[Slicier]

Hello everyone,

I have been looking DIY forum for a long time. Finally I looked everything that I need and I am starting to build my new cage tomorrow. I have an iguana, she's 1 year old and her name is "Maya". Therefore she was small cutie when I find him things are changed and she is now grow to one meter lenght. Certainly her cage becomes smaller for her and I can feel it by her attitudes. So I am going to build a new cage now and I will need help about the background stage. In addition, I will share how I will build the cage with you.

Lets start to talk about the cage. It is 170x75x100 it is huge I have a lot of staff to do and I will start with bonding cage with aquarium slicone. I use PVC foam and glass panels. I suggest PVC foam to everyone because it is usefull and easy to shape it, also cheap . So I finish the cutting stage today and tomorrow glass parts will come by morning I guess. I am giving the link of my background that I made for my previous cage and I will upload the new cage building stages day by day.

Mayanin Terraryumu pictures by serhat_basak - Photobucket

As I say I need help on the background stage. I know how it works but the problem is iguana Green iguana's has really big claws and maya will stab grouting with her claws. I need something that can protect the grouting. Which substance I can use for it ?
I will use aerated concrete(a.k.a. breezeblock) to produce my background, there will be a grouting stage, but I cant make the tone of color exactly what I want. The second question is this which product I can use to give color ?

See you all tomorrow.

[daggekko]

Nice raw photos! I can't wait to see more. I have seen concrete color products at hardware stores. I think I've also heard people using food coloring. I'd give food coloring a shot on some test pieces that don't matter. Could you maybe try a layer of wire mesh over the foam/under the grout? I don't know if that would be helpful or not.

[Slicier]

Hello everyone,

Firstly, sorry for delay. This is the new pictures from the new habitat project. I can explain if there is any questions on your mind. Enjoy it.

http://s1104.photobucket.com/albums/...oject%20-%201/

I will buy breezeblocks tomorrow, and I will start to shape it. When I upload photos, I will put it in here. Have a nice day.

Nice raw photos! I can't wait to see more. I have seen concrete color products at hardware stores. I think I've also heard people using food coloring. I'd give food coloring a shot on some test pieces that don't matter. Could you maybe try a layer of wire mesh over the foam/under the grout? I don't know if that would be helpful or not.

Thank you "daggekko", I heard it from my friends too, I will try food coloring on a practice sheet. Of course it is helpful and I will put wires at the corner of the background. Wires will get out from the top you can see the hole for it at new pictures. I used concrete color products at the first background. I cannot make it right I guess it can be my mistake but it does not take the color what I want.

Anyway this color issue still open to discussion. Any other idea, suggests appreciated. Thank you all.

[Hannibal]

It's looking good! Sorry I can't offer any advise on the color issue.

[Slicier]

Hi everyone,

Last two days, I had been very busy with buying those breezeblocks. Even I am in Turkey, it is hard to find and buy little amounts. Anyway, I bought them and here is a fair question; I am starting to giving shape because I do not want to get late on finishing it. Those photos are taken 30 min. ago I guess what do you think about them I need suggestions and a lot of opinions to create the imagination about the background. Please share your ideas, do not forget pictures are just tryout for the shape. Thank you all.

http://s1104.photobucket.com/albums/...ern%20Tryouts/

(is it too simple ? can you advice something to improve it ?

[daggekko]

That looks pretty cool. Are your dimensions listed in your first post Length, width, height? If the enclosure is going to be taller than long I would suggest trying to make a tree into the background. You might also consider your perches inside the enclosure. It could be helpful to have a hole in the background to insert the end of a branch to keep it from falling.

[Slicier]

Hi there,

It has been long time since my last post. I'm nearly finishing my terrarium and (I guess) it looks pretty good. So I am uploading photos right now and I have a really important question for the last piece of the cage.When I put maya in cage she loves it and she tried to climb the wall. Suddenly I recognize the scratchs on the wall. As I predict at the begining of the project, maya scratchs all the grouting. I need suggestions to cover the background with something to get away with scratchs.

You might also consider your perches inside the enclosure. It could be helpful to have a hole in the background to insert the end of a branch to keep it from falling.

Thank you again "daggekko" I listened your advice and I build 3 perches to background. I prefer to stick some plant but not too much. Also I add an DIY hammock at the right side of the cage. I will also add an half of an 200mm pipe to build simple hide to ground. as I said I did lots of things and the last piece is this get rid of scratch but i cannot find a way... Thank you again.

Photos:
First Layer Grouting
Background Finishing pictures by serhat_basak - Photobucket
Second Layer Grouting
Background Finishing 2 pictures by serhat_basak - Photobucket
Last Scenes
http://s1104.photobucket.com/albums/...Finishing%203/

I'm so happy because I really finished it earlier than I thought , I hope you all like it.
PS: I will try to finish it in next week and if someone can suggest something to prevent the background from scratches, it will be finished before next saturday.
Have a nice day...

[daggekko]

Looking good! No clue how to fix scratches.

[Slicier]

I add the new pictures. I need to cover the background with an colorless paint or something I guess :S I cannot find any solution. I need something like polish or gloss. Anyway.. Background Finishing 3 pictures by serhat_basak - Photobucket

[daggekko]

Are you going to have anything for the iguana to climb on? Also, are you going to put something over the fan for safety? It looks really good otherwise!