# The Great Gecko Project! (Picture Heavy!)



## Recluso (Dec 3, 2010)

So, my vivarium arrived on Wednesday. I've been planning up my build for aaaaaaaages now and have been using some of the awesome builds on here for some major inspiration. It's going to take me a good few more weeks to get completely finished, but I thought I'd share what I've done so far for some thoughts and feedback.

*Information:

What's the Vivarium for?: A Leopard Gecko* *
What's the theme?: Jungle Temple Ruins

Costs so far (rounded up to nearest £):* *
Vivarium: £37
Mahoosive Piece of Polystyrene Board: £7
Stanley Knife: £2
Wood Carving Tools: £2
2 x Plastic Tubs: £2
No-More Nails Type Glue: £4
Total So Far: £54

Stuff Salvaged From Around the House:* *
Wooden Kitchen Skewers
2 x Ceramic Rammikins (food and water bowls anyone?)
* 
* * * *​ 
*Step 1:* Find a way to break into the package wrapped in nine BILLION layers of bubble wrap (Great packing by the way Surrey Pets) and dig out the box of bits you've been stashing. Tools are also good.











*Step 2:* Make sure the space where the vivarium is going is clear. Lets take a look!










Well at least one part of the room is tidy! We'll just ignore the rest of the room. Like that pile of stuff down in the corner there. Lets just pretend we didn't see that.


*Step 3:* Survey our successfully opened package with a moment of pride. Maybe take time to go and get a cuppa. But responsible people also made sure that all the parts were a. present and b. not broken. I did that, just about 10 minutes after I stopped bouncing over the fact the vivarium had actually arrived.











*Step 4:* Lets build that sucker! I'm probably the worst person in the universe when it comes to putting stuff together that's not Lego. For anyone whose never built a Viv-Exotic, they come with instructions! Really easy ones! But a very short while later we have something that looks almost viv-shaped!










And look! It almost matches the bookshelves! There's no lid attached at the moment so I can get in and out easily whilst I'm building as well as giving me oodles of light. That said, it's amazing just how sturdy it is!


*Step 5:* Star attacking polystyrene! Technically The step before is measuring it all out. But that's the boring part. We want the fun part! And the fun part involves attacking blocks of polystyrene with a stanley knife and wood carving tools. Lets see what we've got so far!










Ta-daa! Can you guess what it is yet? No? Well in case you can't, I shall tell you! *insert evil laughter*. What you're looking at is nothing other than a hide! Woo! But that's really just the very bottom piece of the build.


*Step 6:* Cover the entire room in polystyrene before stepping back and realising it might be time to call it a night after appraising the fruit of several hours worth of labour.




















And this is how we're looking so far! I'll be doing some more work later on this afternoon, namely building the the moist hide box and getting some more platforms up. I'm not 100% sure about the top arch at the moment, but I suspect it'll look more awesome when there's more structure for it to correlate to.

One question I have had so far is about how thick the steps should be for a Leo. At the moment they're ranging from about 1cm to 2cm thick but don't know whether that would be too high.


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## the_viper (Aug 18, 2010)

Looking good so far will keep an eye out for progress, I love these builds can't wait to start my own.


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## Swain86 (Jan 23, 2011)

Looking forward to seeing more


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## karategirl (Nov 23, 2009)

this made me laugh a bit  great work so far! wish i had the patience to do backgrouds.... can't wait to see the updates :notworthy:


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## Nymphaea (Jan 11, 2011)

Great start, and I admire your bravery in showing us your 'mess' (which the rest of try our damnedest to hide lol!) :2thumb:


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## Recluso (Dec 3, 2010)

I'm hoping that the awesomeness of my build will detract from the messiness of my masses of stuff (I'm a bit of a packrat)


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## the_viper (Aug 18, 2010)

At least there was nothing that shouldn't have been in view lol


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## Hissy Missy (Dec 6, 2009)

i admire your mess full stop :lol2: i wish my mess was as tidy as yours :whistling2:

good start with the build  : victory:


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## Elaphe (Jul 17, 2006)

This has inspired me =]. I got a 3x 36" stack on the way which im gonna be sorting out for hours on end


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## ch4dg (Jul 24, 2008)

Recluso said:


> One question I have had so far is about how thick the steps should be for a Leo. At the moment they're ranging from about 1cm to 2cm thick but don't know whether that would be too high.


that height is fine.

looks like this is gonna be worth a watch: victory:


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## Recluso (Dec 3, 2010)

*Update Time!*

Although I managed to tear myself away for JUST long enough to do the necessary housework and make the dinner, not to mention give the OTHER animals a bit of attention, I'm learning just how addictive this custom build thing is!

Early on this afternoon we had the beginnings of my custom, ruined temple build that I'm putting together for my incoming Leopard Gecko with one hide and upper level pieced together.

Now, we have even more including a moist hide cave, another hide and even MORE platforms!

Lets take a look! :mf_dribble:

Moist Hide: Attempt 1. This was actually scrapped a short while after I started as I wasn't liking how it was coming together.











The new cave!










I've got a lidded tupperware lunchbox for a moist hide, and this will be camouflaged into the rest of the build by being 'built' into a polystyrene box. I want the moist-hide to be easily accessible so it will have a removable lid. What you can also see behind it is the base platform of the back piece but with another hide cut into the bottom like on the previous piece.










And here's one I made earlier. It's just like Blue Peter! I didn't want it to JUST look like a box, so I've tried to make it look more like a part of the temple that's collapsed in or is surrounded by rubble with the toppled columns on top acting as a handle.

But lets take a look at how it all looks together!










Ta-daa! Starting to look pretty awesome, eh? 










The back piece, as you can see is fairly straight-forward. Because the moist-hide is quite big and bulky I didn't want the back to be clunky as well. So it's fairly simple with just a basic cloister and some steps up onto the platform on the left. The left corner at the back is where one of the food/water bowls will be as it'll afford the Leo a wee bit of privacy.

And this is how it currently all looks together.










Aside from a few finishing touches such as another small arch on the center platform, some more steps and a few more broken pillars here and there for more effect this is more or less how it's going to look. Hopefully before long it'll be slathered with grout!


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## haunted-havoc (Aug 6, 2009)

coming along quite nicely i must say. only critisism i have is that it looks abit too square. remember grout dulls details. so if you make the broken pieces bigger now, they will shirk when the grout it applied. cos it will add a good 2mm to the outside of your build.

but i especially like the knocked over pillar.


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## Recluso (Dec 3, 2010)

Yeah, I noticed after it was together that it looked a bit square. Once I have the framework properly set, I'll be attacking it with a knife to rough it all up as well as using grout to set in more detail


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## jimmythetramp (Jul 6, 2009)

This is awesome! Your gonna have one very lucky Leo when it's all done, I also love your narration through this, very funny, keep those updates coming :no1:


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## Swain86 (Jan 23, 2011)

Starting to take more shape now , cant wait for more pictures


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## the_viper (Aug 18, 2010)

Looks amazing, more, more, more


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## bumbleyjoe (Feb 5, 2010)

Looks awesome, one word of advice tho... try to make sure you hides are acessable by you. I build a fake background for my mums leopard gecko and i made it with one hide with a removable roof and one built into the background, the one that we can acess is the one where the gecko has decided to use as a toilet. Also made one for my tokay and made a cave for her that she loves to hide in, especialy when i need to get her out for vet visits etc, but i cant get her out of it cost its fixed in place! :bash:

So i thought i would pass on my mistakes so that hopefully others will learn from them! :lol2:

But it does look amazing so far! cant wait to see the end product!


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## Recluso (Dec 3, 2010)

Yep, rule number one was 'MAKE SURE YOU CAN GET INTO THE BLOODY THING!'. So it can all be taken out and is 3-4 separate pieces  I'll just be tactically placing some artificial plants to cover the seams


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## JoshN (Nov 13, 2009)

Good progress, hope it's not glued into place though because you have your backboard of the viv on the wrong way around, the fixtures should be facing outside.


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## Recluso (Dec 3, 2010)

JoshN said:


> Good progress, hope it's not glued into place though because you have your backboard of the viv on the wrong way around, the fixtures should be facing outside.


Really? Is that for aesthetic reasons the fixtures should be facing out or structural? Because they're being covered up if it's aesthetic


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## Recluso (Dec 3, 2010)

*Update!*

Well, whilst the glue was setting on some of the polystyrene structures, I decided to go and pick up some grout from Homebase around the corner. The lid of the moist hide box is pretty much complete so I decided to attack that first.

I did however take off the columns as it became apparent that grouting with them attached was going to be a living nightmare. I have also discovered that grouting whilst trying to make as little mess as possible isn't going to work. You're guaranteed to end up making even more.










I was going to grab a tub of grey grout, but found this cream grout. I'm actually thinking this will work even better as I'm planning on making it fairly pale with reddish orange as though it were streaky sandstone ^^ So 3 layers of grout later, we have one covered lid (except for the underside). I've left the texture deliberately quite rough for now, and I'll be sanding it in patches too, I'm sure.


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## Dramaqueen (Apr 12, 2010)

This looks really good! Can't wait to see what it going to look like finished!


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## DeanDavies (Feb 19, 2011)

Lookin Good : victory:


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## Recluso (Dec 3, 2010)

*Update time!*

*Updates!*

Well, after getting a good couple of layers of grout going, I decided that I didn't really like how the pieces were 'meshing' together. So I decided to start over! I was working on a similar concept, a ruined jungle temple, but have built it slightly differently now.

Lets go take a look!










The first thing I wanted to do was change the base. I'd originally tried 3 seperate pieces but it just looked too messy. So armed with my trusty marker I measured up the viv's interior and cut out a single base piece that would also hold my hot and cold hides as well as my moist hide.










Look! It's a new hide! And my marker lines on top show you where it goes!  And yes that is a hole you see on top.










But look! It's a suspiciously fake looking set of rocks! And a really huge hand!










Ta-daa! It's a hidden hide! The 'rocks' will act as holds and I'll still be able to get in and out to chase out any hiding geckos. Genius or what.










This time, I made the hides bigger than they were previously and also made the tunnels in and out a bit chunkier at the same time.










And it's another suspiciously fake looking lid! I'm sure it'll look more convincing when it's painted.










Hey look, it's a dodgy looking platformy thing! I'm still holding to my 'it'll look better with grout and paint' theory. Suffice to say, that hole was where my 'stairs' were going to be but I changed that and patched the hole back up.










Voila! A patch! And some REALLY make-shift steps. What I didn't have a photo of is the fact that the corner of the platform gets a corner block of polystyrene glued in. When the filler is dry I'll be shaping it to look more rocky and this will actually act as a bit of a camouflaged corner for my food bowl to tuck into. It also has the added bonus of stopping the bowl from getting knocked off (how strong are Leos anyhow). Originally I tried some broken columns up top but really didn't like the look.










More stairs! And I am rocking out the spiral steps on top of the moist hide  I kept the lid from the original build as it was definitely usable for what I had in plan. I've also realised that I can chisel in grooves into the grout for stone definition when it's dried. Awesome sauce.

This is where I explain that no, it's not all glued in. In fact, the stairs are attached only to the moist hide lid. So I can take it all out at a moment's notice. In theory.










And like what I have on top of the platform, the water bowl will also be tucked into a rocky looking corner keeping it camouflaged but also secure on the platforms.










Ta-daa! I'm much happier with the fact that it's not all evens Stevens and that one side is fairly opened out whilst another is built up. I'll be added more detail (like trimming back the rock corner) once the polyfiller is all dry and then it's grout time tomorrow! Booyah!


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## haunted-havoc (Aug 6, 2009)

just a thought. that back hide on the left. how are you going to get the lid off with all that stuff in the way? wouldnt it be rather difficult?

its a good start but i still say it looks abit to square. in my mind, yes ruins were built out of stone. but they didnt have set squares so they wasnt perfectly flat when built. and being ruined they would have been worn away by the elements.

a tip i stumbled across a few days ago might help actually.

take the thing out side (ventalation) and take a light to the edges. it will give you a nice random effect and hopefully make the end product better.

if you get at much as you can while its to change, then it makes thing alot easier in the long run. and gives you a better end result.


i really like the idea of a lidded hide. but i think you need to make the cavity between the lid and the surrounding bigger. to accomodate for the layers of grout etc


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## Recluso (Dec 3, 2010)

I think you missed the bit where I said that the steps and centre lid were removable. By removing them the left corner hide is very easily accessible. Once all the polyfiller has dried I will be taking it out and applying more detail which will include 'deforming' the uniformity of some of it. Other detail, such as the grooving in the columns, I will be adding once it is layered with grout with the aid of a finel chisel.


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## Swain86 (Jan 23, 2011)

Looking good again :lol2:
I started getting a little anoyed with mines but i just pushed on through and i like again lol


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## Recluso (Dec 3, 2010)

I like the original concept, I just didn't like the execution  the seperate bases just felt really clunky, same with the moist hide to one side. This way feels a bit neater. I've still got work to do on the detail, but I'm feeling overall more positive.


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## connord94 (Mar 2, 2008)

Looking good! Looking forward to an update ...


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## Recluso (Dec 3, 2010)

Hopefully there'll be one just as soon as my iPhone finishes updating


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## connord94 (Mar 2, 2008)

I know the feeling apple don't half like to keep you updated! I'm on my iPad at the minute


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## Recluso (Dec 3, 2010)

And so the grouting continues! I'm already into my second bucket of grout and I didn't even finish layering up the terrain. Feeling pretty confident with how it's coming along though. Another good layer of grout and then I'll be painting. Or rather, cheating and spraying


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## Swain86 (Jan 23, 2011)

keep up the good work


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## Tehanu (Nov 12, 2006)

Do we get to see final pics?


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## Recluso (Dec 3, 2010)

Unfortunately due to exams and moving house, it got put on hold. But hopefully over the next couple of weeks I'll be ready to go!

And once again it's changing


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## norberg83 (Aug 30, 2011)

Loving the build so far, im hoping to get starte on my own once i move house and this has given me a lot of inspiration!
Cant wait to see how it ends up x


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## Iguanaquinn (Nov 13, 2010)

This is looking good!


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## scotty667 (Oct 14, 2011)

Did you finish this then?
(Looks brilliant by the way)


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## Recluso (Dec 3, 2010)

Well it's been on hold for a while due to a bit of lack of inspiration. But I went back to the drawing board. Again. And I've finally come up with something that I really like.

I went a bit hammer happy and pulled the whole thing apart except for the layer at the back and sides. I really wasn't happy with how the structure was looking and decided I wanted to go for something a bit more natural than a theme (although that's planned for something further down the line).

Here's a few new pics of how it's looking with its first layer of paint. I'm hoping that I can get it all painted and varnished this weekend. I'm wanting to layer up some moss over the top too, make it feel more 'alive' as it were. What you can't see at the moment, is the wet box (which will sit in the hollow at the back on the right) and the small clay hide which I made to go on the warm side of the vivarium on the left.

Pics:




























And then I need to find a gecko. Which I think will be harder than making the vivarium


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## Recluso (Dec 3, 2010)

Dark grey underlayer. Will hopefully be able to start drybrushing later on this evening.


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## em_40 (Sep 29, 2010)

Looking good :2thumb:


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## Recluso (Dec 3, 2010)

Almost done!

Just need another layer of varnish to seal it all and to find a tub that will fit into the right hand side hollow (I underestimated how thick grout would be) and to find some wood for decoration.


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## yuesaur (Aug 29, 2011)

looking good, im on the first layer of grout on my viv project XD
im using a 3ftx1.5x1.5 ft viv for leos though, gone for a dino theme

quesiton: how thick was your first layer of grout, and what tools did you use for groutin


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## Recluso (Dec 3, 2010)

yuesaur said:


> looking good, im on the first layer of grout on my viv project XD
> im using a 3ftx1.5x1.5 ft viv for leos though, gone for a dino theme
> 
> quesiton: how thick was your first layer of grout, and what tools did you use for groutin


All the layers of grout (and there were about seven in total!) were JUST thin enough so they could be applied using a brush. My first couple of layers were a little thinner again so that they would seep into any cracks. I attemped applying a thicker layer by hand but found that I achieved a much nicer effect that was less strenuous on the shoulders by being able to apply it with a brush.

In order to make sure there were no 'brush lines' I would use a sponge to smear it about a bit. But truth be told, some of the lines left by the brush has left some lovely lineation and striata on the 'rocks' which I actually liked the look of.

The main tools I used for grouting were flat paintbrushes with some rags and sponges to clean up as I went and some sandpaper to clean up the edges or any rough bits. I would strongly reccomend the use of concrete floor grout. Much nicer effect as it dries rough and is easy to sand any bits down.


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## yuesaur (Aug 29, 2011)

im using unibond floor tile grout, and my dad insisted on using grouty triangle things


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## Recluso (Dec 3, 2010)

The grout I used was powder, so I was able to mix it to my desired consistency 

Make sure you wear rubber gloves, but you may well find that using rigid grouting tools might not give you the flexibility to get into all the nooks and crannies.

Get a hold of some cheap painter brushes and water the grout down a bit to get in there. Get your hands dirty  You'll find it's lots of fun!


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## Jamesferrassie (Jul 14, 2011)

very nice, looks like a lot of hardwork and thought went into it throughout the whole build.

im currently making my fourth viv background and as youve said its way to addictive.

My grout is currently drying and taking an age to do so being as its in the garage :bash:

If you're interested on how its going, there is a thread named "Ancient Style Themed Viv", check it out!


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## Recluso (Dec 3, 2010)

Jamesferrassie said:


> very nice, looks like a lot of hardwork and thought went into it throughout the whole build.
> 
> im currently making my fourth viv background and as youve said its way to addictive.
> 
> ...


I'm a total perfectionist. Hence why it's had about 3 different incarnations in different shapes and forms. Really, really happy with this one though. The only possible worry I have is that the occupant (or more likely, the crickets) will be able to eat the moss I've glued in. However, I've poured so much varnish into it, that I'm hoping that it's now completely sealed.

My grout took about a week to dry. Leaving it just sitting there and not poking it was agonising  

I only have one tank right now, and will only have one until I can move out. But I already have ideas for critters I want. Which means I'm already drawing up plans for their vivariums xD I might have to get a small invertebrate or something I can keep in a nano-cube just so I can build something else! 

That said, for all the time, effort and money (I'll admit I've wasted about £50 odd in materials every time I went back to the drawing board) I've poured into this, it's really proved itself to be a gratifying project, something I've not had in a long while!

I found a fantastic piece of wood up the hill the other day with some great twisting. That's getting cut down tomorrow so that it can be wedged firmly into the back of the tank to add some 'natural' flavour to break up the rocky feel. It should also be sturdy enough to add a bit of climbing terrain.

Really, all I'm doing now is letting the varnish dry and the vivarium air out. I'm not doing any more painting 'cos I know I'll then either paint it all over again, or mess it up. The only thing I might do, if possible, is coat the moss with a non-toxic epoxy resin that completely seals it off. Not entirely sure what to do, or whether to leave it. I love the effect that the moss has given, I'm just a little worried that crickets will get into it 

And to break up the wall of text! More pictures! Namely new paint to brighten the rock and make the moss stand out again (as it was rather brownish yellow and not that pretty to look at). Excuse the crappy quality, that's iPhones for you!






































And here's also a pic of a little clay bowl I've made that fits into the rockface which I'll probably use as my calci-dust dish.


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## Recluso (Dec 3, 2010)

And finished! Currently awaiting an artificial vine that I intend on using to hide the cables at the back. I also need to put in the moss box. And a gecko. But done, none the less!

Finished pictures.


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## TractorTotty (Jun 3, 2013)

I know I am dragging up this thread (sorry about that :blush but I have just read through the whole thing and looked at the finished viv and it is *AMAZING*!! :mf_dribble: Well done you! Bet Juno loves it in there! I also love how indecisive you where throughout the whole thing haha, even if the 'finished' pictures the viv looks different almost every time! Sounds just like me!

Bry x


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