Reptile Forum, Reptile Classifieds - CaptiveBred

[miffikins]

So in about 6 weeks time I will be starting from scratch with my ackies viv so I can introduce my male to my new female. Pretty much I'm looking for some fresh ideas....

Substrate wise, I have tried topsoil/sand mix, which he likes to dig in but sometimes gets very clumpy. I'm currently trying out ecoearth and that seems to be goin well and I might add some sand to it to. I have it at a depth of 3-4 inches thru half of the viv and 12"depth for the other half. What do you guys use and what depth??

For hides I have put his basking rocks in the corner of the viv leaving a 1/2 - 1 inch space between the wall and the rocks, which is where he wedges himself in the day time for a 'nap', he seems to love these sort of places where he can wedge himself in nice and tight. He also has a half log hide (shop bought) that I stuffed with substrate and he burrowed into and this is where he sleeps every night. He has also made other little burrows but he doesn't use them much. In the same way I stuffed the log hide, I was thinking of doin the same with a cork bark tube.....

Obviously, with there now being another animal I want to maximise available hides etc

I want to get some use out of the viv walls. I have thought about a few ideas, like bolting some half logs to the wall, getting some cork bark backgrounds (although I have been warned if I get mites I won't be able to get rid of them off the bark). I have also considered building a 3D background from polystyrene as I have seen some AMAZING ones on here, and I have a friend who has offered to do one for me.

I may also change the bulbs, I currently have a standard 100watt bulb and guard which keeps it about 125-135 on the highest rock, but was thinking of investing in a reflector.....good idea??

The viv at the moment is 4x2x2, which I am hoping to upgrade once I get back to work in the summer. I was thinking of goin for 5 or 6 x2x2 but then I thought about maybe getting some height, like 4x3x2, but then I do worry a bit about my boy falling as he is unable to grip .

Sorry for the looong post! I'm really just looking for a bit more inspiration/advice so if anyone had any ideas or thinks any of mine are bad, please let me know. All opinions welcome Pics of your set-ups would also be great!

Thanks in advance

Kate

[herp_boi]

Try putting a rete's stack http://www.captivebred.co.uk/basking_stacks.htm

I have used these and they are very effective. Make the gaps quite tight so they can wedge themselves into them
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2.1 Heterodon Nasicus
1.1 Eryx colubrinus
1.1 Elaphe obsoleta linheimeri leucistic
1.1 Varanus acanthurus
0.1 Python Regius
0.0.10 varanus acanthurus eggs.
0.0.31 Heterodon nasicus eggs.
http://www.freewebs.com/njbherps/index.htm

[dantro]

I tried to make mine as interesting as possible by making lots of nooks and crannies for them to poke about in ...
This is my Ackie viv with a slate stack in it ... it has changed a small bit since this pic, it now has more wall pieces in cos they always try and climb the flat walls?! ..


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Cheers
Dan
1.1.0 Ackies (10 eggs cooking) 4.9.6 Stenodactylus S. (22 eggs cooking)

[miffikins]

Cheers guys, I was planning on making a retes stack, but have been figuring out a decent way of making it look nice and natural

What substrates do you use. I have had my boy a year and tried various things and depths but he isnt much of a digger really. Same with climbing really, he can;t climb much, not that itstops him trying, so I have only had quite low climbing things before but now we have a new girl with 10 toes and 1 claws so I'm guessing she will want to climb!

Dantro your viv looks really nice, what height is it??

Cheers

[dantro]

Yeah mine have a lack of claws too, i think thats why i made it so twisty with the wood so they can still have a bit of a climb if they want ..
mine is 3ft high .. and i use topsoil as a substrate, they do like a bit of a dig ...
Thanks glad u like it ...
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Cheers
Dan
1.1.0 Ackies (10 eggs cooking) 4.9.6 Stenodactylus S. (22 eggs cooking)

[miffikins]

I'm definatly goin to go 3ft high on the next one I get and have a 3d background made with some hides etc. I can't wait to get some more climby things for them! Hopefully Barney won't hurt himself, he's always falling and jumping off things, silly boy.

Dantro, with you stack, are the tiles 'glued' together with something? I want to use tiles for mine but I want to fix them to the bits inbetween so they are less likey to fall etc

Cheers

[dantro]

Yeah the stack is made from a packet of slate tiles with some wooden spacers between to space the tiles and good old no more nails, its as solid as rock.
I like the idea of the background, i'll be doing that next time i think!
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Cheers
Dan
1.1.0 Ackies (10 eggs cooking) 4.9.6 Stenodactylus S. (22 eggs cooking)

[miffikins]

Lovely! No more nails it is then