fbt table

[cornsnakejay]

i'm thinking about making a tortoise table type setup for my fbt's, probably about 6 foot by 3 foot. the question is would it have to have mesh or something covering the top? if the sides were 1 foot high and i fitted an inward facing lip of 3 inches to stop the toads getting out can anyone think of a reason i would still need to cover the top?

[Pipkin28]

Your sig says you have a cat, so that would be a good enough reason to cover the top. It might decide to perch on top of the tank - my cat frequently sits on the viv lid staring down at the inmates!
1 foot high is not that high and my fbt's have been known to shimmy up the 18" of glass of their viv and sit on the stress bars at the top. If yours should manage to get over the overhang and make their way to the floor, your cat could eat them and end up ill or if they're not found, the toads will shrivel and die!
Also, how will you keep the humidity at the correct level without a lid? And their dinner will have a better chance to escape, too!

Just my immediate thoughts!

[cornsnakejay]

i've just noticed i posted this in the wrong place, apologies.

[cornsnakejay]

hi pipkins, i probably should have mentioned that im gonna convert my loft for my reps etc, so the cat wont be getting anywhere near the toads.
ive seen my toads climb up the corners of there tank a few times, thats what gave me the idea about the inward facing lip, so if/when they climb the corners the lip stops them getting any further.
i had forgotten all about the humidity. tho if i do build it i will be having a small waterfall, stream and pond in the setup along with plenty of damp/moist ground and cover. i dont really understand how humidity works but with all that water do you think that the humidity issue could be overcome?

[Pipkin28]

Well, humidity is the amount of water vapour in the air, so if you have an open top the moisture will be allowed to diffuse into the room and might affect your furnishings etc, condensation/damp/mould. Obviously the loft will be warm if you're using it as a reptile room but it could cause problems, is all I'm saying.

If there's plenty of water in the set up then the toads should be ok, but as the sides might be drier without a build up of condensation on them, the toads will probably be able to get a better grip to climb up and possibly out - I'm going on worst case scenario. I don't mean to be a killjoy, honest Call it thinking aloud!!!

Yeah, you'd probably have more input if the mods could move this into the main topic area.

[cornsnakejay]

you aint being a killjoy mate, i posted to see what other people think and for any thing i might have missed.

[Pipkin28]

You know how people can sometimes over-react on this site!! I just don't want to be caught up in an argument, I like the quiet life!!!!!

I'm surprised you haven't had more replies, tbh.

I think the size of enclosure you're planning sounds great, but still think a lid of some sort would be best! I know mine have done everything they can to try and escape! Sneaky buggers!

[LFBP-NEIL]

use a clear perspex lid with some ventilation holes drilled into it, the toads will climb over a lip designed to stop them, I have watched mine before climb up the sides of a glass tank and climb over the glass lips you get at the top of fish tanks,

[Pipkin28]

Originally Posted by pink

use a clear perspex lid with some ventilation holes drilled into it, the toads will climb over a lip designed to stop them, I have watched mine before climb up the sides of a glass tank and climb over the glass lips you get at the top of fish tanks,

I'm glad it's not just mine!! They don't get so much of a chance to do it these days, not since I changed the the set up from a planted 50/50 to a more aquatic set up, they have big, stepping stones and bog wood with a moat all the way round... now they're way too wet to climb too far up. They throw themselves at the glass and climb a little way and then just sliiiiiiiiiiiide back into the water... it's very entertaining to watch!!!

[Mujician]

Clearseal make a coffee table fish tank. Entirely out of glass. I'm sure if you look on their website you may be able to ask a local glass company to knock something similar up for you. Then it would be covered. Simples