DIY Home-made "realistic" Hides

ok so a couple questions that have probably been asked already but 15 pages XD i read the first 8 then gave up haha.

has anyone tried making a mold out of cardboard? cover the cardboard in wax/parchment paper to avoid sticking? to me uding cardboard would be endless possibilities. and baking at 250 degrees there would be no chance of fire. (spontaneous combustion happens at 500 degrees.) so according to my science professor it would be safe lol (we will see).

also how structurally sound is this clay, im thinking about doing a rectangle one about 14"x10"x5" should there be any concerns about the middle caving in once its dry? what if she climbs on top of it ~1700g. i could always just make it as tall as the bin so she cant get on top of it lol.

hopefully we can get some answers here and maybe even give people some new ideas :) (id the cardboard thing hasn't been tried ill volunteer for the ginni-pig)

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Originally Posted by jfaria1891

ok so a couple questions that have probably been asked already but 15 pages XD i read the first 8 then gave up haha.

has anyone tried making a mold out of cardboard? cover the cardboard in wax/parchment paper to avoid sticking? to me uding cardboard would be endless possibilities. and baking at 250 degrees there would be no chance of fire. (spontaneous combustion happens at 500 degrees.) so according to my science professor it would be safe lol (we will see).

also how structurally sound is this clay, im thinking about doing a rectangle one about 14"x10"x5" should there be any concerns about the middle caving in once its dry? what if she climbs on top of it ~1700g. i could always just make it as tall as the bin so she cant get on top of it lol.

hopefully we can get some answers here and maybe even give people some new ideas :) (id the cardboard thing hasn't been tried ill volunteer for the ginni-pig)

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Hey I'm about to try the cardboard it shouldn't cause the point is 500 this is half that I only made a bit though I'm gonna cover the cardboard in wax paper then add the do stuff wish me luck!!!!! :D

0.1.0 normal Ball Python

Ok it's in the oven I'll keep an eye on it I just did it all by have so I dint know if it to thick but if the cardboard works it'll be a hit for being green with the reptile can't wait pics might come up if I don't fail this is just a try not meant for my ball yet if this works I'll be making her a hide

0.1.0 normal Ball Python

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bloodborn25

Ok it's in the oven I'll keep an eye on it I just did it all by have so I dint know if it to thick but if the cardboard works it'll be a hit for being green with the reptile can't wait pics might come up if I don't fail this is just a try not meant for my ball yet if this works I'll be making her a hide

0.1.0 normal Ball Python

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sweet yeah deff let me know how that works out :)

Oh well the thing was to thick lol XD but I'll remember to make it thinner but yea the cardboard was hot but it was ok the hole way. I still like doing my hides and others made from foam and doing the grouting method it's support and structure have always been a pleasing factor to me I'll have to tweak this

0.1.0 normal Ball Python

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bloodborn25

Oh well the thing was to thick lol XD but I'll remember to make it thinner but yea the cardboard was hot but it was ok the hole way. I still like doing my hides and others made from foam and doing the grouting method it's support and structure have always been a pleasing factor to me I'll have to tweak this

0.1.0 normal Ball Python

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ah sorry it didnt work out, if u want to salvage it you could always ry throwing it back in the oven for longer it will dry out eventually lol but atleast we know now that cardboard is a go.

Well I just did a 2", 1" 1/16", 1" 1/2" so it was just too play with for my first time but yea hope you make some cool hides jfaria

0.1.0 normal Ball Python

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/01/25/typuqagy.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/01/25/ehuqy5en.jpg

I'm just seeing if it works I made some of just a bit ago it's on a Pyrex dish Pre heating the oven right now if this works I'll use it lol fingers crossed

0.1.0 normal Ball Python

Wow!! Amazing!!!

I'm actually building some basking areas for my beardie. This seems like a great idea. I have been working on a foam and grout setup for the last couple of days. I'm about to go buy some flour and salt and try my hand at this :-).

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Does anyone know if Rust-Oleum LeakSeal is safe for this process?

On sa side note... that's a lot of freaking salt! Lol

Any more long term updates? Whats the shelf life for these?

If it is properly baked and sealed, should last forever eh?

This saved me so much money and gave me a bonding opportunity with my "snake daddy" (also known as my boyfriend...Lol!). We enjoyed making these for our babies. (:

Can I use polycrylic as a sealer instead?

Has anyone had a problem with the clay cracking?

I'd like to hear from someone who has a good, cost effective sealer that works in a more humid atmosphere. These clay hides seem to be working well for beardies and other desert species but failing in more humid habitats. I've been researching diy hides all over the web and the people who build a lot of hides all seem to use Shields-all, but the smallest amount of that stuff you can get is still about $40 - not reasonable if you just want to make 2-3 small/medium hides. Other people have mentioned silicone tank sealer but I don't see how that works - it's a thick gel, seems like it would make a thick, blobby, rubbery layer on your surface. Mod Podge apparently is not durable enough or fully waterproof. What sealants have you guys used successfully for hides in 50-70% humidity enclosures?

I've been reading this thread and it got my sculpture brain going. Was trying to figure out a super accessible technique for making hides etc but with structure besides a mold... I was thinking that you could easily make an armature and use some type of homemade non-toxic air dry clay. :D I'm gonna try this out for when my snake needs a bigger hide.

Thanks! I think the kids and I are going to try this today!

Thinking about 3d printing a hide mold then using this clay method to make the hide. The thing with FMD 3d printing (the kind most home owner priced models are) is that it builds the item by laying a single layer of melted plastic at a time, moving up a fraction of an inch then doing the next layer. This means that you shouldn't use them in any fashion that can cause bacteria or other things to form. Too many tiny, tiny, tiny places for things to hide and grow. The only issue is that I can't bake it on top of a 3d printed mold as it would melt. would it work if I let it air dry for a day or so then remove the mold and bake? anyone try something like that. I admit I haven't read the whole thread but did skim through it quickly.