Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Will a mesh screen block fluorescent light? I've read that this does indeed happen - but I've also known of many people using mesh to seperate the lizard and the light. If so, what else can be used as a division?

Okay... figured out the screen thing - found something I used making a fence - nevermind.

However, does anyone know of a good heat-conducting substance that is not terribly expensive (i.e. I don't see the point in buying glass) that I could line the floor with to place the heat source under. As wood does not transmit heat welk, I realize that heating the bottom of the tank would be difficult. So any suggestions for either a lining material, or simply a material to make the floor itself out of?

Sorry - getting desperate as I'm shopping for materials today.
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Male & Female Collared Lizards (Icarus & "My Girlfriend Is Still Thinking Up A Name"

If you need the structural support of a solid wooden floor you should line it with expanded PVC, aka PVCX or Sintra or some other names. You should be able to find it at sign shops.

You simply have to cut a hole out of the wooden floor that is slight bigger than your heating element. Cover the entire floor with the PVCX and then place the heating element under that. PVCX conducts heat nicely due to the closed cell nature of the foamed interior.

For this application you might be able to use 1/8" material.

If your cage is solid enough you could possibly use 1/4" for the entire bottom. I've done something similar to this before. I made 4'x2'x2' cages with no bottoms. Then I simply stapled thin plastic material to the bottom and then placed the cage on top of another cage. The top of the bottom cage supported the flimsy plastic bottom of the cage above it.

This made the cages somewhat lighter and also allowed for easy changing of the bottom when it became damaged by water spills, etc.

I'm not sure if I'd want to use PVC for my lizards... Though it's commercially available and generally safe, there are some serious concerns about damage to both humans (and hence lizards) and to the environment in general. The European Union is looking to regulate/ban the use of PVC (I think). Anyhow, just letting you know... don't want to harm any reptiles.
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Peter - Since when did they change the meaning of "for" to "from?"
Brian - They had a meeting about it last night.
Peter - Why wasn't I informed?
Brian - They sent you a card, but it said "For Peter" so you must have thought it was from yourself so... It's just easier to call you stupid.

Sorry, I had not read the original post in a few days. PVCX is easily scratched by many lizards.

Regarding the toxicity of PVC, I'd offer the following to ponder.

Tadpoles of many of the worlds most delicate frogs are raised in cut sections of PVC piping submerged in water. Simiarly, PVC is used in filtration systems for extremely delicate marine organisms maintained in aquaria.

I don't think you have to worry about any accute harm to your lizards.