Tank lid Reworking

[Kaetlinv]

Just went through all three of my ball python's tanks and defeated the dreaded screen / mesh top lids, using an idea i gleaned from a few forum members :)

Using aluminum foil on the top sides of the lids, I've covered a good 3/4 of each tank and gone through and moved their decorations around and gave them new eco-earth substrate for the humidity, cleaned their water bowls and checked all their UTH's to make sure they're still in place and working well.

Valentine's humidity (which her tank is a large 100gallon adapted aquarium) is steadily climbing and has gone from 60% to 75% in the few short minutes that it took for me to put her lid in place and finish the other two lids.

To make sure the foil doesn't move I used little adhesive dots directly between lid and foil ONLY, to make sure the adhesive won't ever get into contact with the snakes (also keep in mind the foil is not on their side of the lid. :) )

I'm hoping this reworking will help Romeo out with her shed (which should be happening any day now!) She certainly seems appreciative of the effort, roaming around and sipping at the fresh water.

Cheap but effective way to help keep in humidity if you're unable to get a solid top lid. :)

[Aaron_S]

Cheaper still is a rubbermaid tub....

[Kaetlinv]

Yes, they are, but I already had the tanks. I'm making due with what I've got.

It's just a suggestion for folks who already have screen tops and don't want to get rid of the tanks, and it was a suggestion I saw from other members on here that I decided to try.

[iBaman]

I did the same. It works WONDERS for heat and humidity =3

[Aaron_S]

I just think it looks tacky. I like things more simple. No real mess of wires, lights, foil, worrying about humidity.

[Kaetlinv]

It's a temporary solution. I'm hoping I'll be able to get solid plywood lids for them. Why the 100 gallon didn't get a solid one I have no clue... It's a plywood frame with wire mesh, should've just used the plywood...

One day I'll make them custom vivs like some of the ones that have been made my members on here - but until then this will have to do. Having the foil is better than having nothing.

[rmfsnakes32]

I have done the same thing for over a year now works wonders since my house is so dry I do mist the tanks once a day since I was noticing bad sheds now all have had perfect sheds

[Juicykirstie]

Is there a way you can post photos of this? I'm interested in doing it to my tanks too. (:

[Kaetlinv]

Ill take some photos tomorrow. Im not sure what brand the little sticky adhesive dots were, but ill try and look them up. :)

[iBaman]

I just think it looks tacky. I like things more simple. No real mess of wires, lights, foil, worrying about humidity.

Tacky, yes. But works in a pinch ;D

[Aaron_S]

Tacky, yes. But works in a pinch ;D

I'll say what I always say. I set up my bins ahead of time with no issues ;)

[Kaetlinv]

I'll say what I always say. I set up my bins ahead of time with no issues ;)

Eventually I'll have more snakes, and due to valuable info learned here on the forum, tanks will NOT be there homes :P As it is, when we got the snakes we were very new and thought that was best. They're all doing well though. :)

[Juicykirstie]

Would still love pictures. :D

[Kaetlinv]

Ive got them on my phone, but im prepping for college and dont have my laptop at the moment. Ill try and upload the pics with tips today. :)

[JustBitten]

I'll say what I always say. I set up my bins ahead of time with no issues ;)

I started with tubs, (even set up for 2 weeks before I got Monty to stabilize temps/humidity) but got tired of never being able to see my snake. I picked up a 36" x 18" x 18" exo-terra, and since you don't have to take the top off, I ran saran wrap just under the edges of the one piece lid and re-secured it. The saran wrap was nearly the exact width of the enclosure top so one long piece worked perfectly. There are vent holes below the front doors and I put a few small ones in the saran wrap. Because that stuff is clear, you can't even see it unless you're looking for it. I would have bought a plastic snake enclosure with the plexi front but there is no one in my area (BC, Canada) that makes them for a reasonable price and while it would be easy to make one, I didn't have the time then.

With the exo background, jungle-scape cling on the ends and lots of places to hide, Monty hasn't missed a meal, has had perfect one-piece sheds and a great temp gradient since I did it about 6 months ago. Best of all, I actually get to see him cruising. It also makes me more confident that he is in good health because I see him so regularly. I use a thermostat and thermometers with probes so I'm also confident of my measurements.

Tubs work great and if I had more snakes I would be using them for at least some, but there is more than one way to get something done properly IMHO :D

[Kaetlinv]

Alright, the pictures suck cause of the reflection, and I have no in-progress pictures, but i'll explain as well as I can.

These are roughly the adhesive 'dots' I used, which were originally for scrapbooking purposes.
http://ak1.ostkcdn.com/images/products/79/17/P14123826.jpg

Romeo's lid, the smallest;

Because I wanted to make sure the foil would stay, I wrapped it around the lip of the lid, using two sheets overlapping to cover the space desired.

http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/545985_10152105067980472_1897780380_n.jpg
Here is where I wrapped the foil around the lip, creasing the foil as necessary and trimming also.

http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc6/247784_10152105078720472_780421755_n.jpg
http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/540066_10152105063610472_640291465_n.jpg
On the corners I put the adhesive dot directly on the foil, then pressed against the metal of the lid so that no adhesive is exposed.


Valentine's lid;

Valentine's lid is a custom wood and mesh frame, so rather than wrapping under the lip (since there is none), I creased the foil to the inside raised edge of the lid and wrapped around to the other side to apply the adhesive dots.

http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/546004_10152105066695472_639095841_n.jpg
http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/558376_10152105064340472_2104642000_n.jpg
http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/377252_10152105065075472_227204397_n.jpg

And finally, Shanti's lid;

Repeat of Romeo's lid, as it's the same style. I accidentally used too much foil, so ripping around where foil wasn't supposed to be made an easy fix.

http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/383555_10152105065550472_1469318914_n.jpg


hope this explained a little ^.^'

[Juicykirstie]

Thank you so much! I'm going to do this to a few of my tanks. I totally agree on the whole make do with what you have. =) Thanks again!

[Kaetlinv]

Not a problem, Kirstie! I'd been meaning to do this to my tanks for a while, but with two of the three snakes heading to shed I figured then was as good as ever to try. Valentine finished shedding before I applied these, but romeo had a good shed (would've been whole except when I went to get him to give him a warm soak the shed opened on his hide as I pulled him out! oops), and now Shanti is headed there as well, pink belly, faint eyes and everything. I'd gotten the idea from various members here on the forums. :)

[Aaron_S]

I started with tubs, (even set up for 2 weeks before I got Monty to stabilize temps/humidity) but got tired of never being able to see my snake. I picked up a 36" x 18" x 18" exo-terra, and since you don't have to take the top off, I ran saran wrap just under the edges of the one piece lid and re-secured it. The saran wrap was nearly the exact width of the enclosure top so one long piece worked perfectly. There are vent holes below the front doors and I put a few small ones in the saran wrap. Because that stuff is clear, you can't even see it unless you're looking for it. I would have bought a plastic snake enclosure with the plexi front but there is no one in my area (BC, Canada) that makes them for a reasonable price and while it would be easy to make one, I didn't have the time then.

With the exo background, jungle-scape cling on the ends and lots of places to hide, Monty hasn't missed a meal, has had perfect one-piece sheds and a great temp gradient since I did it about 6 months ago. Best of all, I actually get to see him cruising. It also makes me more confident that he is in good health because I see him so regularly. I use a thermostat and thermometers with probes so I'm also confident of my measurements.

Tubs work great and if I had more snakes I would be using them for at least some, but there is more than one way to get something done properly IMHO :D

I'm glad it's working for you. I never said this wasn't proper but it's a lot of hassle in my opinion for something I can do in 2 minutes to a bin by just poking holes and it's ready to go.

[Juicykirstie]

I'm curious to see if this helps my balls. I've been using damp towels over the lids the past few times and its helped, their sheds only in two or three pieces now. Hopefully this works better(: By the way Kaetlin, how often do you mist the tanks? (:

[Kaetlinv]

I haven't really ever misted, but I have a bottle now that I will be misting with to help out. I used to use towels before I did this, and found that it just didn't cut it, even when I utilized the way water would drop from them like rain when poured on.

At the moment I pour water directly onto the substrate, just until it's springy (it's eco-earth coco-husk mix), so that it's neither dry nor runny. No need to make the substrate too wet and risk scale rot...