# mini desert scorp exoterra...



## bothrops (Jan 7, 2007)

Take one of these (30cm x 30cm x 30cm)










Some of this...










and a few of these sorts of things...










a saturday afternoon and a couple of beers and this happens.....

from front...









from left (burrow to be screened with black card to allow secure creature and quick viewing opportunity when desired!)









from the top...


















..all I've got to do now is wait for the BTS to decide what to put in it!


Cheers

Andy


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## _TiMiSdRuNk_ (Aug 27, 2008)

That's a stunning set up mate! Whatever goes in there will have a stunning home that's very pleasing on the eye


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## cordylidae (Nov 2, 2008)

you make things look so easy when you do it im just re-doing a viv(fake rock) my self but loosing faith in it looking any good 

every viv i have seen you do has looked amazing wish i could do stuff as good as you.Might require some practice and get new vivs :whistling2:


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## bothrops (Jan 7, 2007)

Thanks.

I was going to do a step-by-step but got carried away with the build and forgot to take photo's!

Cheers

Andy


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## cordylidae (Nov 2, 2008)

bothrops said:


> Thanks.
> 
> I was going to do a step-by-step but got carried away with the build and forgot to take photo's!
> 
> ...


same and now im at grouting so i cba!


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## _TiMiSdRuNk_ (Aug 27, 2008)

I know that i'm now on the lookout for that clay stuff....


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## bothrops (Jan 7, 2007)

The excavator stuff is great. First time I've used it. Unfortunately it was a little more 'orange' than I wanted and it doesn't match the sandstone rocks I picked up at the garden centre (64p worth no less!)...

A quick dive into the beardie viv and a handful of birdsand sprinkled over the top and it looks great! Very happy with it!

Cheers for the comments!

Andy


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## Whosthedaddy (Nov 29, 2009)

Bet my hoggie would like that set up.

Very nice.


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## dad'n'bab (Oct 27, 2009)

Really nice setup, not ott like some. :lol2:

We have a trip out to hollybush now and again you can get some things quite cheap.

Glenn


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## bothrops (Jan 7, 2007)

Whosthedaddy said:


> Bet my hoggie would like that set up.
> 
> Very nice.


Not for very long! Its only a 30cm cube. A similiar viv on a bigger scale might do the job though! Check out Pendragons hoggie viv build (in part that was inspiration for this style viv...)



dad'n'bab said:


> Really nice setup, not ott like some. :lol2:
> 
> We have a trip out to hollybush now and again you can get some things quite cheap.
> 
> Glenn


Recognised the bag then!:lol2:

Thanks for the comments!

Cheers

Andy


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## Pendragon (Dec 8, 2008)

Nice looking viv, I like your style :whistling2:

I need to take the sand out of my Hoggie viv and make a sand soil mix like in yours, job for the summer me thinks!

Jay


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## bothrops (Jan 7, 2007)

Pendragon said:


> Nice looking viv, I like your style :whistling2:
> 
> I need to take the sand out of my Hoggie viv and make a sand soil mix like in yours, job for the summer me thinks!
> 
> Jay


The main landscape is just 'excavator' clay mixed with a bag of bird sand. Whilst landscaping the wet mix I buried a couple of mini plant pots about two-thirds in. When finished, I removed the pots and planted the _Lithops _in the holes. The 'soil' is spillage from that....I'm going to pretend it was intentional spillage rather than an asthetically pleasing accident:whistling2:

A final sprinkle of yellow bird sand and some specially selected pebbles and job done!

Cheers

Andy


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## GRB (Jan 24, 2008)

Very cool. The excavator clay sounds like a great idea - my earlier attempts at burrowing arid substrate used a mix of desert sand and aquatic compost + grit sand...it worked quite well but was expensive. 

I've always wanted to do a desert set up for Solifuges - the last attempt was OK but I couldn't source stone plants for the life of me. A great addition, and a very effective set up. You should add photos of this to the planted terraria thread on the inverts section


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## Pendragon (Dec 8, 2008)

bothrops said:


> The main landscape is just 'excavator' clay mixed with a bag of bird sand. Whilst landscaping the wet mix I buried a couple of mini plant pots about two-thirds in. When finished, I removed the pots and planted the _Lithops _in the holes. The 'soil' is spillage from that....I'm going to pretend it was intentional spillage rather than an asthetically pleasing accident:whistling2:
> 
> A final sprinkle of yellow bird sand and some specially selected pebbles and job done!
> 
> ...


I'm surprised the clay came out so red when mixed with the sand, I have mixed it one part clay to three parts "normal" sand, and it has come out pretty much sand coloured, I got the mix from this scorpion viv by Buddah;











Jay


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## bothrops (Jan 7, 2007)

GRB said:


> Very cool. The excavator clay sounds like a great idea - my earlier attempts at burrowing arid substrate used a mix of desert sand and aquatic compost + grit sand...it worked quite well but was expensive.
> 
> I've always wanted to do a desert set up for Solifuges - the last attempt was OK but I couldn't source stone plants for the life of me. A great addition, and a very effective set up. You should add photos of this to the planted terraria thread on the inverts section


Thanks, will do. 

The _Lithops sp_ came from a local garden centre...they had loads in amonst the cacti. £1.99 each. The two I used were _L. fulviceps _and _L. lesliei_. The reason I picked them is becasue they were brown/tan/purple in colour and all the others were too green.


I still haven't decided what to put in it though!.......


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## bothrops (Jan 7, 2007)

Pendragon said:


> I'm surprised the clay came out so red when mixed with the sand, I have mixed it one part clay to three parts "normal" sand, and it has come out pretty much sand coloured, I got the mix from this scorpion viv by Buddah;
> 
> image
> 
> ...


Me too to be fair. I was expecting it to be less red. Although the ratios could explain it! This was 1:1 at most...

Love that pic you've posted too. I've definitely been inspired to rejig a couple of my other vivs as well..really getting into the naturalistic designs....just have to win the lottery to afford some more of the excavator clay...:bash:


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