Yesterday we went into the city and we were shopping around and my hubby and i bought some new fish for our fish tank and I got another Hermit crab. I asked him if we could stop in Lowe's and look around...and he said "You simply don't look around Lowe's"  Which is fairly true...lol but I told him I wanted to look for stuff to cover the carpet with for Bud's enclosure that I"m building in the one spare room. He asked me if I could just use some plywood... To which I said, would probably be too hard and I would have to cover it with a throw rug or something (right?) Then he said Bud would probably try to eat or chew on the throw rug anyway... 

He had a bout of Sore hocks a couple of weeks ago...which I mentioned on here. I have been checking them every other day or so and they seem to be healing and scabbing over. Either way...probably should make sure there is extra padding anyway...

Would plywood be sufficient to cover his play area and the carpet? Yea, it would probably cover well but Is it safe? 

Of course it would have to be unstained and  untreated....

I had a piece of plywood lying in an area that Ruby likes to sneak in to. At first I didn't really care, I figure they eat wood anyways right? But then It made me really nervous because if they bite it in a certain way the piece that comes off looks like a big splinter. I wouldn't want it in their little tummy.

And I'm not sure but untreated would soak everything up if there's a spill, wouldn't it?

I had thought about the splintering too and had actually said something about it to him...

Hadn't considered it would soak up any spills...

I was going to get these tiles that I found at work...I'm not too good at measuring but I think it was about 1/8' thick....But I think they just lay flat...I don't think they get glued to the floor or anything... Kinda why I wanted to go to lowes...He is off on Friday maybe we will go over then.

The flooring will probably be one of the last things I get and install....so I have some time to consider.

Time is good! If it helps, Mine has an area with chloroplast underneath it, it's waterproof but she doesn't like standing on it because she slips a bit. So I put that and then I found these little carpets that are meant for pets that are wicking in case there's any messes and they're machine washable. Maybe there's something like that locally!

chloroplast? I've never heard of that... *opens google*

We don't have a washing machine at our house, which totally sucks. Where we used to live we had a dishwasher, a washing machine and a bathtub...

So we'd have to hand wash it or take it down to the laundry mat so I'd have to get lots of extras... Do you remember the brand? Next time we go to the pet store "in the city" I'll have to ask if they have heard of anything like that..

We have a cage for Skipper. In her cage we have plywood covered with the sticky tiles. She really seems to like that. I'm worried about Bud's sore hocks. Are you going to give him a soft place to recline?

His hocks are much better...and yeah, i'm ordering him a fluffy bed....which hopefully he will use.

That's kinda what i was thinking with the sticky tiles but I still run the risk of him digging it...but I guess that's pretty cheap so it wouldn't be too bad.
I was considering put a piece of plywood down (bigger than the intended enclosure) and putting a couple of blankets or something under it (our apt has carpet on top of hardwood that was painted, no padding =Problem) and then the sticky tile over top and then probably some cheap throw rugs...

The one that I have is by vetbed, glad his hocks are better I like her having a carpeted area because she plays much more than if she's on tile or hardwood

I would too but he will dig it up and eat it...which is very bad...

I wish I could find a way for him to be on carpet and not try to eat it...*sigh*

Have you tried the outdoor carpet with him? The one that doesn't have actual fibers that he can yank up? Sort of like the kind that Bullrider uses in for his buns' enclosures? I would think the tiles would be good. It's easy to clean up and if you put a border around the edges it won't get pulled up. Skipper scratches as her tiles but she hasn't been able to dig them up.

Any flat woven carpet is good for that, I have some from the dollar store in one of the areas she plays, I don't think there would be a problem. Ruby is a big digger and the vetbeds have lasted through that, she's not one to chew on them though so I don't know how resistant they are to sharp little teeth