How do you build a mesh lid?

I would like to build a (plastic) mesh lid for my frog tank.
The current set up makes it awkward to drop food into it.

Does anyone know how or know any good sites that show how to build one?

Would a hinged screen lid work? If this solves the problem, it's easier (and maybe also cheaper) to just buy one, even if you have to mail order it.

For building, what materials do you have access to?

I made some lids with plastic square 'grating' that I found in the lighting section. Just get a large piece and cut to fit.I've also made lids from craft plastic sewing canvas.

This is the mesh lid i made for my juvenile C. pyrrhogaster tank. Its just a wooden frame with some mesh fabric i stole from my girlfriend's craft draw stapled round the edges. On the corners i used metal brackets from a hardware shop for strength. The lid fits snugly inside the tank and rests on the glass lip.

I hope this works works, I've attached two photos of the tank I want to build the lid for.

As you can see, my temporary lid does it's job of keeping the frogs and flies in most of the time (sometimes the frogs crawl up and sit on top of the glass, under the mesh), but requires moving the two bits of wood, the cardboard at the front, and lifting the mesh every time I want to drop something in the tank.

I think some nice hinged lids would make feeding my frogs more efficient

Because I have two "gaps" (lack of a better word), due to that strip of glass in the middle, I would like to create two lids. If I created one big lid, the flies could escape out the other corner.

As pictured, I have a softish, flexible green mesh which I can use for the screen.

I have access to saws, like drop saw, circular saw, regular non-electrical saw and wood glue?

So, my main question is how do I build the frame of the lid?

That tank is a strange design, it almost looks like it should have glass lids on each side? Could you just cut a rectangular piece of perspex for each side so it rests on the glass lips,
and then drill holes for ventilation ?

Chinadog said:

That tank is a strange design, it almost looks like it should have glass lids on each side? Could you just cut a rectangular piece of perspex for each side so it rests on the glass lips,
and then drill holes for ventilation ?

Click to expand...

It's a pretty standard design for tanks over 90cm long, I think it's to help ease the pressure if you put a glass lid or something.
I brought it for $30 and I think it's an ex-saltwater tank.

I think you're right, it should have two lids on either side. I'm not sure on the perspex idea, cause if I drill the holes to big, the flies will escape, but if I drill them to small, the frogs wont get enough ventilation. Once you drill a hole, you can't "undrill" a hole. But thanks for the idea