GTP Upgrade

[Lankyrob]

As some of you know we had to rehome our lizards before Xmas, we have been planning to move our JCP and GTP into the empty lizard vivs but with our mobility issues and illnesses havent gotten around to it until today.

It isnt finished yet but the viv has gone from this:
http://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo200/Lankyrob1975/Reptiles%20Nov%202010/DSC_0053.jpg
http://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo200/Lankyrob1975/Animals/Reptiles/Photo0191.jpg
http://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo200/Lankyrob1975/Animals/Reptiles/Photo0189.jpg
To this - i decided to redo all the sealant as the GTP will obviously need high humidity and i dont want it getting into the wood. Have never used a sealant gun before but was quite pleased with the results!! :)

http://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo200/Lankyrob1975/25022012253.jpg

[youngster]

What kind of monitor is that?

Looks good Rob, but we need pics of the snakes too :D

[Lankyrob]

It was an Ackie - http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/varanid/85912-profile-arthur.html - here is his thread.

Once the snake goes into the viv i will post pics, http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/morelia-viridis/85909-profile-hogan.html - he is going to be moving into the viv. Gonna post some progress pics of the cage being set up for him. It will probably take some time, i am exhausted and in agony from just doing what i did this morning, need to let the sealant cure for a while anyways so a good excuse to rest up and watch the rugby!! :)

After each stage i will add to the thread tho until the snakey is all curled up in his new home.

[Lankyrob]

Well i did say it was going to take some time!!!

Put in the substrate today, over the last couple of weeks i have been alternating soaking and scrubbing the "furniture" that came out of the lizard viv so they should be ready to go in soon :)

http://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo200/Lankyrob1975/06032012257.jpg
http://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo200/Lankyrob1975/06032012256.jpg

THere is between 2-4 inches of reptibark with a covering of sphagnum moss - hoping the moss will take the daily spraying and release the humidity even slower than the bark does - we will see!

[alessia55]

That is going to be one happy gtp! Can't wait to see what it looks like when it's done. How are you going to put perching branches in there?

[Lankyrob]

I have various branches that i am gonna "tie" together with the wire "vines" that you get in reptile supply shops. That and bracing against the sides of the viv will be fine - the ones in his current viv are braced also.

I MAY put a full length perching pole in but gonna see what it looks like with just the natural stuff and decide from there :)

[alessia55]

Sounds good. Can't wait to see it finished :)

[marvelfreak]

Looking good can't wait to see it when your done.

[GarterPython]

You now have me wanting a Spiny tailed Monitor!

[Lankyrob]

Did a little more today - next part is the difficult bit as i need to transfer the perches/electrics etc from his current viv to the new one. That will be a job that once i start it will have to be finished so definitely need to wait for a "good" day to get it done.

Anyhow, this is what the viv looks like now

http://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo200/Lankyrob1975/15032012265.jpg
http://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo200/Lankyrob1975/15032012266.jpg

[Swany]

Looks good Rob. ;-)

[Lankyrob]

Well it only took 3 months to get a day where my energy levels were high enough and pain levels low enough to get this finished.

We are very pleased with the results and Hogan seems to be too!!!

http://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo200/Lankyrob1975/02062012354.jpg
http://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo200/Lankyrob1975/02062012355.jpg

Introducing snakey to his new home, he hasnt stopped exploring yet!!!

http://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo200/Lankyrob1975/02062012356.jpg
http://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo200/Lankyrob1975/02062012357.jpg

[marvelfreak]

Very nice looking and great job Rob.

[Lankyrob]

Thanks Chuck :)

[Donnie]

Great looking setup and nice to see a GTP stretched out a bit and not just perched on a branch

[Lankyrob]

Thanks - he is perched now - didnt take him long to find his "place" :) Apart from feeding we rarely see him move :)

[alessia55]

Ooh please put up a photo of him perched in there :yes:

[jaleely]

i didn't see this post before!
You did a great job. I wish i lived by, i would have loved to help out on your bad days. Any excuse to deal with snakes ; )
Hogan is AWESOME i love love love it when they explore. You guys did a great job!
I feel bad about the lizards...let us know how they're doing...is the person that has them now keeping in touch?
Anyway, really cute. Looking forward to perching pics!!!

[Lankyrob]

Perching pics will have to wait til tomorrow as dont want to disturb him too much settling in :)

The lizards are at the reptile shop - they are selling them on my behalf, the frilly is basically sold (the guy is paying installments) but the Ackie is taking longer to get much interest :)

[Snakefood]

Awesome job Rob!! That is one great enclosure, gives me some ideas for my Royal's enclosure (when I get around to it anyways!!)

[Lankyrob]

Typical, partof the reason formoving him was to give him larger branches to perch on cos the ones he had were getting to small. I put his old ones in the new viv for decoration more than anything and he is still perching on them and not his nice new one :/

[Donnie]

Just like my kids. Buy them something nice and they play with the box :hmm:

[shaunyboy]

looking good Rob

glad to see you got the set up how you wanted it mate

your gtp is looking great

cheers shaun

[Lankyrob]

Thanks all, just got to replicate the process now for my JCP (he is going into what was our Frilly's viv) :)

[Lankyrob]

Didnt want to disturb him but tries to get some pics of him on his silly perch, unfortunately (fortunately :)) the viv is now so well sealed that the humidity is staying up really well that i cant get great pics through the glass :)

http://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo200/Lankyrob1975/03062012358.jpg
http://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo200/Lankyrob1975/03062012359.jpg
http://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo200/Lankyrob1975/03062012360.jpg

[marvelfreak]

Nice pictures and it look like he enjoying it.

[Lankyrob]

Well he is definitely more active during the days now than he ever was in his old viv!! HE is also hiding rather than perching out in the open constantly.

He poohed and shed last night too - will post some pics over next couple of days :)

[jaleely]

woohoo poo and shed!! Perfect new pic time *lol* I'm being serious! LOL

[Lankyrob]

Am not feeling great so havent got him out for pics yet but i noticed this walking by his viv last night so grabbed one quick photo


Peeepo!!!
http://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo200/Lankyrob1975/06062012387.jpg

[MoreliAddict]

^Does that mean he's in shed (seems like he's on the floor?)? He looks good!

[Lankyrob]

He shed the night before, he never used the floor or and hiding area in his old viv but this one has much larger floorspace andd much more cover for him to hide in.

[Lankyrob]

First meal in his new home :)

http://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo200/Lankyrob1975/12062012391.jpg
http://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo200/Lankyrob1975/12062012392.jpg
http://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo200/Lankyrob1975/12062012393.jpg

And yes he is hanging off the wire for his heatlamp - silly boy! Am using Shauny's method of raising the temps slightly every 5days until he perches back on his proper perches ;)

[Falco21]

What are you using as the heat source? Ceramic bulb? If so how many watts and what does the temps look like constant?

[Lankyrob]

its a 150w ceramic, the hot end was 86f, just raised it to 88f to see if he will move.