Enclosure backgrounds

[mom22wins]

Ever make your own background for your tank/terrarium/vivarium/reptarium/cage?

I have priced some of the background materials that the reptile stores are selling and they are way out there!

Just wondering if you or anyone you know would like to share some tips on how to create your own background from scratch.

I'm thinking a rock background with some artificial plants glued in...

I assume if you use non-toxic 100% silicone to attach the rocks to the background and the background to the back of the tank, you should be good. I have used a regular glue gun for the plants in the enclosure now so I guess I could use one to attach plants to the background...

[Jenn]

In the past I've had my students draw the background. It's normally part of some habitat study so they have to draw what the animal would really see in their natural enviorment. It's made for some interesting backgrounds.

[mom22wins]

That is so cool. I bet the kids loved it!

I was thinking about getting a background picture like you'd put on the back of an aquarium but I changed my mind to something more realistic. Plus, the enclosure I'm thinking about is wood so it would have to be installed inside rather than taped outside.

I know someone on the forum made their own rock cliff-like background with styrofoam and paint... Just hope I can be as creative.

[suez]

hi i know i'll get slaughtered for using camera phone but this is what i did to my viv its two in one 4ft by 4ft by 2ft i bought plastic plants from flower shop it was cheaper than reptile store and i have little removable clips glued to the back so plants can be removed for cleaning i promise i will get some better pics with a real camera soon

[suez]

sorry cant seem to upload pics at all even camera one

[suez]

Hi mom22wins not great but a couple of pics in my photo album tried my best for you
suez

[evil pixie]

For my backgrounds, I just got some of that shelf liner stuff, just a neutral colour. Then I went to the ol' craft store and picked out some plants to go along the back, which i hot-glued on.

[aggiegirl]

I've had the kids watercolor backgrounds on butcher paper. For awhile, I used my son's bluey science fair (trifold) board as a background. (Figured Pele' would like some good reading.) I've also used seasonal wrapping paper. I would really like to find rainforest wrapping paper (which I think NWF or someone like that might carry.) Pele's tank is on a buffet that has a strip of mirror along the back so I always keep that covered. Charlotte's tank is beside a window that leads to an enclosed courtyard. She loves looking out the window so I will never cover her view. (Pele' did the same when he fit in that tank. Now he just watches my crazy kids for entertainment.)

[mom22wins]

Hi suez! It looks like you glued some wood pieces on and painted it and then hot glued the plants? It isn't so bad for a cellphone camera!


evil pixie, That sounds cool. I was thinking about cupboard paper wallpaper but I thought it might tear if I glued something heavy and then it got humid in there...


Hey Kath, I'm sure my kids will try to make their own backgrounds when they see that I'm looking for one! Hopefully, I'll make something before they figure it out. lol

[mewzic-7123]

how 'bout printing one from the computer? you have a huge variety to pick from

[mom22wins]

how 'bout printing one from the computer? you have a huge variety to pick from

I really don't want something to tape on. I'd like to make a realistic background.

I'm thinking a rock background with some artificial plants glued in... I assume if you use non-toxic 100% silicone to attach the rocks to the background and the background to the back of the tank, you should be good. I have used a regular glue gun for the plants in the enclosure now so I guess I could use one to attach plants to the background...

[Zach]

I ended up buying some really neat leaf looking background wallpaper at like home depot store...the background wallpaper at pet stores is like $4 per foot!! With our big cages that would have cost a fortune...it ended up costing around $30 I think for an entire role.

We haven't even put it in yet.

[aggiegirl]

Home Depot seems to be my favorite bluey accessory store but I would have never thought to get background paper there. Thanks for the tip!

[meraukebts83]

hey mom22wins, i am just in the prosess of building an enclosure for my new blue that my coworker could not take care of properly. i think i know what kind of back ground your looking into building and here are some links to another forum http://leopard-morphs.com/images/ter4.jpg
http://geckoforums.net/showthread.php?t=619
and the last link has a how to http://geckoforums.net/showthread.php?t=1018

[mom22wins]

Home Depot is becoming my favorite bluey supply store too!

meraukebts83: I LOVE that first one! It looks like the Leopard Gecko's love it too! It always amazes how creative people can be! Thanks for the links. After the kids go to bed, I'll take some time to read.

[MartinsPerson]

So I JUST learned about this awesome background technique. I saw it done on a fish tank, but I bet it'd be awesome on a bluey tank. You create a shadow box on the back of the tank and put 3-D objects in the box. It creates the illusion that the tank continues on backwards unendingly. You might line the shadow box with a 2-D background, but fill it with rocks and branches etc etc.

If you want to get really creative, you make sure that the box is light tight and then cut holes in the top to mount lighting that you can change based on the look you want (night time vs. day time). This could be done on a dimmer that would automatically switch it from a daytime yellow to a blue night light. I really want to do this on my tank, but I don't have the motivation yet.

[mom22wins]

That does sound cool. I wish you had pic's of it. Is there a website where we could view it?

[MartinsPerson]

There isn't a website, I looked. One of the local pet stores did this on their fish tanks. I will try to go and get a photo sometime soon. Its REALLY neat. I want to do it really badly, but I just don't have the space for a shadow box behind my cichlid tank, and Sebastian is eventually moving into my corner caging unit that has solid back walls. So I'll just have to wait until I move to build a shadow box background.