Clay hide advice?

[joxters]

Hello!

I was thinking about creating a clay hide for my axolotl to resemble a log. I know I can just buy one online, but I’m in a crafty mood and I’d much rather make one myself. :^)

Does anyone have experience with making clay hides for axolotls? What clay is the safest, and is it possible to paint them, and maybe even hot glue fake plants on them?

Thank you!

 

[AMurry24537]

Hello!

I was thinking about creating a clay hide for my axolotl to resemble a log. I know I can just buy one online, but I’m in a crafty mood and I’d much rather make one myself. :^)

Does anyone have experience with making clay hides for axolotls? What clay is the safest, and is it possible to paint them, and maybe even hot glue fake plants on them?

Thank you!

I personally don't know much about clay, but I would be concerned about chemicals from the paint or hot glue (and maybe even the clay if not fully baked) leaching into the water over time. For anything you want to "glue" together, I would recommend using a waterproof silicone sealant (the same stuff used to hold a tank together). In terms of plants, live plants will assist your cycle and be much safer overall (in terms of sharp edges and/or materials). Hopefully someone with more experience in crafting hides can help more!

 

[Dalton'n'Darwin]

I have had fired pottery in my axolotl tank for years, and it makes great hides. I'm not sure about glazes or paints, but I know I can make a quick hide out of any broken terracotta pots I have. I would avoid any sharp corners, so maybe sand/file down whatever stoneware you choose. These will also need to be replaced/sun dried if you ever bleach your tank.

 

[marivan]

I personally don't know much about clay, but I would be concerned about chemicals from the paint or hot glue (and maybe even the clay if not fully baked) leaching into the water over time. For anything you want to "glue" together, I would recommend using a waterproof silicone sealant (the same stuff used to hold a tank together). In terms of plants, live plants will assist your cycle and be much safer overall (in terms of sharp edges and/or materials). Hopefully someone with more experience in crafting hides can help more!

I am a potter so I made a hide for my axolotl out of cone 6 clay and fired it. It's been in her tank for a couple of years now. You will have to just make sure you fire it to the correct temperature. My axolotl uses it all the time. She's pretty long so it is just the right size.

 

[Dalton'n'Darwin]

I am a potter so I made a hide for my axolotl out of cone 6 clay and fired it.

This sounds like a great solution to make hides, and yours looks great! It's been a while since I did much pottery, but what kind of glaze(s) did you use or are there any you would advise against using?

 

[marivan]

This sounds like a great solution to make hides, and yours looks great! It's been a while since I did much pottery, but what kind of glaze(s) did you use or are there any you would advise against using?

Hi Dalton, Sorry, I didn't get an alert that I had a message. This is a cone 6 glaze. I think that any cone 6 glaze would be fine as long as there is no leaching. You can test that by putting a slice of lemon on a piece and leaving it for a few hours. If the glaze changes colour at all, it could leach. Copper glazes are more prone to that. Any commercial glaze you use would likely be fine.