# For anyone who wants to make cheap hides -



## stephenie191 (May 29, 2007)

The works sells this clay, its self hardening. 

You just pop it out of the pack then mold it (maybe over an exo-terra cave if you like that design) it takes a few days to harden properly.

It cost 99p a pack!

I reckon one pack would do a medium exo terra size hide. 

So instead of £7 - £8 it costs just 99p

My mams got some for her wands and stuff she makes :whistling2: 

But i'm going to nip out and buy some for a few hides ( could also make water bowls etc i sapose)


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## Dexter612 (Apr 2, 2009)

Might look into this idea. What kinds of paints are safe for reptiles, and even after painting, how would one go about cleaning it? Not sure if the clay might crumble or what.


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## stephenie191 (May 29, 2007)

It drys just like normal clay, when you make plant pots etc.

Just with warm water i would geuss.

Not sure on what type of paints, water based?


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## fourdown (Oct 3, 2008)

Hi can you post a picture up???

I would like to see this!!!!


NICE IDEA!!!


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## ashbosh (Jun 23, 2007)

hiya steph i live in the same region as you, where is this shop? the works? is this an arts shop?


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## stephenie191 (May 29, 2007)

ashbosh said:


> hiya steph i live in the same region as you, where is this shop? the works? is this an arts shop?


It's a book shop. They sell art stuf too though, they have one in york, stockton, metro centre that i know of

think maybe darlington but not sure


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## Reptilover (Jan 15, 2007)

Surely if you was going to make a waterbowl from this and put it in a vivarium it would just melt down again with the heat of the water..?


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## Babycakes (Mar 6, 2009)

Reptilover said:


> Surely if you was going to make a waterbowl from this and put it in a vivarium it would just melt down again with the heat of the water..?


Most modeling clays I've ever used could be sealed with a coat of yacht varnish. 

Stephanie, is there a brand name on the clay??


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## ashbosh (Jun 23, 2007)

yeah a brand name would be awesome so i could check online too, i will have a look when im in town next, i dont drive so its a tad difficult to get to the boro, thanks for finding that out, whats that sprat called that makes it like stone again? can't even remember now, ugh im so useless.


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## ashbosh (Jun 23, 2007)

its called krylon make it like stone, thats the spray i meant, yet i cant find it in england.


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## stephenie191 (May 29, 2007)

They sell in on ebay too - i'm not sure it don't have a brandname but if you type in self hardening clay i'm sure you'll find some.

My mam got some of Ebay too


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## axorozzas (Aug 16, 2008)

We used this stuff at school. It's made of fibres. (I think they are silicon but I'm not sure)which hold it together. From my experience it was very fragile after it dried, went slimey in water and breathing in the dust from it can cause respiratory problems.

i.e. sorry stephanie. It's a nice idea, but I wouldn't recommend using it for reptiles


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## fuzzzzbuzzzz (Apr 11, 2010)

ashbosh said:


> its called krylon make it like stone, thats the spray i meant, yet i cant find it in england.


Hi, Just to let you know found some clay on ebay FIMO SOFT POLYMER MODELLING CLAY 75 CHOCOLATE on eBay (end time 25-Apr-10 18:23:20 BST) a little more expensive rather than buying in shops, but only by about 80p


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## shiftyraccoon (Mar 2, 2009)

I used to use this stuff when I made my own 3D XBOX360 faceplates

It is made of a fibre kind of substance, and even when its set for days you can still snap it, it's got some felxiblity in it, it's nothing like normal clay - which you might as well use if you are gonna try this technique - that or FIMO for a really colourful, and pricey hide lol


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## roostarr (Jan 27, 2009)

the solution has already been mentioned...just coat it in yacht varnish or silicone then... that'll solve the problem!


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## melmodz (Feb 20, 2010)

Cheers for the idea Steph and also:



fuzzzzbuzzzz said:


> Hi, Just to let you know found some clay on ebay FIMO SOFT POLYMER MODELLING CLAY 75 CHOCOLATE on eBay (end time 25-Apr-10 18:23:20 BST) a little more expensive rather than buying in shops, but only by about 80p


cheers fuzzzzbuzzzz, I've just bought some FIMO from ebay  I look forward to its arrival!! :2thumb:


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## mrhoyo (Mar 29, 2007)

I'd love to see some pictures of these, the exo terra hides are bloody expensive!


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## fishboy (Aug 7, 2007)

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Milliput-Yell...es_ModelKits_ModelKits_JN?hash=item5ad851175d
This stuff?

It's a non toxic epoxy 2 part putty that sets hard as a rock even underwater, and since it's safe for reef fishtanks i'd think it's safe for reps.


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## Spencer95 (Feb 20, 2010)

Sounds to good to be true:lolsign:

there must be a catch, some people mentioned it very fragile?:whistling2:


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## bwrcleo (Mar 12, 2010)

So you could buy the clay, mold it, leave it to dry then paint it with yatch varnish & it would be safe for animals such as Snakes and Geckos?
Sounds a like a brilliant idea to me


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## dragonbeardo (Apr 20, 2010)

sorry to jump in on the thread but ive used poly for food bowls and water..... used pva glue to seal poly then grout 4/5 coats and used acrylic paints, burnt umber, raw sienna, yellow ochre and they look cool. In fact a friend seen them and asked me to make them for him too :lol2:


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## Froglodite (Jun 10, 2009)

Do you mean this stuff?










Because that's the only 99p clay I found at the works.

The other clay options were priced at £3.99:


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