zacthefrog
Active Member
all i do if spray out a whole can of expanding foam shape it to the perfect shape that i like, then flexigrit it, and then it looks really naturall
How To Make A Hide
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Reptile_Maniac
Well-Known Member
Hi all,
I cut a small hole in a take-away container and paint it.
James (Reptilemaniac)
I cut a small hole in a take-away container and paint it.
James (Reptilemaniac)
air drying clay is awesome, i pressed it into a few different sized bowls and used a spoon to scoop out the entry hole,...
but like has already been mentioned, you cant get it too wet, and they can break pretty easily, but at 5 bucks for 5-10 hides who really cares?
im sure they could be grouted and lacquered too if i could be bothered,....
but like has already been mentioned, you cant get it too wet, and they can break pretty easily, but at 5 bucks for 5-10 hides who really cares?
im sure they could be grouted and lacquered too if i could be bothered,....
SpilotaFreak78
Well-Known Member
I don't have an adult python but I made my hide out of the leftovers of her heat mat box
feathergrass
Active Member
was just thinking would it be possible to after you have shaped and dried air dry clay into what you want to spray it with something like crystal kote matt like we use to spray over paintings and stuff the kids have done to *keep* them?
frogboy77
Active Member
shoebox and sissors
perfect idea, how did you come up with that one?..... duh:lol:
JungleManSam
Active Member
Heres a look at one I made for the first time Polystyrene does the trick with some grout, green acrylic paint and I hav'nt sealed it yet
View attachment 222770View attachment 222771View attachment 222772View attachment 222773
Polystyrene does the trick with some grout, green acrylic paint and I hav'nt sealed it yet View attachment 222770View attachment 222771View attachment 222772View attachment 222773
hubzo
New Member
polystyrene sheets, cut them to any size, shape them, glue little pieces together bit by bit to make ornaments. or glue sheets to plywood or back of tank to make a background and carve grooves in the foam. waterproof with aqua tite, grout them with a flexible tile grout of whichever colour you like, you can use a non toxic paint in grooves for highlights and shadow effects. or if you cant find the right colour grout you can alter the colours.
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Ramsayi
Very Well-Known Member
Just had a quick skim through the thread so I'm not sure if it has already been mentioned or not but a hide should be nice and snug for the animal that its intended for.A lot of the suggestions in the thread are more like a cave,might look ok but not the best for the occupant.
Colin
morelia
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Arboreal Hide Boxes
Ive posted this a few times but for those people who haven't seen them.. These plastic hides aren’t an original idea of mine.. I’ve found them easy to install, cheap to make and they seem to quickly become a favourite for most pythons.
The black plastic tubs used, cost a few dollars and are available at some of those $2 shops. The hide is snug enough to hold the weight of the snake and still able to be slid in and out for easy cleaning.
To construct:
I used 1.5mm x 1.5mm x 1.6mm aluminium channel (available from Bunning’s) and drilled three small holes through each piece of channel the thickness of the screws. On the underside of the channel (that faces the cage floor) I drilled out the holes slightly wider so I could fit the screw head and screwdriver through to tighten the screws up. The main thing to watch for is to screw in the first piece of aluminium channel closest to the side of enclosure, and then fit the tub into the groove and slide on the second bit of channel. Squeeze it up close, but not too tight, as it needs to slide in and out for cleaning. Mark with a sharp tool through the screw holes, the position for drilling the holes for the screws of the second piece. If you have one, use one of those plastic drill guards to prevent drilling too deep into the roof, otherwise you can go through to the enclosure above. The round hole in the tub was made with the largest size hole saw drill attachment, but you could just cut a square one out with a knife too. the edges or the aluminium are filed smooth and there never been a problem with sharp edges. Ive been using these hides for over 5+ years.
you can also use one of the tubs with entrance hole, overturned on the cage floor as an alternative to the arboreal one. by far these are the favourite hides of all morelia and some even lay clutches in them even when given a nest box with spaghnum moss to lay in.
Ive posted this a few times but for those people who haven't seen them.. These plastic hides aren’t an original idea of mine.. I’ve found them easy to install, cheap to make and they seem to quickly become a favourite for most pythons.
The black plastic tubs used, cost a few dollars and are available at some of those $2 shops. The hide is snug enough to hold the weight of the snake and still able to be slid in and out for easy cleaning.
To construct:
I used 1.5mm x 1.5mm x 1.6mm aluminium channel (available from Bunning’s) and drilled three small holes through each piece of channel the thickness of the screws. On the underside of the channel (that faces the cage floor) I drilled out the holes slightly wider so I could fit the screw head and screwdriver through to tighten the screws up. The main thing to watch for is to screw in the first piece of aluminium channel closest to the side of enclosure, and then fit the tub into the groove and slide on the second bit of channel. Squeeze it up close, but not too tight, as it needs to slide in and out for cleaning. Mark with a sharp tool through the screw holes, the position for drilling the holes for the screws of the second piece. If you have one, use one of those plastic drill guards to prevent drilling too deep into the roof, otherwise you can go through to the enclosure above. The round hole in the tub was made with the largest size hole saw drill attachment, but you could just cut a square one out with a knife too. the edges or the aluminium are filed smooth and there never been a problem with sharp edges. Ive been using these hides for over 5+ years.
you can also use one of the tubs with entrance hole, overturned on the cage floor as an alternative to the arboreal one. by far these are the favourite hides of all morelia and some even lay clutches in them even when given a nest box with spaghnum moss to lay in.
saximus
Almost Legendary
Thanks for adding that to this thread Col. They look quite nice and sounds easy to install. I might stop off at the reject shop this afternoon
abnrmal91
Very Well-Known Member
Here is a hide I knocked up quickly today. I found some spare tiles at work (no one actually knew why they where there, so I grabbed them lol) I used 2 tiles to make it. Used 1 as a top then cut the other tile into 3 pieces to create a hide with 3 sides and a top. I used Selleys Liquid Nail Original to glue it all together. I will give it a week or two to cure properly before it my snake gets it.
I think my Darwin will love it.
I think my Darwin will love it.
cools2036
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The best method ive found is thick blocks of white styro foam for hides and shets for backgrounds, i simply carve the shape i want using a crushed glass sandpaper (from bunnings $2 a pack) a gyprock saw and a hack saw blade, then once ive reacjhed the desired shape i mix some PVA WOOD glue with water 3/1 and give the peice 2-3 good coats. then i do 1 last coat at the same water glue ratio but mix some non slip paint addative to it ( bunnings about $9) to give it a stone texture ( not as abrasive as sand) then its now safe to paint without the foam melting, i first spray with a matt black ( this gives good defenition in all those cracks and creveses (mind the spelling) i carved out earlier. then after its dried i start to dry brush using three colours, a dark brown/desert red/light orangey yellow. starting from darkest colour to lightest staying away from the cracks and making sure to wipe most of the paint of the brush (less is more with dry brushing) gives it great defenition and a very natural look. does take time for each stage but well worth it in th end. then final coat with a satin clear to seal it. done!
JUNGLE-JAK
Well-Known Member
or just find a rock and put plaster over half
once dry get ome cablecutters and put a semi circle on one of the sides
once dry get ome cablecutters and put a semi circle on one of the sides
Maseface
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Hey, just whacked this together. Cut some pipe and stuck it together with hot glue. My Coco peat is arriving tomorrow or the day after. Im going to glue the peat over the surface of the pipe, im just curious what is a safe glue to use? i was thinking like PVA glue or something similar. Any suggestions? and yes. Look sideways haha.
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Trouble
Very Well-Known Member
Maseface, not wanting to burst your bubble, but the whole point of a hide is so the animal feels secure - so it has somewhere to hide.
Cutting & fitting the piping the way you have isn't giving the reptile any chance of that, it can see what's going on outside, and you can still see it and it wont feel secure.
If you covered the walls so the hide was closed in, that would be better. But, just my opinion, you will find the reptile wont use the hide & will try to shelter somewhere else.
Maseface
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Sorry I didnt specify. It's for a tarantula. And I have a black cardboard cover the goes over the entire left wall and lower front...
Kylec
New Member
i made my own hide out of a lump of sand stone i simply got a hammer drill (10 mm drill piece and an 25 mm chisel piece) then took to the stone with it. very cheap (as i found the stone) and easy. plus it has the added benifit of me getting almost exactly what i wanted. 
the first pic being a shot from the back showing the hide. the second showing the entry and some climbing groves. the third shot a underside shot showing the cave like roof and the forth just another side on shot hoping to show some more detail in the climbing grove i carved, this took me about half hour to make. how ever if i had of brought this at a shop, it would have taking a couple of hours at work to afford and i wouldnt have gotten what i have, so im very proud of my work
the first pic being a shot from the back showing the hide. the second showing the entry and some climbing groves. the third shot a underside shot showing the cave like roof and the forth just another side on shot hoping to show some more detail in the climbing grove i carved, this took me about half hour to make. how ever if i had of brought this at a shop, it would have taking a couple of hours at work to afford and i wouldnt have gotten what i have, so im very proud of my work
saximus
Almost Legendary
That looks really cool Kylec. It looks a lot harder to get such a good result than what you make out. How long did it take?
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