grout vs coir backgrounds **pics

[rrhill]

Some people have posted questions about both types of backgrounds. I have made both and they are pretty easy to make. There are some differences in what types of animals I would keep in each. I am posting pics and some tips. If you want to make the styro/grout background, I have step by step instructions and pics on my old freebie website www.freewebs.com/herptips/
Instructions on the coir background can be found on black jungle's website.

Crested gecko cage with styro/grout background. Cage (actually 2 separate set ups in one enclosure) is melamine with glass doors. Each set up is 1’ x 1’ x 2’ (Entire dims – 1’ x 2’ x 2’)

10 gallon gecko cage with styro/grout background.

Leo cages with styro/grout climbing & hiding areas. The feeding/calcium dish is also made with styro/grout. I have been using this set up for years, I have changed out the heavy ceramic tile/sand for a light weight vinyl tile.

The whole set up.

 

[rrhill]

Now for some of the coir backgrounds. I would use these backgrounds for frogs of geckos that need a more humid environment.

This is a 20 gallon with weeping wall background…it has waterlines built into the foam (similar to the set up on black jungle’s website). The add-on top is screened and makes the entire set up about 40 gallons.

The latest project…29 gallon. Alan Hall made the door. I am keeping a Madagascan giant day gecko in it because no one had the money to buy it in Birmingham last weekend!

 

[maximum]

thanks ro!

 

[Golden Gate Geckos]

Very cool, Ro! Can you tell me where the stacked enclosures for your geckos came from? How are they heated? Thanks!

 

[rrhill]

Now Marcia...you have seen these for years! lol
I built them, they aren't stacked. It's basically like a bookshelf with sliding glass doors, except I built it from the ground up using melamine shelving to get the exact sizes I wanted. I sealed each one up, put in the lights, had the glass cut to size and built all the decor.
I always say if you want something done right, you gotta do it yourself. So I built these myself. Also I am too cheap to pay for cages that aren't exactly what I want!

If anyone wants the instructions to build the 5 unit cage, guess where they are? www.freewebs.com/herptips/
There are some constructions pictures also. I don't mind if people use these plans to build thier own. :main_thumbsup:

Almost forgot the heating part...I use 10 watt halogen lights for heat for the leos. On the cool/dark side the temps are in the 70's (usually about room temp) the hot/light side gets up to almost 100, directly under the light, and about 85 as you get away from the light. I was actually surprised at how good of a temp gradient I get with the lights. I do have 2 sets of the 5 unit cages that I use for ball pythons and I heat them with flex-watt. I just drilled a hole in the back and ran the wires through and wired inside the cages. I put a 12" x 12" piece of ceramic tile over the heat tape. The tile sits on small pieces of cork over the heat tape so the heat gets a good even distribution over the entire tile.

 

[Golden Gate Geckos]

Duhhhh... I totally forgot you built those, Ro! Thanks for the reminder and the link! (I think I see another "honey-do" in store for Glenn.)

 

[rrhill]

Bumping this thread because there seems to be some interest in building backgrounds. If you have the time, you really should give it a try. I have redone most of the enclosures shown (some have been sold), but I will try to post pics of the updates. For those of you looking for a fun, easy and relatively cheap way to get a great looking cage, do some research and try it!

 

[e_cupcake26]

Wow Ro! Those are awesome!! I'm going to try and tackle the styro backgrounds, they're so cool! I'm not too fond of the exxo terra backgrounds. I might try to build some units too!!