# Leo Fake Rock Underground Enclousre {image heavy}



## reptiles_galore (Aug 13, 2008)

ok so after seeing on here somene saying about there underground rock feature i decided ill gi it a go myself. ive designed it in to halfs for easy cleaning.
heres how it started yesterday evening:
this is the bottom part so its the inside of there cave that you wont be able to see.

























and this is the top part of there cave:




























ill try to update as i go 

this has hree hides. two on the hot side (there interlinked underground too) plus one on the cool side. also cut down into it for the water bowl and the moss box


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## reptiles_galore (Aug 13, 2008)

and today i have finished the touchs to the top bit and started the grout 


































































ill try to update as i go 

this has hree hides. two on the hot side (there interlinked underground too) plus one on the cool side. also cut down into it for the water bowl and the moss box


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## cubeykc (Aug 8, 2008)

not a bad idea m8


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## reptiles_galore (Aug 13, 2008)

cheers mate. im looking to paint it brown and then cover in some sand (glued on) and finish by coating in yacht varnish to make it poop proof


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## ephiedoodle (Oct 22, 2008)

mmmmm looking good,i'll enjoy follwing this to see
how you get on,i'd like something on these lines for my geckos.


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## reptiles_galore (Aug 13, 2008)

yer this is like my 5th design so im pretty fimiliar on how to do it. should come out really good


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## Liam09 (Jul 25, 2008)

Where did you get those tiles from? and how much were they?

PM me please


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## cubeykc (Aug 8, 2008)

.any more up dates bud? also were did you get the polystyrene from?


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## Cockys Royals (Jun 28, 2008)

Where on earth people get the patience from ive no idea. But well done:2thumb:


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## makeitandskateit (Jun 15, 2008)

Nice to see some one apreciates my work!!!:lol2:
How come I did the whole instructional post and did'nt get a single reply and you posted the pics and got loads of attention?

I guess I'm just an attention seaker!!!:lol2::lol2:


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## makeitandskateit (Jun 15, 2008)

are you going to place it on the bottom or against one of the sides because if you put it on the bottom you won't be able to see them while there in it and also you might struggle to get them out if you need to check up on them!!!


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## reptiles_galore (Aug 13, 2008)

its two parts so if you need to get them out you lift the top part off. also makes it easier for cleaning. theyll need to come up for feeding anyway


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## makeitandskateit (Jun 15, 2008)

zemon said:


> its two parts so if you need to get them out you lift the top part off. also makes it easier for cleaning. theyll need to come up for feeding anyway


 Nice idea!!! Mine just lifts away from the side.


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## Sambee (Jul 4, 2008)

cubeykc said:


> .any more up dates bud? also were did you get the polystyrene from?


This is what we used : victory:

300mm x 300mm Ceiling Tiles Stipple Design at Focus

Zemon will update the thread soon, once the next layer of grout is on:2thumb:


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## linda60 (Jan 14, 2008)

I used this 5 POLYSTYRENE PACKING SHEETS 600 X 400 X 25MM on eBay, also, Other Packing Supplies, Packing Posting Supplies, Business, Office Industrial (end time 02-Dec-08 09:47:34 GMT) service was excelent,but if you type polystyrene sheets into ebay there are other dealers.


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## reptiles_galore (Aug 13, 2008)

ok so a quick update. im afraid no picies as of yet. i have now turned them over and layered the other side. so soon wil be ready for painting. need a bit more grout here and there


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## ephiedoodle (Oct 22, 2008)

hope this isn't too much of a dumb question....
what type of paint are you going to use.
thanks.


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## makeitandskateit (Jun 15, 2008)

ephiedoodle said:


> hope this isn't too much of a dumb question....
> what type of paint are you going to use.
> thanks.


non-toxic acrilic, look at my instructional thread!!

PICS!!!


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## reptiles_galore (Aug 13, 2008)

you can use any paint as long as it is aired till the smell goes and sealed. try to use water based paints or paints with low toxics. most of focus own ect are water based.

makeitandskateit - i have not read ur tutorial do you have a link for it?


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## ephiedoodle (Oct 22, 2008)

makeitandskateit said:


> non-toxic acrilic, look at my instructional thread!!
> 
> PICS!!!


thanks.


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## Scally Samurai (Sep 27, 2008)

this looks brilliant well done mate, i'm going to buy some tiles and some grout tomorrow hehe. 

question though how do you heat the viv with it all in it?


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## reptiles_galore (Aug 13, 2008)

the base peice(with whole cut right through the polystrioene. goes on top of the tiles and the heat matt is under that will be updating in a se just loading pics


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## reptiles_galore (Aug 13, 2008)

here we go. still a few little bits to do. then its time for painting, then some sand and sealed


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## NXSmiggy (Oct 29, 2008)

that looks mint. Im guessing your viv has a removable top then?

I couldent get that through my glass doors lol


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## chondro13 (Aug 18, 2008)

NXSmiggy said:


> that looks mint. Im guessing your viv has a removable top then?
> 
> I couldent get that through my glass doors lol



take your doors out : victory: all vivs should be able to do this :2thumb:


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## reptiles_galore (Aug 13, 2008)

just what i was thinking. this should fit most vivs. but yer we have a removable top on our one.
thanks for comments. luckly i have saturday off so shuld be able to get it nrly finished


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## yingyang_gal (May 20, 2008)

Hiya mate where did u get the polystyrene from??

I couldnt find any polystyrene that thin from anywhere and had to settle for a sheet that was 250mm thick when i did my vivs!!

However im soon to start construction on another and that polystyrene looks like just the job!!


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## Sambee (Jul 4, 2008)

yingyang_gal said:


> Hiya mate where did u get the polystyrene from??
> 
> I couldnt find any polystyrene that thin from anywhere and had to settle for a sheet that was 250mm thick when i did my vivs!!
> 
> However im soon to start construction on another and that polystyrene looks like just the job!!


They are from Focus, they're called ceiling tiles


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## reptiles_galore (Aug 13, 2008)

as my oh said we got them for focus. they measure 1ftsq and are ideal. bout £5 for 20 i believe


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## makeitandskateit (Jun 15, 2008)

http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/habitat/200715-tunnel-system-leos-fake-rock.html there you go!!!


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## reptiles_galore (Aug 13, 2008)

cheers makeitandskateit will have peak now. 
here is another update. i changed to a ready mix grout and done some touchups with it today. unfortunatley its not dried yet so i cudnt get the other part done but the bottom level is now painted


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## Sambee (Jul 4, 2008)

here is another update (on my oh account btw) 
this is the top layer (finally the grout dryed lol)


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## makeitandskateit (Jun 15, 2008)

wow!!! looks nice, I'll put up some pics of my vivs soon, all of them are stuffed with fake rock scapes!!!


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## deadbeta (Sep 5, 2008)

This is AWESOME!
I really like it.
I'd love to do something like this, but I only have a Beardie and a Corn Snake, I could do something like this for the Snake!
Like a jungle under ground system!:mf_dribble:


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## Scally Samurai (Sep 27, 2008)

deadbeta said:


> This is AWESOME!
> I really like it.
> I'd love to do something like this, but I only have a Beardie and a Corn Snake, I could do something like this for the Snake!
> Like a jungle under ground system!:mf_dribble:


why not build a rocky outcrop fro your beardie to climb on?

BTW is this stuff save under a basking spot anyone know?


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## reptiles_galore (Aug 13, 2008)

yer our beardie has a small one i made. and thats fine round the basking spot.
as long as u coat it with a sealent 
still wating for paint to dry b4 i can but the sand on 

update later


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## reptiles_galore (Aug 13, 2008)

sorry guys cudnt update because the shop only had white sand so will try update asap


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## Venzen (Nov 8, 2008)

How are you heating this? Polysteirene is good insulator of heat.


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## reptiles_galore (Aug 13, 2008)

the heat comes from underneathn via a heat mat hence when its cut through right to the bottom so when there in there warm hides it will be nice and warm in there


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## Venzen (Nov 8, 2008)

But, they'll stay underground if the heat isn't reaching the top open space of the viv?


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## Scally Samurai (Sep 27, 2008)

well I said you'd inspired me didn't i so i have my polistyrene tiles i have my tile grout I have my plans I don't however have the end of my finger! managed to slice it off while cutting the tiles this evening:devil: oh well sure it'll be worth it


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## reptiles_galore (Aug 13, 2008)

opps lol be carefull. 

for whoever said about the heat thing it will be warm at the top too as it will reach up through as there is a few pathes with next to no polysteirene so that the heat can get through


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## Venzen (Nov 8, 2008)

zemon said:


> opps lol be carefull.
> 
> for whoever said about the heat thing it will be warm at the top too as it will reach up through as there is a few pathes with next to no polysteirene so that the heat can get through



Ah right, but I'm still unsure. Could you take some temperature readings when it's all set up please?

As I'll be planning to do this with a few of my smaller Colus.


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## reptiles_galore (Aug 13, 2008)

of course i will


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## Sambee (Jul 4, 2008)

*UPDATE:*

Dave added another coat of paint today and applied the play sand so it will stick to it once it has dried. 

The next stage will be sealing it all and making it water/poo proof with a low-toxic, child & animal friendly, quick drying floor varnish from Focus.

After this, we'll leave it to dry and air for a few days and then put it into the vivarium!


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## serz (May 8, 2006)

thats amazing looks really good. what good idea. Let us no how hard it is to keep clean ect s i quite fncy making one of these


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## reptiles_galore (Aug 13, 2008)

thank you. hopefully it will be easy with the sealant on it


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## reptiles_galore (Aug 13, 2008)

shud be dryed out and aired out tomorow night hopefully so wil get some pics up then


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## reptiles_galore (Aug 13, 2008)

UPDATE:

ok so got it all finished. but it didnt fit. altough i allowed half an inch for grout and paint ect itwas just slighlty off. also the missus wasnt happy about not being able to see inside when her is down in th bottom part so am making some "alterations" and will get some pics up once its done

cheers
dave


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