Is fiberglass reptile safe?

[RideRed12]

Hey guys,

Just wondering if anyone could give me an answer as to if Fiberglass is snake safe after it has completely cured and dried. I have done a ton of automotive work with it, I would like to give it a shot with maybe some carpet or crested gecko cages. Let me know if anyone has any info on this.

Thanks

[Alexandra V]

I'm going to start out by saying that I've never tried it, and I don't have a whole heck of a lot of experience with fiber glass, but I'd assume that if it's properly cured and all, and there's enough ventilation, it could be fine for reptiles.

I'd wait to see if anyone else chimes in, but that's what I'd guess.

[RideRed12]

Thats what I was thinking, I just couldnt find very much concrete evidence. The more people I have with credible evidence that its safe, the more likely I will try it. I really want to make my own waterfall.

[Vypyrz]

I've never used it for any reptile applications, but the aircraft that I work on has the majority of the fuselage skin made from fiberglass and carbon fiber. Even being sanded smooth and painted, I still get the fibers stuck in my skin. Personally, I probably wouldn't use it.

[Vypyrz]

Thats what I was thinking, I just couldnt find very much concrete evidence. The more people I have with credible evidence that its safe, the more likely I will try it. I really want to make my own waterfall.

It sounds like you are pretty experienced working with it, probably far more than I am. You could always build a smaller experimental waterfall to see how it is, before building the one for the tank.

[Maixx]

There are several safer and cheaper options. I've worked with it a few times, and I wouldn't put it near my snakes. If you were to try it my advice would to use a synthetic fabric instead of fiberglass, double check your resin mixture and give plenty of time to out gas before putting any animals in it.

[VEXER19]

I have fiber glass walls in my viv I'm building and for my waterfall it will be styro foam coated in grout then painted and sealed with mod podge. It can even hold water and is cheap and light but strong.

My fiber glass walls were premade sheets from home depot so different then what your talking about. And mine will be like 80% covered. You can look at my threads if you wanna see sturo foam rock tho for your waterfall. Wish I could show you the actual one but I haven't built it yet.

[Salamander Rising]

I've never used it for any reptile applications, but the aircraft that I work on has the majority of the fuselage skin made from fiberglass and carbon fiber. Even being sanded smooth and painted, I still get the fibers stuck in my skin. Personally, I probably wouldn't use it.

To add to your post, only a 'gel coat' can totally seal it.

We use fiberglass to make our motorcycle trike bodies and it takes a lot of Bondo, primer and endless sanding with 800 wet/dry paper to get smooth it enough for a final paint job.

Fiberglass is, after all, made of tiny little sharp needles of fiber.

I once washed Himself's work clothes in the household washing machine by mistake and my clothes and all my linens were wrecked.

One of my dogs even got keratitis in both of her eyes because of the 'invisible' stray fibers embedded in the "clean" blankets on the sofa.