Reptile & Amphibian Forums

You all know how handy I found the plastic canvas (pc) for covering soil in pots - well, I am also using it in my cricket homes! I began by using it for small silkies b/c the frass falls right thru and then I thought - cricket poop! I tried this a few weeks ago and it is working like a charm. I use glass tanks for my crix as I find it easier to deal with than the plastic containers, which always have hills and valleys in the bottom. I put down several layers of pc to fit right up against the corners. You can buy it in larger sheets (11x17 - or there about) so you can cut it to completely cover the bottom with just one piece. I put about three layers beneath the final large one. All their poop falls through - all of it! It stays off their food, out of their cardboard villas and townhouses and even off their tiny little feet!

I think I was having an allergic reaction to either their frass or shed skin not sure which but every time I cleaned out a tank I had a reaction (got to the point I was wearing a little mask anytime I dealt with them!) - so I tried this. Now I don't feel as pressured to switch Luna off them and on to silkies as this solution has worked great!

I don't know how well it would work in the plastic containers b/c the crickets will find a way underneath - and I find that they often don’t find their way back out - so it sort of defeats the purpose. However, if you could secure it so it is flush to the sides it should work.

Now, did that all make sense??? Raf - any comments? Or will you just wait until I embarrass myself with some non-genius event? LOL!

lele - the genius
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0.1 veiled - Luna
0.2 green anoles Jaida & Jetta
0.1 brown anole - Jamaica
0.2 house geckos - Gaia & Tia
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Líta

Lele i read it 3 times and still have no idea what your talking about . I will how ever keep reading your posts because i know one day with all that time you have on your hands you will come up with an idea that will pay off for the herp world.
Keep the fires churning in your head a great idea is finding it's way to the top lol..

Do you know what plastic canvas is? I guess I made an assumption there! Go to this link: www.valhandmadecrafts.com/ajcraftsupplies-plasticcanvas.html It's used for needle crafts and can be bought in any craft store.

A couple weeks ago I posted my solution and pix of using it to cover soil in pots (for soil-eating cham's) as it is much easier to work with than screen. Luna ate the moss and anything else I put down!

If you buy several sheets and put it on the floor of your cricket home (I use glass tanks) all their poop falls thru and it doesn't get in their food - etc.

As for all my free time...yeah, it probably does seem that way, but in fact I am an extremely busy woman being in school and working and having a little bit of a life. I work from home and am at my computer - a lot! So throughout my day I hop over to the forum whenever the mood strikes me - too often!

As for the remark to Raf (wraithy)- he'll get it.

>>Lele i read it 3 times and still have no idea what your talking about . I will how ever keep reading your posts because i know one day with all that time you have on your hands you will come up with an idea that will pay off for the herp world.
>>Keep the fires churning in your head a great idea is finding it's way to the top lol..
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0.1 veiled - Luna
0.2 green anoles Jaida & Jetta
0.1 brown anole - Jamaica
0.2 house geckos - Gaia & Tia
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Líta

Hey Lele,
I use the new Glad Press-N-Seal. I also use it to line the bottom of my plastic cricket containers. It makes cleaning up much easier.
Cricket

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Kim

hmmm...not sure how to take that
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0.1 veiled - Luna
0.2 green anoles Jaida & Jetta
0.1 brown anole - Jamaica
0.2 house geckos - Gaia & Tia
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Líta

you know I only think good things about you.

You're the best chameleon mommy out there!
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Kim

n/p

so, you'll buy my next invention??? LOL!!!
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0.1 veiled - Luna
0.2 green anoles Jaida & Jetta
0.1 brown anole - Jamaica
0.2 house geckos - Gaia & Tia
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Líta

I stand by my belief that you are truly a genius, Lele... LOL!!!

BTW, how are the nose piercings??? LOLOLOLOL!!!

-wink-
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Raf

1.2 Jacksons Adults (Frank, Patty, Lucille)
0.0.1 Jackson's baby (George, R.I.P. 11/17/2003)
1.1 Nosy Be's (Mars and Roja)
1.1 Veiled - No Names Yet
0.1 Adult Sulcatta (POOPIE,I bought it from Victor at Kobey's in SD)
0.0.2 Baby Sulcattas (frick and frack)
1.0 Home's Hingeback Tortoise (SPEEDY, From Victor as well)
1.2 Red ear slider babies (Hingis, Dingis and Dorkus)
0.0.1 3 toed box turtle - No Name Yet
0.0.1 Gulf Coast Box Turtle - No Name Yet
1.0 Red Siberian Husky (Harley)
0.1 Black Lab (Krissy)
0.1 English Bulldog (Alice)
0.1 Blue Merle Great Dane (Wednesday)
Saltwater Fish and Inverts too

A great big mohawk, but no nose piercings!

Hahahaha! gotcha no mohawk either, just kidding.
I won't reveal what she looks like, but she does look very young.

She must get a lot of rest lounging around in her home so it has kept her very young looking. LOL

Plastic canvas, so that is plastic canvas. Now it makes sense.
I have a friend that uses that stuff to make those mug rug thingies. Wow that is a much better use for that stuff.
I get the same kind of allergy from my cricket bin. I am going to try it out. I guess I can get that in a craft store.

ok maybe you are a semi-genius

Thanks for the compliment Sonia! it's in the genes - at 49 I have more gray hair than my Mom at 76 - and that's only b/c I take after my Dad's side of the family!

one of these days I'll post a pic of me and Luna so everyone will now what the forum genius looks like!!!

yeah, plastic canvas is geat stuff! You can get it at any craft store (Michael's in FL?) or probably Wal-Mart. I don;t shop there so I don't know for sure. It costs about .30 cents/sheet amd comes in lots of colors! I jsut covered her new croton with green to match the green pot! haha!
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0.1 veiled - Luna
0.2 green anoles Jaida & Jetta
0.1 brown anole - Jamaica
0.2 house geckos - Gaia & Tia
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Líta

I was just thinking about designing something to make clean up easier! Ok genious! You just made me save a ton of time, it would have taken me forever to think of that! thanks-Maggie

I had begun to absolutely HATE crickets and was coming up with some rather complicated solutions - until I hot on this one! Cheap and easy!
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0.1 veiled - Luna
0.2 green anoles Jaida & Jetta
0.1 brown anole - Jamaica
0.2 house geckos - Gaia & Tia
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Líta

I know what you mean by 'plastic canvas'. I use this stuff as inserts in my bonsai pots drainage holes. Allows water to flow through while keeping soil in and bugs out.
Someone mentioned the Glad press-on product on the market. Maybe you could use this in conjunction with the canvas to help with clean up time. You mentioned you were having reactions during cleaning of the crickets' enclosure. I'll bet your allergic reaction is due to the frass.
Now you have me thinking (which could be dangerous). I wonder how this stuff would work in creating temporary housing for baby chameleons. Big Tattoo (where IS he, anyways!) said something about how he would create these little individual enclosures for his baby jacksons; he was having almost 100% survival rate using this method. Maybe the mesh on PC is too wide, allowing fruit flies and pinhead crix/silkworm to pass.
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Victor Gomez
gomezvi.tripod.com/sdchamkeepers/
gomezvi@yahoo.com

yeah, Big T disappeared right when the old forum switched to the new. he didn't strike me as being someone to get lost in cyberspace just because of a change in location! LOL!

The PC comes in different sizes 7, 10 and 14. The numbers correspond to holes/inch. I think the 14 is harder to find in a brick and mortar store but here's a site for it online. I would think the 10 would be sufficient to keep the pins in but not sure about the ff, unless you use hydeii. the 14 should keep everything out. Try it out and let us know about YOUR new invention
plastic canvas

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0.1 veiled - Luna
0.2 green anoles Jaida & Jetta
0.1 brown anole - Jamaica
0.2 house geckos - Gaia & Tia
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Líta

Hey, we Dart froggers like to use Nylon. When creating a tank for Darts we use nylon layered over regular window screen. THe screen for strength, and the Nylon to keep rogue flies to a minimum. Maggie

I'm assuming you don't mean nylon hose.
What sort of nylon?
>>Hey, we Dart froggers like to use Nylon. When creating a tank for Darts we use nylon layered over regular window screen. THe screen for strength, and the Nylon to keep rogue flies to a minimum. Maggie
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Victor Gomez
gomezvi.tripod.com/sdchamkeepers/
gomezvi@yahoo.com

Hi: Oh no, not nylon-the hose. Perhaps I used the wrong name. It is a nylon fabric with no stretch. You can see through it, it comes in many colors. Ah, putz! I'll go to the store and look into what fabric people call it. Every Dart Frogger knows what I'm talking about...let me get you the fabric name. Maggie

maybe the fabric for them?

>>Hi: Oh no, not nylon-the hose. Perhaps I used the wrong name. It is a nylon fabric with no stretch. You can see through it, it comes in many colors. Ah, putz! I'll go to the store and look into what fabric people call it. Every Dart Frogger knows what I'm talking about...let me get you the fabric name. Maggie
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0.1 veiled - Luna
0.2 green anoles Jaida & Jetta
0.1 brown anole - Jamaica
0.2 house geckos - Gaia & Tia
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Líta

Yes, I think so. Ahhh.. I still haven't gotten to the store. But, yeah,a sheer curtain type fabric would do it too. You can see through it, air passes through it, but the fabric is too tight for flies to get through. Another option anyways.