Are you worried about noises outside your reptile’s tank stressing your pet out?
Have you been looking for something to reduce the noises or the sound waves your reptile might hear?
If you live in a noisy area in a city or have loud neighbors or even children, you might be considering how to soundproof your reptile’s tank.
Some reptiles, like bearded dragons and leopard geckos, might be bothered, stressed, and even intimidated by strange or loud sounds.
Soundproofing is a great way to keep your pet reptile calm and secure.
There are items available to purchase to make this an easier process.
Read on as we discuss how to soundproof your reptile’s tank.
Table of Contents
What You’ll Need
Sound Absorption Sheets
These sheets will not totally block the sounds you are trying to protect your reptile from, but they will absorb them.
These are an expensive option but do cover a large area.
Some of the larger sound absorption sheets will measure approximately 8′ feet by 4½’ feet.
Other Sound Absorption Ideas
There are other options when it comes to sound absorption, including soundproofing wall panels made of foam.
These panels have a lower price tag than the sound absorption sheets but are still going to cost you a pretty penny.
If you are looking for a simple, inexpensive option, one or two very thick blankets will be effective at blocking some noises.
Clips, Hooks Or Hangers
Find some clips or other hanging materials to attach the sound absorption material to the tank’s walls.
Use bulldog clips, heavy-duty picture hanging strips, or other hangers depending on the weight of soundproofing materials you end up selecting.
You will also need clips to attach the soundproofing material directly to the tank.
Hooks with suction cups work great if your tank is glass or plexiglass.
Scissors or Box Cutter
A pair of scissors you have around the house or even a box cutter may come in handy for this project if you need to cut the materials down to size.
Purchase box cutters at your local hardware store, if you don’t have any handy in your home.
Tape Measure
If you have a tape measure around the house, this is handy to have for so many projects.
For this, a tape measure will be used to determine the number of soundproofing supplies you will need.
Step By Step Instructions For How To Soundproof Your Reptile’s Tank
In this section, we will give detailed information on how to soundproof your reptile tank.
Doing this is not a difficult or time-consuming task, but if your reptile is particularly sensitive to sounds, this is likely to prove helpful.
#1 Measure The Space
Measure the tank and walls alongside the tank to determine how much sound absorption material you will need to purchase and hang.
For optimal sound absorption, you will want to add the material to the wall and the tank.
This prevents the sound from hitting the wall and bouncing back right onto the tank.
#2 Begin Hanging The Material On The Wall
Once you have selected and purchased the soundproofing material you would like to use; the next step is to begin hanging the material on the wall.
This is where you will be using the clips or other hanging items.
If you selected the foam, you might need the scissors or box cutters to cut some of the pieces to fit.
#3 Focus On The Tank
Once you have the walls next to the tank covered, you will move on to the tank.
Attach the clips or hooks to the tank.
This is made especially easy if you are using suction cup hooks or clips, and the tank is glass.
Keep in mind what kind of tank you have when you are looking at what kind of clips to use.
If you are using clips and the sound absorption sheets, simply attach the sheet to the tank like you would clip clothes onto a clothesline.
Attach the sheet to the back and one side of the tank, leaving the top and front exposed and open to natural light.
Apply the foam sound-absorbing tiles in a similar way to how you applied it to the surrounding walls.
Make sure you still have access to the tank to clean, feed, and handle the animal as necessary.
Once this is all attached to the tank, you are finished and will hopefully have a happier and less stressed reptile.
Variations
If you opt for the inexpensive thick blanket option, something you might already have sitting around the house, you would have it easy to attach it to the tank.
For the first option, attach the blanket or blankets with hangers or hooks, much like you would have with the sound absorption sheets, working from the back to the front.
The other option is a very simple trick.
All you need to do is cover the tank with the blanket, laying it over and covering it.
The downside to this is, the tank is completely covered and doesn’t offer any natural light for their regular day and night patterns.
The blanket option is a great starting point if you are trying to determine what might be stressing your reptile.
If the blanket as a sound absorber works, and you find the noises have been causing issues for your pet, you might look at investing in something better.
Commonly Asked Questions
Are Reptiles Bothered By Sounds?
The short answer to this question is that some reptiles are more bothered by sounds than others, which is true even of animals of the same species.
Loud or strange sounds often intimidate and stress reptiles.
The major reason behind this is a deeply ingrained instinct in the animal.
When they hear a strange or very loud noise, they could become agitated because they are worried about the possibility of a predator.
No one wants to become someone else’s meal, so these loud sounds cause stress and intimidate your pet.
If the noise continues over a lengthy period or happens consistently, the animal is very likely to be stressed enough to cause health issues.
What Noises Bother Reptiles?
You will find certain noises bother some reptiles more than others.
Some reptiles have issues with music or television, but turning it down and moving the tv or stereo farther away from the cage is a simple solution.
The issues often occur when the volume is too high or is dependent on the bass vibrations.
Other noises like a vacuum or a hairdryer are triggers for some reptiles, and others are affected by car horns honking or construction work on the street.
Noises from children or other household pets might be harder to control, but often do scare reptiles in the home.
If you notice a specific sound bothering your reptile, it is important you respect their feelings, and make efforts to limit or reduce the issues.
This will help prevent them from long term stress and the health issues stemming from stress.
Prolonged stress is harmful to most reptiles.
Should your reptiles suffer from prolonged stress, they might have their growth stunted, develop health issues, and have a weakened immune system.
What does all of this mean?
This all leads to serious health issues and possibly a shortened lifespan.
How To Tell If Noises Are Bothering My Reptile
If you aren’t sure but suspect your reptile is upset by the noises around them, you might notice them exhibiting certain behaviors.
Your reptile might spend an excessive amount of time in their hides, trying to avoid the situation if noise bothers them.
These hides you add to their home are their safe spaces, so they only make sense they would retreat there when afraid or intimidated.
Besides hiding, the animal might lack appetite, a behavior directly linked with prolonged exposure to the noise, and the stress stemming from it.
This loss of appetite is not something you want to see at any age, but especially in juvenile or baby reptiles.
At this age, reptiles do most of their growing and need to be taking in all the nutrients you provide.
You might notice other submissive behaviors coming from your reptile if they are upset by noises.
For example, a submissive behavior from bearded dragons is arm-waving, and head bobbing.
Doing some research and just knowing and understanding your animal will give you a good baseline for understanding what signs they are giving you and what those signs mean.
Conclusion
Soundproofing your reptile’s apartment is sometimes costly if you go for the higher end supplies, but major sounds can be effectively blocked using a blanket you have around the house.
Loud sounds outside your home, or even inside startle and stress your reptile, and stress is detrimental to their health.
Understanding how to soundproof your pet’s tank will be beneficial if your reptile is particularly sensitive to these noises.
