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Keeping the lid on?

A

atomic peach

New member
So I currently have my baby in a 20gal long aquarium with an R-Zilla hinged screen top. I recently installed two locking screen clips on the back portion (had to break them and use double sided tape for proper sealing to the side) and two non-locking screen clips for the front. The locking screen clips are great except that you need to lift straight up (perfect for the back side) and that they leave a small gap due to the screws (nothing paper towels can't stuff). The non-locking ones, however, are causing a pain. I bent them into a shape that allows for correct/optimal locking, but I can still lift the cover up and create a 1cm gap without issue.

Has anyone had issues with this type of screen clip and their snakes escaping? Is there a better screen clip that is still easy to use? Being an engineer and a DIYer, I'm rather tempted to create my own proper screen lock, but I wanted to make sure these clips will suffice for the next few weeks or if I should continue using duct tape to lock the screen down.

FYI: My idea for a screen clip is just a custom aluminum c-bracket with a hinge. It clamps the top of the screen to the bottom of the lip but flips outward for easy removal. The weight/shape should keep it down/on without manual interface, thus preventing the lid from opening enough. Anyone try this before or have recommendations?
 
1 cm gap sounds like a very nice escape route, plus the buggers like to push through anything that remotely resembles a gap, so I certainly wouldn't trust it. Tape it down, or is there any way to make it non-flexible, like a piece of aluminum L-profile or a wooden frame?
 
If the gap's left open, your snake will be gone within a week. Use anything you can to block any potential escape route. Beware that if you use any kind of tape - especially duct tape - they seem to be able to find it and get stuck to it. Removing it is a nightmare.

They can squeeze through gaps which are absolutely tiny compared to their body size, so don't be fooled into thinking a gap's too small. They will find a way...!
 
The first time I tried to feed cleo I put her in her feeding tub inside her viv then left her overnight. In the morning I found she'd ignored the mouse and somehow managed to escape out of the tub! It was one of those plastic Chinese food containers and I pressed down on only two of the corners. The gap must've only been a few mm but she managed it!
 
Invest in a Critter Cage. This website is filled with threads of escaped corns from screen tops. Critter Cage are the only glass cages I know of with zero escapes when the top was closed.
 
I agree with Chip. I use Zilla Critter Cages. They are worth the money and they go on sale at pet stores periodically. They are a no-worry solution.
 
Being a poor college student, I'll have to find a good sale. Though being an engineer, I may just make my own. :D Are paper towels stuffed into the cracks in the back efficient enough at stopping a baby corn or should I silicone it shut (it won't come off very often either way)?
 
Paper towels nor silicone sound like a good idea to me. If you can make your own Critter Cage, my hats off to ya. 50-60 bucks will be long forgotten years from now when your snake is grown. I think the proverb goes "He who buys the best cries only once."
 
I have that type of set up. When the breeder brought Ala to me, she suggested I get some weather striping. You undo the tape on one side, put it around the tank lid, and it makes a nice tight seal when you clamp on the locks. Ala used to get up in the space between the lip of the tank and the lid, but never had an escape (knock on wood).
 
atomic peach said:
Being a poor college student, I'll have to find a good sale. Though being an engineer, I may just make my own. :D Are paper towels stuffed into the cracks in the back efficient enough at stopping a baby corn or should I silicone it shut (it won't come off very often either way)?
Click to expand...

Would need to see some pics of the said enclosure to better judge it. Do you need to remove the top on regular basis or can you make it semi-permanently shut?

I use clear packing tape to make my glass viv tops escape-proof - I rarely take them off, so I simply cut it open and apply more tape when I have to do that.
 
When I had my first snake, I was worried about him escaping, and I didn't have a locking lid, so I did some thinking and came up with the tank straps I have now. I have enclosed photos (sorry for the crappy quality, my cellphone sucks!...)

first pic: webbing like you find on backpack straps! I found it (and the buckles I think) in the Walmart craft section but I'm sure you can find them at any crafty-type store

webbing.jpg


second pic: the buckle! I found the 3-prong buckle dealy (like you see for some dog collars) and the shiny silvery thing below that is a saftey pin that I use to adjust to whichever tank heighth/width.) they work SO well! I've used them for every tank since. My adult BP couldn't get past 'em, and neither can my baby corns lol.

webbing.jpg
 
crap!!!! edit for CORRECT second image *facepalm*

buckle.jpg


I make them as snug as possible, almost like you're trying to squeeze the tank closed lol. works awesome for me, and was super cheap!
 
sorry for the weird paper towels *rolls eyes* I had to find something to show the actual buckle, as my cell phone quality is CRAP it wouldn't have shown up properly otherwise =/
 
*face palm* Why do I always over think these things? The buckle is a great idea for the front! How exactly did you secure them to the tank?

I'll get some weather stripping for the rim around the top as it only makes sense. I've just never worked with sticky type weatherstripping (it's only my first apartment).
 
You can also get heavy duty velcro strips at home depot-same concept, but no buckle needed. I use it around the frog vivs to keep them cat-proof (I don't think the frogs could dislodge the lids-but the cats can!)
 
as one of my cats killed my crested gecko, velcro is not an option (crafty cat would figure the velcro out...). cat's can't undo buckles. the way i have them set up, is i lay the straps on the surface the tank is going to be, set the tank ontop of the strap and then just wrap it around and buckle on top! make sense?
 
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