how to make faux/fake rocks

[RobK.]

this would be a cool project for your lizard cage

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnQ_9E3DSjk&feature=player_embedded#at=409

 

[james.w]

RE: how to make faux rocks

I am really thinking about doing this in all of my enclosures. Especially for my Varanus Melinus, its a good way to make use of all the space. Here is another really cool idea using PVC and plaster of paris to make a fake tree.

http://www.herpcenter.com/general-construction/13971-enclosure-construction-image-heavy.html

 

[Toby_H]

RE: how to make faux rocks

I've made a lot of Sealed Styrofoam inserts & backgrounds in small reptile, amphibian and fish tanks. I've never found a sealer that would stand up to claws of larger lizards. Anything that has enough of a claw to hurt your arm gripping or jumping off of you will surely damage a styrofoam structure.

To make something for a larger lizard you will want to use a wooden base or make the structure out of just concrete. Either of which will be very heavy and also prone to breaking when moved.

 

[james.w]

RE: how to make faux rocks

Toby, what do you think of the plaster of paris tree for larger lizards?

 

[Toby_H]

RE: how to make faux rocks

I'm not familiar with "plaster of paris tree" and google didn't turn anything up...

If that was what he called this structure, then I think it would be perfect for small lizards like Leopard or Crested Geckos. But honestly I would not use a styrofoam based structure for anything but the smallerst of clawed lizards.

 

[james.w]

RE: how to make faux rocks

if you look in the link i posted, it shows a guy building a tree out of PVC and plaster of paris. Looks really good, but not sure how it would hold up to a monitor.

 

[Toby_H]

RE: how to make faux rocks

It's hard to say... I've never worked with 'Plaster of Paris'...

I suspect an adult Varanus Melinus would easily get 6~8 lbs. 1.5" likely won't break under such weight, but it will surely bend. Will 'Plaster of Paris' crack when continuously bent or is it flexible? Using larger diameter PVC will help it hold it's form better, but it will also be harder to make it appear less uniform.

My next concern would be how easily the 'Plaster of Paris' will be cut through by the lizards claws. At the same time I would question how well it would adhere to the PVC.

If it is plyable enough to bend with the PVC, then I would expect the claws to slice into it quickly damaging it. But if it is ridgid enough to stand up to the lizards claws, I would expect it to crack when flexed.

Something like this would likely work perfect for smaller lizards (up to 1.5~2 lbs max) or small to medium snakes (up to 3~5 lbs max). But I just don't think I would trust it to stand up to anything but the smallest of monitor species.

 

[RobK.]

RE: how to make faux rocks

I was wondering how foam would hold up to big lizards . ?? how about a paper mache or foam and chicken wire shaped fake rock and covered with hydraulic cement or ??

http://www.acehardware.com/largeImage/index.jsp?LargeImageURL=http%3A//ACE.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/pACE2-1133180dt.jpg

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quote'''

This is a great instructable. I am a zookeeper, and this is easily as good or better than some professional work that I have seen.

For everyone wondering about waterproof rock-work for aquaria, you can use hydraulic cement and it will not leach any poisons into your water. We used it all over the place when we were building aquatic habitats at the zoo, plus at home I keep sensitive aquatic amphibians in tanks with hydraulic cement features and they have suffered no ill effects.

Mix it at a very thick consistency and then you can just use it like modeling clay to build any shape that you want. You have about five minutes to use it before it hardens, so make it in small batches. You can build all kinds of shapes this way.

Again, this is the very best how-to I've seen on naturalistic terrarium furniture. Kudos. I can tell that you really care about the health and safety of your pet.''



http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-mix-hydraulic-cement-for-sculpting/

 

[AvaHal12]

RE: how to make faux rocks

I've made a lot of Sealed Styrofoam inserts & backgrounds in small reptile, amphibian and fish tanks. I've never found a sealer that would stand up to claws of larger lizards. Anything that has enough of a claw to hurt your arm gripping or jumping off of you will surely damage a styrofoam structure.

To make something for a larger lizard you will want to use a wooden base or make the structure out of just concrete. Either of which will be very heavy and also prone to breaking when moved.

Would the use of several layers of tile grout strenghten the styrofoam structure enough to handle tegu claws?

 

[Toby_H]

Would the use of several layers of tile grout strenghten the styrofoam structure enough to handle tegu claws?

I do not have personal experience doing so... but this is my best guess...

Grout is very "impact resistent", but is also 'brittle". As it gets thicker it will stand up to the impact of Tegu claws better but may chip away too easily to last over time.

Concrete and concrete like substances generally have a very high "compressive strength" but have a very low "tensile strength". A styrofoam ball or ball of other soft material that is coated with concrete will rely on concretes tensile strength. Concrete along makes a very poor choice of materials to span any distance unsupported. This is why when building bridges there is a lot of steel as well as plasticizers placed in the concrete to help it be more applicable to spanning.

All in all... I just don't think it is practical to make styrofoam structures for large clawed reptiles. Instead I suggest using a wooden base with thinner coats of concrete, grout, Drylok, etc...