Really Exciting News!

hunter4life · 08-05-13, 03:51 PM

Two things that are very exciting! The first awesome thing is last week I was hired at BHB Reptiles! It's been the greatest job ever! So much fun handling all the snakes! Woo

Second thing is I got a critter keeper and put Ganon (my Pinstripe BP) in it, inside his cage, on Friday and today he finally took his first mouse at home! Been almost a month and I'm so glad! He's just lounging in his water cup now

I'm such a happy camper now<3

Sorry the picture quality isn't the best :P

smy_749 · 08-05-13, 03:52 PM

Move the lamp to one side of the cage and fix the screen top. Congrats on getting him to eat.

hunter4life · 08-05-13, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smy_749

Move the lamp to one side of the cage and fix the screen top. Congrats on getting him to eat.

The lamp is there because he is inside his critter keeper so it warms up one side of it. and fix the screen top? lol I'm confused sorry

mmarchl23 · 08-05-13, 04:14 PM

i would assume he means to cover a portion of the screen (roughly 3/4) with some form of material to help retain heat and humidity. correct me if im wrong though

hunter4life · 08-05-13, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmarchl23

i would assume he means to cover a portion of the screen (roughly 3/4) with some form of material to help retain heat and humidity. correct me if im wrong though

OH! I do that but I took it off so you guys could see the set up

His heat mat is in the corner where the critter keeper is. Normally his tank hide is right there and then the lamp is normally in the middle though because I have to keep the temp gradient cause the other side has his water and moss hide. Is that a bad setup? Cause I know you shouldn't really put a heat lamp over the heat mat

smy_749 · 08-06-13, 09:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hunter4life

OH! I do that but I took it off so you guys could see the set up

His heat mat is in the corner where the critter keeper is. Normally his tank hide is right there and then the lamp is normally in the middle though because I have to keep the temp gradient cause the other side has his water and moss hide. Is that a bad setup? Cause I know you shouldn't really put a heat lamp over the heat mat

You don't keep the temp gradient. The temp gradient does that on its own.Just move it to the hotside, and let the cool side be cool as it should. Putting it in the middle messes up the gradient.

Example: 100, 95, 90, 85, 80, 75 with hides and good stuff along the trail
Example with a heat lamp: 90, 95, 93, 90, 85

(Just an example, but you get the point, its not ideal to have a heat lamp in the middle of an enclosure unless its very large)

mmarchl23 · 08-05-13, 07:42 PM

As long as you have the proper temps, and humidity i cant say its wrong... im not partial to using fish tanks though. i custom build the final enclosures for my animals and use tubs when they are juveniles.

again however, as long as you can maintain what the animal needs i doubt anyone can say its wrong, just maybe much less practical.

Corey209 · 08-05-13, 07:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmarchl23

As long as you have the proper temps, and humidity i cant say its wrong... im not partial to using fish tanks though. i custom build the final enclosures for my animals and use tubs when they are juveniles.

again however, as long as you can maintain what the animal needs i doubt anyone can say its wrong, just maybe much less practical.

Looks like a Terrarium to me, not an aquarium. They work well for high humidity animals if you have a plexiglass top, but I'd only recommend them for animals that don't require humidity.

hunter4life · 08-06-13, 05:11 AM

They are locking lid terrariums! I keep damp towels over both sides as it keep humidity well

I'm getting a racking system soon hopefully! I'd like to make custom cages but don't have the time now since I'm working

mmarchl23 · 08-06-13, 09:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hunter4life

They are locking lid terrariums! I keep damp towels over both sides as it keep humidity well

I'm getting a racking system soon hopefully! I'd like to make custom cages but don't have the time now since I'm working

If youd like custom cages build them on nights and weekends. i also have a job and just graduated college annnndddd am taking care of a house and still found time. if you want to make it happen it will!

and as far as the terrarium/aquarium bit... same thing really. structurally and functionally they are no different, just a marketing ploy by pet supply companies.

smy_749 · 08-06-13, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmarchl23

If youd like custom cages build them on nights and weekends. i also have a job and just graduated college annnndddd am taking care of a house and still found time. if you want to make it happen it will!

and as far as the terrarium/aquarium bit... same thing really. structurally and functionally they are no different, just a marketing ploy by pet supply companies.

They are called aquariums because they are 'aqua' (filled with water) and terrariums because they are terrestrial / terrain etc.

Its not a marketing ploy, its just the english language.

Haven't slept in a while, but you don't want your ball python stuck ontop of the heat mat in his critter cage, he can't thermoregulate. And you want both heat sources on the same side, not mixed all over and in the middle. If your worrid about overheating, just use one, and you need a thermostat for that reason.

mmarchl23 · 08-06-13, 09:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smy_749

They are called aquariums because they are 'aqua' (filled with water) and terrariums because they are terrestrial / terrain etc.

Its not a marketing ploy, its just the english language.

Right, i miss worded my statement i guess.
My point was they are structurally the same as far as the tank itself goes.

And i do agree with SMY that you need more defined warm and cold sides my setup has the lamp and mat at the same end in a roughly 120 gal custom and maintains a great gradient.

smy_749 · 08-06-13, 09:18 AM

Looking at the pic again, I only see one hide and a critter keeper. You should have more than that. The more the better. Nice tight squeeze hides and cover the back 3 sides with black paper as well. Then you won't need the critter keeper in there anymore I dont' think

hunter4life · 08-06-13, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smy_749

Looking at the pic again, I only see one hide and a critter keeper. You should have more than that. The more the better. Nice tight squeeze hides and cover the back 3 sides with black paper as well. Then you won't need the critter keeper in there anymore I dont' think

I moved everything to put the critter keeper in there. Once he's moved out he will be back to having his three hides. I'm most likely getting a racking system this week from one of my co-workers so I won't have to worry about temperature stuff. His heat mat gives no warmth when I check inside the little keeper hence why the lamp is over it. And I don't keep the lamp in the middle like that, it's normally over his hide a little more over to the left which isn't there