Problems with screen lid

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Arachnopeon
Joined
Mar 15, 2017
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9
So i have an arboreal T coming. Almost 3 inches. I have an enclosure ready for her, but the problem is it has a screen lid. I know about how hey can get their fangs and claws stuck but I'm running low on budget and time. Is there any way to have a quick, DIY fix that i can do using materials commonly found at home? it's a screen that looks pretty much like this:

I saw someone post about putting tape on the screen from the inside while leaving the middle open for ventilation but I'm wondering if an arboreal species still manage to get itself stuck in the middle part that isn't taped. I really like the enclosure and doubt I can afford any materials to make a new lid and I'm getting worried. I thought about just covering the entire lid interior with tape and drilling holes in the terrarium for ventilation but I have no experience with drilling through glass and I might break it. Tips anyone?
 

KezyGLA

Arachnoking
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Apr 8, 2016
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I have more than a few arboreal in with screen top and tape method. No issues yet. I would worry more with terrestrials
 

nicodimus22

Arachnomancer
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Sep 26, 2013
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715
Clear packing tape over most of the inside of the screen would lower the risk but still allow for ventilation for a short-term fix.
 

Jerry

Arachnobaron
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Jan 1, 2016
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594
My advise if you have to use that lid plexiglass cut to fit inside drill hole and faster. It in another T walks on Plexi instead of mesh
 

DrowsyLids

Arachnosquire
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Dec 4, 2016
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95
I replaced mesh with a small acrylic sheet that I bought at Home Depot for maybe 5 or six bucks. I drilled holes in it and hot-glued it to the frame that the mesh was attached to. I will admit I'm not a handy man and the job looks terrible but it was NOT pricey. Note that I used a drill bit attachment on a Dremmel for the holes which is why they're all scratched but if you have a cordless drill I'm sure you could make clean holes with a steady hand
 

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Rittdk01

Arachnoknight
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Oct 4, 2016
Messages
258
I use black gorilla tape. you can leave the middle open for ventilation, or cover the entire thing in tape and poke or burn holes. the black gorilla tape looks reasonably sharp when done. I really don't know why this isn't the first suggestion to the screen top problem? Most people with screens are newbies, and unlikely to actually go to the store and get acrylic cut, buy a drill, buy a glue gun and fix it. now a roll of tape I see happening.
 

Venom1080

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I use screen for 4 of my arboreals, 2 adult Poecilotheria, one subadult A avic, and one 4" male P vittata. Never had a issue for arboreals. They're much more adept at climbing then terrestrials are.
 

bryverine

Arachnoangel
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Apr 18, 2012
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I replaced mesh with a small acrylic sheet that I bought at Home Depot for maybe 5 or six bucks. I drilled holes in it and hot-glued it to the frame that the mesh was attached to. I will admit I'm not a handy man and the job looks terrible but it was NOT pricey. Note that I used a drill bit attachment on a Dremmel for the holes which is why they're all scratched but if you have a cordless drill I'm sure you could make clean holes with a steady hand
It looks like the dremel was walking all over.

Try a smaller bit (both diameter and length) to start a hole and make pilot holes and you'll see improvement in starting larger holes. I've also used an awl and push (by hand) starter spots like you would when using a center punch.
 

basin79

ArachnoGod
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Sep 14, 2013
Messages
5,893
I just use a soldering iron to make holes. Really quick and mess. Of course it depends on how thick the material is.
 

Anoplogaster

Arachnodemon
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Jan 15, 2017
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The tape around the sides of the screen top work fine. I'm not sure whether or not an arboreal T is capable of climbing completely upside down, but I've never seen them do it. So the odds of it getting caught in the open middle portion are probably pretty low.
 

Venom1080

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The tape around the sides of the screen top work fine. I'm not sure whether or not an arboreal T is capable of climbing completely upside down, but I've never seen them do it. So the odds of it getting caught in the open middle portion are probably pretty low.
they most definitely are. i see my vittata and A avic here and there upside down.
 

grayzone

Arachnoking
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Jan 17, 2011
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2,461
So i have an arboreal T coming. Almost 3 inches. I have an enclosure ready for her, but the problem is it has a screen lid. I know about how hey can get their fangs and claws stuck but I'm running low on budget and time. Is there any way to have a quick, DIY fix that i can do using materials commonly found at home? it's a screen that looks pretty much like this:

I saw someone post about putting tape on the screen from the inside while leaving the middle open for ventilation but I'm wondering if an arboreal species still manage to get itself stuck in the middle part that isn't taped. I really like the enclosure and doubt I can afford any materials to make a new lid and I'm getting worried. I thought about just covering the entire lid interior with tape and drilling holes in the terrarium for ventilation but I have no experience with drilling through glass and I might break it. Tips anyone?
Never use tape on an inside of an enclosure. Ive seen too many threads where thay went horribly wrong.

Go to home depot and get a sheet of cheap acrylic for dirt cheap and drill some holes in it. Silicon it to the inside of the lid
 

grayzone

Arachnoking
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The tape around the sides of the screen top work fine. I'm not sure whether or not an arboreal T is capable of climbing completely upside down, but I've never seen them do it. So the odds of it getting caught in the open middle portion are probably pretty low.
All ts can climb completely upside down.

When i was new i had major problems with screen lids and snags, as well as falls. Screen lids aren't the best/sagest idea
 

Andrea82

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Jan 12, 2016
Messages
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I use black gorilla tape. you can leave the middle open for ventilation, or cover the entire thing in tape and poke or burn holes. the black gorilla tape looks reasonably sharp when done. I really don't know why this isn't the first suggestion to the screen top problem? Most people with screens are newbies, and unlikely to actually go to the store and get acrylic cut, buy a drill, buy a glue gun and fix it. now a roll of tape I see happening.
The thing with tape is, what happens if a small piece got loose? Or a T chewing on it? Then you have a potentially more dangerous situation on your hands than even a screen lid is. What if a T gets stuck to it? Losing a limb is the least of your worries then...
 

Jeff23

Arachnolord
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Jul 27, 2016
Messages
620
You may be able to find a cheap solution by using hot melt glue and some type of plastic on the bottom side of your lid. This assumes that you might own a hot melt glue gun of course. Just make sure that what you attach is firmly attached and safe if moisture occurs.

EDIT* Note wording change above.
 
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Tim Benzedrine

Prankster Possum
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Apr 4, 2004
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1,496
With due diligence it is an option, I think. I periodically check the one I had to tape for signs of chewing or detachment. I was having a problem with my LP screen-climbing. Since I made the modification, I haven't caught her up there a single time, nor have I detected any signs of danger in regard to the tape being chewed or coming loose. Granted, I'm not watching 24-7 but given the frequency of her previous expeditions, I'd be inclined to believe that the tape put a halt to it else I'd catch her in the act again.

It probably should be considered a temporary fix, when the LP gets rehoused to his permanent enclosure, I'll more than likely take the plexi-glass lid modification route.
 

KezyGLA

Arachnoking
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Apr 8, 2016
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Throughout the years I am yet to have had a T chew or get stuck in the tape. If you use cheap tape then its a possibility if it comes loose I suppose. You get what you pay for.
 

Rittdk01

Arachnoknight
Joined
Oct 4, 2016
Messages
258
The thing with tape is, what happens if a small piece got loose? Or a T chewing on it? Then you have a potentially more dangerous situation on your hands than even a screen lid is. What if a T gets stuck to it? Losing a limb is the least of your worries then...
This is strong as f gorilla tape. A tarantula could chew through the screen easier than this stuff. I have it on all my screens and have never had anything chew on it. They can't really hold onto it like they can the screen, so not much opportunity to chew.
 
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