How to make a naturalistic moist hide?

[LindsayMayer]

Hi! So I just have the basic tupperware moist hide lined with some paper towels for the moment, I plan on trying out some moss or natural sponge next time I go to the store.

Basically, I'm really into the "naturalistic" viv setup. The other decor in my tank is naturalistic -- basic, but it still looks more natural than using mostly tupperware containers as hides. What are some ways I can make a more naturalistic looking moist hide, or is there something I can do to the tupperware to make it look better? Thanks

 

[Aimless]

you can buy commercial "reptile dens" that look more natural and use moss inside.

for my Tokay and my Leachie, I have cylinder-shaped wood cage furnishings that rest against the soil/litter on the cage floor, and then I add some extra moss and make sure to hit them when I mist. you could try something similar for your gecko?

 

[LindsayMayer]

Good to know, I came across these two varieties from a quick internet search.

http://www.koibitz.com/scripts/prodList.asp?idCategory=264

http://di1-1.shoppingshadow.com/ima...+Med+Repti+Shelter+3+In+1+Cave+Small+6+In.jpg

I personally like the second one. Looks much easier to clean. Although the first one seems more private for the animal. But less room to move around and shed.
I might have to pick one of these up when I go down to visit my family for Christmas; they have a petsmart and petco.

 

[MauricesExoticPets]

There was a post somewhere in the www where a guy took a torch and heated PVC pipe and reformed it into natural looking hides. Some turned out really nice. I'll have to see if I can find that one again.

Maurice Pudlo

http://planethx.com/naturalistic-habitat-creations/

 

[LindsayMayer]

Really cool! It's amazing what you can do with a bit of ingenuity.

 

[MauricesExoticPets]

Thats not the one I was looking for but the idea is the same, I can imagine some ceramics could be cool to work with too.

Maurice Pudlo

 

[LindsayMayer]

We ended up unexpectedly running to the pet store to get some supplies, so I ended up getting a cool moist hide, looks like a rock! The small is really small, as I found out, so I ended up getting a medium, which even still would really only work for small geckos like mine. The large would be best for most geckos, just in case anyone wants to go buy one!

 

[thorrshamri]

It all depends on how naturalistic you want such a hide to look.

If your idea is just to avoid PVC and plastic, an emptied coconut with a hole just big enough for your gecko to go in and out will do.

Now, as you are talking about a leopard gecko, there are no coconuts where they live...

You can use silicon sealer used for aquariums (sold in aquarium shops/pet shops) to make a hide with flat stones. Silicon "glue" emits toxic substances when drying up so you have to wait at least for 3-4 days before your homemade shelter can be put inside your gecko's tank.

Solution #2- get a block of styrofoam. You can get such a thing for free from lots of places where they receive either live animals or food -here in France I get styrofoam cases from pet shops or in supermarkets at the fish and seafood section just by asking them to give me what they have. Leopard geckos will not damage styrofoam. You can either use silicon sealer to make a natural-looking shelter and stick sand all over it, or water paint then two layers of aquarethane varnish, the latter can be found in art shops

 

[LindsayMayer]

That's a great tidbit, I was wondering exactly how people go about making some of the more extravagant terras. If I ever upgrade to a new tank I am for sure going to try making something myself.

 

[thorrshamri]

Here on the foreground you can see a shelter I made with flat rocks and silicone sealer for aquariums it was also stuck to the glass so as to avoid the animals to dig under it and get trapped or crushed under the rocks.