# Escape artists and lid gaps



## purplecat001 (Jun 23, 2009)

I am new dart frog owner and recently had a froglet escape its tank.  Yes, super sadness. I believe it escaped in the tiny gap where the water pump cord exited the tank. 
So my question is this: I just bought a glass lid to place on top of a 20g Long aquarium type tank. However, due to the living hinge holding the lid pieces together there is approximately 1-2cm gap between the glass lid and the inner lip of the tank top edgeing. So 1)can the frogs "push" the glass upward to squeeze out and 2) is a 2cm gap something to worry about? I may be paranoid, but cannot bare to loose another little frog as I grow quite attached.
Thanks everyone in advance for your advice.


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## Ziggi (Jan 23, 2009)

I wouldn't leave a 2cm gap.
I would say that yes definatly they can squeeze through.
Try to think of an idea to seal that gap or put something over it and still make it useable.


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## reggorf (Oct 24, 2006)

We put weatherstripping around the top edge of the tank where the lid sits on and a piece in the ends of the hinges to sela that small hole. Escapees are not fun and rarely survive. However it does happen to most froggers at some point. Hopefully, you haven gotten it out of the way now. Also, on the back of the lid, we put tape across it to hold it down. We have had vines push up the lid and frogs get out that way. Good Luck.


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## BBoyette (Mar 9, 2009)

I have small gaps also...I went to autozone but you could go to any auto parts store and buy the door trim. It fits perfect.


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## Erikb3113 (Oct 1, 2008)

I put a light bead of silicone around the back to avoid it popping up. i also used a little dab in the gap on the edge of my living hinge. May not be a good idea to do it on an occupied tank. the fumes might be bad. but a little around the edge in a spot or two to hold the lid down would be ok right?


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## SmackoftheGods (Jan 28, 2009)

I highly doubt your frogs are strong enough to push up a pane of glass. The gap depends somewhat on the size of your frog, if you have a bassleri I wouldn't be too concerned with a 1 cm gap, however I have a tank that has a glass top (one of the few of my tanks that isn't an exo terra) and the glass top is cut so there's just barely enough for a small crack in the top, seriously can't be more than 2 mm... I'll tell you this, I'm absolutely paranoid that when I put my uakarii in this tank on Wednesday they'll escape. I'm seriously considering finding a new glass top because of that incredibly small gap.


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## karl47 (Sep 3, 2008)

Maybe that 20g long tank you're using isn't quite tall enough to satisfy your frogs' vertical inclinations? I have 3 Leucs in a 29 tall and 3 bronze & teal Auratus in a 44g pentagon (that's also 21" tall) and both sets are usually satified with perching on the taller plant leaves. I did have 1 escape incident when the glass door was left open for a couple of minutes during an interrupted misting process in the 44g but she survived her day of freedom and dehydration and made a full recovery.


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## Erikb3113 (Oct 1, 2008)

I'd be more concerned with a strong fast growing vine pushing the lid up then one of my frogs.


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## earthfrog (May 18, 2008)

Sometimes they can push a lid up if they're persistent from what I've heard. 
I used velcro externally to close the gap between the lid and the section I created that provides ventilation for the bromeliads.


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## james67 (Jun 28, 2008)

Erikb3113 said:


> I put a light bead of silicone around the back to avoid it popping up. i also used a little dab in the gap on the edge of my living hinge. May not be a good idea to do it on an occupied tank. the fumes might be bad. but a little around the edge in a spot or two to hold the lid down would be ok right?


using silicone while the tank is occupied is not a very good idea regardless of how much you are using.

james


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## purplecat001 (Jun 23, 2009)

Well at the moment the edges are taped down. I just bought some weather stripping as well and will see how that goes. 
As for giving them a more vertical tank, its on the list. I assumed the Luecs were mostly terrestrial like my Aurautus but from the looks of their love of climbing, it is not so. So we will see what I come up with.
Thanks for all the advice everyone.


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## SmackoftheGods (Jan 28, 2009)

Leucs _are_ terrestrial, so you were right. But leucs use all the vertical space as well. It seems to be about 50/50 for me.


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## purplecat001 (Jun 23, 2009)

OK, so the weather stripping worked amazingly to fill the gaps on the sides. Now my fear is that as noted below, one of those little monkeys will push their little heads through hard enough to open the lip of the glass. Anymore advice concerning this? Is it necessary to velcro a latch as well?



earthfrog said:


> Sometimes they can push a lid up if they're persistent from what I've heard.
> I used velcro externally to close the gap between the lid and the section I created that provides ventilation for the bromeliads.


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## Kgbower (Jul 9, 2009)

I have just experienced the same thing, I don't know the exact answer but I would go ahead and seal it, it isn't worth the risk.


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## earthfrog (May 18, 2008)

purplecat001 said:


> OK, so the weather stripping worked amazingly to fill the gaps on the sides. Now my fear is that as noted below, one of those little monkeys will push their little heads through hard enough to open the lip of the glass. Anymore advice concerning this? Is it necessary to velcro a latch as well?


If there's no latch, I would get or make one just in case. You can get the velcro with adhesive on it already from a craft store. 

Others have used magnetic strips, but I wonder about those corroding or metal residue getting into the viv.


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## Dragonfly (Dec 5, 2007)

It will really depend on the plants you have. If you have pothos, that can push up a lid.

The frogs themselves will not be able to push up a lid unless you are feeding them some nuclear powered fruit flies. 

However, I would certainly put some kind of lock on most viv's if you have kids in the house.


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## yumpster (May 22, 2009)

I have a screen top with a specially cut piece of glass on top of it to allow for a small amount of ventilation. It works great and doubles in weight to insure that no frog will ever be able to push the lid up. No gaps either.


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## purplecat001 (Jun 23, 2009)

I will def be putting a velcro latch on the lid as well. My wife thinks I am a freak for being so worried, but the risk is worthy of paranoia 
Thanks again everyone.


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## Erikb3113 (Oct 1, 2008)

I would think unless there is solid ground below the edge for them to use as a brace, there is no way a frog would push up a lid. I doubt they have that good of a grip on the glass. saftey first though, cant ever be too carefull. I used window screen clips.


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