# Foam background that comes with some terrariums? Keep or toss?



## Venomgland (Jan 7, 2018)

I like it. Its not bad looking, but will it hold up to the humidity and being partially submerged in water? Its just a small terrarium for a Poecilotheria species. The humidity won't be super high, but I do want to have some live plants in there. 

Would it be best to cut it just below substrate level to keep it out of the water and silicone it in place? I plan on using silicone anyways to keep it in place.


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## user 666 (Jan 7, 2018)

remove it

there are reports of Ts getting behind foam backdrops

Reactions: Agree 1 | Informative 1


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## Venomgland (Jan 7, 2018)

I wonder if they chew threw it?


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## viper69 (Jan 7, 2018)

Venomgland said:


> I wonder if they chew threw it?


Yes they do.

Reactions: Agree 2 | Informative 1


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## viper69 (Jan 7, 2018)

Venomgland said:


> I like it. Its not bad looking, but will it hold up to the humidity and being partially submerged in water? Its just a small terrarium for a Poecilotheria species. The humidity won't be super high, but I do want to have some live plants in there.
> 
> Would it be best to cut it just below substrate level to keep it out of the water and silicone it in place? I plan on using silicone anyways to keep it in place.



I don't use the background for one reason, they take up space. I remove them AND keep them because I never know what critter will go in next.  All you need to do is get ZooMed's cork backing, the dart frog people use it all the time, and so does a member or two on the forum.

@vespers have you ever used that product for Ts? I know you use it for PDFs.


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## The Snark (Jan 7, 2018)

Foam=Incubator. Harbors molds and fungi. It's use in hospital and clinical environments is severely limited since it cannot be properly cleaned.


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## Arachnoclown (Jan 7, 2018)

It's happened to me twice...2"- 4" terrestials burrowing and tearing through.

Reactions: Informative 2 | Funny 1


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## Venomgland (Jan 7, 2018)

Oh wow!.. Yup, I won't be using it. I'll just store it away somewhere.


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## vespers (Jan 7, 2018)

viper69 said:


> I don't use the background for one reason, they take up space. I remove them AND keep them because I never know what critter will go in next.  All you need to do is get ZooMed's cork backing, the dart frog people use it all the time, and so does a member or two on the forum.
> 
> @vespers have you ever used that product for Ts? I know you use it for PDFs.


The Zoo Med cork tile backgrounds? Yes, I've used them with (arboreal) Ts. Works great, looks good, and never had any problems with using them.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Venomgland (Jan 7, 2018)

vespers said:


> The Zoo Med cork tile backgrounds? Yes, I've used them with (arboreal) Ts. Works great, looks good, and never had any problems with using them.


No, I was talking about the foam ones that come with the enclosures from a different company. Sounds like they are a bust with T's

I do have a zoomed cork one for a different setup. Do they hold up to waterfalls running down them?


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## vespers (Jan 8, 2018)

Venomgland said:


> No, I was talking about the foam ones that come with the enclosures from a different company. Sounds like they are a bust with T's
> 
> I do have a zoomed cork one for a different setup. Do they hold up to waterfalls running down them?


@viper69 was talking about the zoo med backgrounds. He mentioned that I used them for PDFs before, so I was initially addressing his question. Exo terra foam backgrounds are junk for tarantulas and often get chewed up. There are better alternatives out there.

Waterfalls are a pain to deal with, and not worth the hassle. (And that's with PDFs, spiders especially shouldn't have waterfalls obviously). They often wind up saturating your substrate and making it a foul smelling anaerobic swamp. The cork backgrounds would create a completely vertical surface, so they wouldn't be very suitable for creating waterfalls without modifying it and/or adding materials. They would hold up for a little while though, I'm sure.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Venomgland (Jan 8, 2018)

vespers said:


> @viper69 was talking about the zoo med backgrounds. He mentioned that I used them for PDFs before, so I was initially addressing his question. Exo terra foam backgrounds are junk for tarantulas and often get chewed up. There are better alternatives out there.
> 
> Waterfalls are a pain to deal with, and not worth the hassle. (And that's with PDFs, spiders especially shouldn't have waterfalls obviously). They often wind up saturating your substrate and making it a foul smelling anaerobic swamp. The cork backgrounds would create a completely vertical surface, so they wouldn't be very suitable for creating waterfalls without modifying it and/or adding materials. They would hold up for a little while though, I'm sure.


The waterfall is going to be for dart frogs..


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## mickiem (Feb 11, 2018)

The Snark said:


> Foam=Incubator. Harbors molds and fungi. It's use in hospital and clinical environments is severely limited since it cannot be properly cleaned.


@The Snark would this include the homemade foam backgrounds?  (Great Stuff, etc.). Is there any way to seal them effectively?  I was planning to make one this week for PDFs. It will be bioactive. Is that enough?


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## The Snark (Feb 11, 2018)

mickiem said:


> ...would this include the homemade foam backgrounds? (Great Stuff, etc.). Is there any way to seal them effectively?


I suppose it is possible, but I have no idea how it would be done.

Take the common material in bath tubs and shower stalls. FRP, Fiberglass Re-enforced Plastics. They tell you to not use abrasives to clean them. The tiniest scratch is enough to give mold spores a harbor to grow. 
Meet your enemies: _Aspergillus niger_ and _Chaetomium sp._. Here is a full backgrounder on the problem: https://inspectapedia.com/indoor_air_quality/Airborne-Particle-Size-Definitions.php


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## mickiem (Feb 11, 2018)

The Snark said:


> I suppose it is possible, but I have no idea how it would be done.
> 
> Take the common material in bath tubs and shower stalls. FRP, Fiberglass Re-enforced Plastics. They tell you to not use abrasives to clean them. The tiniest scratch is enough to give mold spores a harbor to grow.
> Meet your enemies: _Aspergillus niger_ and _Chaetomium sp._. Here is a full backgrounder on the problem: https://inspectapedia.com/indoor_air_quality/Airborne-Particle-Size-Definitions.php


Thanks.  I always learn something from you!


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## StampFan (Feb 12, 2018)

You can always just tape it *behind* the enclosure.  You still get the look of the back-drop without having to put it in....

Reactions: Agree 1


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## pirminiamac (Feb 13, 2018)

Don't know but I do know my hermit crabs like to eat the colour off mine  I've heard crickets like it too. It is completely safe with high humidity and water but I've replaced in other tanks with similar stuff to the zoo med cork bark ones just because you can't beat something more natural, there are some nice alternatives to the zoo med ones out there too


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