The other addiction.
- Thread starter LAME
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Kermit
Well-known member
Hope you haven't traded and less love for your Idolo infatuation! Lol
LAME
Tenodera sinensis (the one and only)
Nah, id say it's about 50/50. Lol
I'm the type that likes to give all his critters the best he can. The idolos are all set with what they need as far as homes go, so I'm just playing the waiting game with them until adulthood molts near.
The beardies still have alot of growing to do... so I'll be on top of these guys for awhile
I have been looking around at alot of custom work as far as "diy basking zones,hides,dishes, and backdrops" looks like the Styrofoam and grout methods the best way to go... so I'm thinking I'll be putting my hands in that project as well.
.... I like to be constantly busy.
I'm the type that likes to give all his critters the best he can. The idolos are all set with what they need as far as homes go, so I'm just playing the waiting game with them until adulthood molts near.
The beardies still have alot of growing to do... so I'll be on top of these guys for awhile
I have been looking around at alot of custom work as far as "diy basking zones,hides,dishes, and backdrops" looks like the Styrofoam and grout methods the best way to go... so I'm thinking I'll be putting my hands in that project as well.
.... I like to be constantly busy.
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LAME
Tenodera sinensis (the one and only)
Dropping an update, but first a photo of the two.
(Little one's photobomb.)
Recently, I rechecked the gender on little one as I've been reading alot more about beardies. Apparently they cant really be correctly gendered until later on in life (8-12 months).
Well.... come to find out little ones a male, with that being said... I'm definitely considering breeding.
Recently, I rechecked the gender on little one as I've been reading alot more about beardies. Apparently they cant really be correctly gendered until later on in life (8-12 months).
Well.... come to find out little ones a male, with that being said... I'm definitely considering breeding.
LAME
Tenodera sinensis (the one and only)
[COLOR= rgb(39, 42, 52)]" ...i have been looking around at alot of custom work as far as "diy basking zones,hides,dishes, and backdrops" looks like the Styrofoam and grout methods the best way to go... so I'm thinking I'll be putting my hands in that project as well."[/COLOR]
[COLOR= rgb(39, 42, 52)]With that being said, I went ahead and started my first custom build.I decided to build a corner cave unit (hide.) for the beardies using the Styrofoam and grout method, here's what I constructed. [/COLOR]
It's pretty decent in size, about 18 inches long / 11.5 inches wide/ and 9 inches high. Easily a $45 piece at local petstores (petco/petsmart) but I only spent $10 on grout and $2.50 on a Styrofoam cooler from the dollar store.
Currently I'm still working on it, I need to paint and seal it, but I wanted to drop a photo on the project. Expect bigger and better things from this.
[COLOR= rgb(39, 42, 52)]With that being said, I went ahead and started my first custom build.I decided to build a corner cave unit (hide.) for the beardies using the Styrofoam and grout method, here's what I constructed. [/COLOR]
It's pretty decent in size, about 18 inches long / 11.5 inches wide/ and 9 inches high. Easily a $45 piece at local petstores (petco/petsmart) but I only spent $10 on grout and $2.50 on a Styrofoam cooler from the dollar store.
Currently I'm still working on it, I need to paint and seal it, but I wanted to drop a photo on the project. Expect bigger and better things from this.
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LAME
Tenodera sinensis (the one and only)
Base coat and shading.
Sarah K
Well-known member
It looks good so far! I think your beardies will love it!
LAME
Tenodera sinensis (the one and only)
Currently I'm in the middle of construction on a rock wall backdrop for a 20 gallon (exoterra beardie starter kit.)
Been doing a lot of YouTube watching lately... I think eventually I'll try to do a piece of bark or even a tree stump or something, then maybe bring this project over to the mantis side of things.
Been doing a lot of YouTube watching lately... I think eventually I'll try to do a piece of bark or even a tree stump or something, then maybe bring this project over to the mantis side of things.
Looks great and knowing some of the prices online likely saved $50 after materials. Are you going to color it with cement color additives/paint/mortar/or leave it?
Yeah, Youtube can be the bane of any hobby (at least where time and money is involved, and spouses/loved ones) - with so many things that can be done and are now filmed for DIY, I have a project list that is never-ending. One nice thing though is you can look though several projects to find one that will work better/easier without wasting the time and money for each project too.
Yeah, Youtube can be the bane of any hobby (at least where time and money is involved, and spouses/loved ones) - with so many things that can be done and are now filmed for DIY, I have a project list that is never-ending.
One nice thing though is you can look though several projects to find one that will work better/easier without wasting the time and money for each project too.
LAME
Tenodera sinensis (the one and only)
LAME
Tenodera sinensis (the one and only)
Here's the current basking zone I've built. Pretty massive lol, but they love it.
It stands 11.5 inches tall, 12 inches (1ft) long, and 12 inches (1ft) wide and has stairs. ^_^
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Awesome result, and they seem to enjoy. Massive is the only way to go, gives them something extra to play on.
On a side note you may want to check into a hammock as they go crazy (or just lazy) for one. Here is review/photos in use of one for sell on Amazon, a DIY rope bridge style one, and here are plenty of of other DIY types (scroll down the page). Might be worth setting one up under the basking zone formation, or the other side of the tank.
Massive is the only way to go, gives them something extra to play on.On a side note you may want to check into a hammock as they go crazy (or just lazy) for one. Here is review/photos in use of one for sell on Amazon, a DIY rope bridge style one, and here are plenty of of other DIY types (scroll down the page).
Might be worth setting one up under the basking zone formation, or the other side of the tank.
LAME
Tenodera sinensis (the one and only)
Already ahead of you my good friend.
but I'm going to check that page for new ideas.Great. Ha, glad to see that, and looks like she loves it too.Already ahead of you my good friend.
Might as well to see if you can do something special.
LAME
Tenodera sinensis (the one and only)
Upgraded the little lizards to a even larger home... now they're living it up in a 67 Gallon reptile sanctuary from national geographic. I was lucky and caught it on clearance for half the orginally asking price.
Already getting ideas for a full scene custom build.
Already getting ideas for a full scene custom build.
LAME
Tenodera sinensis (the one and only)
Dropping some photos:
Valkyrie.
Victor. Aka "Little one."
Great find on the huge tank, congrats. I imagine that tank looks monstrous, I look forward to seeing photos of it. Also nice photos of them, especially the one of them together, they are looking great.
I saw a dozen beardies today at the nearby Petco. They were about 4" long including the tail, and very active. Two chased me and my niece's hands around the tank front trying to get their chins rubbed through the glass the whole time. I couldn't help but think of you and your pets when I saw them.
Incidentally we saw two adult Chinese mantids outside the store when we left, and I rescued one from a corner spider web. It got so tangled it didn't try to resist much, I moved it up high, and managed to remove nearly all the web. The mantid promptly started cleaning itself to remove what I couldn't, when I had to coax it off my arm. My wife and niece got scared and ran to the car when I got it free and it climbed my arm, as they saw a male Carolina fly off my hand the other day and thought it would fly onto them. They are hopeless lol.
I imagine that tank looks monstrous, I look forward to seeing photos of it. Also nice photos of them, especially the one of them together, they are looking great.I saw a dozen beardies today at the nearby Petco. They were about 4" long including the tail, and very active. Two chased me and my niece's hands around the tank front trying to get their chins rubbed through the glass the whole time. I couldn't help but think of you and your pets when I saw them.
Incidentally we saw two adult Chinese mantids outside the store when we left, and I rescued one from a corner spider web. It got so tangled it didn't try to resist much, I moved it up high, and managed to remove nearly all the web. The mantid promptly started cleaning itself to remove what I couldn't, when I had to coax it off my arm. My wife and niece got scared and ran to the car when I got it free and it climbed my arm, as they saw a male Carolina fly off my hand the other day and thought it would fly onto them. They are hopeless lol.
LAME
Tenodera sinensis (the one and only)
Awe, man.... I see them about 3 inches or so at the petsmart here, they may be smaller lol. Pretty crazy how something so small can get so big
Nice save on the Chinese, had it been me? I probably would have taken it home. (some....40+ miles away from the local anything now after the move)
..lol. ^_^
Nice save on the Chinese, had it been me? I probably would have taken it home. (some....40+ miles away from the local anything now after the move)
..lol. ^_^
Indeed it is, till then though they sure are tiny.
I thought about that, but both were males and being in town the only thing I could have dug out of the car would have been some emptied fountain soda containers. I figured if I took them they would have been a mess when they got home with the sticky soda, so I left them be to mate with the sure to be nearby females.
Sounds like a you moved to the middle of nowhere - but likely can find more mantids in such a location.
I thought about that, but both were males and being in town the only thing I could have dug out of the car would have been some emptied fountain soda containers. I figured if I took them they would have been a mess when they got home with the sticky soda, so I left them be to mate with the sure to be nearby females.
Sounds like a you moved to the middle of nowhere - but likely can find more mantids in such a location.
