Cat-proofing

[BalefulRose]

Hi

Bought a 36Lx18Dx12H Exo Terra (Low) today in the hopes of having a "cat-proof" enclosure for the beardie we are hoping to adopt from my workplace.

However the top "dips" when my cats sit on it and it is even less stable when the front doors are open. The top front black of the lid section just seems flimsy. I'm concerned and we haven't even adopted the baby dragon yet. Naturally I want to keep beardie as safe as possible.

Any advice on alterations or just alternate products would be appreciated. So far only two ideas come to mind: installing a shelf just above the tank OR buying a metal screen cover to fit over the top?

I also have a 23"x14" wooden vivarium (slide glass doors) but no idea how the heat lamps would work for this and it's obv not a long-term setup.

 

[PatsyB]

I have a similar tank. In the beginning what I did was I took packing tape and arranged it sticky side up around the tank so the cat knew not to jump up there. It wasn't pretty but she got the point. I don't know how old your cat is but my curious one was 13 when we got Dexter and we watched her and realized that she didn't want to get Dexter, she just wanted to watch her. So we made room next to Dexter's tank so she had a comfy place to sit and watch and she never wanted to get on top. When I took Dexter out of her tank I would take her around to all the cats and "introduce" her and let them sniff her (and lick her if they wanted) and it seemed to help them get to know her and learn that she is not so scary. Eventually they got bored with the lizards and stopped obsessing over them. Now she likes to go in their room and just sit on the floor or on a little stool and watch over all the tanks and cages but she never makes a move for them.

I have my tanks on a wire shelving unit now so there is just room for the lights on top. It's also nice because the basking light can clip onto the shelf above it and make it more secure so if she did try to jump up there the light won't fall on the floor.