Advice Needed - DIY Background?

[Zehla]

After a DISASTROUS infestation of book lice, my last vivarium was ruined - everything that was made of wood (pretty much all the decorations + the cork bark background I had bought) had to be removed permanently. I have two crested geckos, soon to be four, and I want their enclosure to be beautiful again - but without the book lice problem. I am living in a place that has no humidity issues, so there are no lice in the house at all anymore, which is good.

Despite the fact that the geckos are jungle type critters, I want to shoot for a rock background this time - so that if the lice do come back, at least the background won't be hard to decontaminate. I have no idea how to make such a thing, and I am leery of the Exo-Terra background because it's made of Styrofoam, which is a starchy delicious buffet to a book louse, haha. I was thinking of trying to get my hands on a dense wood board, 18x24, or maybe even a plastic section to really prevent any tiny irritating bugs from burrowing in it, and then using plaster to craft my own stonescape. I have some awesome ideas already, but have NO idea where to start, what my options are, or even if plaster is a safe thing to use.

Has anybody made their own background before?

[Badger]

I am in the process of making one, but a LOT of people make them. I have a thread in this section ( the link is: ) most people use Great Stuff expanding foam, including me. Some people use multiple layers of grout to make rock looking ones. I like the foam one because of the natural look. Most insects won't show any interest in either material though. I'm almost done with my background, I will be within the next few days. Basically what you do is spray the foam all over back side of the viv, then carve it to your liking, then smear silicone ( I use GE Silicone II, there is a big controversy over which GE silicone is safer (I or II)) then pour eco earth all over the wet silicone and let it cure. then your background looks really nice and you get to make it how you like.

[Zehla]

Oh wow, thanks! I'll have to lurk around and see how yours turns out

[Badger]

whoops, forgot to put the link. it's: http://www.frogforum.net/vivarium-te...al-advice.html

[crazkt]

After a DISASTROUS infestation of book lice, my last vivarium was ruined - everything that was made of wood (pretty much all the decorations + the cork bark background I had bought) had to be removed permanently. I have two crested geckos, soon to be four, and I want their enclosure to be beautiful again - but without the book lice problem. I am living in a place that has no humidity issues, so there are no lice in the house at all anymore, which is good.

Despite the fact that the geckos are jungle type critters, I want to shoot for a rock background this time - so that if the lice do come back, at least the background won't be hard to decontaminate. I have no idea how to make such a thing, and I am leery of the Exo-Terra background because it's made of Styrofoam, which is a starchy delicious buffet to a book louse, haha. I was thinking of trying to get my hands on a dense wood board, 18x24, or maybe even a plastic section to really prevent any tiny irritating bugs from burrowing in it, and then using plaster to craft my own stonescape. I have some awesome ideas already, but have NO idea where to start, what my options are, or even if plaster is a safe thing to use.

Has anybody made their own background before?

Try this website:

Lizard care, and fake rock wall landscapes

The artist/builder uses Styrofoam to make the shapes he wants then covers them with unsanded grout, then paints and seals his pieces. Because they're styrofoam, they're light, and if you use the techniques he describes, you should get the desired effect. Good luck!