Reptile & Amphibian Forums

when i redo my adult iguanas cage i want to make it look more natural. so i want to make a fake tree trunk in one of the corners and make a large branch stretch out along the back wall that he can bask on. i am going to use large cardboard tubes that my dad can get from his work and then put chicken wire over it and use expanable foam and cove the chcken wire. but i dont know what to use to seal the foam. but one person on this forum metioned using marine epoxy. but i want to make sure that it is safe to use with my igg. and after i seal t with that i am going to put cement or plaster over it to give it a real hard finish. and i want to do the same process and make some rocks and such.

also i know people with water dragons build little ponds in there cages to keep up the humididty. and if i were to do this in his cage what would be the best way to filter this. he wont poop in the pond cuz he is paper trained..
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1.0.0 adopted iguana
0.0.2 Hedgehogs
My Email

YOU DONT OWN YOUR IGUANA, YOUR IGUANA OWNS YOU

HAPPINESS IS LIKE PEEING ON YOURSELF, EVERYONE CAN SEE IT BUT ONLY YOU CAN FEEL THE WARMTH

R.I.P INDIAN LARRY

It will be safe once it is fully cured. That can take months, however. I'm not sure if I'm following your description, though. I believe you'll only need it on your top coat of plastic or cement, not over the foam.

But maybe I'm not understanding your post.

>>also i know people with water dragons build little ponds in there cages to keep up the humididty. and if i were to do this in his cage what would be the best way to filter this. he wont poop in the pond cuz he is paper trained..

If you're going that route I'd go ahead and make the pool into the base of a waterfall. Incorporate a filter into the output at the top of the waterfall.
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Current snakes:

0.2 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Silver/Yellow)

3.3 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Green)

2.1 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black)

3.3 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black & Tan)

the person i talked to told mentioned putting it over the foam.. but ill put it over the top coat. and after that is cured i can paint over that right?
and what would the easiest way to make a waterfall be? i want it to look real nice..

>>It will be safe once it is fully cured. That can take months, however. I'm not sure if I'm following your description, though. I believe you'll only need it on your top coat of plastic or cement, not over the foam.
>>
>>But maybe I'm not understanding your post.
>>
>>>>also i know people with water dragons build little ponds in there cages to keep up the humididty. and if i were to do this in his cage what would be the best way to filter this. he wont poop in the pond cuz he is paper trained..
>>
>>If you're going that route I'd go ahead and make the pool into the base of a waterfall. Incorporate a filter into the output at the top of the waterfall.
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>>Current snakes:
>>
>>0.2 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Silver/Yellow)
>>
>>3.3 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Green)
>>
>>2.1 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black)
>>
>>3.3 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black & Tan)
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1.0.0 adopted iguana
0.0.2 Hedgehogs
My Email

YOU DONT OWN YOUR IGUANA, YOUR IGUANA OWNS YOU

HAPPINESS IS LIKE PEEING ON YOURSELF, EVERYONE CAN SEE IT BUT ONLY YOU CAN FEEL THE WARMTH

R.I.P INDIAN LARRY

If you are going to use epoxy, here is a website to check out. They talk about building your own aquarium, but you can use the information to build a small pond. They use plywood painted with 2 step epoxy.

I have built a large pond for my water monitor (complete with a fluval 404 filtering system).

freshaquarium.about.com/cs/aquariums/

Also has some other great tips in there for 'future' projects!

If your topcoat is plaster or cement then I don't think you need to coat the foam first.

I would paint the plaster and then clear coat it, not the other way around.

I used to have a great link on plaster/epoxy waterfalls but the site no longer exists. Hopefully someone else will chime in.
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Current snakes:

0.2 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Silver/Yellow)

3.3 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Green)

2.1 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black)

3.3 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black & Tan)

this is what i would do:

1. get a tub about the size of the pool you want

2. drill a hole in the side about 1", you will be inserting a pvc pipe into the hole. insert the pipe at the depth you want the water level to stop. (1" is the inside diameter you may need to file the hole to fit)

3. get a 90 degree fitting and go through the enclosure floor with the pipe down into a sump bucket.

4.put a filter in the sump bucket and have as much hose as you will need to reach the top of the waterfall. you can drill a hole in the floor or in the back of the enclosure and route the return hose as you wish

5. silicone around the pipe in the tub and on the floor.

6.fill in the areas around the tub w/ foam making it look as you desire.

7.after the foam is dried (about 24 hours) lay the enclosure on its back and lay the filter return line out where it will be

8.get a tupperware the size you want your top reservoir to be and tape it to the bottom (which is the back when upright) at a 90 degree angle

10.make the waterfall part now with the foam, spray it directly on the back of the enclosure make it the thickness and shape you want. the top tupperware should be completely surrounded(but not inside) and the waterfall portion should connect to the pool portion at the bottom. the filter return line should be in the foam so it stays when it hardens. the open end of the hose should be angled into the top tupperware reservoir.

11.let it all dry and paint as you wish , i like the stone fleck paint on the foam, it looks pretty nice. after the paint is dry then seal it with the marine epoxy. any problems with the toxicity of the paint should be ok with the epoxy sealing it, but just in case you can opt to not paint the areas that will have standing water.

i may have missed something, i am kinda hashing this out right before dinner, so im in a hurry, just ask if i am not clear on something.
also, waterfalls are notorious for splashing, leaking and just plain getting things wet. it is best if the enclosure can handle water or is water tight.

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