Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'm currently designing new vivariums for my critters, and while trying to sketch them out, I realized I can't for any of the rocks and all, as I have a limited selection of what I could buy. Today in art class I saw some paper mache projects people have worked on. So I was wondering.. if I form rock shapes out of a wire mesh and paper mached around it, would it be any good? How much weight would that be able to hold? I want to build more than one floor, sort of, with rocks. It's something I can do for free at my school though, but I'll forget about it if it's no good.
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0.0.2 fire-belly newts - Squirt and Moe
1.1 bearded dragons - [bleep] and Kaida
0.1 leopard gecko - Bobbett
1.0 black roughneck monitor - Slade
1.0 mali uromastyx - Petunia (moniker: Uro)

hmmm, just thinking out loud here, I am interested to see what others say... my initial thought is humidity. Paper mache would not hold up well in a humid environment. What I am not sure about is if you could seal it with something that would protect it... As for strenth, that would have to come from the internal supports I think. The paper mache itself would just add rigidity, and texture. Which could also add to the strength, but will probably not be a major architectural addition.... I am not sure! lol.

Do you have access to clay and a kiln in your art department? You could defintiely do something with that of pieced in the right way!

Keep us posted on your projects, and good luck!

Elizabeth
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1.0 Uro Archimedes
0.0 Fish
0.1 Sulcata Minnie
1.1 Iguanas Flik and Loki
0.1 Newfoundland Jasmine
0.1 Feline Winter
Indiana & Wisconsin

I realized this morning about the humidity thing. >.< Or how it may not be a grand thing if the critters decide to take a dump on it. As far as I know, there isn't any access to clay at this school. I'm in a new school by the way. There is plenty of access at my other school though.. hrm. I'll talk to the teacher there. Thanks!
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0.0.2 fire-belly newts - Squirt and Moe
1.1 bearded dragons - [bleep] and Kaida
0.1 leopard gecko - Bobbett
1.0 black roughneck monitor - Slade
1.0 mali uromastyx - Petunia (moniker: Uro)

I read through some of the new posts, and saw your black mali uromastyx. I'm keeping my eyes open for a new one, and have never seen a pure black one. Where did you get him?
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0.0.2 fire-belly newts - Squirt and Moe
1.1 bearded dragons - [bleep] and Kaida
0.1 leopard gecko - Bobbett
1.0 black roughneck monitor - Slade
1.0 mali uromastyx - Petunia (moniker: Uro)

I actually got him at a local petstore that is no longer open. He had the traditional yellow stripings when he was little, but they just disappeared as he got older. I thought it might be due to lack of UVB light, but even with an increase the colorations never came back. Now you cannot even see a shadow if where the strips of yellow used to be. A lot of people seem to be fascinated by him. I am certainly fond of him!

Thank you for asking about him, I love to tell people about my "exceptional child".

A few people mentioned that they had seen one before, but not often, so you might want to post out to the Uromastyx forum and see if anyone has any ideas on finding an all black one, if that is what you are looking for.

Elizabeth

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1.0 Uro Archimedes
0.0 Fish
0.1 Sulcata Minnie
1.1 Iguanas Flik and Loki
0.1 Newfoundland Jasmine
0.1 Feline Winter
Indiana & Wisconsin

I probably will ask around and make a post about it. Just keeping my eyes open now.. going to be moving next week, hopefully custom make a few vivariums, so that'll occupy me for a while. But I just saw him, and was amazed.. Be careful, I may steal him from you.
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0.0.2 fire-belly newts - Squirt and Moe
1.1 bearded dragons - [bleep] and Kaida
0.1 leopard gecko - Bobbett
1.0 black roughneck monitor - Slade
1.0 mali uromastyx - Petunia (moniker: Uro)

hehe, he is well guarded by my attack goldfish.
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1.0 Uro Archimedes
0.0 Fish
0.1 Sulcata Minnie
1.1 Iguanas Flik and Loki
0.1 Newfoundland Jasmine
0.1 Feline Winter
Indiana & Wisconsin

Attack... goldfish? I'm suppose to be intimidated by that? I'll find a way around them..
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0.0.2 fire-belly newts - Squirt and Moe
1.1 bearded dragons - [bleep] and Kaida
0.1 leopard gecko - Bobbett
1.0 black roughneck monitor - Slade
1.0 mali uromastyx - Petunia (moniker: Uro)