# Water dish options?



## Palespider (Feb 24, 2013)

So, I've made a couple nice terrariums, but putting the typical water bottle lids in them, just seems... against what I'm going for (natural looking etc.) I really like the clear water dishes at jamies t's, but they're a bit small for adult T's imo. Anyone have some suggestions for a natural looking water dish, or clear type of dish?


----------



## ZergFront (Feb 24, 2013)

You could style up a peanut butter jar lid to look a little more natural. Maybe use some kind of animal safe adhesive to bond moss or coconut fiber around the outside and some sand or other ground material to make the inside look less plastic. 

 I don't really care that mine don't look natural so I usually leave the jar and drink lids as is but will put in some pretty beads or glass globs for the bottom. Kind of my mom's idea actually. Keeps the crickets from drowning, too.


----------



## MarkmD (Feb 24, 2013)

Usually petsmart/petco have a range of exo-tera water dishes in various sizes/other types, they look natural, do what I do, looking round my local shops and sometimes I find the best things on jars,tubs,bottles etc and usually they are cheap.


----------



## shebeen (Feb 24, 2013)

I found a variety of small dishes at Pier 1 Imports for a $1 a piece.

Reactions: Like 2


----------



## catfishrod69 (Feb 24, 2013)

Something ive been meaning to do for a while, is get some epoxy sculpt. I used it when i was doing taxidermy. You can get it from ebay. Its basically a two part puddy that you mix together and shape however you want it, and it dries extremely hard, and can be drilled/painted/sanded/etc.


----------



## jecraque (Feb 24, 2013)

The easiest/cheapest option if you like the little clear ones Jamie sells is to buy yourself some clear plastic petri dishes. I get them at a good price through any number of science equipment catalogs that usually offer a discount to schools, but I'd be willing to bet you could get them cheap from Amazon or elsewhere too. They should be a good deal less than $1 each for a dozen or more.

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## singaporesling (Feb 24, 2013)

Most pet stores have natural looking ones for reptiles.  Even Jamie has bigger ones that look natural.  Did you see those


----------



## Palespider (Feb 24, 2013)

Guess I should have been more specific. I'm using the 8x8x12 Nano Exo Terra's, and the Zoo Med type water dishes are just too large for these.

A lot of good ideas and options, thanks for the replies. Think these petri dishes look exactly like what I need, if I can find a deeper version.



jecraque said:


> The easiest/cheapest option if you like the little clear ones Jamie sells is to buy yourself some clear plastic petri dishes. I get them at a good price through any number of science equipment catalogs that usually offer a discount to schools, but I'd be willing to bet you could get them cheap from Amazon or elsewhere too. They should be a good deal less than $1 each for a dozen or more.


----------



## Palespider (Feb 25, 2013)

Not having much luck on the pitri dishes, they're either too shallow, or they want you to buy 500pc.

May give this epoxy sculpt a try, since as you said being able to shape it however, it leaves endless possibilities.



catfishrod69 said:


> Something ive been meaning to do for a while, is get some epoxy sculpt. I used it when i was doing taxidermy. You can get it from ebay. Its basically a two part puddy that you mix together and shape however you want it, and it dries extremely hard, and can be drilled/painted/sanded/etc.


----------



## catfishrod69 (Feb 25, 2013)

Yeah the epoxy sculpt is a little expensive, but you can use it for anything. Ive reshaped broken deer antler, used for building bases to attach animals to, built up fish tongues after drying. Another thing to look at is on ebay, look for the plastic bottom parts for plant pots. Cant think of what they are called now, but i use them alot. I have 3, 4, and 6 inchers. 





Palespider said:


> Not having much luck on the pitri dishes, they're either too shallow, or they want you to buy 500pc.
> 
> May give this epoxy sculpt a try, since as you said being able to shape it however, it leaves endless possibilities.


----------



## morri (Feb 25, 2013)

One thing I read about, though I have never tried is to carve out the desired depth/size into lava rock. It's softer, so you could chisel it with a screw driver. Lava rock is porous, so coating the finished rock with food grade silicone, or aquarium silicone on the bottom and sides would be a must. It isn't a clear dish, but I've seen these done in my friends poison dart frog vivarriums, and I day, they are awesome and very natural looking. Another advantage being they are porous, if not to deep crickets can climb out with ease instead of drowning. I hope this helps.


----------



## philge (Feb 25, 2013)

I like my tanks to look natural too. At first I was using little dishes like for serving sauce. The Exo Terra and Zoo med ones are expensive, around $4-5!  However, I recently discovered natural-looking ones in the pet store for $1. Instead of looking at the reptile bowls, go for the hermit crab supplies. The cheapest bowls are always with the hermit crab stuff. They're really small too which is perfect for Ts.


----------



## BakerBert (Feb 25, 2013)

i wanted to do much in the same thing as you;

I had a small glass candle holder laying around and a piece of cork bark. 
break up the bark, add some hot glue and you have a cheap natural looking water dish.


----------



## Palespider (Feb 26, 2013)

A lot of great suggestions. I'm going to get a look at the hermit crab sized dishes in person to see just how big they really are, but if that fails, I'm definitely going to try what some of you did, and try to make my own.


----------



## Kazaam (Mar 3, 2013)

I usually find myself a decent looking rock drill a hole in it and use that as waterdish.


----------



## cerialkiller (Mar 4, 2013)

I cut the bottom of of a water bottle and burry it to the edge 

Sent from my HTC One V using Tapatalk 2


----------



## jarmst4 (Mar 5, 2013)

I use these in all my terrariums. The exo terra small water dish. They are about 4x4. Hold a good amount of water and don't take up much space. Get them from foster smith for like 4$ each.


----------



## evilebe (Mar 8, 2013)

i didn't read everything but i use plastic petri dishes from ebay. they are cheap and clear. i like clear as well.


----------

