Terrarium Liner (reptile carpet) or Vinyl Tile?

[TripleB]

For the bottom of my habitat I'm thinking of either using Terrarium Liner ('reptile carpet') or Vinyl Tile?

Which one of the two do you recommend?

It seems like the Terrarium Liner would be pretty simple...when dirty, take it out, wash it good, let it dry, return to bottom of aquarium.

But the vinyl tile also seem extremely easy...when dirty, take it out, wash it off, dry it off, return to bottom of aquarium.

With the reptile carpet, do you find that the leos toes get caught?

With the vinyl tile: 1) do you pull the backing off and 'stick' it to the bottom or leave the backing on for easy removal and 2) do leos have a problem with the vinyl being slippery?

BTW: do I need 3 hides? 1 for the warm side, 1 for the cool side, and 1 as a moist hide with paper towels?

Thanks for any advice you can give. This is my one last big decision as far as its habitat is concerned.

TripleB

 

[VampyricAngelX]

Some people have had problems with repti-carpet but I personally haven't had any issues with it. Not sure about the tile, as I've never used it.

As for the hides, I would have at least 3 if you can. If space is a problem you could always put the moist hide in there when he or she is ready to shed and take it out when they're done.

 

[ariana]

i use tile, not vinyl tile, tile. get it from lowes. my lowes cut it to fit the aquarium for me. measure the inside though, so it will fit.
3 hides i think is a must. but if you have to get by with 2 turn one of the hides (warm or cold) into a moist hide too.

i had retile carpet but when my leos hunted crix they would get their mouths caught and toes sometimes. thats why i no longer use it.

 

[leonewbie]

I used reptile carpet, and it was fine for mine...the only reason i do not use it anymore is because paper towels are so much easier to clean, just take out and replace. I haven't used any sort of tile, so i can't help you there I think three hides are necessary, but i agree, if you have to use to, hot and moist/cold.

 

[Khrysty]

One of my tanks have vinyl tile (with the sticky backing). It's the first viv I made for my very first leo. Since then I've heard that the glue on the back, when it heats, can release chemicals that could be harmful to the leo..

I've never found research that says exactly what those chemicals are and what exactly they do to the leo, though. I housed my first leo on it for a few years until I had to give her away (thought I was done breeding--silly me!)..and I currently have one of my males housed in it and he's been on it for a year, doing just fine.

For safety's sake, though, I guess I shouldn't recommend it. I wouldn't recommend reptile carpet either, from experience. My leos got their mouths caught on it quite a few times.

 

[TripleB]

For ceramic tile do you buy 6 x 6 pieces like this: View attachment 23907 OR is it one large piece and then you have it cut to the size of your tank?

If it's one large piece and you have it cut to the size of your tank, how much space do you leave so you can get your fingers under it to pull it up for cleaning?

Thanks for all your help so far.

TripleB

 

[ariana]

i left a 1/4 inch space at one end and i used the 6x6, but some people like to use the 12x12, i jsut found those rather large, i used the 12x12 for my 20gal long and 6x6 for my 10gallons