Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Would anyone in here care to lay out the process of creating fake rock backgrounds, waterfalls, etc.? I have seen lots of amazing pictures of some of your work but never heard the materials list or the process completely covered. Thanks.

there are several websites, mine is www.freewebs.com/herptips/

Look around there are others that might also be what you're looking for.
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www.hullabalooherps.com

That's some great info. Thanks for the link. So how do they do the ones that wrap around the entire cage (the ones that look like a big rock wall with ledges?) Is it the same just on a bigger scale? I guess if you have good measurements, you could make it out of one big piece of styrofoam. How durable is that material once hardened? Cause I've seen some pictures of large pythons basking on those ledges so it seems to me like there must be some other shapable material out there thats more durable to hold that much weight. Thanks again.

For larger/heavier animals, i would suggest make a form out of hardware cloth and then using foam with grout or concrete. That will add a significant amount of weight to the cage, so take that into account. I used to have a bunch of websites saved for the info you are looking for, but my computer had a virus & I had to reformat my hard drive...I forgot to save all but the most important things to backup. You could try the search function here to find more info.
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www.hullabalooherps.com

Here's a link to a DIY article I put up on my website on faux rock construction. I learned this technique from some of the larger exhibit fabricator companies, and have used it to build my own exhibits for zoos, nature centers, and private residences. I am also constructing a backyard waterfall with the same general technique.

I think one of the most important aspects that most people miss when making their grout rock backgrounds, is they forget how real rock looks. They just glop the grout on, and leave it as is. They forget that real rock is striated(most rock you encounter), varies in color and texture.. Personally, I would have to say that 95% of the fake rock jobs you see in the KS gallery do not look like real, natural rock...

Take that into consideration when designing your background, as it will make the enclosure even more elaborate and breathtaking, than just a bunch of grout glopped on top of some styrofoam.. I suggest you go out and take some photos of natural rock outcrops, or look for them on the internet, to give you a model to design your own background after, and to give you a better idea of how to sculpt and carve it to look natural...

Good luck, but most of all, have fun!

Cheers,

Bob



DIY Faux Rock Article- the way zoos do it..

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TheOdatriad

This is all really great stuff guys. And those backgrounds look amazing Bob. Thanks for all your help.