# Enclosure backgrounds in the states?



## isdrake (Feb 15, 2010)

I'm curious about enclosure backgrounds, I'm not even sure what you call it. I'm thinking about those fake stone backgrounds. Doesn't have to look like stone but that's the most common.

I hardly haven't seen anything like that in this forum. But that might be because Tegus don't really have any use of them (like smaller lizards would) so I guess it's only for esthetic purposes.

How common are these backgrounds in USA? I know exoterra have a few really simply ones. But it it common that people build their own?

I would love to see some examples of backgrounds used for Tegus as inspiration to my own work. Those backgrounds are very common here but Tegus are rare... 

I think these things makes the enclosure much more interesting to look at. And some people can really make them beautiful. If you are going to have a huge enclosure at home you might as well something decorative out of it. 

I will post some examples of varying quality so you know what I'm talking about.

http://www.repti.net/reptile_picture/Vivarium_80957.jpg
http://www.repti.net/reptile_picture/Vivarium_80529.jpg
http://www.repti.net/reptile_picture/Vivarium_80378.jpg
http://www.repti.net/reptile_picture/Vivarium_78760.jpg
http://www.zoonen.com/res/forum/2621249/100_2498.jpg


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## Toby_H (Feb 16, 2010)

I'm a huge fan of "fake but natural looking" backgrounds... I've made several for aquariums and terrariums.

For most of mine I carve styrofoam and coat it with tinted Drylock. Here are pictures of a frog tank with extensive background work I just finished.







Styrofoam coated with Drylock or other concrete like products will not be solid enough to stand up to a Tegu's claws. I've considered making something similar out of wood, but the weight it would add to the tank has discouraged the idea. Plastic backgrounds are an option but I don't have the means to make one and I am too cheap to pay the retail prices that would come with one large enough for a Tegu enclosure...

I have also considered making a Drylock painted wooden background that clips in place. This way I can remove it when the cage is being moved/carried.


But as you mentioned, the Tegu won't really make use of the background so it's sole purpose will be enhanced appearance. I'm just not sure if it will be worth the cost & effort for the minor visual improvement.


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## isdrake (Feb 17, 2010)

Nice background. 

I'm planning on building a background out off styrofoam, polyutheranresin and fiber glass. I wounder how many layers of fiber I would need...

I know it's expensive but since the enclosure are a large portion of our apartment now I want it to look good. It takes up half the living room. Other than that we only got a small bedroom and a small kitchen.

I'm thinking of making it pretty flat with no shelfs that the Tegus can climb. And I want to make holes in it (out of their reach) that I can put plants in.


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## Toby_H (Feb 17, 2010)

I've worked with FIberglass and Fiberglass Resin twice. My goal in life is to never work with it again. The Resin's working form is pretty thin and drips and oozes very easily. It is horribly sticky and is almost impossible to get off of any surface it gets on. After workign with it twice I have very litle advice to offer other than avoid using it. If you choose to anyway make sure to have every step planned out in advance especially the cleaning process.

Ive done quite a few projects with styrofoam. The dense stuff (consistent foam) is much nicer to work with in comparison to the lighter stuff (balls adhered together). It cuts smoother and easier and makes much less of a mess. It also holds it's form much better simply because it is denser. The dense stuff will be a much better base when considering both the weight and claws of a Tegu.

I have not ever worked with Polyurethane Foam or Polyurethane Resin so I turned to Google for a quick education.

The Polyurethane Foam looked very interesting and seems to be a little denser than foam sheets. Then I saw the price tag on it and gasped in shock. While it does seem like a very interesting and worthwhile material, I think you could use styrofoam sheets to make an equally applicable base for a fraction the price.

The Polyurethane Resin was also pricey, but offers an advantage I don't know an easier or better way to replicate. It goes on as a liquid and dries into an inert plastic. After reading a couple of descriptions it seems like it could practically be applied to prevent a Tegu's claws from penetrating it. To minimize the cost you could coat the tops of "rocks" with a thicker layer than the bottoms, since they will be more prone to having claws dug into them. This Resin is paintable, although I would try adding tint to the liquid mix to color it. I would assume concrete tint would work, although naturally I would try it on a small sample first.


But it sounds like a carved Styrofoam base covered in Polyurethane Resin would be a nice sturdy light weight option for a decorative background.

I'm sure you guys know this already... but it sounds like you guys will be working with these chemicals in your apartment. Ventilation, ventilation, ventilation.... we all know it but it's an easy corner to cut but sometimes comes at a price we didn't expect to pay. I used Poly Fiber Resin in a basement once and didn't realize quite how lightheaded I was until I couldn't keep my hand on target and then struggled to walk to the door for fresh air... lesson learned...


I look forward to seeing what you guys come up with. I know you have access to a different variety of products than we do oever here, but please share what products you are considering and why you choose, or do not choose, each one.


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## isdrake (Feb 19, 2010)

Thanks for the input.  I have already started to try out the materials. The Polyurethane Resin hardens REALLY fast and are a little tricky to work with. But so far I'm really pleased with the result. One bad thing is that it melts the styrofoam. But if you cover the whole thing with papier-machÃ?Æ?Ã?Â© it works.

I made two rocks for our Australian enclosure some time ago. The goal was to try the materials and get some practice. But I didn't put in any fiber glass because that would be unnecessary since it will be used for a bearded dragon. I did put color directly in the resin and it's water proof, yay.

Next I will make the whole background for the beardie.


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## AB^ (Feb 20, 2010)

Not a tegu cage but here's my wall lizard cage (before plants) the background is all styrofoam carved with a knife with several layers of acrylic paint. Now that wouldnt stand up to a tegu but originally I had planned to use quick dry cement on it to make it much more durable.


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## HorseCaak (Feb 20, 2010)

I used a terrarium wallpaper background for my temporary 60 gallon glass enclosure. ;-)


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## RamblinRose (Feb 21, 2010)

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.lizard-landscapes.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.lizard-landscapes.com/</a><!-- m --> ....and some extra imagination :chin can go a long way.


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## cornking4 (Feb 21, 2010)

I'd love to make a fake rock background for my enclosure but the corners are curved... I can't really think of a way to get around it.


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## Toby_H (Feb 21, 2010)

Foam can be carved or otherwise made to fit rounded corners easily... Deciding on a overlay is the hard part...


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## isdrake (Feb 22, 2010)

AB^ said:


> Not a tegu cage but here's my wall lizard cage (before plants) the background is all styrofoam carved with a knife with several layers of acrylic paint. Now that wouldnt stand up to a tegu but originally I had planned to use quick dry cement on it to make it much more durable.



Nice. 
How does it work with just styrofoam and acrylic paint? I guess it's rather fragile? And how does it stand again humidity?




HorseCaak said:


> I used a terrarium wallpaper background for my temporary 60 gallon glass enclosure. ;-)



No offence but I really think wallpaper backgrounds are ugly.  Even though they sometimes can add a little extra to the feeling. But I still think it's betetr to use a plan colour as background. ;P



cornking4 said:


> I'd love to make a fake rock background for my enclosure but the corners are curved... I can't really think of a way to get around it.



I agree with Toby_H. I don't think that's such a big problem. Another thing that is rather popular to use (instead of styrofoam) is joint foam. I have never used it myself though. And in that case it doesn't matter that the corners are curved.


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## HorseCaak (Feb 22, 2010)

I think when my tegu is full grown, I'll just by her a childs playhouse to call her home away from home. Maybe I'll install a little flat screen tv and just play animal planet all day long. 
:bajo 
But I probably will get her something to play in so she has some excitement away from her enclosure. I'll let you all know how it works out.
:-D 

-BLAIR


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