# ideas for a fake rock background viv for beardy



## schwinger2k9 (Jan 11, 2009)

hi im looking for ideas on what i could to with polystyrene to make my viv a rea;y nice place for my beardy to spend his days, yes you mite think this is sad but hey i don't care :mf_dribble:.

my viv is 3ft x 1.5 x 2
i am looking to build a hide, a platform for baskin and 1 for food. 
i am only asking because i am not very good at design but good with my hands.

if you could post ideas or pictures or anything really that will get me started. i no wot to use for sealing etc so dnt need any advice on this as i've done my homework on that already.

thanks the wee guy deserves it :lol2:


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## LaurenJ (Jan 3, 2009)

we made them for the snakes
really good fun to do (although is very messy, so best of having the hoover handy) 
its alot of messing about but the results are really good 
sorry dont have any pictures tho 
but have fun x


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## schwinger2k9 (Jan 11, 2009)

yeh i am looking forward to getting my hands dirty, should b a good laugh, i have seen a few pikz of other peoples on this and some of them are amazing, 4got who posted it no good with names but they had a pyramid step thing in the corner. which was very kool.


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## HadesDragons (Jun 30, 2007)

This is one that I made for a beardie:



















The full thread's here:

http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/habitat/169742-fake-rock-enclosure-image-heavy.html


It's pretty simple in concept - cut and carve foam to form an outline, cover with grout, then (eventually in my case) cover with resin and sand. It all just depends how much time you've got and how complex you want to make it.

You might be better off getting a 4' x 2' cage if you're planning on having the fake rock non-removable; the cage you've got now won't be large enough for a beardie for its whole life, so you'd have to upgrade the cage when it got bigger. Rather than doing two fake rock designs it would be easier just to do one for the larger cage.


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## schwinger2k9 (Jan 11, 2009)

HADESDRAGONS: yes i have came across your design already, i quite liked ur ideas. i understand on wot ur saying about the size of my viv but i am planning on making my fakes removable wouldnt want to completely ruin a good viv, and lyk u say when the beardy is older he/she will need a larger viv which i will be able to take the fakes that i build and simply put into the new home. 

1more quick Q is it ok to use expandafoam?? u no the sort out of a tin used for filling cracks holes etc...??

thanks for your help as you will see im very new to this forum and appreciate your help


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## The Roach Hut (Mar 29, 2008)

*re*

expanding foam is fine as long as its sealed like all foams.... i just finished the foam work in an 8x3 after seeing hades i thought id give it a go but on a larger scale. ideas are based the same but think il stick to paints


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## schwinger2k9 (Jan 11, 2009)

FIREDRAGON: i thought that foam would be fine just needed a 2nd opinion, i wish i had the space for an 8 x 3 haha,

i think im going to go for the sand finish but no quite decided yet

THANKS


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## The Roach Hut (Mar 29, 2008)

*re*

I did that in another of my vivs where i built in a cave and varnished it using yaht varnish and then added dif colours of sand and play pit sand as a final 2 coats... real easy to do anyone should give it a go... wont be long grout left to do on my 8x3x3 and then paint it then i may even do a post but will be very pic heavy


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## schwinger2k9 (Jan 11, 2009)

FIREDRAGON: see i was thinking about useing play sand but wasn't sure if it would stick well, i take it that yours was fine?? that would save me going and buying difrent sand to do it.

i look forward to seing your finished articles, i am going to post my pics aswell, a start to finish sort of thing..


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## The Roach Hut (Mar 29, 2008)

*re*

yeah it worked fine but it always looks shit to start with but uy build the layers up and eventually it looks great. heres mine it was just placed in to get an idea i dont have a closer one sorry but it was my first attempt ever at fake rocks


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## schwinger2k9 (Jan 11, 2009)

FIREDRAGON: it looks gr8, thats me defo made my mind up, im wanting to do a sand finish instead of paint it looks alot more realistic.

how many layers of grout did u do?

i take it i can't stick the sand str8 to the grout it will have to be to the varnish?


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## The Roach Hut (Mar 29, 2008)

*re*

i used 3 layers then varnish and sand over the top wait to dry and keep going until u get the look u want


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## schwinger2k9 (Jan 11, 2009)

perfect, cheers for your help, the pictures will be posted soon


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