Anyone worked with pond foam on large cages?

[WashingtonCham]

I’m planning on making a naturalistic background in my dragonstrand large atrium clearside enclosure using pond foam. And I was just curious if anyone had any experience working with large cages and pond foam and if I can get any tips or tricks. I got the basics online watched hours of videos. But I’m just curious if anyone has any pics of their cages or even without pond foam just naturalistic cages.

 

[JacksJill]

Don't wear anything you aren't willing to throw away when you are done.

 

[WashingtonCham]

Don't wear anything you aren't willing to throw away when you are done.

Haha yah I got that tip and wear gloves. I invested in the actual pond foam gun as to have a little more control at least in theory haha.

 

[WashingtonCham]

Haha yah I got that tip and wear gloves. I invested in the actual pond foam gun as to have a little more control at least in theory haha.

I gave it a go on a practice outdoor little setup I made for my guy so I kinda got the feel for how it works. But I was thinking maybe try to carve something cool maybe a simple tiki face idk. Honestly everything is gonna be covered in plants anyways.

 

[JoXie411]

Don't wear anything you aren't willing to throw away when you are done.

For a second I thought you were telling them to do it in there knickers

 

[JacksJill]

Let me know how the gun works for you. I have a couple of cages I want to do this summer.

 

[JacksJill]

For a second I thought you were telling them to do it in there knickers

Whatever works.

 

[WashingtonCham]

For a second I thought you were telling them to do it in there knickers

Pond foam on the leg hairs can’t feel good haha

 

[WashingtonCham]

Let me know how the gun works for you. I have a couple of cages I want to do this summer.

Will do. One thing they get you on is you have to buy the ten dollar bottle of gun cleaner as to clean the foam out after use and it doesn’t come with any. But apparently using the gun makes it so you can reuse a bottle without it hardening I haven’t tested that myself though

 

[Zevil]

It will be tedious and your muscles might ache. I did a foam background on my 4x2x2 feet enclosure. You really have to make sure you don't miss a spot that is not covered with peat moss/cocopeat. You can do interesting stuff like sticking cork bark, flower pots or branches into the background.

 

[JacksJill]

If it gets on your clothes or jewelry it's almost not worth the effort to get it off. You can scrub it off your skin eventually.

 

[JacksJill]

Here are a couple of mine but they are smaller cages and I did the sides not the back.
If you embed flower pots stuff them with paper or something firmly or the foam will colapse them.

 

[Rlc1994]

This is my large dragon strand cage done with pond and stone foam. I was honestly a little intimidated with the foam because it does look hard to work with but It surprisingly wasn’t bad. Just take your time and have everything like the pots and branches zipped tied and stable and exactly how you want it to be because once you start foaming it’s permanent pretty much. Visualize how you want the plants to hang so they can all get equal amounts of light and not shadow each other. I didn’t even use gloves when I sprayed mine probably wasn’t the best idea but I didn’t get a single drip on me at all! Must be lucky lol.

 

[WashingtonCham]

Here are a couple of mine but they are smaller cages and I did the sides not the back.
If you embed flower pots stuff them with paper or something firmly or the foam will colapse them.

I found these plastic black pots that are super hardy won’t Bend easily so I think I’m gonna use those as my base and then just slip another pot with the plant inside once it’s done so I can easily replace plants if needed. Those look awesome.

 

[Rlc1994]

If you go the pot route make sure you get two each of the same pots that you plan to use. That way you can easily move the plants in and out of the pot without having to transplant dirt.

 

[WashingtonCham]

This is my large dragon strand cage done with pond and stone foam. I was honestly a little intimidated with the foam because it does look hard to work with but It surprisingly wasn’t bad. Just take your time and have everything like the pots and branches zipped tied and stable and exactly how you want it to be because once you start foaming it’s permanent pretty much. Visualize how you want the plants to hang so they can all get equal amounts of light and not shadow each other. I didn’t even use gloves when I sprayed mine probably wasn’t the best idea but I didn’t get a single drip on me at all! Must be lucky lol. View attachment 235584

Yah my plan is to have a shelf with a few carnivourous plants it top corner opposite of basking side and then to zip tie all my branches and pots where I want them and then spray over. When you put your coco fiber on the back did you scrape the foam before sticking it on? I’ve heard it doesn’t stick to the smooth foam surface so you have to cut it

 

[AnamCara]

I found these plastic black pots that are super hardy won’t Bend easily so I think I’m gonna use those as my base and then just slip another pot with the plant inside once it’s done so I can easily replace plants if needed. Those look awesome.

Oh SNAP This is a great idea. I just this morning ordered pond foam and I'm glad I stumbled onto this thread. I try not to take my cham out too much and being able to quickly replace a plant would be incredible. It's amazing, the little things you don't think of.

 

[WashingtonCham]

Here are a couple of mine but they are smaller cages and I did the sides not the back.
If you embed flower pots stuff them with paper or something firmly or the foam will colapse them.

Thanks for the pics to. I think I got most of the instructional part down it just really helps to see what other people did. I’m also planning on buying a full sandblasted manzanita tree and breaking it up for my cage. Any other wood recommendations I just want it to look cool and natural

 

[Rlc1994]

Yah my plan is to have a shelf with a few carnivourous plants it top corner opposite of basking side and then to zip tie all my branches and pots where I want them and then spray over. When you put your coco fiber on the back did you scrape the foam before sticking it on? I’ve heard it doesn’t stick to the smooth foam surface so you have to cut it

I did not go with the coco coir background just left it with the black foam look. Easier to keep clean in my opinion and other members on here would probably agree. Not saying you can’t go that route with adding coco fiber as many people have been successful doing it I’m sure. Just made sense to me that it would be easier to keep clean without the coco.

 

[WashingtonCham]

Oh SNAP This is a great idea. I just this morning ordered pond foam and I'm glad I stumbled onto this thread. I try not to take my cham out too much and being able to quickly replace a plant would be incredible. It's amazing, the little things you don't think of.

Bill strand of chameleon breeder podcast gave me that idea from his episode about mounting plants I can’t take the credit haha. But it is a great idea.