View Full Version : Cali King Enclosure
Another forum member asked me earlier to put up pictures of my planted California Kingsnake enclosure. Sorry for taking so long to get them up.
I planted this one much the same as all of my enclosures. Started with about an inch of small gravel, covered it with fibreglass screen, then added about 4-5 inches of soil. For soil I mixed topsoil with coconut coir, ground sphagnum moss, and some fine charcoal. Im contemplating getting some Salaginella for more ground cover, but we will see how it goes. Let me know what you think.
http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff412/jrichholt/king3.jpg
http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff412/jrichholt/king1.jpg
EmbraceCalamity
01-30-13, 08:15 PM
Thank you. :) I just had a bunch of surprise vet bills (and still going), so I'm short on money right now. I might have to wait just a bit to do this. I have the coco fiber and soil, but I don't have any gravel or fiberglass screen. Where would I get the screen? And do I need the charcoal?
~Maggot
-MARWOLAETH-
01-30-13, 08:24 PM
If youre after ground cover,try Ficus pumila-it will grow up walls and branches and covers the floor with a carpet of leaves :)
EmbraceCalamity
01-30-13, 08:30 PM
If youre after ground cover,try Ficus pumila-it will grow up walls and branches and covers the floor with a carpet of leaves :)I'm definitely going to keep that in mind. :) By the way, I never told you how much I love your avatar.
~Maggot
The screen is very cheap, you can buy it by the foot for around $3 I think. It's the same screen you use for windows, so you can get it at any hardware store. The gravel you can often find at hardware stores too. I got my last 25 pound bag for $4.
As for the charcoal, no it's not essential but it does help. It's probably the most expensive part of the whole setup. A bag of it costs about $10 at any plant store
Aaron_S
01-30-13, 08:34 PM
It looks cool. It's just me but I really dig the idea of just growing plants in a terrarium with no animal.
EmbraceCalamity
01-30-13, 08:44 PM
The screen is very cheap, you can buy it by the foot for around $3 I think. It's the same screen you use for windows, so you can get it at any hardware store. The gravel you can often find at hardware stores too. I got my last 25 pound bag for $4.
As for the charcoal, no it's not essential but it does help. It's probably the most expensive part of the whole setup. A bag of it costs about $10 at any plant storeI'm broke right now. XD Does this hold burrows? My aspen bedding looks like one of those ant displays, and I want to make sure she can do that if I put in other stuff. Oh, and how much charcoal?
~Maggot
No it's not just you man. I think I might try a poison dart tank next with some really unique plants. Some of the ones I've seen are absolutely amazing. The plants are as cool as the frogs.
I'm broke right now. XD Does this hold burrows? My aspen bedding looks like one of those ant displays, and I want to make sure she can do that if I put in other stuff. Oh, and how much charcoal?
~Maggot
Not much, maybe a handful or two for a gallon of soil. It holds burrows pretty well, yes.
EmbraceCalamity
01-30-13, 09:22 PM
Not much, maybe a handful or two for a gallon of soil. It holds burrows pretty well, yes.Okay, thanks. So now I guess it's time for me to really go. And you'll have to just deal with it. ;)
~Maggot
Corey209
01-30-13, 09:30 PM
Does anyone know if Zilla jungle mix is a good substrate for humidity/burrowing? I'm thinking of mixing it with eco earth.
Zilla - Where Reptiles Rule » Jungle Mix | Products | Bedding (http://www.zilla-rules.com/products/bedding/fir-sphagnum-peat-moss.htm)
Na, you'll be back. You'll miss me too much. ;)
Does anyone know if Zilla jungle mix is a good substrate for humidity/burrowing? I'm thinking of mixing it with eco earth.
Zilla - Where Reptiles Rule » Jungle Mix | Products | Bedding (http://www.zilla-rules.com/products/bedding/fir-sphagnum-peat-moss.htm)
What are you using it for? Neither of those are good for holding burrows on their own. You'd need to add topsoil, clay or sand to it.
Corey209
01-30-13, 09:36 PM
What are you using it for? Neither of those are good for holding burrows on their own. You'd need to add topsoil, clay or sand to it.
Just a boa, I want to give the option to burrow if she wants. Not really a fan of clay because it gets nasty with moisture nor sand.
Would top soil make the jungle mix easier to burrow in? and what ratios do you think would work well?
I haven't had much experience with substrate besides douglas fir and eco earth, I'm trying to do something nicer for my snakes.
EmbraceCalamity
01-30-13, 09:42 PM
Na, you'll be back. You'll miss me too much. ;)http://www.troll.me/images/yao-ming/bitch-please.jpg
~Maggot
Just a boa, I want to give the option to burrow if she wants. Not really a fan of clay because it gets nasty with moisture nor sand.
Would top soil make the jungle mix easier to burrow in? and what ratios do you think would work well?
I haven't had much experience with substrate besides douglas fir and eco earth, I'm trying to do something nicer for my snakes.
Ya topsoil will make it able to hold a burrow. Start with a 70/30 mix of topsoil to eco earth or jungle mix and see how well it holds. If you can make a ball out of it and it holds together, then it'll hold the burrow.
Corey209
01-30-13, 09:53 PM
Ya topsoil will make it able to hold a burrow. Start with a 70/30 mix of topsoil to eco earth or jungle mix and see how well it holds. If you can make a ball out of it and it holds together, then it'll hold the burrow.
I'll definitely try that with some jungle mix, thanks for the information.
monitorlizard
03-04-13, 10:03 PM
California Kingsnakes come from the desert though...
Corey209
03-04-13, 10:36 PM
California Kingsnakes come from the desert though...
I've lived in California all my life and never have I lived near a desert. Growing up Cali King's would roam all over my property through logs, gopher holes and anything basically they could get into.
monitorlizard
03-04-13, 10:58 PM
From what I have read California Kingsnakes are predominately collected from deserts, scrub lands, savannahs, praries and dry areas. While they don't all necessarily come from deserts, the cage looks almost tropical.
Wild Cali's:
Brian Gundy Herping For Cal Kings - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHlS2ymmLkE)
Brian Gundy While Herping Caught Baby Cal King - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNzA6b8TPiA)
field herping- king snake and rattler recatch - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZM-ajaPWmYs)
poison123
03-04-13, 11:22 PM
Anything from youtube can kiss my butt. I to live in cali and cali kings are found in several different environments. Most of the ones I've found were in more humid and shady areas. With lakes near by.
poison123
03-04-13, 11:42 PM
Btw jarich this enclosure looks great. Notice any burrowing?
From what I have read California Kingsnakes are predominately collected from deserts, scrub lands, savannahs, praries and dry areas. While they don't all necessarily come from deserts, the cage looks almost tropical.
Wild Cali's:
Brian Gundy Herping For Cal Kings - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHlS2ymmLkE)
Brian Gundy While Herping Caught Baby Cal King - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNzA6b8TPiA)
field herping- king snake and rattler recatch - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZM-ajaPWmYs)
I suppose that's kind of like saying humans live in the tropics. We do, but we are a highly adaptive species that lives in every different habitat. Similarly with Cali kingsnakes, who live in pretty much every habitat west of the Rockies. Either way, the enclosure is by no means tropical as I let the humidity fluctuate from 40-50%.
Thanks Poison, and yes, he burrows a lot! There are burrows all through there to the point that I'm concerned about the plant roots.
monitorlizard
03-07-13, 01:41 PM
Alright, after a little more research, they do come from places that have more humidity than a desert, but less then a tropical rain forest.
That is a nice cage nonetheless, what plants are you using?
Corey209
03-07-13, 02:09 PM
Alright, after a little more research, they do come from places that have more humidity than a desert, but less then a tropical rain forest.
That is a nice cage nonetheless, what plants are you using?
My cities average humidity is 45% and we have plenty of cali kings, his cage is 40-50% nothing like a tropical rain forest.
concinnusman
03-07-13, 03:10 PM
Anything from youtube can kiss my butt. I to live in cali and cali kings are found in several different environments. Most of the ones I've found were in more humid and shady areas. With lakes near by.
Gotta agree with that. In fact, the only habitat where I DON'T find them in CA is the interior deserts. Coastal scrub, grasslands, oak/juniper woodlands, and even coniferous forests in Oregon is where I find them. Particularly if there is permanent or at least seasonal water nearby. The californiae ssp. specifically avoids hot dry deserts.
Doesn't matter much if the enclosure looks tropical or woodland. Dry loose substrate, mildly warm temperatures and moderate humidity is all that matters. They're pretty flexible as long as it's not total desert or soaking rainforest.
Alright, after a little more research, they do come from places that have more humidity than a desert, but less then a tropical rain forest.
Yes, it's not like they come from particularly wet habitats/climates but the fact is they actually avoid the drier, hotter interior deserts and high elevations which is why in SoCal they are found only near the coast. They don't seem to care if the habitat is scrub, grassland, or forest as long as it's not soaking wet or hot and barren.
ilovemypets1988
03-07-13, 03:30 PM
what about getting some hanging plants and let them "crawl" along the substrate, the plants will have a single root system and yet expand throughout the entire enclosure, plus, some comes with loads of flowers
Alright, after a little more research, they do come from places that have more humidity than a desert, but less then a tropical rain forest.
That is a nice cage nonetheless, what plants are you using?
Thank you, the plants are pothos and vinca.
They will soon take over this enclosure as both are ground cover vine type plants. The vinca does actually flower.
-MARWOLAETH-
03-08-13, 11:42 AM
what about getting some hanging plants and let them "crawl" along the substrate, the plants will have a single root system and yet expand throughout the entire enclosure, plus, some comes with loads of flowers
Creeping Jenny/Moneywort does that...and then some :cool:
I have a Cali King and would like to do something similar.
Does water sit in the gravel layer and how do you empty it?
Is there a problem with humidity at all?
What lights are you using?
ErikBush97
07-29-13, 03:19 AM
Nice enclosure! I bet cleaning that is a "B", Though!
Very nice enclosure, I'd like to do something similar some day.
smy_749
08-02-13, 07:18 PM
Very cool enclosure. How are you not at 85+ humidity with that much substrate and live plants? At Aaron, I've been thinking about doing an aquarium with only plants for a long time now. Would look really cool if its done right in my living room, but I'll mess it up and get dirt all over my carpet and probably ruin the plants I bought so I haven't tried. But its on my list.
vBulletin® v3.8.7, Copyright ©2000-2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.