How to Build an Aquarium Lid With Chicken Wire

Creating a natural, safe habitat is important for maintaining the health and well-being of your reptile. Building an enclosure from scratch can be costly and time consuming. Converting an aquarium into a reptile enclosure is less expensive and only takes a few minutes, but a new lid will have to be constructed. Standard aquarium lids do not provide the necessary ventilation required to sustain lizards and other reptiles. Building an aquarium lid with chicken wire is the quickest and easiest way to provide a secure, well-ventilated top for your reptile enclosure.

Things You'll Need

  • Aquarium
  • Tape measure
  • Permanent marker
  • Chicken wire
  • Wire cutters
  • Heavy-duty gloves
  • Needle-nose pliers
  • 2 small boards
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Measure the length and width of the top of the aquarium. Add 3 inches to both measurements to allow for overlap.

    • 2

      Place the chicken wire on a flat surface. Transfer the measurements from the previous step to the chicken wire, using a tape measure and permanent marker.

    • 3

      Use wire cutters to cut out the chicken wire. Wear sturdy work gloves to protect your hands.

    • 4

      Cut a 3-inch diagonal slit through each corner of the wire, creating four separate 3-inch long flaps. Cut from the outside in, along the seam -- leaving the prongs exposed on one side of each cut.

    • 5

      Bend each of the flaps over to create a lid.

    • 6

      Thread the exposed prongs on one corner of a flap through the enclosed squares on the opposite side of the prongs. Use needle-nose pliers to bend the prongs around the squares in a hook shape. Repeat this step for the three remaining corners, to create the chicken wire lid.

    • 7

      Place the lid over the aquarium. Place two small boards over either end of the lid, to weight it down.