Topper?

[PipSqueak]

I would like to get a tank topper for my gerbils for Christmas. I have a 29 gallon tank and was going to get a 10 gallon topper and cut into their mesh lid. Since the bottom can be bad for their little feet I was going to use a coconut fiber sheet for reptiles which is 100% safe. My only fear is that they will chew and I will have to take the topper off, this is fine but then I would have to buy a new lid which I don’t really want to have to do this. Should I get a 20 gallon topper instead. The square feet of my 29 gallon is the same as the 20 but it’s just taller so it would fit and if they don’t like it I can just put the top on. Or is this a bad idea because they will not be able to breathe through the coconut fiber. Is the space where the bendy bridge going into the topper enough ( I was planning on using a bendy bridge with moss in the gaps instead of a mesh or plastic ladder. So which is better a 10 gallon or 20 gallon tank topper and will they be able to breathe with the 20 gallon topper?

[Markpd]

Not in a rush then .

I'm not sure I fully understand you, am I right in thinking the topper will cover 1/2 the top of your 29 gall tank? (perhaps you mean the 10 gall topper?) And you want to put a solid floor across it? (bar the access point for the ramp).
If that coconut floor covered the whole of the top of the cage (like maybe the 20gall topper would?) I'd say that's definitely no good for air circulation. If it's 1/2 the tank I'm not sure tbh, it might lead to poor circulation on one end of the tank, but don't take my word for it, let's wait for some people with more knowledge on that to pipe up (which btw I'm sure they will, just don't expect an answer in 4hrs necessarily ).

[PipSqueak]

Nov 8, 2020 15:13:57 GMT -8 Markpd said:

Not in a rush then .

I'm not sure I fully understand you, am I right in thinking the topper will cover 1/2 the top of your 29 gall tank? (perhaps you mean the 10 gall topper?) And you want to put a solid floor across it? (bar the access point for the ramp).
If that coconut floor covered the whole of the top of the cage (like maybe the 20gall topper would?) I'd say that's definitely no good for air circulation. If it's 1/2 the tank I'm not sure tbh, it might lead to poor circulation on one end of the tank, but don't take my word for it, let's wait for some people with more knowledge on that to pipe up (which btw I'm sure they will, just don't expect an answer in 4hrs necessarily ).

Thanks for responding, since you didn't fully understand basically I was wondering if a 10 gallon or a 20 gallon topper is the best. My worries with the 10 gallon is to attach it i need to cut a hole in their lid which is a mesh lid found in the reptile section, but if they end up chewing the bars or something goes wrong then I would have to buy a whole new lid. With both toppers I would use coconut fiber so their feet don't get caught in the mesh bottom, with the 10 gallon topper the air circulation should be no problem but I am not sure about the 20 gallon topper with the only hole would be where the ladder would be. I just need some help figuring out which topper is the best. But you are right more people with more knowledge will come around. Thanks again!

[Markpd]

Ah got ya now, yea with the 20 gall topper and covering nearly the whole floor/roof, that's not going to allow enough air circulation.

Re cutting the lid for the 10 gall topper, instead of cutting a whole in it, how about cutting it in 1/2? That way if you need to ditch the topper you can put the other 1/2 of the lid back on and wire or cable tie the 2 halves back together.

[Mochi]

Hi! So I just bought this sand! www.homedepot.com/p/Quikrete-50-lb-Quikrete-Premium-Play-Sand-111351/206363630. I will be heating to 350 degrees then sifting. Any thing else I should know before play time?

Should the bowl be a certain size? Pictures would be very helpful!

[Mochi]

Oh! I’m sorry! Wrong thread! But any answers on here would be fine too!

[PipSqueak]

Jun 16, 2021 18:14:34 GMT -8 Mochi said:

Hi! So I just bought this sand! www.homedepot.com/p/Quikrete-50-lb-Quikrete-Premium-Play-Sand-111351/206363630. I will be heating to 350 degrees then sifting. Any thing else I should know before play time?

Should the bowl be a certain size? Pictures would be very helpful!

The sand looks good and heating it is always needed. I have an 8 inch pie dish that isn’t super deep and they like that size. It fits in the topper but if it was in their bedding it would be too heavy and big. I don’t know what fish everyone else uses but that’s what I use. I think it’s bigger than normal sand baths but I like to make sure they have enough area to sit in.

[Markpd]

Hmm, not heard of heating child safe or pet safe sand before (I haven't done it so far), I thought that was already done by the manufacturer?
This is what I've used for my boys sandpen - www.wickes.co.uk/Tarmac-Play-Pit-Non-Toxic-Sand---25kg/p/160212 , dried would seem to imply heated?

[PipSqueak]

Jun 18, 2021 10:31:42 GMT -8 Markpd said:

Hmm, not heard of heating child safe or pet safe sand before (I haven't done it so far), I thought that was already done by the manufacturer?
This is what I've used for my boys sandpen - www.wickes.co.uk/Tarmac-Play-Pit-Non-Toxic-Sand---25kg/p/160212 , dried would seem to imply heated?

I think the heating is done by the manufacturers but I think that it is always good to do it yourself especially if the bag just sits in your garage like mine does.

[Markpd]

Ah ok, I keep mine in the hallway in a box. Not as warm as the rest of the flat, but just as dry.
I also get Chinchilla sand from Zooplus for their sandbath (it's finer & they seem to prefer to bath in that), looking at this site for that sand it states it's 'fire dried' (dodgy Google translation of German, lol), so it seems good to me.