Best reptile & amphibian habitat decor according to redditors
We found 203 Reddit comments discussing the best reptile & amphibian habitat decor. We ranked the 74 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
We found 203 Reddit comments discussing the best reptile & amphibian habitat decor. We ranked the 74 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
Enclosure
Glass tanks with screen lids are very bad for ball pythons, you would be looking at getting a tub set up (using a rubber maid/sterilite /iris tub & soldering or drilling holes into the sides - here is a good tutorial of setting that up ). Or you would be wanting to get a PVC enclosure. I have an Animal Plastics T8 for my ball python, it did take about five weeks for it to show up, though. So if you want to go this route, plan way ahead. The tub route is cheaper, but takes more DIY skills. The PVC cage route is more expensive, but very aesthetically pleasing. To make a glass tank work, I suggest covering three sides with foam board to help insulate, and covering most of the screen lid with saran wrap or foil to keep humidity in.
Humidity
A ball python needs at the minimum 60% humidity. This is incredibly difficult to achieve in a glass tank with a screen top. A tub or PVC enclosure makes this super easy. Humidity should be measured on the ground with a digital hygrometer. The stick on humidity gauges that pet stores hawk are often inaccurate and can cause serious injury or even death if they come unstuck from the wall and stick to your snake. I use this two in one hygrometer / thermometer.
Temperature
Ball pythons need a thermogradiant w one end at between 88F and 90F & a cool end of 78Fish - the ambient temperature should never be below 75F, & should be around high 70's. In a tub or a PVC enclosure, you will want an under tank heater - heat tap, heat mats, heat pads. I recommend the flexwatt that you can get with the Animal Plastics enclosure or the ultratherm from Reptile Basics. If you have trouble keeping the ambient up in the PVC enclosure, you may want to get a radiant heat panel, which installs to the ceiling of the enclosure. For a glass tank, you will probably need a ceramic heat emitter installed over the cage to keep ambient temperatures appropriate. CHE gives off no visible light. Red lights are often given out like candy at PetCo/Smart places as good ways to provide heat at night. They are not. Ball pythons can see red light, and it messes up their day/night cycle. I don't have recommendations for CHE because I don't use them.
Thermostats
Any & all heat sources you have for your BP need to be controlled by a thermostat. Failure to appropriately control your heat source can lead to it quickly becoming 120F & injuring your snake. I highly recommend Spyder Robotics Herpstats. You can get larger ones w more probes so that you can control all your heat sources w one unit. They have a ton of good safety features & a lot of people on this sub can answer any questions you have on them. The cheaper ones are around $100ish. If that is too much for you, there are a lot of people who use the Jumpstart thermostats, but they have less safety features & can wear out quickly. They also make a loud clicking sound periodically. I cannot stress this enough, this is not a place to cut corners. You need a thermostat.
Thermometers
I already linked to my recommended combo hygro/thermometer. This thermometer is great because it has a small probe to measure "outside" temperatures. I use this probe to measure the floor on my warm side (I hide it on the ground under the substrate so I know the absolute hottest place my BP can get to). I place the unit itself on the cool side, so I know all my temps & the humidity on one unit. You will also want an IR thermometer gun (there might be better recs than this one). This is good for spot checking temperatures without moving around probes & also checking the temps of the prey items.
Hides
You want at least two similar, enclosed hides. Half logs are NOT suitable, they are too open & they stress out the BP, as they can't watch both ends at once for a predator. Some of the best hides are these ones from Reptile Basics. They are enclosed on all sides with just a small entrance. They are dishwasher safe & also very cheap. You want them to be similar if not identical, so that the snake does not have to choose between feeling safe & thermoregulating. You will want one on each side of the temperature gradient. Feel free to add more that are different for diversity in the enclosure. I also have some fake vines/leaves in mine so that she feels more invisible. Go to a craft store or the fish supplies for these, the ones marketed for reptiles are way overpriced.
Water dish
You will want a water bowl that is large enough for the BP to soak in. This should be changed daily, as they like to poop & pee in their water. You'll want something sturdy as they like to tip them over. I got some crock dishes from Reptile Basics. You don't need any water treatment for the snakes water unless you treat water for yourself. If you tap is safe for human consumption, it's safe for your snake.
Feeding
BP's eat every 5 - 7 days as hatchlings and yearlings, as adults they can go longer. BP's are NOTORIOUSLY picky eaters. The ideal IMO for a BP is a proper sized rat fed either pre-killed or frozen/thawed. I feed frozen/thawed rats from Perfect Prey. Just a heads up - they ship with fiber glass insulation & dry ice. I try to open the packages outside so my cats don't get into it. They come in freezer bags and I just store them in my regular freezer. If even one thing is wrong in your husbandry, your BP will likely not eat.
How Much To Feed
The feeding amount depends on the weight of the BP. You will want a digital kitchen scale - you can get one cheaply at any box store. While under 750g, you want to feed about 10%-15% of their body weight about every 7 days. Once they are in their second year you want to feed 7%-10% of their body weight, after they are in their third year, you want to feed about 5% every 7 to 14 days. I document all feeding days and the weight of the prey in my google calender.
You should be weighing your snake at least once a month to track how much you should be feeding. You should not disturb or move or handle your snake for at least 48 hours after feeding.
Frozen / Thawed
I get the rat out the night before the day I want to feed. I put it in the fridge. About two hours before I feed, I get it out of the fridge and put it on the counter to get it to room temp. And then I soak it in a zip lock bag in warmish water (I use a temp gun to get water around 110F) for about 20 minutes, and use a temp gun to make sure the rat is around 100F, and then I run the head under running hot water until its 110F. The head of the prey should be warmer so the snake has a target. I then use tongs to move it around in the enclosure to mimic it being alive. She (usually) strikes pretty quickly. If she doesn't, I leave it in overnight, and throw it out in the morning if she doesn't eat it.
I prefer frozen thawed cause I can buy cheaply in bulk. It's also safer. As BP's get bigger, they require larger prey - and rats have sharp teeth and sharp claws and can seriously injure your snake.
Myths of Cage Aggression
You do not need a separate cage for feeding it. This is a myth. The best way to reduce stress at feeding time is to feed in their regular enclosure. This minimizes the risk of regurgitation.
Substrate
Stay away from aromatic woods - such as pine. A lot of people like to use coconut husk, unprinted newspaper, or paper towels. There are pros and cons to each. I like paper towels, they are cheap and easy to clean up messes with. I use PVC enclosure so I don't need a substrate that helps with humidity like coconut husk. This should be spot cleaned whenever a mess is made. Aspen chips can mold super easily so not really recommended. If you have a chip type substrate and are worry about ingestion of substrate while feeding, put a plate down before hand.
Shedding
Hatchlings shed more frequently, but you should expect regular shedding. Usually the most visible sign they are about to shed is them getting cloudy or "blue" eyes - just google image search for "ball python shed blue eyes". Once they "go into blue" you want to leave them alone as much as possible. Check in on them to refill their water & make sure their humidity is correct, but don't handle or disturb them while they are shedding. You will probably see them remove their skin about a week after they go blue. Right right before they shed, their eyes will clear up, but don't be fooled - if you haven't found their old skin they haven't shed yet. Once you have their old skin, you will want to remove it & inspect it. You might need to moisten it, but unroll it (there might be a poop in it) carefully & look for eye caps and make sure the whole skin is in one long piece. Then inspect the snake for any stuck shed. Don't pull off the stuck shed, but soak your BP in some warm water & it should come off mostly on its own. Stuck shed is usually a sign that humidity is off - so try to identify ways to increase humidity.
You can get submerged ultrasonic foggers like these or humidifiers with a tube attached
Source: My fucking vivarium
Yes, everything this person said! For hides, I like these: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00UCDIBMY/ref=twister_B00UCDIB4C?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
They're super cheap from Amazon and my snakes love them. Get two both sized so the snake will fit snugly inside without a lot of extra space.
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Your snake isn't eating because it is very, very stressed. Fix your issues with the enclosure and give it a solid week before you try feeding again.
Don't know why you're getting down voted because reptile ladders are a thing and they’re smaller than the hammocks and not quite the right dimensions to form a proper hammock. They’re meant to be flat against a wall.
Never had my corn do that yet in any of his hides.
I actually just had to get him bigger hides, and got him these: https://www.amazon.com/Reptile-Hide-Box-C--Medium/dp/B00UCDIBJ2
The medium is a little small for him, but the size below would've been definitely too small. He fills up the hide about 65-70%, and still has some growing to do before he's a full adult. (Another foot, or so).
The only thing he absolutely goes CRAZY for, is moss. If I give him a mossy container, he refuses to leave it. I have to open it up and dump him out before he'll leave it. For this reason, I only offer it to him around shedding time, as I don't want him to get scale rot or something.
When I had only one turtle using the basking area, this turtle dock worked really, really well.
After I got a tank mate for my first RES, that dock no longer worked. It's just big enough for a full-size female to bask comfortably, but way too small for two turtles. I made my own basking platform for them instead. I went through a few different constructions, but the most recent one I built out of egg crate and cork board is working perfectly.
Edit: I just thought of another platform that worked quite nicely for my Western Painted, but you can't guarantee that it will stay under your lights. Also, here's a video of my DIY platform if anyone is interested.
Here's the link https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B01N1EOR0K/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_P.7uCbXYV8D2Q
Here's some options for you, there's many more but these'll get you started:
I use like three of these suction cupped to the tallest part of the glass. My gecko loves to hide in them during the day.
https://www.amazon.com/Flukers-Repta-Vines-Pothos-Reptiles-Amphibians/dp/B0009YEB70/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1510986161&sr=1-1&keywords=reptile+foliage
Exo Terra Reptile Den, Medium https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002AR5BU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_RLPBDb53G529P
I got mine off of Amazon here :)
I just put on a new background for my tank, and I like how it turned out. As much as possible, I like to have an all-natural look for my tank. The PVC basking dock that I made is totally functional, but aesthetically not very pleasing. I'm really trying to come up with creative solutions to make it look better.
I would consider just buying one, but I haven't found any good ones online yet. I don't like the floating basking docks, and some of the other ones I was looking at look too small and/or flimsy.
So my three options are to create something from scratch, decorate my existing one to make it look better, or to buy one online. Any ideas?
Edit: Something like this would be cool, except that this one is WAY too tiny. Does anyone know if they make similar ones but larger? Preferably a good 12" tall.
These are really great to drape around branches and whatnot. The leaves are big so they produce a lot of cover. Just be careful because sometimes the wire will poke through the plastic coating if your snake is the trampling type and it’s fking sharp so check for that regularly if you get them! I just trim the wire off and wrap some HVAC tape around the spot.
Fluker's Repta Vines-Pothos for Reptiles and Amphibians https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009YEB70/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_2QZ2CbV3W8ETM
It's the smaller version of this one, which works well except the suction cups kinda suck, I usually have to stick it back on once in a while. https://www.amazon.ca/Zoo-Med-Turtle-Dock-Medium/dp/B00BUFU8RO/ref=mp_s_a_1_fkmrnull_4?keywords=turtle+dock+zoo+med&qid=1550783278&s=gateway&sr=8-4-fkmrnull the one I have for him is 5"x11"
But, I just bought him one of these today, it's 16"x11' and it'll be way sturdier! I bought it used off a guy for only $10 https://www.amazon.ca/Penn-Plax-Decorative-Floating-Basking-Platform/dp/B004PBCFG2/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=turtle+pier&qid=1550783419&s=gateway&sr=8-3
The rat seems like the right size. Some things you could try.
Replace the heat lamp light bulb with a ceramic heat emitting bulb. Amazon has them. BP's like it dark.
Cover 3 sides of the tank with paper. It will make the snake feel more secure.
Try different hides similar to these.
Probably the most important. Feed at night in the dark. These snakes are nocturnal.
Welcome to the reptile community!
Personally for me if you aren't gonna use a heatpad/thermostat combo I would go with say a 60-75 watt ceramic heat emitter/thermostat combo. The ceramic heat emitter will push out heat but no light so you can use it in conjunction with a thermostat and it never has to be turned off.
You're gonna want your temps near your heat source to be around 83-86 F or so (if it's off a 1 or 2 degrees don't worry about it) the rest of the tank can hover in the low to mid 70's.
You are gonna want some more stuff going on in the tank. Probably another hide on the other side of the tank. I prefer to provide as many hides as possible, however in a tank this size you're probably gonna be limited to 2 which will work. However a way to sort of clutter it up and make the snake more comfortable is to get some fake vines that you can either suction cup around the edges or just leave in a loose pile in the terrarium.
https://www.amazon.com/Flukers-Repta-Vines-Pothos-Reptiles-Amphibians/dp/B0009YEB70/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1496131286&sr=8-2&keywords=reptile+vines
Something like this, it's 6 ft long so you can have some hanging, some laying on the ground of the terrarium. It's just extra clutter to make the snake feel more secure.
Unlike some of the other users I think that size of hide is fine. The way it's constructed allows the snake to get tight in it under the lip of the opening, you can stuff it with some sphagnum moss or bedding to make it a little more secure if you want to.
Other than that, with corn snakes just make sure your lid is secure and you make sure your humidity is alright, usually ambient house humidity (40-65%) is fine for these guys but when it get ready to shed (eyes will turn blue) you're gonna want to mist it with water to up the humidity a little bit until the shed is over.
You're gonna have fun with your snake and once again welcome to the community.
Reptihabitat kit $154 and that's overpriced considering how much of the stuff in it you'll just throw away. You can get a 20 long and a folding screen top from Petsmart for about $50 and the 2 light dome for another $50.
https://www.petsolutions.com/C/Reptile-Habitats/I/Zoo-Med-ReptiHabitat-Bearded-Dragon-Kit.aspx?catargetid=520009670000580654&cadevice=c&gclid=CjwKCAjw2s_MBRA5EiwAmWIac2ZBedmIdyBdq_7s09x4txgNz-FvlD5uiNVmX3KfTKu4lo9XpjanfBoCGVUQAvD_BwE
14" t5 hood $38.80
https://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Reptisun-T5-Ho-Terrarium/dp/B00M9ONY1W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1502887235&sr=8-1&keywords=14%22+t5
Half log $8.60
https://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Habba-Extra-Large/dp/B0010ONMV4/ref=sr_1_7?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1502887697&sr=1-7&keywords=reptile+hide
Hide XL $25.98
https://www.amazon.com/Exo-Terra-Reptile-Extra-Large/dp/B0002AR5BA/ref=sr_1_21?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1502887697&sr=1-21&keywords=reptile+hide
12" t5 10.0 Bulb $20.77
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N1DY82E/ref=sxbs_sxwds-stvp_2?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=3171424582&pd_rd_wg=9dlUL&pf_rd_r=5FMKXWA2ASD8TY18EGDD&pf_rd_s=desktop-sx-bottom-slot&pf_rd_t=301&pd_rd_i=B00N1DY82E&pd_rd_w=bTBUC&pf_rd_i=14%22+t5&pd_rd_r=GGP34DN67RR24AP1GD50&ie=UTF8&qid=1502887808&sr=2
Everything you see here can be had for $248.15 brand new. As soon as you walk out the door of the pet store, that stuff is worth less than half that. Also considering that this setup is not going to work for an adult and it becomes even less desirable. If I were looking to sell this setup I would sell on craigslist and consider myself extremely fortunate to get $100 for it all.
Well, if he is starting to become lethargic, it is usually not due to the snake not having enough mental stimulation (though I do believe they require it to some extent, they don't need puzzles or toys like dogs, and people will keep and breed large snakes that are kept with no furnishings at all). It is wintertime and males especially are funky during this time- your boy looks like he has an adult's head shape and at 5 and 1/2 ft, I bet he's probably preoccupied wishing there were some ladies in there with him. Make sure your temps and humidity are proper as well- you can respond with them if you want- because winter temp drops sometimes cause lethargy in animals as well. Especially when most boa species do not require a cooling period to breed successfully, and you don't sound like you intend to breed him, making sure his ambient temperatures haven't dropped is important.
However, temp and breeding isn't the only possible cause of lethargy- if you haven't gotten him a checkup at the vet recently, and you continue to see decreased activity cycles, I would suggest seeing a vet. x5000 if your snake is also wheezing, blowing bubbles, or has anything else "out of the norm"- but it doesn't sound like it.
What I've found works best for larger snakes is to just give up on commercial reptile products. Most of those are directed at the overwhelming ball python/corn snake/other small pet snake buyers. A 5.5ft male boa will still enjoy the largest of their stuff, but it's not worth the money, imo, when you can build bigger better stuff for way cheaper. The vines and such are more for decoration- your snake really doesn't care if it has leaves everywhere or not, as long as he has a secure place to hide himself away. I personally tend not to decorate my enclosures with many green plastic plants because a) I'm cheap, and b) I could use that space in the enclosure for something more dynamic. I do however definitely love and suggest live planting an enclosure if you are interested in something like that, because it provides cover and interesting climbing opportunities.
What I do is buy a few pieces of cork bark for a new enclosure, or a big tube. These are pretty cheap on amazon. and look good, come with fake moss on top sometimes so it adds a more naturalistic element to the enclosure. Then I usually collect wood- sticks for the smaller snakes, and for yours, maybe saw several branches to size for him. Ones with large forks he can rest in are usually really nice. I usually then thoroughly wash the wood in a mixture of water and bleach (ratio as you would for your own toys/plates/whatever), let it soak for a few hours, then rinse and dry in the sun. Additionally I then bake the wood pieces on a low temp (~200-250F) for a little bit and watch them, so that anything else is killed off. You can then screw these together with a drill to create a cool climbing structure (would recommend screwing (haha) one or two for support so he can climb on them safely and not just have sticks braced against the wall), or just put them in there and arrange as you will. PLEASE be sure they are VERY secure- screwing in or adding little guides or rails on the wall they're leaning on would be good and is sometimes what i do so they can't shift. Your platform looks really precarious if it isn't all glued together, because snakes can and will knock shit over and more often than not, get stuck beneath them.
I'd definitely agree with getting rid of that platform, but you could definitely build a smaller one he would probably use more, especially with more sticks leading up to it and other things. You won't be able to find vines that will support him except perhaps several of these knotted/braided together.
Also, feel free to respond with other enclosure specifications- I don't mean to criticize and it isn't related to your original question, but oftentimes red bulbs are used constantly and as the only source of heat, and for a boa, not good. Do you have a source of belly heat as well, or another method of heating it? He also looks like he's getting too big for that enclosure, and if you're wanting to put in the effort to make him happy and healthy, a larger enclosure would benefit him greatly too. :)
You may have to get a different type of dock. I use this Turtle pier. Works great and they can’t eat it.
Are you going to upgrade once she gets bigger? That size is a bit small for a full size adult. My adult male loves the next bigger size up of that one (He's over 120g and fits fine)!
I use this hide for all my geckos young and old. They really love it, even though it's snug for the adults.
And do you have a moist hide too?
Hi all,
So I did something not so smart and bought a gecko from petsmart. I had done research beforehand and while doing some research on supplies, ran across this guy (not named yet), and found him too cute to resist. This was about two weeks ago. I'm not sure how old he is, but he's about 4 inches long at the moment.
Before you comment on my hygrometer reading, the picture was taken right after I set up/misted the tank. It is currently and normally at ~40% humidity. I have a 10 gallon tank with warm, cool, and moist hides, and the surface temperature on the warm side is in the mid 90s.
Onto my actual concern: Should I be worried about indigestion? So I've been feeding him crickets, and he eats about 2-3 every night. I also leave a bowl of mealworms in the tank, which he's only touched twice when I came home later than his usual feeding time. However, I notice that he is pooping irregularly. He was pooping the first three days I got him, and now it's only every other day. I've also noticed that the poop seems drier than it was before, and possibly pieces of undigested cricket shells and some white stuff that might be extra calcium powder? I know geckos need belly heat to digest properly but this gecko really likes to climb things. If he is done eating or pooping, he immediately climbs up into his hide and doesn't come out. He also seemed pretty shy and I would have to leave the crickets, turn off the lights, and come back later to take out the extra. It's not too hot on the warm side, and he never uses his cool hide, so I guess he just likes to be in total darkness. But is this an issue that affects digestion? The only time I've seen him actually sit on the warm side after eating was the one time I caught him eating and snatched the tree away (terrible, I know).
I've removed the tree hide because I have a problem with him climbing up and never coming down, like this. It was a problem for me in terms of cleaning the terrarium, so I've recently replaced it with a rock hide so he has his total darkness but I can secretly peek too, and he loves it. But once again he's climbing up onto the upper shelf asap, and I haven't seen poop yet after two days. He came out of the rock just now (noon) and walked over to his usual pooping corner, looked around and opened his mouth a few times (didn't make sounds though), made some jerky movements with his head, then crawled back into his rock. I'm worried about possible constipation. It's probably not impaction since I've been using a carpet and not sand. How bad does this look? Should I wait it out or try to find a vet asap?
edit: holy crap that was long. Tl;Dr Gecko doesn't like to use heat pad for belly warmth and isn't pooping regularly. Should I be worried?
It looks perfectly safe, but I don't know if it would make a good hide... it seems a bit too open, so it'd be a neat decoration, but I wouldn't count on it making a good hide.
I have this one in my hatchling's tank. It serves much better as a hide (thought my snake much prefers his little coconut halves) and still looks really cool.
WAY Cheaper on Amazon. $15 for 50 leaves. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00M9GI2IK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I use eco-earth as well in my gecko cave but that stuff dries out really fast for me. Also, my geck likes to digs and kick all the eco earth out of the cave and make a big mess >.<
Looks pretty good, I'd even leave the hides, because despite what someone else said, sometimes cresties will use them, you'll just have to see what yours prefers. The only negative thing is the open space. I would get a set of leaves (something like https://www.amazon.com/Flukers-51015-Repta-Vines-Pothos/dp/B0009YEB70) to fill in the open space. I would also recommend a magnetic ledge for food and water, it keeps the substrate out of it and the geckos can sit higher to eat - but that's not a necessary change, just a recommendation.
So getting started with a snake can be expensive but it doesn't have to break the bank. There are a number of ways that you can actually save money and still provide a more than adequate enclosure.
Let's assume you are getting a baby ball python.
Depending on morph the price ranges greatly. A normal will cost you around $40 from a reptile store or expo. Morphs can easily get in the hundreds. DO NOT buy from chain pet stores (i.e. Petsmart, Petco.) Their animals are often sick/unhealthy. Buy from a reputable breeder/reptile store.
When picking out a snake, look for signs of disease/injury/mites. Common things are Respiratory infections, mites, thermal burns, mouth rot and scale rot. Check the belly for discoloration/signs of injury. Check around the mouth for any bubbling and see if you can get the breeder/store worked to get it to open its mouth. A healthy mouth will be nice and pink. Check around the mouth/eyes and under the chin for mites. These will look like small black specs that are often lodged under/between scales.
Enclosure: Appropriate size to start out with would be a 20gal long. Brand new this can cost around $70 (price of All Living Things Reptile Terrarium) or more depending on brand. However, you can look on resale websites such as LetGo and buy one secondhand. If you don't mind not having a great view of your friend, you can also go with an appropriately sized storage bin. These will be cheaper than glass terrariums and can be just as good of a home if you properly outfit it. Will need to size up when your snake gets bigger.
You will need 2 hides. If you don't mind about asthetics, I suggest something like this https://www.amazon.com/Pangea-Reptile-Hide-Box-Medium/dp/B00UCDIBJ2/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=reptile+hide&qid=1566576464&s=gateway&sr=8-4. Not very expensive, easy to clean. $10-15 each. These will need to be sized up as your snake grows. A proper hide should be enclosed on all but one side and be a snug fit for your snake.
Water bowl: I suggest a ceramic water bowl or similarly heavy/deep water bowl. You can get these on Amazon for ~$10. Will need to get bigger when your snake does.
Heat source: Either a Under Tank Heater or a Ceramic heat emitter are popular/good choices. Lamp+heat emitter around ~$20 but can be transferred to bigger cage when adult. UTH will be around $15 for first enclosure, will need a new one when you size up.
Thermostat: You need a thermostat that will plug into heat source to regulate temperatures. Most on Amazon are in the $15-20 range
Thermometer/Humidity gauge: Need to actively see temperature and humidity in enclosure. Amazon has decent ones that are not too expensive. Stay away from analog ones that stick to side of enclosure as these are inaccurate and the adhesive can get stuck on snake. Go with digital ones.
Digital temperature gun: Monitor spot temperatures. ~$15 or so depending on which you get.
Scale for weighing: while this is recommended it is not necessary. Price varies around $15-20
Bedding: Either cypress mulch or coconut fiber are recommended bedding. Depending on size of bag this will cost around $10-20 on average. Bedding needs to be replaced about every 2 months so this will be recurring but a general bag will get you around 2 enclosures of bedding. Stay away from Aspen for Ball Pythons
Food: Depending on size but around $1-3 dollars per feeding as the snake grows. Snake will eat once a week as a baby/juvenile, once every 2-3 weeks as an adult. Frozen/thawed is best route to go since you can easily buy in bulk and store (helps keep cost down a bit) and it is a much safer way to feed since feeding live risks injury to your snake.
Accessories: A proper enclosure needs to have clutter (i.e. plants for cover, things to climb on). You want a stimulating environment for your snake that also makes it feel safe. The more clutter the better. Silk plants work best as they can be easily cleaned, last forever. I highly recommend going to craft stores like Michael's. They have a bunch of stuff that goes great in set ups and are pretty damn cheap, especially if they have a clearance section. Decorating a cage well can be an inexpensive process. Things like appropriately sized PVC pipes work great. Amazon also has good choices. I decorated my California Kingsnakes enclosure for around $20 by shopping in the right places. Resell websites will often have people selling cage accessories for cheap as well. Something to climb on is a must. People don't associate BPs with climbing but if provided the opportunity, they will climb.
Vet visits: The hope is that you'll never have to take your snake to the vet but sometimes it can't be avoided. You have to find a vet that specializes in exotic animals and a visit can easily put you back a few hundred dollars. Its general advise that if you can't afford a vet visit, you should hold off on getting a snake.
For more information I highly recommend you going over to r/ballpython
I got it from a friend, but I found a link on Amazon!
https://www.amazon.com/Penn-Plax-Shale-Hide-Out-Medium-Aquarium/dp/B0018CJNEI/ref=mp_s_a_1_fkmr2_2?keywords=aquarium+tiered+rock+hide&amp;qid=1565484895&amp;s=gateway&amp;sr=8-2-fkmr2
Are you planning on getting a glass terrarium or using a tub? Personally, I purchased a gently used 20 gallon tank for my young ball python for like $25 off of facebook marketplace that came with a log hide and a few plants. Besides that, I have another hide that is just kind of a black box that I found on amazon (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00UCDIBJ2?tag=goherping-20) and that’s about it for his hides. If you use a glass terrarium, I recommend blacking out 3 of the sides to make him feel a lot safer and enclosed. I just got a few pieces of black paper from a craft store and taped them onto the sides. The main thing, especially for ball pythons, is to provide plenty of places for them to hide, on both the cool side and the warm side. Plants and wooden sticks are great for that as they can hide underneath them and also climb over them. I guess overall, make sure you have at least 2 hides, 1 on the cool side and 1 on the warm side, a water dish, some fake plants or other things to hide under, and substrate that can hold humidity well. I hope this helps!
Please Ignore Sassys facefull of food, strawberry still on lip look.
On her last hatch day we upgraded her from a 50 gallon terrarium to a 140 gallon terrarium. She also got to eat a bunch of goliath worms, and chowed down on Bok Choy.
I designed and got a custom fiberglass tank molded, designed with slopes and basking platforms, costs about 300+ usd? Can't remember. Lots of places does this.
But the slopes will be real slipper and I had to glue small rocks on them (aquarium safe silicon gel) for the RES to climb. Though they still prefer just struggle up from the sides.
It was big enough for me to throw 2 of something like this and let them use it to chill / assist them to climb up the platform.
Howa bout a hide like this? Do you know how big the habitat is?
My bad. Still wild that there are two ant lovers from Canada. Just kidding, I have no idea where you are from but figured since I'm assuming so much already. Also just in case anyone else wondered about that den with magnets that was in the video it is an Exo Terra product.
https://www.amazon.com/Exo-Terra-Reptile-Den-Large/dp/B0002AR5BU?th=1
https://www.amazon.com/Exo-Terra-Gecko-Reptiles-Medium/dp/B008YDHDD2/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1523557527&amp;sr=8-4&amp;keywords=reptile+hide
I bought one of these and I put a damp paper towel on the inner roof it and eco earth (coco fiber) and sphagnum moss and mine love it
First, let me share with you my little/HUGE hiccup I put myself and my chams through the last month.
I had to leave Florida in a hurry, and I had time to take my two boys' enclosures apart, and in my rush, I forgot their lighting (at least $180, easily), their supplements (Pfft, the ones I had weren't the best, but that was at least another $15), their live plants (which I wouldn't have taken them in the car anyway, but there's another $25), and then their fake vines and bendable vines ($37), total? $257, and why I know that is because I had to pull from all of my resources to make sure they had this set up today, and here is another view. BTW, THE PLANTS THAT I GOT THEM ARE TOO SMALL! But, they have them, and it's better than nothing at all.
Mind you, I'm talking about two chameleons, but what I had to spend to make sure that they were set up for this winter (I moved to Washington state), I had to do it, otherwise, I'm s shitty cham owner. I'm lucky there was already a humidifier here because I'm going to need that as the air is dry here and my Panther chameleon has already proven to be susceptible to respiratory infection as we took a trip to the vet this past year to get him some Baytril (antibiotic/oral), cost to the vet? $76.
I'm going to do a break down of everything that you're going to need for your Male Jackson (which I recommend that you start with a male Veiled. The Veiled are so much more heartier, they can take more abuse from a new owner, more forgiving for a better word..., I DO NOT suggest a Jackson for a first cham, and for that matter, someone who has never owned a reptile in their life). Anyway, here I go...
Set up:
Your total there is at $234, and you haven't bought the chameleon yet, but that is everything that you should have BEFORE you get your cham... Also, you're going to need...
Because you are new to this, having a temp/humidity gauge is something you might want to get as an aid to getting use to what their living environment should be like... so that's another $8
Prices my vary, depending on where you get all of your things. Getting stuff online can be cheaper, I randomly picked stuff on the internet and think I did pretty good for you, but you're looking at a nice little chunk of change just to make sure that you have the right set up to bring your cham home to, and I do hope that you'll take that and roll with it.
If you've NEVER OWNED A REPTILE BEFORE, I actually suggest that you start with something else. Bearded Dragons are awesome, AWESOME, reps, THOUGH, they are totally different than the care for a cham, it's a great way to start, and Dragons are even more hearty than a Veiled chameleon.
LASTLY, read through EVERYTHING on the sidebar -------------->
I would also avoid a lot of information that you'll find on the internet, and YES!!! That includes that one web site that probably is the first choice for you to go to when you're looking for chameleon advice. That site is horrible, save yourself the heartache, I started there, and I quickly learned that the site is a hot mess. There is never a straight and same consistent answer, too many myths, just no...
Hope all that helps, and thank all of the coffee I drank today. Lol! Good luck and welcome to the sub.
If you're keen on doing some work to save money and have some tools lying around, you could build your own enclosure for much cheaper than premade ones. There's plenty of tutorials and the materials (usually wood or acrylic) are fairly affordable. The long term costs of owning a snake are pretty negligible, it's the initial cost that's going to be pretty high.
Aside from the enclosure, you also need; a heat mat (ex), a thermostat (ex1 ex2), thermometer and hygrometer (ex), substrate (ex1 ex2), 2 hides (ex), water dish (ex), ceramic heat emitter (ex), cleaning supplies (ex), and a mist bottle (ex).
Those are all just examples and some of them might not work for you, but it should give you an idea of what to look for. Things that aren't "technically" a requirement but are highly recommended are plants/decor and a light (UVB if you want to spoil them) to provide a day/night cycle. If you're wanting a Ball Python, options are practically endless on MorphMarket. Just make sure you do your research on a breeder before buying.
https://www.amazon.com/Decorative-Turtle-Floating-Basking-Platform/dp/B004PBCFG2/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1486893662&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=turtle+basking+dock
Probably one of the best basking docks you can buy honestly. You can adjust the height with the included materials. I also have it.
Not sure which platform so I'll give two answers. The toy chest (platform for the tank) was built and bought well before I was born.
The basking platform is by Penn Plax. In Paffie's newer 150 gallon stock tank the dock isn't tall enough so I had to zip-tie some metal grids together to elevate it.
depending on the size of your terrariums, the mist maker may or may not not be practical. If you plan to run the mist maker 24/7, it will use >1gal/day. Also worth noting is the mist makers send out quite a bit of liquid water, not just mist.
I have mine set up (floating) in a 5gal bucket with a fan running into a hole in the lid and the mist comes out another hole in the lid.
Issues with this set-up: 1) I have to refill the bucket frequently. It uses a LOT of water 2) The lid, though mostly intact, does not completely block the stream of water (and water drops) that are sent out in addition to mist, so I must mop of the floor of my tent frequently. These are somewhat tedious to deal with, but the setup keeps my 16ft^3 tent humid and cool enough for n. dubia to pitcher inside.
If you have a smaller terrarium that can't handle the water output of one of these misters, I'd recommend something like a Reptifogger which has a lower output.
Also something worth noting: that specific mister (metal, not plastic) does not fit in the standard float which is on sale on amazon. I had to take a blowtorch to my float to stretch it out a little bit for mine to fit inside. The plastic ones fit better, but the metal ones seem to have more reliable output.
The tree in the back on the right is this All Living Things bonsai tree. The cave on the left is this thing, pushed down into the substrate.
First of all... thats a cute little gecko. I hope you get many years of pleasure out of caring for it.
But lets get down to business.
Don't take this the wrong way, but I think you haven't learned some of the basics... and I'd really really hate for you to get into a situation where your gecko didn't get to live a long happy life. For example, this is Ranger. I rescued him from one of my students who didn't know how to care for him properly. When I got him, he was in a poor state.
I want to make sure that your little buddy doesn't end up that way.
So, try something a little more like this.
1) 10 gallon tank.
Your plastic critter carrier is okay while its a baby, but it's going to outgrow that thing in about a month. Seriously, these guys grow up fast! A 10 gallon tank is perfectly fine for an individual leopard gecko. However, I prefer a 20 gallon long tank if you have the space for it. I'm sure the geckos appreciate the extra space to stretch their legs too. Believe it or not, they are actually very active at night! Don't let their daytime sleeping fool you.
2) Get a safe substrate.
Those wood chips look nice, but they're probably kind of difficult to walk on and some of the smaller pieces could cause impaction if he eats them. For babies I recommend paper towels. They're easy to clean up, and there is ZERO risk of impaction. If the white looks too bad, try the brown paper towels instead. That's what I used for Ranger when I was nursing him back to health. Alternately, you can use slate tiles, which look great and the geckos seem to really like. Just remember: NEVER USE SAND. It will kill your gecko.
3) Notice that there are three hiding spots.
On the left is a moist hide. It's just a disposable food container with damp paper towels inside. This will help with shedding, but they often like to go in it when they aren't shedding, so make sure to moisten the towels every couple of days. It's ugly so I put a fake plant in front of it. If this is too ugly for you, I'd suggest getting an Exo Terra Gecko Cave... obviously it costs a bit more. Likewise, you can get creative. I built Ranger's moist hide myself.
In the middle is the cool hide. It's just a flat piece of cork bark. It's simple, it looks really good, and they love it! They just crawl under it and chill. Once again, you can spurge on something fancy, but you don't have to!
On the right is the warm hide. It's one of those log hides, so it gets good air flow. You don't want something that will build up too much heat. It's sitting on top of a pice of slate tile, which is over the UTH.
4) Speaking of a UTH...
You need one. Leopard geckos can't digest food if they can't get their belly warm. A heat lamp does very little to help this. However, make sure that the hot spot doesn't get too warm. I'd recommend a thermostat, but I've also done perfectly fine with a mechanical timer. Mine shuts of for 30 minutes every two hours and that seems to keep it between 88 and 92 degrees.
5) Vitamins.
He needs a multivitamin powder, or you need to be feeding him "gut loaded" prey. For my geckos I just place some of the vitamin powder in the mealworm bowl. I also keep pieces of sandstone in my cages, and I dust the stones with calcium powder. They lick it right off!
I had the same issues with my RTB in a glass terrarium. 3 things will help you immensely. 1: Get some closed cell construction foam sheeting from Lowes and line the back, bottom, and sides of the habitat. 2: Get some plexiglass and cover part of the top. I have several sheets so I can adjust the air/humidity. I maintain 60-80% RH with only half covered because of the next tip. 3: Get an ultrasonic mister element. Some people say their snakes won't drink/bathe if the fogger is in their drinking water (and they make external mount ones as well), by my snake puts her head on top of the fogger. haha.
Photos 1 2 3
http://exoticpets.about.com/od/reptilesandamphibians/qt/humidityhide.htm
this is better than nothing. you can build one cheaply, and it will give your snake a place to go to get hydrated. Ball Pythons are tropical species, so they need to have a relatively high humidity. I try to keep mine around 60%, and go a little higher than that if they are having trouble shedding.
I would recommend getting a cage that is designed to keep humidity in, but mine cost me a little over 200 bucks, so that may be a no go for now.
I have also used a hygrotherm (http://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-HygroTherm-Temperature-Controller/dp/B0019IHK9Q) / reptifogger (http://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Reptile-Terrarium-Humidifier/dp/B0019IJXD2/ref=pd_bxgy_petsupplies_img_y) combo, which comes out to about 150 bucks.
Other than that buy a humidifier and put it in the snakes room, (preferably not in the cage), or get a spray water bottle and mist the cage a few times a day, and build a humidity box for the snake. (by far the cheapest option)
A healthy ball python will not have wrinkles or folds on the inside of where it's bent outside of shed. If it has wrinkles and isn't shedding then it is dehydrated.
Here are the links to the two I got off amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/Flukers-Repta-Vines-Pothos-Reptiles-Amphibians/dp/B0009YEB70/ref=mp_s_a_1_7?keywords=terrarium+plants+reptile&amp;qid=1569816888&amp;sprefix=terrarium+pl&amp;sr=8-7
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001B57KZ6?psc=1&amp;ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title
We have an under tank heater with thermostat on the way from amazon and this for moist hide will be on the left
https://www.universalrocks.com/fish/backgrounds/ledge-style/24x12-ledge
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008YDHDD2/ref=twister_B00UKU5Z14?_encoding=UTF8&amp;psc=1
https://www.etsy.com/listing/484539657/corner-pet-hammock-brown-hues-with-hooks?ref=shop_home_active_16
These three are my favorite purchases. The hammock in particular because I couldn't find any other ones that were not green.
Looks like it's one of the coated wire variety, like so: https://www.amazon.com/Fluker-Labs-SFK51019-Branch-Habitat/dp/B0009YEB52
They're strong enough to support smaller snakes free-standing since it uses a lower-gauge (thicker) wire as the core. Just twist it around into a sturdy shape and you're good to go.
Yeah I just ordered it I’m glad it’s this one she likes because it looks so cool especially when she sticks her head out Exo Terra Primate Skull Terrarium
I have an Ultratherm under tank heater mounted on the side of my tank for heat. The flexible heater is covered in styrofoam insulation from Home Depot. In addition, I have a red 60W lamp in a hood over the top. Together, these two provide enough heat for a 30 gallon (30"x12"x18") tank.
For humidity, I have a reptifogger.
I control both temp and humidity with ZooMed's Hygrotherm.
It's kind of pricey, but it allows me to go away for a week without having to worry about humidity.
That's not a humidifier. That's a thermometer and a hygrometer controller.
http://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Reptile-Terrarium-Humidifier/dp/B0019IJXD2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1368540854&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=reptifogger This is a humidifier. It works well.
Exo Terra Primate Skull Terrarium D https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0074AQVU2/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_D-Ecvb123SXAD
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0074AQVU2/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_D-Ecvb123SXAD
What about a reptile ladder? I don't know if I would want to leave it in there long term without supervision, though.
http://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Mesh-Lizard-Ladder/dp/B001OVD4SY/
I got it at a reptile expo. You can find them online on amazon pretty cheap! https://www.amazon.com/Exo-Terra-Primate-Skull-Terrarium/dp/B0074AQVU2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1525215887&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=terrarium+skull
my set up is as follows and should help you with your set up, assuming you're willing to invest in your animals husbandry and currently use a glass tank with a mesh top.
for each of my snakes I keep in tanks I have cypress mulch bedding, a hygrotherm controller, a reptifogger, a lamp dimmer switch, and a heat bulb that's too high wattage for what I need
I get the extra wattage on the bulb for a few reasons, mostly because it gives me a larger range that I can adjust with the lamp dimmer switch and this way I can easily bump up the temps if any of them start to exhibit RI symptoms.
the hygrotherm sensor is placed inside of the tank right around the middle of the enclosure, I keep it set to maintain 50-60 percent humidity 90% of the time, and when the snake is in shed I bump it up to 80% from the time they start to go blue, to the time they finish sloughing their skin.
by using the hygrotherm/reptifogger combination, it's incredibly easy to keep my snake happy and healthy and still keep them on display so my friends and I can peak in anytime without having to disturb them in a tub.
here are the links for what I use
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0019IJXD2/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1 (reptifogger, currently pretty inexpensive relatively speaking)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0019IHK9Q/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1 (hygrotherm controller)
http://www.amazon.com/Lutron-TT-300NLH-WH-Credenza-Dimmer-White/dp/B0000DI241/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1427830822&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=lamp+dimmer+switch (dimmer switch)
It's an Exo Terra medium gecko cave! She loves it. We use it as her warm hide because it holds heat really well, but it would hold humidity just as well. Here's the size we have for her.
I got 50 leaves for $15 on Amazon. The leaves breaking down is what releases the beneficial tannins, but you may want to remove them once they are just stalks. Rachel O'Leary talks about them here.
Penn Plax in large
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004PBCFG2/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
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You should buy a bunch of these face vine so that he has something good to climb around on. you also need a good basking spot under the light, about 8-10" down and slightly off the the side (not directly under) of the light. You should also replace that deep dome with a 8 1/2" to 10" regular dome, which you can find cheap at any place like home depot.
Thank you for responding! I really want to know what I can do to help my snake, as I've been worried something is wrong..... I made a list with the exact things that I have bought!
I have this terrarium
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008N9LRCK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
and this heating mat on one half (covers around 40% of the tank)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07X8WLYD8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
with this thermometer that controls the heat (max is 93 F) and cool side is 75-80
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01I15S6OM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
and i made a humidity box (as shown by Youtube account SnakeEncounters) with this moss that I spray to make humid- I have seen my snake in there twice now, she likes to sleep there for a couple hours and leave.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07CX5QB82/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
and I use this hide (one on cool side, one on warm side)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07MVKJ3B1/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
and this bedding
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009KJ0A2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
and I use these vines to make the enclosure feel more covered and less "open"
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009YEB70/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
This plant is one of my crested's favorite places to sleep besides her coconut, she's usually sleeping inside it. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005EGS4M6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
This vine is awesome, assembly is a little annoying and I had to trim the wire inside both of them a little but that was a non issue for me. It helps give my cresteds a way to easily move from side to side in their tanks without having to climb over the background or on the floor. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01JYPRBO4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s02?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
I use this terrarium once they're larger but I invested because I raise mantids as pets quite often.
For a twig, I use this
And for foliage I use this with the suction cup plonked near the top and the leaves hanging down that I found in the reptile section.
The fish and reptile sections at your local pet store are going to be your favorite aisles from now on.
For substrate a lot of people here prefer dirt (NEVER from outside, there are all kinds of parasites and mites in outside dirt!) But I prefer coconut fiber as my substrate because it's naturally antibiotic and will hinder fungal and bacterial growth, and smell nicer too.
You'll really come to love these little guys, and here's why. Mantids, unlike most "bugs" hunt via sight, not vibration. This means they move and act much more mammalian than other insects. They don't skitter, they don't make sudden scary movements or bite or attack on sight (well some do, they all have their own distinct personalities), and they're VERY smart.
Mantids have been known to be receptive to operant conditioning, AKA they can be trained like a dog would. You should try to handle them (gently and with clean hands) as they grow up, every couple of days, and by the time they're adults they'll readily calmly hang out with you whenever you want. You can plop them on your arm as you do computer stuff or whatever. They're very docile creatures most of the time and make great pets. Just be careful because they're fragile.
As others said, keep humidity around 50% and if they're Tenodera Sinesis then temperature should hover around 70F at night and 80F during the day, which means you'll want a dome reptile lamp and you'll need to figure our the appropriate distance from the top of the cage to place it. Don't place it right on top, the mantids love to hang out on top upside down and a lamp right there would fry them. Make sure there's at least 1 cool spot for them to cool off.
As for food and water, once they're a little bigger the crickets at the pet store should work fine. If they're super picky there are lots of online mantis stores that sell larger flies. and whet a sponge or paper towel in there to help with the humidity.
Lets not use substrate as that causes it's own problems.
Lets try to focus on identifying and correcting the cause of the issue that has him unable to perch.
> I use a 60 watt blue day bulb
That's one problem. Turn that off right now and remove it.
It's a strong UVa emitter and it will blind them (snow blindness)
I ask because experience has taught me that people get these kits sold to them and they're often supplied with things that don't help or harm the animal.
It'll take a few days to get him to heal from the UV burn on his retina.
Till then you'll have to hand feed him (use a pair of tongs that you can get a fish store)
As for the visible light and heat source.
you'll have to order a light bulb online- these are the best things... get a 60-75 and 95 watt light
Later on you can get a 10" clamp light... those are to be found at home depot for the heat source.
then we can get some perches setup I recommend a bendable "jungle vine" that you can use for that.
Of course, there's a little write up on the heat source placement and perch placement so that the animal reduces the chances of being burned.
until then, the best thing you can do is to let him have access to direct sunlight (and shade so it can self regulate) and let him bask a in the daytime. (early morning and evenings are best)
That will speed healing and help with him generally until we can get all of this setup and handled.
Let me know if there's any questions :)
I've had the same issue with finding a good size Ficus... turns out, i can just use a weak looking one and run fake vines through it (this kind) at least for the time being until I can find the right size ficus or grow one myself... lol.
I even asked around at multiple nurseries, they for some reason (unknown to them too) cannot get the size I'm looking for, they're either too small or huge ones you would plant in the ground outside.
Oh, he's the one that's been bombarding me for years with all of the reptile facts and care information on the planet. Even knows the best local reputable breeders. The terrarium I picked out is an ExoTerra 20 gallon and the branches I put on the list are a formable sort of branch that you can position. I read that they don't need a heated rock (I had an iguana when I was young that did require this) but that you can use bulbs in a reflector light fixture at one end/side.
Corns are the best beginner snake (in my opinion) and these are just my experiences with my own baby Roseanne.
My corn LOVES to climb. I installed these vines in her enclosure: http://www.amazon.com/Flukers-51015-Repta-Vines-Pothos/dp/B0009YEB70/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1464291118&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=reptiles+vines.
It's extremely rare I don't see her resting on one of these vines.
When you pick her up, go from the side. When you reach down from the top to scoop them up, it reminds their reptile brain of how birds or other reptiles attack. So go slowly from the side and gently lift him out of the tank - he'll naturally constrict around your fingers for stability. Snakes NEED to be supported, otherwise they feel unsafe and may musk, or defecate, on you.
Use both hands to support him. I tend to move my hands in a "climbing" pattern so the snake can basically climb continuously. I just move them down and start the process over!
In my experience, snakes that sit still are generally comfortable. So if he just lays on your hand and isn't defecating or anything else, that's fine! He may just be absorbing the new environment. I just moved and the first time I took my corn out was the first time she'd been outside my living room! So it took her a couple minutes to adjust to the smells and sights and sounds!
Corns also move a little faster than some snakes like ball pythons. You have to pay attention to them, but you'll soon be able to watch TV and hold your corn with little to no problem! :)
Edit: a word.
Here are the pics https://imgur.com/a/c82oDhl
Before the barrage of hate like I got from my vet. Please read the below.
I moved him from the cage due to him falling since he was growing weak.
He like to drink water from the medicine cup. I still do mist but I noticed when he was young the misting systems and the dripper bothered him.
I do have lights but they are over him in the plastic tube as you can see that it is lit. I use the following light for sun and a 40 watt for warmth. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000255OSG/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_6?smid=A2A02U6YIW6LGE&psc=1
I usually have more branches and leaves but I moved them to a smaller enclosure when he started to appear ready to fall so that if he did it would be a shorter fall and I threw in t shirts at the bottom so that would help too. After awhile he wouldn't even try to climb on branches so I moved him to the tupperware container he is now in and I have a water dish in there for him. I still spray him lightly but I do watch him drink.
The branches and leaves are
https://www.amazon.com/Exo-Terra-Jungle-Vine-Large/dp/B003PAY0B2/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=exo+terra+vine&qid=1567192478&s=gateway&sr=8-1
https://www.amazon.com/Flukers-Repta-Vines-Pothos-Reptiles-Amphibians/dp/B0009YEB70/ref=pd_sim_199_1/134-6895899-2549434?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B0009YEB70&pd_rd_r=a6bf8eaf-e407-48fa-884e-3e58b35e5c38&pd_rd_w=5ivkF&pd_rd_wg=ohIaT&pf_rd_p=5c130f77-a5ef-4ffd-9db1-c29a354f52f9&pf_rd_r=FTR0ZJFA7S1MNKNTNNJK&psc=1&refRID=FTR0ZJFA7S1MNKNTNNJK
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I have used the Zoo Med Reptibreeze Open Air Screen Cage since I got him first starting out with small when I received him then moving up to Medium then Large. As get got older I moved him down to the Medium as he wasn't exploring as much.
When moving in the past I have not noticed him to get stressed.
Also let me be more clear. I moved and I noticed that he didn't eat many crickets the first two weeks. Then I got him a new batch and he usually eats a few when they hit the cage. He didn't go after a single one. I know they can be picky eaters so I didn't panic. I order some Green Horn Worms and waited but he did not eat those either. By this time he started to show that he was losing weight rather fast. I called the vet the said they could see me the next week. I went they cave me calcium drops and carnivore care. I tried it for 2 weeks and now not sure what to do. I know Panther Chameleons grow to be 6 to 8 years old in captivity but that's usually just a best guess from my understanding.
i don’t quite know what it’s made out of! here’s the link if you’d like to know more :) Zilla Decor Rock Lair Size Medium https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N1EOR0K/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_6RQADbRJA8AB3
Exo Terra Gecko Cave https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008YDHDSC?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
This is the hide I mentioned in my previous comment, and I love it. It's heavy and doesn't feel cheap at all, and is very smooth inside.
I own two leos and ones blind so I've learned quite a bit. Plus mine are both in diy 3×2×2 cage but i didnt need to make them so tall lol. I suggest buying this for the moist hide ( https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008YDHDSC/?coliid=I9JSZC9ASFTA2&amp;colid=2MBRCC0QH2E8J&amp;psc=1&amp;ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it ) as well as a bag of sphagnum moss and another hide like the one you already have as soon as possible and you should be good until you add plants and rocks for enrichment. Also with the calcium dish i suggest this bowl as its what i have in both my girls cages ( https://www.etsy.com/listing/559423371/stroodies-calcium-dish-for-leopard?ref=pla_similar_listing_bot-2&amp;frs=1 ) and its cheap.
Cresties love to climb, I saw some awesome mushroom looking vertical cage decos on amazon he'd probably love.
Edit: Couldn't find the mushroom ledges again but I found some other cool stuff:
https://www.amazon.com/Magnaturals-Small-Feeder-Ledge-Earth/dp/B00481MPTG/ref=sr_1_53?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1495220950&amp;sr=8-53&amp;keywords=reptile+cage+decorations
https://www.amazon.com/Magnaturals-Gecko-Ledge-Mojave-Magnetic/dp/B00DOZH9PM/ref=sr_1_58?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1495220950&amp;sr=8-58&amp;keywords=reptile+cage+decorations
https://www.amazon.com/Fluker-Labs-SFK51019-Branch-Habitat/dp/B0009YEB52/ref=pd_sim_199_21?_encoding=UTF8&amp;pd_rd_i=B0009YEB52&amp;pd_rd_r=312P93K3JNHVMY0WCYG9&amp;pd_rd_w=xvi8N&amp;pd_rd_wg=sAbVh&amp;psc=1&amp;refRID=312P93K3JNHVMY0WCYG9
https://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Naturalistic-Bolivian-Croton/dp/B0002DIUPW/ref=pd_sim_199_79?_encoding=UTF8&amp;pd_rd_i=B0002DIUPW&amp;pd_rd_r=312P93K3JNHVMY0WCYG9&amp;pd_rd_w=xvi8N&amp;pd_rd_wg=sAbVh&amp;psc=1&amp;refRID=312P93K3JNHVMY0WCYG9
I use a mixed substrate of plantation soil and wet forest moss to hold most of the humidity, keep a giant tub of water in the hot end, and have a damp towel over the entire top of the enclosure (the front has vents).
For the first 4-5 years I used an ultrasonic humidifier that I hooked to the top with tubes, but that thing died. I've recently equipped an Exo-Terra misting system that seems to do the trick, but I'm cautious as I've read mixed reviews.
Edit: There are products like this and this that would probably be for small enclosures.
This is the one I have for my 100 gallon.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009YEB70?psc=1&amp;ref=ppx_pop_dt_b_product_details
http://www.amazon.com/Reptile-Hide-Box-C--Medium/dp/B00UCDIBJ2/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1458954649&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=reptile+hide+box i'll end up getting these and put stickers on them to suit my liking
They don’t need to climb. Fake plant clutter will suffice such as: https://www.amazon.com/Flukers-Repta-Vines-Pothos-Reptiles-Amphibians/dp/B0009YEB70/ref=pd_aw_lpo_199_bs_img_2/135-1281385-5658846?_encoding=UTF8&amp;psc=1&amp;refRID=70621ERCNKSXRWRDQC9C
Would this also work? Mainly asking because Amazon is much more convenient and Reptile basics is currently out of stock.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00UCDIBJ2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_1JQAzb4VQN1WQ
Going shopping tonight and tomorrow. Was ordering some things on amazon and was wondering what size of a hide I should get, reading the article you gave me said there should be no dead space in there hide. Here are the two I am looking at [One] (https://www.amazon.com/Reptile-Hide-Box-C-Medium/dp/B00UCDIBMY/ref=sr_1_3?s=pet-supplies&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1492216546&amp;sr=1-3&amp;keywords=reptile%2Bhide&amp;th=1) [Two] (https://www.amazon.com/Reptile-Hide-Box-C-Medium/dp/B00UCDIBJ2/ref=sr_1_3?s=pet-supplies&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1492216546&amp;sr=1-3&amp;keywords=reptile%2Bhide&amp;th=1) And if you dont mind I would like to send you pictures of my completed closure to get your final word on it
Something to consider is ball pythons in the wild will only roam around if they are hungry and are hunting or to find another hiding spot. So when they are out alot they get stressed.
I got one of these on the hot side of my noodles tank and I never see her cuz she's always hiding which means she's super chill and happy. I love it because you can take off the top and get them.
Zilla Decor Rock Lair Size Medium https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N1EOR0K/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_FnaKDbXZC0F06
I'd get him a hide where he's completely enclosed in and see if that helps, that along with a good size meal.
If he's still grumpy after all of that try leaving him alone for a whole week after that idk it's over my head
Keep me updated! Would love to know how it goes
I'm in the same boat as the OP but I don't have a tank assembled yet! I'm looking at stuff to buy for it though, and I want my snake to feel as safe and comfortable as possible. is this appropriate for a corn snake? The reviews say so, but I figured I'd ask to make sure. I'm also looking at climbing sticks/etc and found this but I don't know how I feel paying $20 for a small stick, lol. Any suggestions?
I got it at either Petco or Petsmart but they sell them online. They are made by Zoo Med: http://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Mesh-Lizard-Ladder/dp/B001OVD4SY
I bought it! It's called a Turtle Pier.
I ordered it on amazon! Here’s the link!! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0074AQVU2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_QjPNDbEFYAADC
I bought it but it was HUGE so I cut it in half and took out the support pillars, it just floats now. I'm pretty happy with it but I'm only using like 1/3 of what I paid for haha.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004PBCFG2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_XykPzbCB212QJ
Have a read over this. It helped me a great deal when I got my new BP, who is a lot bigger than my other snakes and it made me anxious.
Edit: also, I noticed in your post you say he has a "hide". Adding a second hide to the enclosure (one on the warm side, one on the cool side) really helps with stress so they don't have to choose between feeling safe and thermoregulating. Make sure the hides you use are snug, and only have one entrance. I strongly recommend these.
https://www.amazon.com/Exo-Terra-Gecko-Reptiles-Medium/dp/B008YDHDD2
My gecko seems to like this one a lot .
My gripe with sand is that it gets everywhere. Even small dig boxes are enough to have sand tracked all over the cage furniture, stuck to the lizard and tracked through the house when you take the lizard out for play time.
I'd be more inclined to add a couple of hides to the enclosure if your beardie is looking for a secure place to sleep.
ok thank you :-) and
im using these
Zoo Med Reptile Shelter 3 in 1 Cave, Medium https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000BNZTAC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_So4MAbV02AC1G
Exo Terra Gecko Cave for Reptiles, Large https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008YDHDSC?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf
im using these 2 hides for my humid hides the dark rock seems like it will hold it fine but im not sure about the lighter rock haha it has a sorta deep base
Teh bubbleh worked pretty well for me, and it's easy to make. The ultrasonic humidifier crapped out part way through my second grow, though, so I switched to perlite and fanning.
Once I start seeing some profits I will probably either replace the ultrasonic or invest in one of these terrarium humidifiers
You can try this:
Penn Plax Large Turtle Pier For Use In and Out Of Water Basking Platform For Small Reptiles https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004PBCFG2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_AD3GzbPTW4ET3
No prob! Stay away from the Zoo Med Habba Hut XL. Just got one in the mail and neither of my BD can fit inside the arch because it's only 2" of clearance. Garbage.
Geckos need time to adjust to new surroundings, and might not eat right away. Just go ahead and leave him alone for a week or two. You can put food in to see if he'll take any while you're not watching but make sure to keep count of what you leave in so you actually know if he's eating.
Unfortunately no pet is as cheap as sellers can sometimes make them out to be. Heat setup is probably the most expensive immediate requirement for leopard geckos generally. You can get away with cheap tubs for housing, but you absolutely need a heat source with thermostat to regulate. Getting a heating pad is a good start but without the thermostat, you risk giving your pet burns or other health issues from overheating.
If you have a few bucks to spare, get one of these fake plants. It's just a long strand of leafy vine with a malleable core so you can shape it to your needs. I shaped it into some arches and have it across half of my tank so that my gecko would feel less exposed while moving from hide to hide. It works as a hide over the hide. Think of it as a bush I guess.
It's actually two vines that have been twisted together the first one is this : EONMIR 8-Foot Reptile Vines,... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CKJNMWH?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
And then this: Fluker's Repta Vines-Pothos for... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009YEB70?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
It's just this vine that I bought off of Amazon.
Emours Small Animal Bend-A-Branch... https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B01JYPRBO4?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
He loves it!
Sorry for the late reply. Thais is exactly the one i got. Hight Quality tuff. Emours Small Animal Bend-A-Branch Jungle Vine Pet Habitat Decor with Sunction Cups https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JYPRBO4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_H621zm5NwDzBk
With aboreal species, impaction really isn't a risk. Your focus is more on keeping the humidity in the enclosure up constantly, which is where the coco fiber and similar mixes come into play. Eco soil mixed with sphagnum moss would be another viable option. Orchid bark mixture (wood chips/moss/soil/etc mixture) would be a third. With orchid bark mix, you'd have to find one that doesn't contain any additives and plant food. For example you would not want to just grab a bag of Miracle Gro orchid mix off the shelf at Walmart.
In regards to treats. I wouldn't do absolutely anything until he is routinely eating the Pangea. With food already switching, he needs to view the one new thing as food for a while. Once he's consistently eating the food that he needs to be eating, then you might worry about a rare treat. It would honestly be better to just get some different flavors of pangea to rotate through rather than go through the trouble of blending bugs and fruit and pollen. With how picky he already is, it's unlikely he'll even touch it. He'll settle into one flavor of Pangea and that will probably be that.
Another thing you can do to maximize the enclosure space in his current and future cage is to add some climbing vines (again, secure with twist ties, some also come with suction cups) and perhaps a piece of hollow driftwood (somewhat poor example, but something like this). Both can typically be found at a reptile supply store. The latter you might have more luck with at an aquarium store.
Make sure that the new cage is well ventilated. In addition, no need for UVA or UVB lights, or heat. They're a nocturnal species and room temps are typically sufficient.
https://www.reddit.com/r/turtle/comments/8csy77/mikeys_new_condo/?utm_source=reddit-android
That's what it looks like (with more water than shown) it's a 40gal breeder tank with river rocks and a large basking dock.
The dock:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004PBCFG2?psc=1&amp;ref=yo_pop_mb_pd_title
The rocks:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0035HD408?psc=1&amp;ref=yo_pop_mb_pd_title
I have 2 bags of rocks in there right now, but I am going to add a third. To prep them, I put them in my kitchen sink, filled it with water, moved them around to knock any dirt/ particles off, drain and repeat until the water came clean, then I plugged the sink, boiled a bunch of water and put the boiling hot water into the sink until it covered all the rocks and let them sit for 30 minutes to kill any gems that might have been on them.
If you have any other questions, just ask.
these are great vines to add clutter for not too much money, just be careful with the wire ends (I pushed and secured the wire ends through to the outside of the tub).
Yeah, I'm using Aspen, I have a UTH coming in the mail, but I may invest in a light for day light heat/ambient temps, and just use it with the UTH for night heat, but I'm wondering if that's overkill. I'm known to spoil my critters a bit haha. I have two hides coming in the mail tomorrow, one warm/one cool. I don't have a sander/file so I'm worried that it may be too jagged if I cut a hole, perhaps a mason jar with wet paper towel in it would work well?
My hides are both kind of open, hence why I was thinking the rock one, my hides currently, one is:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07L91BCMW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
and one is:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0018CJNEI/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
(Though they will both be somewhat submerged in aspen, was going to give him a few inches of aspen to burrow in, so it's not like he's completely exposed, I just liked the look of these and they had good reviews and looked like they may help with shedding when it comes time, to rub on them. ) I got the large corner water dish by zoo med, so his humidity should go up then, which is good.
sand mat: https://www.amazon.com/Exo-Terra-Sand-Mat-40-Gallon/dp/B00FKBFYG4/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=sand+mat+40+gallon&amp;qid=1565210391&amp;s=gateway&amp;sr=8-1
Hide: https://www.amazon.com/Penn-Plax-Shale-Hide-Out-Medium-Aquarium/dp/B0018CJNEI/ref=mp_s_a_1_15?keywords=exo+terra+hide&amp;qid=1565210430&amp;s=gateway&amp;sr=8-15
Terrarium hood: https://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Naturalistic-Terrarium-18-Inch/dp/B001HWBPVI/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=18+inch+terrarium+hood&amp;qid=1565210464&amp;s=gateway&amp;sr=8-1
UVB light: https://www.amazon.com/Reptisun-Mini-Compact-Fluorescent-Pack/dp/B014AB76PQ/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?keywords=zoo+med+uvb&amp;qid=1565210520&amp;s=gateway&amp;sr=8-2
Heat light: https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Spotted-Wild-Blue-Terrarium-Amphibians/dp/B01K0XDP8U/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=blue+spotted+60w&amp;qid=1565210587&amp;s=gateway&amp;sr=8-1
Temperature gun: https://www.amazon.com/Thermometer-ZOTO-Temperature-Instant-read-Thermocouple/dp/B07H5G8ZZZ/ref=mp_s_a_1_8?keywords=temperature+gun&amp;qid=1565210643&amp;s=gateway&amp;sr=8-8