RCReptiles.com

[a_green]

[s_robb]

[a_green]

Ooo, that's true..... maybe I should rethink that. Thanks for pointing that out!

[JLWilliams]

I'd use hot glue to hold the tube in place, then silicone to seal it air-tight.

I use one of these:
http://www.reptilesupply.com/product.php?products_id=341
It's set up for my crested geckos, and I intended to build one for my other animals too. For the geckos it works great!

In terms of an air pump, you want one rated for whatever size tank you have. If you have a 20g tank, you want an air pump that would be good for a 20 gallon tank of fish.

you want the airline to run along the bottom of the tank, just a few inches (3inches or so) above the substrate. Get a piece of plexiglass from a hardware store, and cut a hole in it slightly bigger than your lamp.

Put no other holes in it right now, all holes will do is let air out because you are forcing air in.

This weekend I intend to make one for my AFTs they are in a 15gL so if you've not tried this yet, you can wait and I'll let you know how mine turns out. Any my AFTs have both a UTH and a lamp!

[deborahbroadus]

[JLWilliams]

Yep, hot glue is labeled non-toxic on the packages. It and silicone are the ONLY 2 adhesives I've ever seen used for ANY animal cages, directions for making them, or adhering something to them.

[s_robb]

[a_green]

I actually have had to use hot glue on my humidifier... the silicone refused to seal around the tubing. Just didn't stick at all. I'm trying with a combination of hot glue and silicone. Hoping......

[deborahbroadus]

[JLWilliams]

Yep most glues do give off fumes! (@ Deb no need to feel argumentative, I don;t get defensive easy lol) Hot glue is used mostly for crafting. If you do some research on it, you will see that there are many many many places that recommend using hot glue for reptile and other animal enclosures. The reason hot glue is non toxic is in how it works. Most glues start off as a liquid, and adhere to both surfaces then dry, releasing fumes. Hot glue on the other hand starts off hard (like a plastic) is melted to a liquid, then hardens back up to a solid very very quickly without releasing fumes. Aquarium silicone is actually more dangerous, because if you can still smell the vinegar-like fumes its not safe for inhabitants. Anyone who has ever siliconed an aquarium together knows how long that smell takes to go away lol.

The problems with cedar and reptiles are well known. However did you know that cedar is bad for rats, mice, rabbits, gerbils...pretty much any other small animal commenly kept on it.

***
http://exoticpets.about.com/cs/guineapigs/a/woodshavings.htm

Cedar and pine became popular for pet bedding material because they are good at controlling odor and have some natural insecticidal properties (they kill or repel bugs, especially cedar). These softwood shavings smell nice due to the volatile compounds (e.g. aromatic hydrocarbons, phenols) that are given off. Unfortunately these compounds have been implicated as a potential health risk, especially with regards to respiratory problems (asthma, inflammation, allergic responses) and changes in the liver.

Studies of laboratory animals have shown fairly dramatic changes in liver enzymes on animals housed on cedar bedding.

This in turn can effect the metabolism of drugs including anesthetics, but a direct link between these changes and disease or clinical symptoms hasn't been as clear.

However, based on the studies that implicate the compounds in allergic and respiratory diseases as well as the impact on liver enzymes, it seems prudent to avoid cedar shavings as bedding or litter, especially since alternatives are available.

With pine shavings, the problem isn't quite as clear cut. Pine shavings emit similar volatile compounds but the risks aren't as clear. Many say that drying the shavings releases most of the volatile compounds, so that products such as kiln dried pine are safe. You may still wish to use an alternative bedding or litter completely free of these compounds to be on the safe side.
***
Here is some hot glue info from the MSDS sheets!!

SECTION 2 - HAZARDOUS INGREDIENTS / IDENTITY INFORMATION
No hazardous materials present as defined in 29 CFR
1910.1000, 40 CFR 260 - 281, 302, 355, 370, 372 or
WHMIS.

SECTION 3 - HEALTH HAZARD DATA
INHALATION: No effects expected from product in normal solid form.
Breathing fumes or vapors of molten material may cause irritation of nose, throat and respiratory tract.

SKIN: None expected from product in normal solid form. Thermal burns will result from contact with molten material.

EYES: Contact with normal solid product may cause irritation. Contact with
molten material will cause severe thermal burns to eyes.

INGESTION: Ingestion of solid material may cause gastric distress, stomach pains, vomiting and diarrhea. Contact with molten material will cause severe thermal burns to mouth and trachea.

HEALTH HAZARDS (ACUTE AND CHRONIC): Acute effects are possible irritation and discomfort; no known chronic effects have been established; Product in molten form is hot and will cause severe thermal burns to skin. Excessive exposure to vapors and fumes of molten material may result in respiratory sensitization, causing respiratory difficulties in certain individuals.

Being that I work in a lab I read lots of MSDS sheets, and this sheet is basicly saying this stuff is perfectly safe in solid form. Obviously you don't want your animals to eat this stuff, but if you properly clean the "spider webs" off and remove any loose chunks (if any) then there is no chance of it being injested.

As for hot glue not being good in a high temp/humidity environment...

SECTION 8 - PHYSICAL / CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
Boiling Point
N/A

Solubility in Water
Negligible

Appearance and Odor
Clear to opaque white to light amber solid. Odorless

Softening Point
176F - 212F

I personally cannot think of any reptile that needs a basking point anywhere near 176F. The highest I've seen for any animal is 135F basking spot. So I don't believe the glue has any chance of reverting back to its molten form. the stuff also doesn;t disolve in water, so I doubt the high humidity will affect it.

for those who want to read the whole MSDS sheet it can be located here.
http://www.surebonder.com/download.asp# then click on any of the links that read "XXX_hotmeltglue.pdf" I read em all and they are basicly the same.

[deborahbroadus]

Thanks for posting this! This is great educational information!

[JLWilliams]

Any time! Might want to post that info somewhere else, like the DIY section, or somewhere else maybe. Right now its burried on the middle page of a humidity thread lol

[deborahbroadus]

[s_robb]

[JLWilliams]

Here is some info on Silicone, compiled from various sites.

Is there a diffrence between petshop aquarium sealant silicone, and what you can get at a hardware store?

YES, the biggest diffrence is aquarium sealant is formulated to cure more slowly, which is important to give the person constructing an aquarium time to assemble and smooth out the bead to get a proper seal.

So does this mean you cannot use the stuff at a hardware store?

NO, with a hardware store you do need to be more careful of what you buy. Most importantly is to make sure that it DOES NOT say it is mildew or mold resistant. This means it has added chemicals to kill mold and mildew...IE poisons. Make sure it is 100% silicone, if it is not then that means it has other things added to it. And I wouldn't recommend using this to construct a new aquarium, as this silicone "skins up" in about 5 minutes.

What materials will silicone adhere to?

100% silicon produces a flexible, durable weather resistant seal between similar and dissimilar materials; silicone provides excellent adhesion to tile, glass, porcelain, ceramic, fiberglass, non-oily woods, plaster, painted surfaces, metal, many plastics, and rubber. It will withstand temperature extremes from -60°F. to +450°F. and is waterproof for freshwater or saltwater use. You will note that plastic (which is made from oil) is not mentioned. Silicone is not useful for bonding acrylic aquariums and the oils within acrylic will eventually cause peeling away (lack of adhesion).


Original Article here http://ezinearticles.com/?Proper-Aquarium-Silicone-Applications&id=494321


I couldn't find an MSDS on silicone, well actually I could, just a few hundred, and they way it was listed I had no idea what MSDS sheet went with which product name, I didn't list any info from any MSDS sheets.