Ideas for a realistic dessert themed viv???

MetalCageGecko · (#1)

OK, so I was wondering if these ideas are any good, and maby you could give more ideas?
I want to create a realistic setting for my Mouth, a realistic dessert setting.
I'm using Ebay mostly to buy my bits as my local P@H I feel is over priced and has a small range of reptile proucts that I feel are tacky.... except for the super expensive items that are way out of my price range.

SO I was thinking some sort of substrate, maby like some sort of dry dirt, I dunno where I'm gonna get something like that. What else could I use???
I will add a water feature in there, I can get one for reptiles. I can't remember the brand.
I really don't know what else I could add, any ideas???

0zwald · (#2)

noooo dude, dont get loose substrattee!! u can get like beige/sand coloured repti-carpet.. get that.. X

MetalCageGecko · (#3)

I'm not a huge fan of repti carpet, have heard horror stories with loss of claws. I don't want to use loose substrate, dessert isn't all loose substrate. Some of the ground is hard and rocky with a little sand. I want to create something like that. I'm not quite sure how I would create some thing like that. I don't really want to use polystyrene or any thing like that, purely natural stuff. What could I use? Dirt wouldn't be any good, as you don't get it in the dessert (peat, etc).
Also what accessories could I put in. I don't like the bottomless hide's, I feel they don't look very real... you can get some really impressive one's. I also don't want a bottomless one for the moist hut, so will sort that out.
Just a question as a friend suggested it to me, would I be able to put a real cactus in the tank? I'm not sure coz of the spines/spikes on it, wouldn't they hurt Mouth???

0zwald · (#4)

deffinatly not a real cactus, if your leo comes into contact with the spines it could really damage the skin, even worse if it gets in the eyes ofcourse. you can get very realistic looking ones if you shop in the right places, just search all over the internet. as for not using repti-carpet, and not loose subastrate also, i'd say that you can look around for some hard,dry clay. your going to find it VERY hard to actually make a safe realistic desert environment.. loose substrate shouldnt be used. and without repti-carpet, your extremly limited... their natural habitat substrate, is clay rocks etc.. but putting it all in a viv may be hard, eg. filling in the gaps of clay and rocks etc.. good luck! if you succeed then post up some pics. X

mowgli · (#5)

it all depends how creative you feel and how big your viv is really.

loose subs are a def no no, repti carpet personally I would avoid also.

Floor wise I find vinyl tiles work a treat, there cheap as chips and easy to clean and you can get them in an array of colours.

Rocks and hides etc are really down to the limits of your imagination, sandstone paving slabs broen up are great for stacking and making caves and hides with but it also depends on the size of your viv and the limits of your imagination and creativity.

If you have the time and effort polystyrene is great once it has been cut and plastered just takes a couple attempts to get it right.

If your determined to go for a complete natural look then it's really a case of touring local builders yards/garden centres looking for rock and stones that you feel happy with and can be easily stacked etc to make interesting formations.

I also wouldn't bother trying to put real plants in especially a cactus, can see that ending in an eye injury!

MetalCageGecko · (#6)

Yes I thought a real cactus would be bad news. I don't want my baby hurt.

I like the idea of the vinyl, just for the ease of cleaning. Can get them from me local DIY shop. I also like the sand stone idea, would I maby be able to use slate? Maby broken up in smal pieces to scatter the floor (SHarp pieces taken off of course).
I also had an idea, wether it would look good or not is another story but no harm in trying. If I found out wich crystals came from Pakistan, etc I could put them in the tank. I already in the tank he has put a large piece of Rose Quartz in (not from the area I think, but still looks nice, and he loves climbing over it and laying on it as it holds heat quite nicely, but also move it to a cooler place in viv where he leaves it alone lol.
Wether this idea would look good or not, I haven't the foggiest, but no harm in trying it out, and if it don't look right then take it out

If I use clay, it will be hard, but I make alot of things out of clay so I find clay really easy to use... it's just patience and planning in advance with claw specially air drying clay... may try to get that that stuff if I can get it from ebay in the quantaty I want and at a reasonable price... other wies I'll make a few minitures an try differnt substrates. The clay would be a git to clean, so if I can I'll stay away from it.
Mouths just got a starter viv, and it's not big enough for him.... his a big boy, (although he may be a she if I've sexed him/her right lol... give it a few more months and then try sexing again)
I'm planning on getting a larger viv for him, so will do the redecoration in there... but he may not go in there till after christmas as it's his crimbo pressie lol.... so have plenty of time to make sure I get it right and most importantly.... safe.