Poke cage help

Venom1080

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Sep 24, 2015
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Got a good deal on exo teras recently. And some big cork pieces. I cleaned one out and set it up, but it's not quite looking right.. I'm thinking maybe some foliage top left.. but I don't know if that will clash too much with the natural wood look.

Anyway, would appreciate some suggestions on how to improve the aesthetics.. 1511144766435-374057149.jpg 15111448526751598600083.jpg
1511144935024-1048254220.jpg
 

viper69

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@MrsHaas You should upload some of your pics of homes, considering MrHaas does a pretty good, and is quite creative in this dept.
 

viper69

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You may want to give it more foliage, Or perhaps take the sides and cover them up a bit so they don't see you as well. I do that for my snakes, granted their vision is much better than Ts. But Poki's and other arboreals might benefit from that. I have versicolor that will for sure.
 

MrsHaas

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@MrsHaas You should upload some of your pics of homes, considering MrHaas does a pretty good, and is quite creative in this dept.
I shall do that now! My husband actually designs the tanks - I’m the one that does the husbandry lol
 

MrsHaas

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This is my P. fasciata enclosure (My husband likes this one the least because he did not use a quick round, however she seems super happy in the tank so we’ve never decided to switch it out):
E630D693-0FD5-45E6-805B-233A3B2234B8.jpeg
D4ABF3F2-E962-4F80-A618-01D4E44A423F.jpeg

P. striata ( cannot get a picture with the doors open because clearly she is on the door LOL so I hope there’s not too much glare from the photo being taken):
6ADC9E76-798B-4B82-B6E6-44E653E9909F.jpeg
DF1AA5CA-F5BB-4C71-83F8-AE6E41784D78.jpeg

P. rufilata (she’s in her cork round so I could get a good pics w the doors open):
69300FC4-DAAA-4CB0-A20A-3D5222211E09.jpeg

C33FCC1B-898D-4E6A-8D5E-7E627B25F1CC.jpeg
 

MrsHaas

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Here are pictures of some tanks we haven’t rehoused our other 2 pokies in yet...

This will be for my P. met:
D3BBB76D-9446-4D4F-A69C-041C06D9306A.jpeg
079FF068-434F-4EA8-B16D-8218B9FB9AC4.jpeg

And this will be for my P. subfusca highland:
9446B2D8-92C1-49F2-B2E3-0CB87777472B.jpeg

00A77D56-CC1C-444E-87E6-264CB13C14E3.jpeg

If anyone has questions about the supplies of methods that my husband uses to create the decor within these gorgeous enclosures, send a conversation to: @raggamuffin415
 

MrsHaas

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That makes a perfect couple/duo/husband & wife!!
It’s nice to share the hobby with my hubby but I’m stuck w the crud work lol - rehousing and husbandry I find are a tad less glamourous lol

But he does have (I think) a pretty extraordinary talent when it comes to this!
 

MetalMan2004

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Here are pictures of some tanks we haven’t rehoused our other 2 pokies in yet...

This will be for my P. met:
View attachment 260714
View attachment 260715

And this will be for my P. subfusca highland:
View attachment 260716

View attachment 260717

If anyone has questions about the supplies of methods that my husband uses to create the decor within these gorgeous enclosures, send a conversation to: @raggamuffin415
I just sent him a conversation asking about those backgrounds. They look great! Are they foam?
 

MrsHaas

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They ar
I just sent him a conversation asking about those backgrounds. They look great! Are they foam?
they are each a little different BC he plays around with his own crazy concoctions of different materials. Send him a message and he can tell u but this is what the back looks like on the two of them that are uninhabited:

8565591B-9554-4DE3-82B6-B90B6E1095EC.jpeg

18480247-2CE9-4E06-8B40-74B19518858C.jpeg

HE uses lots of diff stuff, but I can warn you, each take weighs like 20lbs when he’s done lol
 

viper69

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This is my P. fasciata enclosure (My husband likes this one the least because he did not use a quick round, however she seems super happy in the tank so we’ve never decided to switch it out):
View attachment 260708
View attachment 260709

P. striata ( cannot get a picture with the doors open because clearly she is on the door LOL so I hope there’s not too much glare from the photo being taken):
View attachment 260710
View attachment 260711

P. rufilata (she’s in her cork round so I could get a good pics w the doors open):
View attachment 260712

View attachment 260713

What size is the Poki in that first pic, and what size is ExoTerra, just trying to get a feeling. I think you have 8x8x12?
 

raggamuffin415

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I'll go ahead and reply here instead of thru private message. I've experimented with several backdrop materials (not sure if you can tell in the pics).

I always like to cover the back wall entirely, so I hot glue flat cork bark pieces close together. Then I just fill the gaps to complete the look. You can use foam if gaps are larger and then just cover with silicone and substrate (plenty of YouTube tutorials available). Or if gaps are smaller, I've used zoo med excavator sand/clay or even just really tightly packed green moss.

As far as foliage, I like going to craft stores or wedding stores have lot of fake plants for displays. Think of what jungle fauna looks like... vines, twigs, roots, ferns, etc. It's good you have leaf litter, as many people overlook that simple addition. I mean what forest doesn't have leaf litter everywhere?

Hope that helps, but feel free to ask more specific questions. I really do believe that making tanks is a craft, and it take a thought and refining just like any skill.

- Mr Haas
 

viper69

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Old Timer
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Dec 8, 2006
Messages
17,851
Here are pictures of some tanks we haven’t rehoused our other 2 pokies in yet...

This will be for my P. met:
View attachment 260714
View attachment 260715

And this will be for my P. subfusca highland:
View attachment 260716

View attachment 260717

If anyone has questions about the supplies of methods that my husband uses to create the decor within these gorgeous enclosures, send a conversation to: @raggamuffin415
I remember that middle one with the cork bark tube sticking out. How did @raggamuffin415 mount it in the substrate so it doesn't fall over etc. I'm going to build the same thing at some point.

You guys need PDFs, he'd be great at designing tanks for frogs. I know he'd have a blast.
 

MetalMan2004

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Oct 14, 2016
Messages
676
I'll go ahead and reply here instead of thru private message. I've experimented with several backdrop materials (not sure if you can tell in the pics).

I always like to cover the back wall entirely, so I hot glue flat cork bark pieces close together. Then I just fill the gaps to complete the look. You can use foam if gaps are larger and then just cover with silicone and substrate (plenty of YouTube tutorials available). Or if gaps are smaller, I've used zoo med excavator sand/clay or even just really tightly packed green moss.

As far as foliage, I like going to craft stores or wedding stores have lot of fake plants for displays. Think of what jungle fauna looks like... vines, twigs, roots, ferns, etc. It's good you have leaf litter, as many people overlook that simple addition. I mean what forest doesn't have leaf litter everywhere?

Hope that helps, but feel free to ask more specific questions. I really do believe that making tanks is a craft, and it take a thought and refining just like any skill.

- Mr Haas
I’ll have to dig a bit into the methods of filling in the gaps with foam and substrate. Seems easy enough though. I agree with you that the fully filled background looks better. I think I’ve made some pretty good enclosures but you certainly take it to the next level. Adding leaf litter instead of just dirt to the bottom is a nice touch.
 

viper69

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Messages
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I’ll have to dig a bit into the methods of filling in the gaps with foam and substrate. Seems easy enough though. I agree with you that the fully filled background looks better. I think I’ve made some pretty good enclosures but you certainly take it to the next level. Adding leaf litter instead of just dirt to the bottom is a nice touch.
If you want info on the above, go to Dendroboards.com The PDF people are experts at doing the above, esp using Great Stuff Foam. There's a lot of tips in using such info on that forum and on YouTube.

See below for excellent T cages

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMZufaGb1mbfQ0Wzpdp6Ozg
 

Nightshady

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raggamuffin415

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Nov 12, 2014
Messages
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Thanks for the praise. The cork tubes are usually wedged in between the cork backing and some of the cross sectional wood branches. Make substrate nice and deep to bury it too. Sometimes will glue to backing or stick into clay that holds it when it hardens.

The foam is easy to use just make sure you follow steps and give time to cure. Don't put it in direct Sun light to cure, it'll shrink lol. Again, YouTube has some really good turorials.
 
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