Owning a 20 gallon tank can be an enriching experience for pet owners because it gives them easy access to various potential pets.
And a 20 gallon tank topper is an essential product for protecting rats, mice, hamsters, and gerbils from their environment, including any overly friendly (and hungry) cats that may also share a living space with these relatively defenceless creatures.
If you’re interested in one of these unique tank toppers, there are a few steps that you can take to protect your pets.
First, you can make one yourself using a few simple steps, which we will outline below to make this process easier for you.
Second, you may find a tank topper on eBay or other similar sites, which can cut back on your building time.
Lastly, you can buy our recommended option to ensure that your tank is as strong and protected as possible.
Let’s break down each of these steps in the article below to make this information more accessible for you to process.
We strongly suggest that you try finding a substantial tank topper before you build one because you’re more likely to get a better result in this way.
However, we know that some people love DIY projects and will enjoy handling these simple steps to get the exact feel they want.
How To Make A 20 Gallon Tank Topper
Making a 20 gallon tank topper will require you to gather several pieces of wood, some fencing, a table saw, a drill, large screws, a wire cutter, a tape measure, and safety equipment.
The wood should be half-inch squares that you can cut to the length and width of your 20 gallon tank. Once you’ve cut these pieces to the proper size, you must cut each end at a 45-degree angle so that they are flush with each other.
Place one of the length and one of the width pieces together along this 45-degree angle and use a drill to drive a half-inch screw into the two pieces.
Repeat this process to produce a rectangular frame that will fit on top of your 20 gallon tank with ease. Next, measure the inside dimensions of this rectangle and cut a piece of wiring that can easily fit inside of this frame.
Tie the wiring to the frame using solid wires, stopping every few sections of the wiring along the side of the frame.
Ensure that the structure and the wiring are strong, and carefully test everything before you decide to use it as your 20 gallon tank topper. If necessary, you can also add heavy weights to the corners of the frame to hold this topper down more fully on your tank.
Getting A 20 Gallon Tank Topper on eBay
If building a 20 gallon tank topper seems like too much work for you, search on eBay for one of these unique items.
Using eBay is an excellent choice because you can find many perfect pre-made tank toppers for a reasonable price on this platform.
In addition, you can either buy them directly from the seller or bid on them, which could help to make the price even lower if few people are bidding on your tank topper.
Start by searching for terms like “20 gallon tank topper” and narrow the focus by adding the name of your tank to the text.
You can also search specifically for your tank’s name and identify any potential extra gear produced for it. Many of these toppers will be official products designed for your tank, though others may be DIY projects made using methods similar to the process discussed above.
When bidding on these types of products, it is wise to set an auto limit on how high you want to bid. eBay lets you automatically bid on different items in this way, immediately increasing your bid every time you’re outbid until you hit a specific limit.
In this way, you don’t have to sit at your computer worried about missing out on your unique 20 gallon tank topper.
The Jotco 20 Gallon Tank Topper
Many different high-quality tank toppers are available on the market today, with the Jotco 20 Gallon Tank Topper being a good pick for many people.
It is suitable for a variety of different pets, including hamsters, gerbils, rats, various lizards, and much more. This product is made out of a strong galvanized welded wire that is assembled before delivery, minimizing your complications putting it together.
This topper includes a simple ramp that you can use to set this topper on your tank with minimum difficulty. In addition, it contains two corner doors that you can open to easily access the cage, including to clean it out, feed your animals, or handle them as needed.
Thankfully, it includes minimal plastic parts, which means that it is much less likely that your gerbil or rats will chew through it at any point.
These toppers can also be used for any 20 gallon tank, not just Jotco products. As a result, it should be reasonably straightforward for you to integrate this product into your tank without significant adjustments.
However, if you find that you need to change anything about the topper, make sure that you’re very careful and that you work with appropriate metal-working tools, such as welders or metal cutters that work with this product.
Do Your Research
As you can see, finding a 20 gallon tank topper isn’t a significant challenge if you know what you’re doing and approach this process correctly.
By fully understanding your options and carefully balancing them, you should easily find a great topper that suits your needs and those of your pets.
Don’t hesitate to try other sources as well, such as finding a pet shop near you that may stock these items or searching on any other website or search engine to find an appropriate topper for your 20 gallon pet tank. Don’t be afraid to seek out the best option to ensure that your pets are safe.
