# Fake rock build - Beardy viv



## bothrops (Jan 7, 2007)

Hi Folks


I've not been about for ages as I've been moving house and still haven't got a land line (and hence no internet :humbug: )

So, new house, empty 4 x 2 x 2 viv and some inspiration later here's what I've been busy constructing – Fake rock for my Bearded dragon’s new viv!

First cut the polystyrene (great fun, but hell of a mess)










More mess making the cave take shape










Checking the final shape fits into the viv










Upside down showing cave










View into cave whilst in viv










Adding the first lot of tile grout (like icing a giant cake!_










Then the sand - put first onto the final layer of tile grout whilst still wet, then a layer of matt varnish covered in sand, then varnish, then sand etc)










Up on end to make sure the sand gets into all the nooks and crannies!










Horacio trying it out for size and comfort (I think he likes it!)










And finally in the viv ready for Horacio (once I've moved his bowl, log and dimming stat across!)










Comments please!

Cheers
Andy


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## cracksolja (Sep 10, 2007)

by god thats quality! - care to list your instrument of use ?

My BD is 16 month do you something like this he would enjoy? he hasnt been lively for about a week i think hes becoming bored :/


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## bothrops (Jan 7, 2007)

cracksolja said:


> by god thats quality! - care to list your instrument of use ?
> 
> My BD is 16 month do you something like this he would enjoy? he hasnt been lively for about a week i think hes becoming bored :/


 
No probs.

1 sheet of 4' by 8' polystyrene from Wickes
1 bucket of tile grout from Wickes
1 bag of bird sand
1 pack of cocktail sticks
1 large tin of Ronseal Diamond Hard Wood Varnish Matt finish

Two very sharp kitchen knives
Disposable gloves
disposable container (for watering down grout)
polythene dust sheet


cut polystyrene to shape and join layers together with cocktail sticks (you could use grout)

When happy, cover with grout using you hands to smooth into all the nooks and crannies. Allow to dry. Add another layer. Either sand down grout to smooth finish or leave rough. Alternatively do what I did and water down some grout until it is like runny icing. Pour this all over to give a smooth finish. then throw a load of birdsand all over. When dry cover with varnish and throw a load of snad over the wet varnish. Allow to dry, shake off excess sand, varnish again and cover with sand.

I repeated this step 5 times and then did it in different positions, (on it's side etc) to allow sand to get every where.

Finally finished with a coat of varnish to seal it and make it relatively 'wipe clean'.

Messy and long winded but makes a great effect and it much cheaper than buying (although I've never seen anything like it for sale!

First attempt this, gonna work up to some of the other vivs I've seen on this site and others!


Cheers

Andy


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## cracksolja (Sep 10, 2007)

Cheers im saving this link and printing out instructions  give me something to do - can this be done for Leos also ? I wanna make a pakistan kinda place for them  



bothrops said:


> No probs.
> 
> 1 sheet of 4' by 8' polystyrene from Wickes
> 1 bucket of tile grout from Wickes
> ...


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## bothrops (Jan 7, 2007)

Here are links to places that I got my inspiration from!

Getting Creative - Livefood UK Forum

Made My Beardies A New Home - Livefood UK Forum

My First Attempt At A Fake Wall - Livefood UK Forum

Reptile Forum, Reptile Classifieds - CaptiveBred :: View topic - Fake Rock / Natural viv, photo step by step DUW!

Happy building!

Cheers


Andy


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## lola (Dec 11, 2007)

Brilliant - it looks really good, very impressed and I know my beardie'd like summat like that too!!!

by the way - how many times did you have to unblock the hoover?


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## Dungbug (Oct 16, 2007)

Looks very good chap, I'm planning something similar for my Beardy......Just got to finish the bloody decorating befor eI can move onto something else.........Nice work!: victory:


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## jrf23 (Mar 24, 2008)

The rock you built looks great! Although, it has to be said, that the last link that you put up of that viv slightly lessens the greatness of your work! I could not believe how good it looked in the end! It was amazing! I think I'm going to try and create something like it for a Cham! Should be fun whatever happens!


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## Harrison (Feb 29, 2008)

I'm aiming to do this sometime I have a full day off... I suppose this isn't recommended for baby beardies? I have an adult and I'm getting a baby soon (not living together obviously). I've heard that babies sometimes use hides and caves too much. I'll be making one of these for my adult, but is it a no no for the younger beardies?

Cheers.


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## Malky (Feb 24, 2008)

That looks amazing, might have to copy when I get my bigger viv


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## Matteh (Apr 6, 2008)

That is one amazing piece of craftsmanship. 

You should custom make them for people and earn yourself a bit of profit (;


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## blondereptilez (Jul 7, 2008)

Looks so amazing!! can yuu get polystyrene from lyk art n craft shops or diy hardware store thingy, would this kind of thing be ov good use to an ackie just as a hidyhole??xx


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## Pleco07 (Aug 15, 2007)

That is the best polystyrene/grout creation i have seen so far....Im off to Wickes


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## reptiles_galore (Aug 13, 2008)

this is a really good creation much better than mine

well done


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## Lucyellen (Sep 4, 2008)

That looks awesome! Iv been meaning to do something like that but i just havnt got around to it yet. How long did it take you in total? And how long does it take for the grout to dry? 

Nice job! :2thumb:
x


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## Dave23 (Sep 2, 2008)

That last link is grate but got to hand it to all you guys who have built your own viv's you have created pices of art. It so happens i have not got a spare bath but I do have a spare baby bath hehe. Think my oh just went out to the garage to get it.


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## bothrops (Jan 7, 2007)

Thanks for the comments guys.

I took around 3 weeks in total including lots of drying time. That varies but on average I left it for 48 hrs between coats of grout and then 12 hours between varnish/sand layers. It became a little routine "I'm just of to varnish the rock, Luv!"

Noticed I haven't posted one of him actually in his viv, so to rectify that-











Cheers


Andy


p.s. please don't judge me on the carpet - I'm renting! lol


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## spatte88 (Jun 29, 2009)

Wish I'd of seen this post before starting mine! Looks brilliant, simple (in a good way :2thumb and a lot less work then the monster I started :lol2:


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## the uro dude (May 5, 2009)

just come across this great viv and im defo gonna do summat like this for my uro's some time soon does anybody know where i can buy some polystyrene from (not sure about the spelling)


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## whitetiger (Sep 20, 2009)

we brought some from wickes yesterday


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## Captainmatt29 (Feb 28, 2009)

It looks really good, i want to venture down this route sometime in the future


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