Fruit Fly Proofing a Zoo Med Terrarium?

[Lynx]

The new terrarium for my GTFs has been sitting empty on a coffee table for about 3 weeks now for various reasons, mostly my fear and being overwhelmed about how to set it up. That's another post.

A few minutes ago, while drinking coffee and watching it stare back at me accusingly, I realized, "whoa, that's a really huge gap around the door, especially on the hinge side!" The image in my head of dozens of fruit flies escaping and crawling about my dining room didn't appeal to me much. Then I noticed the vent, and the top I already knew had to be modified somehow. I've no clue how to go about keeping those little buggers in without breaking the viv or making it exceptionally ugly. Any thoughts? The froglets are getting bigger, and 20g high that I hastily put up as a temporary enclosure will soon be too cramped for them. On that one, I hot glued taffeta to the screen top (temporary, remember?) but couldn't pull the fabric tight without making the holes in the mesh too big. It works, but looks awful.

Be nice, I've never done this before.

[LilyPad]

I would get some no see um screen at your local outdoor/camping type store. I would silicone that over the gap that you're talking about and then you can use it on the top also. They wont escape through that!

[John]

I talk about what I do in here: http://www.frogforum.net/vivarium-te...um-review.html

[Lynx]

I talk about what I do in here: http://www.frogforum.net/vivarium-te...um-review.html

John, how do I go about taking apart the lower vent without breaking the plastic? I fiddled with it a bit though not with much force, and couldn't get it open. Oh, and when you silicone around the door, did you run the bead around the inside or the outside?

Amy, yep, noseeum mesh is our friend, lol.

[John]

Actually I can't remember how the Exo terra vent is put together. I have a zoo med handy and it just pops up and then can be lifted off. I seem to recall there are screws holding the Exo vent on. Anyone correct me please?

As for the silicone, it depends on which method you follow. If you do my one with the razor blade, you need to get it along the door edges mainly.