# My very own fake rock project!



## cat001

After reading a few threads about fake rock background and hides I decided to have a go and see if I could make my very own for my Leos!

Heres how I made mine from the beginning...

After making the apropriate measurements I cut each peice out and checked it all fitted in the terrarium...









I then used cocktail sticks to fixed the peices together, used expanding foam to remove the sharp looking corners and properly adhere the peices together, I also used a lighter to burn in rocky detail...









I then began construction on the first hide...









Then stuck on peices of polystyrene for a rocky effect and burnt in detail then started on the removable second hide..









Same with the other side, and ended up with this...









Then came the grouting, I did 4 layers and added red paint in this example so I could see where I had already applied it..









Then I PVA'd the lot and sprinked sand on it, I did 4 layers for this also









This is the finished result! 
































The geckos seem to love it, they've been climbing up and down it and have been traveling in and out of the hides! I might do another one for my male Leo too! :no1:


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## freekygeeky

looks great how easy or not, is it to clean the poo of the sand?


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## cat001

freekygeeky said:


> looks great how easy or not, is it to clean the poo of the sand?


Not sure yet, but will let you know when one of them goes toilet lol


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## freekygeeky

cat001 said:


> Not sure yet, but will let you know when one of them goes toilet lol


lmao!


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## Bebeop1980

Looks great, well done :2thumb:


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## cubeykc

nice 1


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## holo255

Great Job!
How long did it take you?


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## cat001

holo255 said:


> Great Job!
> How long did it take you?


 About a week in total!


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## thetomahawkkid58

well done, great job..........and looks superb


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## Rexc

Wow Looks Awesome  Great job


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## schwinger2k9

looks gr8, i am about to start my own for my beardie so watch out for my post with pics


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## johne.ev

You can wash it down with a nail brush & water from a spray bottle.
Nice job.


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## Lottie Lou

Wow, it looks amazing.


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## RasperAndy

brilliant well done : victory:


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## Becky Wheeler

That looks BRILLIANT! Well done hun! Fantastic job :no1:


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## The Roach Hut

*re*

a job well done me thinks and im sure they will love it.... hard weaing to


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## nick783

looks great mate im looking to do one for my beardie and one for my geckos but with the geckos how does it work with the heat rising through the poly is it ok?? that is the only thing stopping me with the geckos i cant see the poly getting hot enough for geckos please reply by pm thanks 
nick


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## Marinam2

Excellent Mr smithers 

Looks great and makes the whole thing more interesting for them.

Marina


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## cat001

Just a quick update...the geckos now call it home and have settled in very nicely. They seem to have picked out their favourite hides and i've also had no problems keeping it clean. :2thumb:


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## Tommy123

We need piccies!!!!


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## jm-ze-b

cool, lots of time and effort in that i suspect :no1:


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## MissCat

just looked at both your attempts that uve posted and they look AMAZING! so glad i read them, or my leos would just be in a boring viv. im getting a new viv today for 3 geckos and im definately gonna do this in it for them  ooo what fun! where did u get all the polystyrene from??


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## Becky Wheeler

MissCat said:


> just looked at both your attempts that uve posted and they look AMAZING! so glad i read them, or my leos would just be in a boring viv. im getting a new viv today for 3 geckos and im definately gonna do this in it for them  ooo what fun! where did u get all the polystyrene from??


 
You can get poly from Fish mongers, aquatic shops and you can also buy large sheets of the stuff for insulating sheds etc but using it for your viv of course.


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## cat001

MissCat said:


> just looked at both your attempts that uve posted and they look AMAZING! so glad i read them, or my leos would just be in a boring viv. im getting a new viv today for 3 geckos and im definately gonna do this in it for them  ooo what fun! where did u get all the polystyrene from??


Woo, glad you liked em!  I got a massive sheet of polyboard from B&Q for around £6


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## Matteh

It looks like you only did one layer of grout? Is that right or did you not include pictures? xP


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## cat001

Matteh said:


> It looks like you only did one layer of grout? Is that right or did you not include pictures? xP


I didn't do pictures of each layer lol, I put of 4 layers!


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## reptiles_galore

how do you keep the temps up?
does it go through the floor ok?
looks amazing!


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## cat001

zemon said:


> how do you keep the temps up?
> does it go through the floor ok?
> looks amazing!


Becuase the polyboard was an inch thick I decided to slice it in half on the warm side. The heat from the mat goes through the floor nicely.


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## reptiles_galore

ok briliant


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## taraliz

wow thats fab !


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## Richyroo

well done mate.....i love it soooo much!!!! :flrt:
I HATE CLEVER PEOPLE :lol2:


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## morelia spilota

very cool man


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## .D.o.m.i.n.o.

Im impressed by that,its gotta be said.And it looks like u've bought it,its soo well made.:2thumb:


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## kezza30

*wow i really love that, its fab:2thumb:*

*haha well i wish i could make one for my poor geckos:blush:*


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## nogatsira

Awesome job, started constructing one myself for leopards after viewing this thread.

The sand you're using, is it like the zoo med sand?


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## onemanandhisfrog

awesome good job:no1:


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## cat001

nogatsira said:


> Awesome job, started constructing one myself for leopards after viewing this thread.
> 
> The sand you're using, is it like the zoo med sand?



Pretty much, I used Exo Terra Desert sand, a mixture of red and yellow.


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## WolverineX

Nice viv and good idea about mixing the colour in with the grout!


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