Tile Sheets

I had my ShiShi in a 10 gal aquarium with tan repticarpet and was noticing that the crickets kept hiding underneath it. I wanted to put tile on the bottom of the tank but didn't have a way of cutting it to fit myself so I thought maybe the tile on a sheet would work. I trimmed the edges down and it fits perfect! Now my only concern is if the little cracks will bother my leo's feet? Any suggestions?

https://i.servimg.com/u/f46/17/36/12/70/tile_s10.jpg

nice ! why dont u try the carpet on top ?

I thought about that but then I think I would have the hiding cricket problem again.

The cracks won't hurt the leos feet. The are designed to live in rocky craigs and crevaces. Tile is like a dream to them. Besides you need some traction or you risk splayed legs and irregular skelital development. Repti carpet is nasty stuff. Harbors bacteria, falls apart when you repeatedly wash it in hopes of keeping it clean, little teeth and nails get stuck in it and can be scratchy on their sensitive skin. You're much better off with tile. Just so you know you can cut peel and stick with any utility knife. Just score the paper side, bend it on the score mark and it will snap along the line then simply cut the vinyl on the front while you have it bent on the scoreline.

Are you using real tile or vinyl tiles? If you're using real tile, they sell tools to score it. The tools usually aren't very expensive. If it's real tile, watch your temps as they are much better heat conductors than the reptile carpet.

Yes it is real tile. I have been watching temps. I don't see where it has been affected much. Maybe because there are so many cracks for the heat to escape from??

What readings are you getting?

80 throughout the tank and 90 on the warm side.

That's perfect.

I think you'll really enjoy the tile. Sooo much easier to clean and disinfect I may have had a harder time with temps on first installation because they are cut to fit and I use sand as a "thin set" for them. I don't recommend using sand for a base unless the tiles are cut to fit properly. Otherwise you'll have a big sandy mess and a higher risk for impaction.

Yeah I bought the "safe" for consumption calcium sand and then read it wasn't safe at all so I took it out immediately and now I'm too scared to use sand at all

I don't support using sand, but people do it and don't have problems.

It's a personal opinion; it does present a risk, one I personally won't take.