# Reckon I could make a Crestie viv from this?



## zulu202 (Aug 11, 2008)

Hi guys, ive been wanting to get another gecko for quite a while now. 
Maybe another Crested and mate them, or I have been looking at Tokays and even Bearded Dragons.

My question is, do you think I could turn this cabinet, into a good viv for a small gecko? Such as a Tokay or Crested? If so would I just have to foam it and seal the gaps etc and then it would be useable? 

Please hit me up with your suggestions etc!!


















Thankyou


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## my_shed (Jan 5, 2011)

Should be fine once sealed and with a back on it  could look ace

Dave


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## JPalmer (Jul 7, 2012)

Agreed! Solid back, foam it up and make it look cool and it should work great!


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## zulu202 (Aug 11, 2008)

What would I have to coat the inside with so it doesn't mold with the water and humidity?

Throw a solid back on it, screw it in place and then foam and sculpt some cool designs on it?

Had no experiance with this what so ever haha!! Glass doors for the front? Would that suit a crestie? tokay?

Thanks


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## zulu202 (Aug 11, 2008)

would I just line the hole structure with polystyrene and seal it all up and then I can add some diy hides and structures?


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## my_shed (Jan 5, 2011)

Few coats of yacht varnish. For the front i'd be inclined to put a glass plinth at the bottom then put the runners atop this and have sliding glass doors. 

Dave


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## zulu202 (Aug 11, 2008)

Ok brilliant, I have some plywood that im going to fit to the back of it tonight and then im going to seal all the edges with sylacone 
after this im going to put polystyrene round the hole structure and then do some moulding etc and then ill be able to get another gecko 

Fancy a tokay or male crested so i can breed

Thankyou


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## ayrton (Apr 22, 2012)

Would that shelf not make a good back as it looks like a cube so it would be a perfect fit and look better than ply

Thanks. Ayrton


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## fatlad69 (Oct 22, 2009)

I think that the humidity for a creastie will rot the wood no mater how you try to seal it. I would line it with glass or have a glass viv made to fit.


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## zulu202 (Aug 11, 2008)

ayrton said:


> Would that shelf not make a good back as it looks like a cube so it would be a perfect fit and look better than ply
> 
> Thanks. Ayrton


Hi Ayrton,
I didn't think of then so thanks for bringing it up! Im going to try and do that instead of using ply 

Thanks for the help


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## ayrton (Apr 22, 2012)

zulu202 said:


> Hi Ayrton,
> I didn't think of then so thanks for bringing it up! Im going to try and do that instead of using ply
> 
> Thanks for the help


Its OK :lol2: just seems simpler to do that then use ply if it is the right size 

Thanks. Ayrton


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## zulu202 (Aug 11, 2008)

ayrton said:


> Its OK :lol2: just seems simpler to do that then use ply if it is the right size
> 
> Thanks. Ayrton


Yeah haha dozey me went round to my grandads and cut some ply etc and brought it home with me haha, just did not think at all!

Will post come pics when its attached 

thanks


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## ayrton (Apr 22, 2012)

zulu202 said:


> Yeah haha dozey me went round to my grandads and cut some ply etc and brought it home with me haha, just did not think at all!
> 
> Will post come pics when its attached
> 
> thanks


:lol2: ye get some up should look good


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## bigd_1 (May 31, 2011)

if it was me i use the ply for the back and the shelf for the top and bottom runner as it will mach the look of the wood at the front then just cover the back


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## ayrton (Apr 22, 2012)

bigd_1 said:


> if it was me i use the ply for the back and the shelf for the top and bottom runner as it will mach the look of the wood at the front then just cover the back


That sounds like a good idea I didn't think about a plinth


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## zulu202 (Aug 11, 2008)

bigd_1 said:


> if it was me i use the ply for the back and the shelf for the top and bottom runner as it will mach the look of the wood at the front then just cover the back


Yeah I think ill go for that idea!

I attached the ply wood to the back but before I apply the runners tomorrow, shall i sylacone the edges and corners and foam it etc??

Here is some pics of the plywood and while I was at it I got Lilly (formally known as Keith but I think she is a female) out so here is some pics 

Ill keep this thread updated!


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## ayrton (Apr 22, 2012)

If the plinth is in then yes silicone it :2thumb:


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## zulu202 (Aug 11, 2008)

Sweet, Ill do that tomorrow


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## bigd_1 (May 31, 2011)

you will need to fill all the holes as that where the rot will get in


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## zulu202 (Aug 11, 2008)

bigd_1 said:


> you will need to fill all the holes as that where the rot will get in


Yeah im going to do that with the silicone tomorrow


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

That would be an ace conversion for a gecko of some kind.

It would look nice with some plants and decoration in there. 
Keep us updated.


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## ayrton (Apr 22, 2012)

the ply dosent look that bad with that wood should look nice when finished


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## zulu202 (Aug 11, 2008)

Thanks guys made up with your positive comments 
Reckon a Crestie would look nice? Then I can try and enter the world of breeding?


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## rexob (Sep 1, 2012)

You're doing a cracking job on that set up, i'll keep an eye out for you're updates, well done.


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## zulu202 (Aug 11, 2008)

rexob said:


> You're doing a cracking job on that set up, i'll keep an eye out for you're updates, well done.


Thanks Rexob 
Im going to try my hand on making my own polystyrene hides and some accessories etc 

Only problem im having is, should i put sheets of polystyrene all around the wooden box so the wood is protected? 
Or just varnish the wood?

Thanks


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## ayrton (Apr 22, 2012)

zulu202 said:


> Thanks Rexob
> Im going to try my hand on making my own polystyrene hides and some accessories etc
> 
> Only problem im having is, should i put sheets of polystyrene all around the wooden box so the wood is protected?
> ...


You can just varnish the wood


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## zulu202 (Aug 11, 2008)

Think that will look better wont it?
Then I can add my poly accessories 
Wahoo im excited


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## ayrton (Apr 22, 2012)

zulu202 said:


> Think that will look better wont it?
> Then I can add my poly accessories
> Wahoo im excited


Yes lol :lol2: get pics up when finished :2thumb:


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## c_1993 (Jun 10, 2011)

Nice conversion 

But what are the dimensions? Looks a bit small to me.

Minimum size for a tokay is 45x45x60, they are a pretty large and chunky gecko. Double the size of a crestie.









(See huge :lol2


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## zulu202 (Aug 11, 2008)

Hi C_1993,
Ahh its not that big, think I will only be able to fit a Crested in there but im still happy because I can try breeding
Thanks for the help 

The housing is 45 tall, 45 width and 41 deap


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## the_viper (Aug 18, 2010)

looking good so far always great to reuse some old furniture and make it into housing


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## zulu202 (Aug 11, 2008)

Thanks for all the positive replys 
I'm going to silicone all the corners tomorrow and the joints, how will I match this silicone to the wooden colour because there are some holes that need filling too!!
Really excited to do this 
Once again thankyou


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## organized chaos (Sep 6, 2012)

zulu202 said:


> Thanks for all the positive replys
> I'm going to silicone all the corners tomorrow and the joints, how will I match this silicone to the wooden colour because there are some holes that need filling too!!
> Really excited to do this
> Once again thankyou


try magnolia or even clear silicone mate shudnt stand out too much then


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## zulu202 (Aug 11, 2008)

Hey guys, 
Today I have siliconed the edges of the box (should i only do 1 layer of this or do another layer tomorrow?) and also filled in all the holes with some silicone and then ill go over it with filler tomorrow.
So I am about to do the Plynth I think its called (the wood at the top and bottom of the viv to hold the glass doors, big do these have to be? Is there a certain height they have to be? If not would i be ok to make small onces, around 5cm tall each?

Thankyou


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## ayrton (Apr 22, 2012)

zulu202 said:


> Hey guys,
> Today I have siliconed the edges of the box (should i only do 1 layer of this or do another layer tomorrow?) and also filled in all the holes with some silicone and then ill go over it with filler tomorrow.
> So I am about to do the Plynth I think its called (the wood at the top and bottom of the viv to hold the glass doors, big do these have to be? Is there a certain height they have to be? If not would i be ok to make small onces, around 5cm tall each?
> 
> Thankyou


One layer of silicone is fine and the plinth can be as big or as small as you like :2thumb:


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## zulu202 (Aug 11, 2008)

Ok Brilliant  How should I go about heating the viv, were would I place a heat mat and stuff?

Thanks


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## my_shed (Jan 5, 2011)

Would advise your top plinth is a couple of inches minimum, just to hide your lights etc.

Dave


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## zulu202 (Aug 11, 2008)

Here is a pic of the box siliconed and with the holes filled in! Plinth is getting cut and attached tomorrow!
Also on the weekend me and my brother in law are making a glass vivarium for something to do, hopefully all in 1 day! So ill make a new thread and show you our process with that!

Thanks


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## ayrton (Apr 22, 2012)

zulu202 said:


> Here is a pic of the box siliconed and with the holes filled in! Plinth is getting cut and attached tomorrow!
> Also on the weekend me and my brother in law are making a glass vivarium for something to do, hopefully all in 1 day! So ill make a new thread and show you our process with that!
> 
> Thanks
> image


Looks good have you varnished the ply


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## zulu202 (Aug 11, 2008)

No done no varnishing yet, I was going to leave that till very last after I have installed plinth and drilled the necessary holes in it!
How do i go about heating? were would i put a heat mat or lamp?
Thanks


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## ayrton (Apr 22, 2012)

zulu202 said:


> No done no varnishing yet, I was going to leave that till very last after I have installed plinth and drilled the necessary holes in it!
> How do i go about heating? were would i put a heat mat or lamp?
> Thanks


I don't know about heating sorry I have never had geckos :lol2:


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## bigd_1 (May 31, 2011)

zulu202 said:


> No done no varnishing yet, I was going to leave that till very last after I have installed plinth and drilled the necessary holes in it!
> How do i go about heating? were would i put a heat mat or lamp?
> Thanks


wooops varnish 1st then silicone 2ed is best :whistling2: and a heat mat will do


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## fatlad69 (Oct 22, 2009)

Use a heat cable under the substrate.


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## zulu202 (Aug 11, 2008)

brilliant ok, well I will make sure everything is in place and then ill varnish and then silicone it again 

cheers


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## rexob (Sep 1, 2012)

looking good comming along nicely


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## zulu202 (Aug 11, 2008)

rexob said:


> looking good coming along nicely


Thanks Rexob! Hopefully ill have it roughly finished by the weekend! And then also me and my brother in law are making a glass one too to see how it goes, so ill either inbox you some pics or see the updates on here 
Thanks guys, your keeping my spirits up even though I'm rubbish at DIY haha

Many thanks
Matt


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## my_shed (Jan 5, 2011)

zulu202 said:


> brilliant ok, well I will make sure everything is in place and then ill varnish and then silicone it again
> 
> cheers


Hard to tell from the pictures but is that MFC? If it is, and all the melamine is intact, no scratches or gouges out of it, I'd personally just ensure the sealant sits a little proud on the holes, seal all the corners as you already have and only varnish the plywood. Reason being the melamine should be more than waterproof enough, and that way you won't have to wait weeks and weeks and weeks for the smell to dissipate. Especially if you could remove the plywood and varnish it, then after a couple of days place it in a warm oven for a bit, maybe 80 degrees C or so.

Not a big deal either way, but a box full of varnish takes a long time for the VOC to clear from any decent varnish.

Coming along nicely though, keep up the good work.

Dave


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## zulu202 (Aug 11, 2008)

Here is a pic with the plynths installed top and bottom (lying sideways on kitchen table)








Guna leave this a couple of days to dry and then im going to maybee die the wood a darker colour and then varnish im not too sure!

Thanks guys


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## Paul112 (Apr 6, 2007)

Nice little project, looking good so far!

Best,
Paul


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## ayrton (Apr 22, 2012)

Looks good:2thumb: and you carnt stain melamine


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## zulu202 (Aug 11, 2008)

Thanks dude 
Guna double check everywhere is sealed and looks good, scrape
Off the excess and then dye the paint a bit darker (inside the viv) and then varnish the entire thing with yacht varnish 

Thanks


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## zulu202 (Aug 11, 2008)

Hi guys,
Everythig is stuck in place now and all secure and sealed,
I'm just stuck and don't know what to do next?? Shall I varnish it and then drill holes for my light and air vents etc? Or should I install all this first?? Thankyou


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## my_shed (Jan 5, 2011)

zulu202 said:


> Hi guys,
> Everythig is stuck in place now and all secure and sealed,
> I'm just stuck and don't know what to do next?? Shall I varnish it and then drill holes for my light and air vents etc? Or should I install all this first?? Thankyou


I'd drill the holes first but not put the wires through, this way you can varnish the holes themselves too, for added protection, without varnishing your equipment too 

Dave


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## zulu202 (Aug 11, 2008)

Cheers mate, suppose I need to buy all the equipment now! Me dad said he will buy me it on Tuesday when I see him so ill wait untill then 

Thanks for all your help!
Matt


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