vastra
New member
(I made this months ago and had posted the first stage but never got around to downloading the new photos and updating)
This was my first time building a hide and I'm currently working on a new platform for the other-side of the tank which I'll post here when it's done.
The hide is really two hides in one long hill on the warm side of the tank, the front six inches are his warm hide and the back (accessible to the gecko only from a hole in the top of the hide) is his wet hide, made by carving a ring into the foam where a tupperware bowl fits. The entire thing was carved out of foam, hot glued together, and coated in three or four layers of plaster of paris mixed with sand, it's all sealed in polyacrylic except for the wet side which was coated in 2part epoxy to make it more waterproof.
I've had it for a while now and he seems to like it, a ceramic heat bulb keeps the top nice and warm.
While the plaster was mostly dry I rubbed my hand over the basking spots to smooth them out. Some spots had more or less sand mixed with the plaster so the 'bowl' on the top is smooth inside but the wall is rough.
forgot to get a progress pic but the detail here was really easy, I glued a ramp on, carved away randomly at the sides for texture, and glued scraps on wherever it looked right until it was lumpy and rock like.
adding coats
earthy colors inside.
texture
drying
all dry!
First shed in the new tank! The wet hide was open to the warm hide while he got used to climbing in from the top. It's been sealed off from the warm hide now.
Thanks for reading!
-
The new platform I'm making now is made in the same way but didn't come out as well because I rushed it. Waiting for the poly to dry before I get the pictures. :/
Sadly I couldn't tell until downloading the photos that almost every picture of the finished hide reflected me and the room so only a few were usable..I'll get a better one..one-day..
This was my first time building a hide and I'm currently working on a new platform for the other-side of the tank which I'll post here when it's done.
The hide is really two hides in one long hill on the warm side of the tank, the front six inches are his warm hide and the back (accessible to the gecko only from a hole in the top of the hide) is his wet hide, made by carving a ring into the foam where a tupperware bowl fits. The entire thing was carved out of foam, hot glued together, and coated in three or four layers of plaster of paris mixed with sand, it's all sealed in polyacrylic except for the wet side which was coated in 2part epoxy to make it more waterproof.
I've had it for a while now and he seems to like it, a ceramic heat bulb keeps the top nice and warm.
While the plaster was mostly dry I rubbed my hand over the basking spots to smooth them out. Some spots had more or less sand mixed with the plaster so the 'bowl' on the top is smooth inside but the wall is rough.
forgot to get a progress pic but the detail here was really easy, I glued a ramp on, carved away randomly at the sides for texture, and glued scraps on wherever it looked right until it was lumpy and rock like.
adding coats
earthy colors inside.
texture
drying
all dry!
First shed in the new tank! The wet hide was open to the warm hide while he got used to climbing in from the top. It's been sealed off from the warm hide now.
Thanks for reading!
-
The new platform I'm making now is made in the same way but didn't come out as well because I rushed it. Waiting for the poly to dry before I get the pictures. :/
Sadly I couldn't tell until downloading the photos that almost every picture of the finished hide reflected me and the room so only a few were usable..I'll get a better one..one-day..