Tile suggestion...

[honhon]

Hey all... it’s been a while since I’ve been on a forum and I have done the searching for questions on substrate and I’ve settled on the eco terra sand mat for my sons new beardie that Santa is bringing...

I know they are hit or miss as far as stuff falling off but I plan on inspecting it prior to buying and such...

anyways I was looking at tile options but I don’t want the beardie to look like he’s walking on tile I want it to be as natural as possible... my son has a certain condition and he’s extremely particular about certain things...

I did come across this stuff at Home Depot...

Jeffrey Court Rust Block Medley 11.75 in. x 11.75 in. Slate Wall and Floor Mosaic Tile (0.938 sq. ft./Each) 99124 - The Home Depot

Rust Block Medley 12 in. x 12 in. Slate Mosaic Tile adds unique detail to any bathroom or kitchen. The rustic green and gray mosaic features alternating square and rectangular pieces to create a distinctive

www.homedepot.com

I don’t plan on grouting... so I’m curious if the beardies toes will get stuck... or maybe cut the stones from the backing and just make a nice tight arrangement....

When Santa brings the beardie he will be about 10 weeks old....

any and all help is greatly appreciated.

 

[Sadie]

Hey all... it’s been a while since I’ve been on a forum and I have done the searching for questions on substrate and I’ve settled on the eco terra sand mat for my sons new beardie that Santa is bringing...

I know they are hit or miss as far as stuff falling off but I plan on inspecting it prior to buying and such...

anyways I was looking at tile options but I don’t want the beardie to look like he’s walking on tile I want it to be as natural as possible... my son has a certain condition and he’s extremely particular about certain things...

I did come across this stuff at Home Depot...

Jeffrey Court Rust Block Medley 11.75 in. x 11.75 in. Slate Wall and Floor Mosaic Tile (0.938 sq. ft./Each) 99124 - The Home Depot

Rust Block Medley 12 in. x 12 in. Slate Mosaic Tile adds unique detail to any bathroom or kitchen. The rustic green and gray mosaic features alternating square and rectangular pieces to create a distinctive

www.homedepot.com

I don’t plan on grouting... so I’m curious if the beardies toes will get stuck... or maybe cut the stones from the backing and just make a nice tight arrangement....

When Santa brings the beardie he will be about 10 weeks old....

any and all help is greatly appreciated.

You want a slated ceramic tile that is not real rough - and nothing smooth -- its good your not grouting - you want it loose so that you can pull it if you haft to -- I have tile in mine and I got it from Home Depot cost me about $13 to tile a 4x2x2 tank - heres a pic of it

 

[Josh]

Yeah i would opt for something that is one piece or at least two or three pieces. You're gonna have a lot to clean if you have to remove a tile mosaic every time and clean each piece.

 

[Sadie]

Yeah i would opt for something that is one piece or at least two or three pieces. You're gonna have a lot to clean if you have to remove a tile mosaic every time and clean each piece.

True mine has 8 pieces and they are long--

 

[Broly]

I used Travertine Tile. It’s pretty heavy but it warms up well without ever getting too hot. It isn’t too rough or too smooth and the colours are natural. There may be better suggestions but I can recommend this. I used Travertine because my dad had some and was able to cut it, but I believe it’s fairly priced.

 

[honhon]

We’ve had the sand mat for a few weeks now. Zilla came home to my son on Christmas Eve. Santa brought Zillas terrarium on Christmas Eve as well so he could be with us on Christmas morning.
The sand mat isn’t too bad. I expected it to have loose articles and it hasn’t been too bad.

Zilla has pooped several times already and cleanup isn’t too bad. Basically I just remove his fixtures and then the sand mat comes out.

I use baby wipes to get as much of the solid and liquid off the sand mat. Then I spray disinfectant on the spot and then I rinse it thoroughly with hot to warm water to make sure there are no chemicals left behind. After that I pat and squish dry the sand mat.

Any water moisture left behind is evaporated pretty quickly by the basking bulb.

 

[honhon]

Here’s zilla in all his glory at home. I need to get something stimulating for him.

the light fixture on the left is a 100w mega ray mercury vapor bulb. I have a 160w coming in tomorrow bc it’s been pretty cool in Florida this winter and I’m not quite satisfied with the tank temperature.

I used the 2nd light fixture on the right/cool side and the UVB bulb that came with the kit.

I’m trying to find if having the mercury vapor and the uvb are too much uvb.... if anyone knows a thread that would be great.

 

[TinySmaugOfficial]

We’ve had the sand mat for a few weeks now. Zilla came home to my son on Christmas Eve. Santa brought Zillas terrarium on Christmas Eve as well so he could be with us on Christmas morning.
The sand mat isn’t too bad. I expected it to have loose articles and it hasn’t been too bad.

Zilla has pooped several times already and cleanup isn’t too bad. Basically I just remove his fixtures and then the sand mat comes out.

I use baby wipes to get as much of the solid and liquid off the sand mat. Then I spray disinfectant on the spot and then I rinse it thoroughly with hot to warm water to make sure there are no chemicals left behind. After that I pat and squish dry the sand mat.

Any water moisture left behind is evaporated pretty quickly by the basking bulb.

What lights are you using?

 

[TinySmaugOfficial]

Here’s zilla in all his glory at home. I need to get something stimulating for him.

the light fixture on the left is a 100w mega ray mercury vapor bulb. I have a 160w coming in tomorrow bc it’s been pretty cool in Florida this winter and I’m not quite satisfied with the tank temperature.

I used the 2nd light fixture on the right/cool side and the UVB bulb that came with the kit.

I’m trying to find if having the mercury vapor and the uvb are too much uvb.... if anyone knows a thread that would be great.

Ok I see you have colored lights in the tank. Those need to go, they can cause eye diseases. And I’ll need a pic of the uvb bulb to determine if it’s safe or not

 

[Sadie]

Here’s zilla in all his glory at home. I need to get something stimulating for him.

the light fixture on the left is a 100w mega ray mercury vapor bulb. I have a 160w coming in tomorrow bc it’s been pretty cool in Florida this winter and I’m not quite satisfied with the tank temperature.

I used the 2nd light fixture on the right/cool side and the UVB bulb that came with the kit.

I’m trying to find if having the mercury vapor and the uvb are too much uvb.... if anyone knows a thread that would be great.

Get rid of the coil that came w/ the kit- they are no good! You can supplement the mega ray w/ a long tube fixture a T 8 would be good - the distance for that would be 6-8 inches inside the tank--- no cover over the bulb take the plastic cover off the fixture it needs to be directly over the basking decor- the mega ray for a 160 watt needs to be 14-16 inches w/ the screen - make sure you have a digital probe thermometer in the spot where he sits you do not want to burn him up- basking temps should be 105-110 for a baby 95-110 for a juvie-/ adult

 

[honhon]

What lights are you using?

On the left/hot side is a 100watt mega ray mercury vapor bulb and the right/cool side is the thrive 26watt UVB bulb that came with the kit.

i have a digital thermometer with a probe, you can see the wire in the back left corner, and it says it’s around 91degrees at the center of the basking spot and I have a digital infrared thermometer and I check his skin and he’s usually around 95degrees.

 

[Sadie]

On the left/hot side is a 100watt mega ray mercury vapor bulb and the right/cool side is the thrive 26watt UVB bulb that came with the kit.

i have a digital thermometer with a probe, you can see the wire in the back left corner, and it says it’s around 91degrees at the center of the basking spot and I have a digital infrared thermometer and I check his skin and he’s usually around 95degrees.

Please read my post

 

[honhon]

Ok I see you have colored lights in the tank. Those need to go, they can cause eye diseases. And I’ll need a pic of the uvb bulb to determine if it’s safe or not

The difference in the color is between the mercury vapor and the stand alone uvb bulb. It looks like the background is also making the uvb bulb more blue than what it actually is as well.

 

[TinySmaugOfficial]

On the left/hot side is a 100watt mega ray mercury vapor bulb and the right/cool side is the thrive 26watt UVB bulb that came with the kit.

i have a digital thermometer with a probe, you can see the wire in the back left corner, and it says it’s around 91degrees at the center of the basking spot and I have a digital infrared thermometer and I check his skin and he’s usually around 95degrees.

Ok, get rid of the uvb. that can give him multiple different problems. I recommend arcadia d+ dragon, Arcadia 12% or reptisun t5/t8 (depends on the size of the tank). Trust me, that uvb is no good.

 

[honhon]

Is there a difference between the coiled bulbs and the reprisun mini bulbs that are straight? Not the t5/t8 ones

 

[Sadie]

Is there a difference between the coiled bulbs and the reprisun mini bulbs that are straight? Not the t5/t8 ones

Any cfl or compact bulbs are no good-- the Reptisun mini bulbs the straight ones please post a pic I have a idea of what your talking about but I want to make sure

 

[honhon]

Any cfl or compact bulbs are no good-- the Reptisun mini bulbs the straight ones please post a pic I have a idea of what your talking about but I want to make sure

They are fluorescent I believe... it’s just their tubes are straight instead of coiled.

 

[Sadie]

They are fluorescent I believe... it’s just their tubes are straight instead of coiled.

Are they a T 8 or T 5 bulb it will say on the bulb itself-

 

[TinySmaugOfficial]

Are they a T 8 or T 5 bulb it will say on the bulb itself-

I think she means the ones I had

 

[honhon]

Are they a T 8 or T 5 bulb it will say on the bulb itself-

I didn’t know if these were classified the same as the coiled ones

ZOO MED ReptiSun 10.0 UVB Compact Fluorescent Mini Reptile Lamp, 13-Watt - Chewy.com

Buy Zoo Med ReptiSun 10.0 UVB Compact Fluorescent Mini Reptile Lamp, 13-Watt at Chewy.com. FREE shipping and the BEST customer service!

www.chewy.com

I did order a hood light 24” and a 22” reptisun 10.0... I ordered the nanotech hood light I’ll probably ditch the mercury vapor when it comes in