# natural stone/rock vivarium



## scottiej (Dec 1, 2010)

Hey guys haven't been on here for a while and I've been thinking about redesigning my beardies Vivarium as he seems a bit bored and hasn't got a huge amount to climb on, just his big basking rock and a few other stones. 

The thing is I've seen all the fake rock backgrounds but don't really want to take that route, instead I want to use real stone to make some platforms and ledges for him to climb on but do it in a way that maximizes his floor space.

An old pic of his viv, I now have slate on the floor instead of sand though as its easier to keep clean, just haven't got any pics.









I've searched for ages and can't find any viv builds using much real natural stone apart from a few where rocks have been stacked up and stuck together, also something I don't want to do.

Does anyone have any pics of or links to some good natural stone/rock viv builds?

My idea is to make some 'floating' stone ledges around the walls of the viv. I have an idea of how I'm going to do it so ill keep you posted as it comes together, might even make a start tomorrow night :2thumb:


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## ch4dg (Jul 24, 2008)

a lot of people dont take that approach due to it being too heavy,plus its hard to find the rocks the exact size and shape you need

to make a floating ledge would be simple enough.... all you'll need to do is get a stone, flatten one edge, then attach it (magnets, pegs, brackets, screws etc)


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## Podarcis (Mar 1, 2010)

Use painted and PVAd breeze blocks/aerated blocks.Break them so they look like rocks, and use emulsion mixed with PVA to varnish them. they cost £1.22 from Wickes and, as ch4dg points out, they avoid the weight issue. Retaining the square edges allows them to be stacked too. I'll get some photos up next week of mine.

PS.Sand them smooth or leave them rough on the broken edges.


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## scottiej (Dec 1, 2010)

Cheers, Finding stone isn't really a problem, My housemate runs his own dry stone walling business and I can just take a trip down to his yard :2thumb: Plus I have an angle grinder and some stone cutting discs to make the flat edges to mount them flush to the walls. 

I've thought about the weight issue already, I'm going to hollow out the stone ledges to reduce the weight if I need to and then mount them in a similar way to floating shelves.

The plan is to weld up a metal frame that with tubes that run through the back wall of the viv and slide into holes drilled into the stone shelves, then they will have masonry bolts ran through the tubes and into the stone, holding the frame to the back of the viv and making sure that there is no way for the stones to come off the supports.

In theory It won't take long to do :whistling2:

And yes please post some pics of your set up Podarcis.


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## MartinMc (May 19, 2011)

Here is my old beardie viv. Nothing 2 fancy.


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