Caulking and Silocone

[Embers To Ashes]

Im about to make a back drop for my t with some stuff I found around the house. Are any of these toxic to Ts?

DAP brand-
Silicone (100% silicone sealent)
Alex Plus (Acrylic latex caulk plus silicone)
Kwic Seal Plus
Easy Solutions (Kitchen and Bath Caulk)

Loctite brand-
Power grab

 

[teamster6]

I am trying to do the same thing you are. From what I understand the only safe silicone is food grade.

t6

 

[Embers To Ashes]

The 100% silicone sais safe for food contact?

 

[BQC123]

I would say go ahead and use the one that says "safe for food contact". Just be sure it fully cures, no smell, before actually putting animals in.

 

[Embers To Ashes]

what about polyurathane?

 

[lotusracer]

A critical concern for these types of products when used with animals of any type is the particular chemical vapors that are emitted and the duration for which these byproducts are emitted (called outgassing). Even if something claims to be 'food safe' (assumed to be rated by contact with food), you may experience unfriendly things being emitted during the cure time which may last for weeks in many cases. Having this occur in a closed container will just drive up the concentrations which is bad for the critters.
For evaporative driven products (1-part compounds that you don't mix) this will highly depend on the applied thicknesses and the permeability of the substrate. For two-part products this is not normally a factor but a bad mix will aggravate things. In either case the primary cure may be minutes to hours while the full cure (and outgassing) may continue for weeks dependant on the environment (humidity, temperature, light, etc.). I've used epoxy resin extensively for reptile cages since it's got a fairly short (heavy) out-gassing period with a cure time of several hours but don't bring animals into the cages for several weeks after running their heaters and UV lights as low-level emissions do continue for some time.

 

[Embers To Ashes]

The back drop will not be used for about two months after I make it. The reason for this is because it will be used for my little A. versi spiderling, who is currently only 1.25 inches and lives in a large jelly jar, and the back drop is being made for her future home, a midium sized Kritter Keeper.