1st Rock Feature

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Cheeky

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Hi All, over a year ago not long after we got our 3rd beardie (we had them in the same enclosure at 1st) I looked into making something for them in their enclosure but I had no idea on how to make it, what to use or anythin, not even an idea on what to do, so after looking at this forum, others and watching youtube videos I had a thought for what I wanted to do, I knew that I needed to make it with styrofoam and glue them together, really that is all I knew at that stage, so with a bottle of Jack Daniels and a lot of the stuff I got to work.

This is the enclosure that it will go into, as you can see there is a lot of space on the right side for our girl Miss Chaos.

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Step 1, I measured the size and dimensions of what space I had to work with and then thought about what I can create for her (all 3 beardies how have their own enclosure), so with that in mind I got to work and got a kinda layout with some steps to a basking area, a hide hole and a wall with rocks.

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I used Liquid Nails to glue the pieces on, it was a lot of cutting, measuring, placing, re-cutting, re-measuring test fitting, re-re-measuring then gluing, heaps of mess as well LOL, but the end result looked like this... Mind you I had consumed a lot of Jack Daniels and listened to a lot of old rock by this stage, it also took for ever as I was just not motivated 100 % as I had NFI what I was really doing being my 1st go.

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So we had moved during this time and it sat on top of the fridge for 8 months collecting dust, I decided to get it down and finish it off.

Step 2, once I was kinda happy with it I got the grout and grouted it, 1st batch was kinda runny to get into all the gaps and cracks, but it looked like so once done...

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After the 1st grout I got a thicker grout compound so I could fill in the gaps and make it look a bit smoother...

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I then grouted it again, one thing I did not do and I suggest you do do is after the grouting stages when it is still wet, get a sponge, wet it a bit and run it over the brush marks to make them look smoother, more natural.

Once grouting was dried I got to putting on a base coat, for this I used a poor mans spray gun, water bottle, and added a bit of water and acrylic paint, colour decided, a burnt kinda colour the woman wanted...

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Once that was dried I started to add details, keep in mind this is my 1st go at this and I have never painted before LOL

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so the woman was happy with that, I wanted to do more but she is the boss, after that dried I added my non toxic sealant and waited for 2 days for that to dry, I have just added my 1nd coat today and at this stage this is what it looks like, waiting to dry...

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I hope that this is not to much to read and some may find it helpful

If any suggestions as well please advise I am open to any and all ideas, or ask if you have any questions, I will put up a pic once completed and in the girls enclosure.

Thanks for reading.
 

CooperDragon

BD.org Sicko
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That's a good walkthrough, thanks for posting it. I hope she enjoys it. I do recommend replacing that red basking light with a bright white one. The red light would make everything look distorted to her.
 

Cheeky

Member
Original Poster
Thanks for that piece of advise, we live in Melbourne Australia and the red light is better for our dragons at night I read, because it is less actual light at night for them to sleep, but taken and will experiment with that, cheers.

I have just put the last coat of sealant on, now I wait a week and place it in for the girl.
 

CooperDragon

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
As a night light it's better than as a basking light for sure, but it still gives off visible light which may disturb sleep. If the temps overnight stay above about 18c in the tank then you don't really need any extra heat. This time of year you may need a little extra though. I recommend using a low wattage ceramic heat emitter which is all infrared (heat with no visible light) which is better for them. You just need a little bump overnight. I have mine set on a thermostat so it kicks in as needed and keeps the tank between about 21-23c on chilly winter nights when the house gets cold. Amazing Amazon in Glen Waverly carries them. https://www.amazingamazon.com.au/ceramic-globe-light-heat-emitter.html
 

Cheeky

Member
Original Poster
Thank you for that, Amazing Amazon is were er got everything from in the 1st place, but that is very VERY far away from were I live, I will go to the local pet place here, they have that type of stuff, spose that makes it lucky for me.
 

Cheeky

Member
Original Poster
I ended up using a Non Toxic pond sealant from bunnings, been trying to find it to no avail.
 
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