Reptile & Amphibian Forums

This might be a dumb question, but could you use Rhino Liner on the inside of a cage, or something similar to it? Just wondering about it's toxicity. Thanks.
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Josh Trout

Not sure if, when cured, it is safe or not. Worth investigating. They do use it on the floors of horse trailers, but that is different than a snake lying on it.

Now their epoxy product looks interesting. That would be the ticket, as epoxy is harmless once cured, even for fish and amphibians. Course you can buy epoxy paint at hardware stores. It is not really for vertical walls, but it works well if painting the cage floor and a few inches up the sides. Rest of the cage can be regular paint.

There is an available product call Drylok (other brands out there too) masonry sealer that has been used alot. I just used it over a fake rock I made from poly foam. Coated it generously with Drylok, let that cure, then painted over it with non-toxic paint with a little sand thrown in for added texture. Has worked very well and has not harmed the animals. It will stick to wood as well, especially when painting it on the cage floor and a few inches up the sides. I never see the point in painting high up the walls with anything but water-based paint, as you are not scrubbing that part of the cage when cleaning.

Yeah, I saw it in an aquarium forum, about using Rhino liner to seal wooden aquaria. Never really found out if it's not toxic or not though. I think it could be cool to use if you knew it was safe, but there doesn't seem to be any conclusive evidence whether it is on not. Thanks for the reply.
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Josh Trout

Should read "toxic or not though".
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Josh Trout

You mentioned an aquarium forum. If they are using it with fish, and the fish are OK, then it is safe. Fish are more sensitive than reptiles.

They offer it for boat hulls too. I would think that it could not be toxic and allowed to be sold for boat hulls. Probably fine once cured. The more I think about it, the more I am inclined to think it is OK.

And for comparison, thousands of snakes are living in sweaterboxes that probably come from China loaded with BPAs. Not saying there is no affect, but this Rhino Liner is probably no worse?

You would think that it would be ok, but there's always that little voice in your head saying no, hahaha.
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Josh Trout

What kind of paint did you paint your rock with? What kind of animals are using it? I am looking for paint that will withstand water monitor claws. Thanks

Caleb

Water monitor claws - wow. Mine is for leopard geckos, so quite less trauma to the rocks compared to a monitor. Don't know if I would use foam rocks in a monitor cage unless you coat them with tile grout first. Then paint. Or use a polyester resin (e.g. Bondo) product. People use grout because it is far less expensive and looks really good, but bondo-type material is way tougher.

Pigmented tile grout mixed to the consistency of peanut butter is a good coating for fake rocks made of foam. Probably would hold up to a monitor. Then you can paint over it with water-based hobby paint. The best paint is an outdoor acrylic product for cured ceramics and metal. I find it at craft/hobby stores, not at home depot type stores. This paint is non toxic but dries quite hard, especially over ceramic, tile, fiberglass, metal, cured resin, epoxy putty, etc. It is the toughest affordable paint that I have found and comes in many colors (small squeeze bottles). A little goes very far. I can reasonably scrub an item painted with this and the paint is not harmed. Also easily retouched when needed.

Epoxy paint will definitely hold up. Search for that online. It is quite pricey.