Plasti Dip Spray on Rubber

[JoCarp]

Hey everyone! I'm working on completing my custom cage that is an armoire, for lack of better term, that I'm converting (pictures to come!). It is made of wood so I was initially going to seal it with a polyurethane but I saw this Plasti Dip spray on rubber sealant and was intrigued. When I searched for it on/off the forum, I found a few old threads mentioning it but no one followed up to say how it held up and if it was truly ok for their cham. For the health aspect all I saw was that the company states it's safe for iguanas, but I don't want to assume anything. If any one has experience with this I would like to hear your thoughts. I could potentially use this on just the bottom of the enclosure and polyurethane the sides or just Plasti Dip the whole interior if it is truly safe (or not use it at all if it is unsafe). Thanks for the help, after a few years waiting and months and months of preparing I'm within a week or so of having my new panther and I'm through the roof excited (I was actually excited to get home from vacation since its so close) !!!

Jordan

 

[Lathis]

For the bottom, you probably want something that can stand "immersion service" rather than just moisture. I would recommend a high-mil plastic sheeting laid down in sealant (that's what I used) or a heavy-mil polyurethane coating.

Here's close to what I used:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-6-ft-x-100-ft-Black-6-mil-Plastic-Sheeting-CF0606B/202184211

I did two plies, each fully adhered in sealant, using a squeegee to get the plastic sheet to lay flat. I turned my edges up and over the lip and stapled in place. If you are terminating on a vertical surface, you might want to find a high-service tape. 3M probably makes something good for this.

The trick is to find a sealant (caulk) that is polyethylene compatible for adhesion. I found something at HomeDepot that worked, but I can't remember what it was. Silicone sealant won't typically bond to plastic sheet, but it might be fine for sealing between layers. One thing I also really wish I had done was to build some slope into the base itself to help direct water to the drain. Next time I re-waterproof my cage base, I will build it out with some sloping plywood under the membrane.

 

[JoCarp]

Thanks for the info! I ended up getting Thompson's Water sealer for exterior decks versus the indoor polyurethane that I had on hand. I picked up 1/4" plywood and some 3/4" square dowels and I'm going to make my incline with that so that my water will run into the drain I'm installing.

Spoke with Bruce from Chameleon Paradise last night and have to say he is beyond helpful! Explained everything I need to make sure I have covered in great detail (since this is my first cham) which helped a great deal. I've read all the care sheets etc. but it helped a lot to have him run through it with me. I should have my new panther next Wednesday!!!

As a side note for those concerned about how soon the cham is coming and the fact that I'm still working, what I'm working on now is his adult cage, I have one already prepped for while he is younger so all of this stuff can cure properly.