaw]

The carpet will be fine. I used it successfully with my six tanks for several months before switching to tile. Caulking your tile is a good option after you get a nice fit. For my 29L gal tanks I use two 12 x 12 tiles and cut another 12 x 12 in half. Fits nice and snug but I am now going to use sanded caulking to make it a nice permanent fit. Then I won't have to take the tile pieces out each time I clean. (saves time and hassle) I don't move my tanks anyway so I don't care if it makes them heavy. It looks very nice too and no more cracks or crevices for insects or poop to get caught in.

If you stick with the carpet, you will want to have a spare so when you're cleaning one, you can use the other. You can order 29 gal carpet to fit. You can also wash the carpet in the washer and hang dry. Just use a tiny amount of detergent on a cold wash and extra rinse cycles.