Tiling the cage bottom

[joecowp]

Hey guys I have a twenty long tank and am going to be putting tiles in the tank for my one leo since she keeps going under the repticarpet and I do not feel comfortable with her doing this... I was wondering if i should just let the tiles lay in the bottom or seal the edges and cracks... I was thinking to seal everything so she cant get her toes stuck anywhere but what should I seal it with? Personally I was thinking of using silicone, but do not know if it is safe for the geckos to come in contact with once dry... Any and all help/ opinions are appreciated and I thank everyone in advance for their time and response.

 

[forgivenick]

The slate 12"x12" tiles I got for my 30 gallon tank are pretty heavy and I doubt any gecko could get under the pieces I have in there. I wouldn't worry about sealing it in there and I would prefer to be able to remove/replace the tile easily for cleaning/maintenance/etc. Thats just my opinion, but I hope it helps.

 

[pmkent1]

A lot of time they'll go under the carpet if they dont have enough/proper hides to suit them. Do you have any overhead lights at all?

 

[joecowp]

no overhead lights other than the 4 high hats in the room and she has 4 hides throughout the cage. 1 is on the cool side, 1 is a log that is in between the cool side and hot side, and then there is a moist and dry hide on the hot side that I have thermostat controlled to remain at 92 degrees

 

[pmkent1]

no overhead lights other than the 4 high hats in the room and she has 4 hides throughout the cage. 1 is on the cool side, 1 is a log that is in between the cool side and hot side, and then there is a moist and dry hide on the hot side that I have thermostat controlled to remain at 92 degrees

:main_thumbsup:

 

[joecowp]

thanks pmkent1...

"The slate 12"x12" tiles I got for my 30 gallon tank are pretty heavy and I doubt any gecko could get under the pieces I have in there. I wouldn't worry about sealing it in there and I would prefer to be able to remove/replace the tile easily for cleaning/maintenance/etc. Thats just my opinion, but I hope it helps."

As for Forgivenick I am not so much worried about her getting under or moving the tiles as her toes getting stuck or smooshed between the cracks... have you ever had that problem? I already bought 3 12x12 tiles that I will be cutting down to fit the bottom

 

[forgivenick]

I use play sand to fill the gaps between the tiles, then I sweep the excess sand away with a new paintbrush so it is filling up about half the depth of the crack. This is enough to keep the tiles from moving, but not enough sand so that it is close enough to the surface to be ingested.

 

[GeckoCrossing]

I adhere the tile to the glass and grout the gaps, then seal it all. I do the same for all my tanks; my 40G Breeder, 20G Long and all my 10g tanks. In my opinion I prefer it my way to just setting the tile in. Water, food and poop can all get under loose tiles making it harder to clean, and smell bad lol

Here's a 10G tank I did.

 

[joecowp]

Thanks for your help forgivenick

And the tank looks good Jonathan... What you use to seal after youve grouted the tile?

 

[forgivenick]

Thanks for your help forgivenick

You bet bro. Anytime. I hope your gecko is stoked on the outcome.

 

[GeckoCrossing]

And the tank looks good Jonathan... What you use to seal after youve grouted the tile?

I seal it with TileLab tile and grout sealant, along with a line of mod podge on each line of grout. Combined, it's almost waterproof

 

[jemjdragon]

Aquarium silicone sealent is safe for geckos, you would just need to wait till its dried and let it air out outside, because it can give off a smell for a few days and the smell can bother your geckos.
I don't think silicone would look good sealing the tile though, so the grout is a better idea. (Can't you also dye grout or get it in different colors?)

I don't seal my tile because I like to remove the tile and boil it once a month to clean it really well. I spot clean every day though. I also managed to cut all my tiles so that they fit very snug against each other in my tank. I have never had a problem with my geckos getting their toes stuck. =]

 

[pilsboy]

question with ur tile glued or placed everywhere in your tank, dont u have trouble getting heat from the UTH/heat pads?? some ppl told me that they had trouble getting the heat so they removed the tiles from where the pad was...

 

[Laporte]

How is tile for the geckos to walk on?

I assumed they would have a tough time because of their claws, like as if you were to place them on a kitchen table or something similar,

Thanks

 

[meg1877]

Using slate is a stone and it is easy for them to grip. There natural habitat is rocky, brush, grassland area in Asia and Pakistan. You can see my geckos on slate in my photo album, they have never had any problems with traction.

 

[Laporte]

Right on , it would seem like its nicer and easier to clean, thanks