My Newest Build (Morelia)

Teckdragon · 06-02-11, 08:07 PM

I got such a good price on the tank from a friend that I couldn't wait to start building it. Here's how it came out:

The empty tank waiting to be built.

My pre-build perch selection. I had Fir, Manzanita, Ghostwood, Grapewood, and Java Wood.

Zoo Med Cork Tile I used as my background. 18"x24".

Cork was warped, so I had to silicone and weight it down. This took a couple hours to cure.

1st plant: Creeping Fig (ficus pumila). Soil was a mixture of Coco fiber, peat & sphagnum moss, and a small dash or organic potting mix.

Added water dish, hide, and a 3rd substrate layer that is a mix of coco husk and cypress mulch.

Close up of the "forest floor". From left to right: Dumb Cane, Creeping Fig, Golden Pothos, and Dwarf Umbrella Plant.

Branches/perches added. The fork in the front might be a bit excessive, but it can sit there for now. The ledge is for additional perching. I'll let this grow in for a month or so, and hopefully by Daytona I'll have a chondro for it.

My ultimate goal with this build was to create a tank that was naturalistic (live plants) as well as basic enough (removable perches and hides) to facilitate feeding and cleaning. I think I succeeded. Best of all, this tank works well for any Morelia species, be it a chondro or a carpet python. Oh, and since I didn't get a picture of it, the tank is heated by a 60 watt ceramic heat emitter on the top, as well as two 26 watt compact fluorescent bulbs (Exo Terra 2.0).

stephanbakir · 06-02-11, 08:12 PM

With the bulbs wont it be hard to maintain humidity during shedding? why is the CHE on top? (never used a CHE before, but heat rises?)
Looks great

Lankyrob · 06-03-11, 03:57 AM

The CHE are designed thatsomething like 90% of their heat is directed straight downwards, hence why you still get belly heat when using one as they heat the substrate pretty well, as well as providing a good ambient air temp. The bulbs themselves can easily hit 500f which is why they need to be guarded. Think the enclosure in this thread has a screen top so humidity could be an issue but with a wooden viv with the che inside i have had no problems with humidity levels at all.

stephanbakir · 06-03-11, 05:18 AM

Alright, but hes also got 2 lights, humidity is going to tank, no?

Lankyrob · 06-03-11, 05:38 AM

Depends what happens with the top of the cage but also with all that glass it is gonna be a nightmare with humidity i woukd think, especially for a gtp.

Teckdragon · 06-03-11, 09:29 AM

The light fixture covers 50% of the screen top, and the CHE covers another 25% or so. Even if things do begin to dry out, it's nothing a couple extra mistings can't cure. The tank is going to sit for at least a month before I do anything with it, so I've got time to mess with it.

hauntedone · 06-04-11, 12:43 PM

vey nice setup. Can't wait to see the Morelia that's supposed to go in it.

blindchicken · 06-04-11, 08:09 PM

Just curious, where did you get the removable perch holders, that's exactly what I've been looking for to put in my python's new enclosure

Teckdragon · 06-04-11, 10:16 PM

They're closet sockets/brackets. You can find them at any Lowes or Home Depot. The smallest size I've seen is 1", but mine are 1 5/8" to allow for larger perches. Also, it's easier to buy larger branches and cut them down to size instead of trying to find that exact one that will fit in there. I used branches I found for bird perches, removed the threading, and then cut them to size.