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1st beardie -- 1st diy cage(w/pics) -- looking for feedback

EAGLES

Bearded Dragon Egg
3 Year Member
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Off to get Quickrete and dye....can i use my polycrylic that I used to seal the tiles and tile grout?
 

Craiger

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EAGLES said:
Off to get Quickrete and dye....can i use my polycrylic that I used to seal the tiles and tile grout?

I don't see why not.
 

EAGLES

Bearded Dragon Egg
3 Year Member
Messages
98
Picked up Quickrete Cement in 10lb small tub and Terra Cotta dye.
I also picked up a bottle of Great Stuff Big Gap Filler expandable foam....though I'm not sure what I use it for, haha.
 

Pogie

Bearded Dragon Egg
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I also picked up a bottle of Great Stuff Big Gap Filler expandable foam....though I'm not sure what I use it for, haha.

Well I used it to create a rough rock texture on my background, as well as creating the rocky look to P's basking platform. You can also use it to fill up / correct where you maybe by accident messed up and removed/cut the polystyrene wrong.
Like this

S2.jpg


to get these results once painted

SNC00427.jpg


SNC00449.jpg
 

EAGLES

Bearded Dragon Egg
3 Year Member
Messages
98
So you used what looks to be 3/4" foam for the back, then used the spray foam for the protrusions from that.
Then you used the styro for the basking spot/hide.
Then you painted it and then sealed it?
What paint did you use and what did you use to seal it?
Thanks!
 

Pogie

Bearded Dragon Egg
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So you used what looks to be 3/4" foam for the back, then used the spray foam for the protrusions from that.
YIP

Then you used the styro for the basking spot/hide.
YIP as the base structure, but also some spray expanda foam to create the rocky look above and below

Then you painted it and then sealed it?
Well this is where it gets tricky . . . . I wasnt a PRO when I did this and didnt know much about Beardies or fake rocks and wasnt on this forum to get really nice advice like youve been getting from Craig, I just saw a pic on the internet and decided to try it. So After I made the poly and foam part, I heard you should seal them with grout. A few layers of it which I did.


What paint did you use and what did you use to seal it?
Then my father in law had some waterbased / waterproof roof paint in 2 shades of brown left over and he gave me some.
The nice part about it is it is WATERPROOF, thus NO SEALANT.
BUT . . . . . the fumes took forever to dissipate, took me a week under 24 hr heat lamops by night and sunlight by day to get the smell gone. I eventually put P in a 20 gallon for 2 days to keep her safe and put the wall in her enclosure with sideplates of bicarb and cotton balls with vanilla (Both draws odours away) which did the trick


Now I know there are better ways to go about the painting part, but hey . . . . . this is how we learn right ;D
 

EAGLES

Bearded Dragon Egg
3 Year Member
Messages
98
....and it looks great!

I am about halfway through my rock buidling...hoping to finish this evening.
Then hopefully Gilligan goes in his awesome home come sunday or monday or tuesday.

Still have to order the tracks, glass doors and ReptiSun 10.0 UVB flourescent tube.

....almost there, hahaha.
 

EAGLES

Bearded Dragon Egg
3 Year Member
Messages
98
It still needs 2-3 coats of polycrylic over the entire inside, but I am 99% done with the fake rock. I need to get a small brush to hit the nooks.
Please excuse the horrible picture quality.
The pink/two tone areas are where the cement is finally drying.
IMG_1176640x480.jpg

IMG_1177640x480.jpg

IMG_1178640x480.jpg
 

EAGLES

Bearded Dragon Egg
3 Year Member
Messages
98
Thank you!

This is after one seriously thick coat of minwax polycrylic.....I need to buy a second, but smaller can.
IMG_1179640x480.jpg

IMG_1180640x480.jpg

IMG_1181640x480.jpg

IMG_1182640x480.jpg
 

Craiger

Bearded Dragon Egg
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Very cool, Matt! Glad to see some good progress. *thumbs up*
 

EAGLES

Bearded Dragon Egg
3 Year Member
Messages
98
Thanks!
With the help here, especially yours, it is coming along decently.
Can't wait to get it in use, Gilligan should be happy!!
 

Pogie

Bearded Dragon Egg
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WOW, looking really good. Im sure Gilligan will be very happy.

Its amazing how something that starts off dull and bland can turn into such a masterpiece.
(I remember when I started mine and looked at all that white poly and foam . . .
thinking YUK, this is gonna be a monumental flop ;D ;D ;D )

Great Job
 

EAGLES

Bearded Dragon Egg
3 Year Member
Messages
98
So...the spray foam apparently takes a long time to fully cure. I suppose I applied the cement too early as I had some flaking issues. I broke off the loose pieces and applied a topcoat of cement to those areas.
I'll see how that works when I get home and then put two coats of polycrylic over the entire inside and mount the 36" T12 fixture.
 

EAGLES

Bearded Dragon Egg
3 Year Member
Messages
98
I have hit a aggravating wall!
Somehow, my local H.D., Lowes and my other three mom and pop hardware stores all DO NOT carry 3' T8 fixtures anymore.
T12 or T5 only at each place.

So I know I can order the lamp online, but where can I get a fixture(not for $30) for it??
 

Craiger

Bearded Dragon Egg
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Hmm...I was going to suggest the 4' shop light at Wal-Mart only to realize you built your enclosure to be 4 feet. So it won't fit inside....especially with the styro wall installed.

I had a 3' dual T8 light fixture I used for a while....but it was around $37.00. I got it at Home Depot....around 4 years ago.

What about getting two shorter fixtures and staggering them or installing them in series? Do the shorter UVB bulbs cost the same as the longer ones?
 

EAGLES

Bearded Dragon Egg
3 Year Member
Messages
98
Yup, same or within $1 for the lamps.
If I can't find a 36" I suppose I have no other choice.
I am just really hoping I can get away with just one more power cord....

Oh, and yea I have 41.75" between the sides....so no 48" fixture, even on a diag. I only have 45.5".
 
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