About painting in a terrarium

inuit_jay · #1 (**permalink**) 03-22-2009, 01:49 AM

I was wondering what kind of paint to use for a wooden enclosure with Great Stuff bottom and stylofoam rocks for leopard gecko. I don't know I posted this in a right section. Thanks.

beckdg · #2 03-22-2009, 11:55 PM

it seems to me your plans are incomplete and you may need a little studying... there are different ways to color/cover/seal each of these mediums... check out my favorite link and look around the site... keep searching/reading and narrow your questions down to more specifics

for the most part gs gets silicone... styrofoam gets grout or crete... wood gets sealed or painted w/2 part epoxy paint for potable water sources... there are other ways also, but not one end all cure all for all 3 mediums... they all have different properties and specifics that have to be accounted for... and what you use either has to be applicable to the specific animals involved or worked around... for instance to use concrete for fish or frogs you have to let it cure and then leach out the lye and such to reduce the ph so it don't burn them... so yeah more details and more specific q's... as well as any animals or plants to be involved should help us help you... take your time... look around... feel free to ask questions when you don't understand something or to fill in the gaps... have fun, create, enjoy and welcome to the site!

inuit_jay · #3 03-23-2009, 12:36 AM

I sealed the wood with varathane before I heard about the epoxy paint. I was referred to here from the geckosunlimited forum and I forgot I haven't explained clearly. Its for a leopard gecko therefore does not require any ponds. The varathane has been left pretty long now in a well ventilated area. I have shaped the stylofoam and the Great stuff already and they are placed in. But I am just not sure what to paint them. Obviously it won't be humid in the tank so I guess water paint is fine, but I have a acrylic paint that has no health regulation required sign on it and I would like to use it if its not toxic.

Sorry again I forgot this is a vivarium forum for general not just for geckos.

beckdg · #4 03-23-2009, 01:06 AM

water based is fine... acrylic might melt your foam... best to check first on a small area... some water based paints might need sealing afterwards... whereas others can get wet or be wiped from time to time without it washing off... you can always do the water based and then apply the acrylic after... froggsong mentioned recently a paint she was planning to use for gs... i don't remember what it was exactly.

froggsong · #5 03-23-2009, 02:03 AM

I did? I don't remember beck... If you come across the post again, please quote it.

beckdg · #6 03-23-2009, 09:40 AM

i have no idea who's thread it was in... but i think you mentioned a paint that you were thinking of using when someone else was contemplating painting foam... it might not have even been you knowing my memory... lol

froggsong · #7 03-23-2009, 09:53 AM

I remembered what it was as soon as I did a search and my beardie tank thread came up. It is a spray paint that has a faux finish to look like stone. I don't know if they are all rated for application on foam, but the one they have at the NEX is (I haven't read the cans at the other stores, it's on clearance in the NEX because they got in a new kind, so I'm going to spend 4.50 there instead of 9 or more elsewhere if I get it). I've also seen a thread or two somewhere (not this site) where someone used it on foam.

Looks like it was MY memory at fault this time, lol... Of course, that's not saying anything, my memory sucks...

beckdg · #8 03-23-2009, 10:08 AM

inuit_jay · #9 03-23-2009, 02:49 PM

So acrylic paint won't kill the geckos? For now the thing I am worried about is poison from surface as it seems that geckos lick the ground to check where they are. And all the spray paints I saw in Wal Mart seems to have poison, flammable and explosive sign, are they still safe????? Thanks.

froggsong · #10 03-23-2009, 04:14 PM

With spray paint, you need to check and see if it is rated for plastics and if it will paint on foam. Alot of paint contains chemicals that will melt foam. All of those warning signs are for the product in the state you buy it in (liquid), they don't tell you anything about whether it is toxic once cured. I know that Krylon Fusion is supposed to be safe, alot of people have been using it.

Acrylic paints are non-toxic, even in their liquid form. I don't think I've ever seen a bottle that didn't say non-toxic (although I could be wrong, and you should certainly check the package). The problem with acrylic paints is that they are generally water soluble. You'll have to seal it with something that is non-toxic if you don't want it to come off ( which it will do a bit at a time when your geckos lick it).