Jungle Vines for Reptile Vivarium

I was making a bioactive vivarium for my crested gecko, and I decided I wanted to add to the naturalistic vibe by making some jungle vines. They are made from pieces of rope covered in silicone and coconut fiber. These vines can be used for other arboreal reptiles as well.

• Rope - I used 3/8" rope and twisted three strands together to get larger rope, while still using single strands to create the twisting/climbing effect
• 100% Silicone I (or other reptile-safe silicone) & silicone gun
• Eco Earth or other coconut fiber substrate - I used the brick version and let some sit out and dry after soaking the brick; the dry kind works too (but the bricks are a lot cheaper)
• Moss (optional, can help make vines more realistic)
• Parchment paper
• Garden clippers or something to cut rope with
• Masking tape
• Gorilla Glue (optional, used for sticking vines to terrarium sides)
• Gloves (recommended when using silicone)

Cut the rope to the desired length. If you are making bigger rope with smaller rope, twist three strands of the smaller rope together and use masking tape to hold it in its twisted shape. I would recommend starting with a longer strand of rope than you think you'll need, and if you need to cut it before installing it you can.

For the coconut fiber, I used Zoo Med's Eco Earth. I used the pack of three bricks and soaked one brick so it was all decondensed, then I dumped some on a baking sheet and left it out to dry. You could also just by the dry coconut fiber, but the three brick pack was cheaper and easier for me because I needed it for other things too. The important thing is that the coconut fiber is completely dry, otherwise it won't stick to the silicone (I know from experience:) ).

If you are using moss, now is the time to mix it into the coconut fiber.

Cover your rope completely with silicone. Gloves and a partner are very helpful at this step. Once it is completely covered, cover the rope with the coconut fiber mixture and press it into the silicone. Place the rope onto a piece of parchment paper and leave it for 12 hours to dry completely.

Use string or another form of support to hold the rope in the position you want it inside the vivarium. To get a climbing vine effect, twist two vines of different sizes together.

Once the vines are in place, spray the connection area with water and use gorilla glue to connect the vine to the side of the vivarium. Spraying the surfaces and the glue will help it to cure faster. Then, cover the joint area with more coconut fiber. At this step, it is ok if it is damp; it will help the glue dry faster.

Once the glue is dry, cut the strings/remove any supports.

Note: If for some reason the glue doesn't stay very well, dry the surfaces and use silicone to stick the vines to the wall. The glue will still help the joint look nice.

Now let your animal enjoy their new vines!