Nona's new crib

[Strutter769]

Ok, remember "When is an enclosure too big?" There I posted a few pics of the enclosure as I got it. It's finally set up and in use. Check it out and share your thoughts please.

[stephanbakir]

Love the wood you put in there!!! did you find it or buy it??

[Aaran]

That looks like a happy snake:)

[Strutter769]

Love the wood you put in there!!! did you find it or buy it??

Bought it at the reptile swap. Was marked $75 but I got it for $48! With all the moss and cotton "filters" that are above Lava rock but under the moss in the litter boxes, got it all from the same guy for under $100!

[stephanbakir]

Damn that was a steal. Lava rock as in heat rock? Careful around those.

[Strutter769]

Damn that was a steal. Lava rock as in heat rock? Careful around those.

Nope. Lava rock as in actual rocks made if lava. Use it as part of filtration for the humidity (litter) boxes. There's lava rock, then a cotton fabric called batting, covered by a sphagnum-like moss, then the big clumps of moss that you see. The water is drawn up through the batting, then the loose moss, then absorbed by the green clumps of moss that you see. Lots of live stuff in there creating nice clean oxygen. There will also be a fogger in the fountain to also help create additional humidity. Should be good to go then! No heat rocks here, ever!

[Coffee Black]

Nicey nice!

[Teckdragon]

Great looking tank! (Would have been nice if the pictures were rotated the proper direction though.) It'll look even nice as those live plants grow in. Excellent centerpiece as well. What can you tell us about the water feature?

[Strutter769]

:Wow:Great looking tank! (Would have been nice if the pictures were rotated the proper direction though.) It'll look even nice as those live plants grow in. Excellent centerpiece as well. What can you tell us about the water feature? I would have rotated the pics but couldn't figure out how? Can it still be done? Could someone provide me the steps?

I actually have 3left water features. The waterfall you see is a small Repti-something
accessory. I also have two of the litter boxes with moss Snake the other materials I described in my previous post. I will find very small fountains for those, just to circulate and filter the water.

[Xochiquetzal]

very nice , natural and filled in ! Bet thats one happy snake!

[Strutter769]

very nice , natural and filled in ! Bet thats one happy snake!

I bet she is too, if I could only find her now! Somebody the on this site warned me about that, and it's true. Haven't seen her since the day after she moved in! Gotta find her tonight to feed her though. I think she's under the wood personally. I'll let ya know how it goes.

[Strutter769]

Well, disaster has struck. I tried to feed her that night (6/10) and put a couple rat pups near the bottom of the log I was sure she was under, and 24 hours later, remove and discarded them.

Well, we tried to use coconut shell as a substrate with moss and "Jungle Dirt", and after less than a week (if I remember correctly) there was a cloud-like mold anywhere the steam touched the coconut shell. It was pretty bad. Sorry, was in too much of a hurry to get it outta there to take pictures.

So, I've carefully deconstructed the cage, piece by piece, and no Nona. Searched the moss boxes, no Nona. This is the closest thing I've ever seen to an "escape-proof" cage that I've ever used (next to the custom one Lucy's in) and the only thing we can figure is that she's in that awesome drift wood somewhere. There is really only one hole in the log where I can't really see the back, so that is quite literally the only place she COULD be. So, we've reconstructed the cage, and tonight I'm trying the rat pup trick again.

I guess my question at this point is, what is my next step if those pups are there in 24 hours? My wife also tried gently tapping on the log where she could be, with no success. I'm thinking of submerging the log in a tub of water to force her out, but my wife is afraid it may force her deeper into the log and possibly drown her if she gets disoriented if tucked away inside.

So, what does the forum think? What can I do? Wait? How long before I can be convinced she's not in there? I'm just really at a loss as to where to go from here. Any help as always is appreciated. Thanks in advance!!

[TeaNinja]

asdfsdgadfg

[Lankyrob]

when you cleaned the cage out where did you put the log? Could she have climbed out whilst the log was outside the cage?

[Strutter769]

when you cleaned the cage out where did you put the log? Could she have climbed out whilst the log was outside the cage?

I doubted it at first, but I believe it more each day I don't see her. Tonight I think I'll try a squirt bottle up into the log and see if that flushes her out. If not, anyone know where to get a pretty, red, BRB with plenty of white on her sides?

[Teckdragon]

Take a chainsaw to the wood! jk jk

[Strutter769]

Can't say that idea hasn't been kicked around. Haha I haven't yet tried the spray bottle, I think purely out of fear that I won't see a snake come out.