Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Making tropical viv for PDF’s out of an old wooden dresser. Would like to know of something to waterproof the inside with that can standup to high humidity, yet is still safe. Any help would be greatly appreciated…

Hard to make a recommendation not knowing what a PDF is, if has sharp claws/scratches a lot, or if it requires standing water.

For ultimate water proofing there are the marine epoxies, fiberglass resin, etc. They are hard to work with and may be more than is necessary. But they are safe. I know of plywood aquaria sealed with these epoxies that have housed delicate marine invertebrates for over 20 years.

A simpler approach may be to line the inside of the dresser with a thin plastic, like high density polyethylene (aka HDPE) or Fiberglass Reinforced Panel (aka FRP). Again, depending on what a "PDF" is, other plastics such as high-density styrene (aka HDS), or expanded poly-vinyl chloride sheeting (aka PVCX or EPVC) may also work.

Aren't you glad I didn't just write "try FRP, HDS, PVCX, HDPE, or ME's or FR's"?

"PDF" Poison Dart Frog.....

I have kept Dendrobatid frogs in plywood vivaria sealed with pool epoxy.

Epoxies can be very expensive, especially when you factor in that you'll need to buy enough to seal several vivaria rather than just one. Fiberglass resin is cheaper but very hard to work with.

West Systems Marine Epoxy is probably somewhere inbetween the cost of pool epoxy and fiberglass resin. I believe the solvents are less nasty to work with. I have not used this product but have read about it on the Monitor forum.

I'd probably use that or a plastic sheet product siliconed in.