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sealing home made hides - safe product suggestions?

T

tracy0416

Tracy
Hey all: Thought some may find it interesting to assist in figuring out how to deal with these issues.

I'm moving my BPs to a new large acrylic enclosure, 6' x 2' x 2'. It's huge, 1/2" thick acrylic and quite attractive. Has a lid and I believe will hold the temps and humidity well. I'm going to try to house the male and female together.

I am going to furnish it with multiple hides and "rock-like" surfaces which I am in the process of making out of PAPIER MACHE covered wire forms. I'll post pics of the hides, etc. when I am done and show folks how to make them. They are much cheaper than store bought and can be made in large numbers all in one day.

Anyhoo, after I paper mached the forms, I let them dry and then painted them. The surfaces, while great shapes, don't look or feel as "rock-like" as I want them to so I need some suggestions on snake-safe ways to plaster and seal these new hides.

I was thinking drywall compound over the papier mache would make a nice rock-like surface. But, I need to be able to wash these things as they will get pooped on and need to be washed for general hygiene purposes. Acylic paint, while plastic, bubbles if wet for extended periods so I need to seal it after the painting is done.

1. Is sealing with a water based polyurethane okay if allowed to cure for a couple of weeks?

2. what suggestions do folks have on creating rock-like surfaces on styrofoam or paper mache forms?

3. I was also thinking of tile grout but was worried that it would chip off or be a bit too rough of a surface when it covered a large area like the entire hide. What do you all think?

4. And, how does one seal tile grout to make it wash-able?

I want to make multiple hides and levels of surfaces as both my BP's like to roam at night and I'd like to enhance their experiences and options while doing so. I'll include some greenery, rocks, wood, etc, but wanted to created caves and hills to explore.

I welcome ideas and input. Thanks
 
I would like to bring this thread back to life as I am thinking of doing something like it.:)
 
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Here is a picture of a DIY hide I made for my uromastyx. I took a larger but short becel container and using the spray foam and toilet rolls added roots, rock and the edging on the top to be able to use it as a dish. I cut a door into the container side. Let that dry and cure for a week. I used a knife to shave some of the foam to get the right shape. Then I used poly fill powder added enough water to make a runny paste. Using paper towel dipped in the grout solution I covered the foam plastic creation to make it smooth on the outside. Let it dry 24 hours before doing the same thing on the inside of the hide. Over the next week I added a total of six layers of grout paste. Each time making the paste just a little thicker. You can add the new layers of grout by painting it on or just kind of dipping it in or pouring it on. Whatever is easier. Once that has dried for at least 24 hours, I used nontoxic craft paints to paint it. I put on about 4 layers of paint. Then using acrylic sealant (nontoxic type) I put about 3 layers of that on. It makes it very slippery for the lizard to crawl on so I added another layer of sealant and used sand on the still wet sealant to add grip. Be careful on the type of sand. Find sand that is not crushed but the real stuff. Washed play sand works best.
Hope that helps.
 
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