ANOTHER background - rainforest

[M.P.C]

Are you using styrofoam as the base for your background or something sturdier

[hungba]

Are you using styrofoam as the base for your background or something sturdier

It's just a piece of quarter inch plywood with cork bark and driftwood and branches etc. stuck on it.

[Jhill001]

I honestly don't think the lizard would eat the moss.

[hungba]

I honestly don't think the lizard would eat the moss.

I don't either, but since I had a lizard impacted several years ago, I've been quite paranoid about this kind of thing.

Regardless, the moss is sealed anyway now with clear epoxy which can not be removed by the lizard. I decided to give the moss more of a wet look.

Will post update after I install the LED lights and waterfall.

[MrLang]

That is really incredible! I'm sure you've thought of this, but I'd be sure to blast the hell out of that with air and or water to be sure there are no loose bits. The only thing worse than your lizard eating moss is your lizard eating epoxy-coated moss.

Would love to see a DIY thread with lots of pictures on how to make something like this.

[Jhill001]

I don't know much about blue tongues do they need the humidity provided by a waterfall? I've always pictures them as a savannah animal to be honest. Are they from rain forests? Or is this something specific to the type of blue tongue it is?

[hungba]

It depends on the species of blue tongue skinks. This particular background is for a merauke blue tongue which needs higher humidity. Generally, the indonesian species need higher humidity than australians.

[hungba]

That is really incredible! I'm sure you've thought of this, but I'd be sure to blast the hell out of that with air and or water to be sure there are no loose bits. The only thing worse than your lizard eating moss is your lizard eating epoxy-coated moss.

Would love to see a DIY thread with lots of pictures on how to make something like this.

I'll go over the surface bit by bit to check for loose bits. The moss now feels like solid part of the wall for the most part. If I push with moderate strength with my fingers the bits feel like rock and doesn't move.

I suck at making DIY threads because I tend to create as I go along, and never take the steps pictures. I tried doing that for my incubator and enclosures but ended up with one picture of a pile of wood and styrofoam, and one of the finished product. Some pics I took in between ended up as "mistakes" that I completely changed. As for the background, the instructions would basically be:

1) Buy a piece of plywood, some branches, bark, driftwood etc.
2) Buy some glue,
3)Go nuts. LOL!

[M.P.C]

any specific kind of glue you recomend, and what about for climbing things, like a nice chunk of wood.... say it was being mad for a ball python.... would the glue be enough or would you recomend screwing all climbing like branches to the board?

[hungba]

Things that require high mechanical strength I generally use two part epoxy adhesives. Stuff that doesn't require too much strength I like to use hot glue for the convenience. For pieces that fit flush together I use contact adhesives, but don't use it on styrofoam, I learned the hard way it will melt right through it.

Oh yes, and I recently discovered this adhesive from SELLEY'S liquid nails (the Australian Selley's brand, NOT the American brand "liquid nails") their 2x fast grab version in the yellow label tube is supposedly non toxic as it is water based and no solvents. I know not to believe all company claims but thus far I've had no problems.