Please do not use the hot glue idea............you said you already did this? Even if you let the glue from a hot glue gun cure for a few day, like we do with the silicone, ***the hot glue will eventually dissolve ! I have tried this numerous times with assrt'd types of hot glue. Some glues start to dissolve in a few days, some took a few weeks. If you want your pets to live, please don't use hot glue !