Savannah Monitor Redemption - Page 5

smy_749 · 03-22-13, 08:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nepoez

this fern is plastic right?

Everything at these arts and crafts stores are plastic yes. I've become a strong advocate of alternate sources for reptile supplies. CVS heatpad with 3 settings working wonders, a 4 dollar walmart outlet timer, 4 dollar 45 watt halogen flood light, and so on and so forth. Before you buy, make sure you check all your local craft stores, some are much cheaper and have better variety than others. But you would be suprised at the selection they have, you can buy fake TREES, ferns, vines, moss, cork bark, and make a thick jungle for a decent price...

nepoez · 03-23-13, 05:09 PM

Added a plastic tree that has a hide on the bottom, added a hide on the left, replaced the heavy brick with a log I got in the yard. Still need some leaf litter when the snow melts and leaves grow back...

smy_749 · 03-23-13, 05:56 PM

I hope you didn't pay full price for that, those are like 27 - 40 dollars at petco and petsmart :-/. That could have been used to cover half the enclosure with fake plants! I don't like those ready made hides from petco, I had one that came with a setup I bought off craigslist similar to yours, and I put it in my fishtank (it was designed for aquariums), the paint slowly came off, making my water murky. The second problem is if a piece snaps off, they create VERY sharp corners. You could have easily picked up some logs for free from your back yard, bought lots and lots of fake plants, and even then , your save will probably just make his own hide and never use that anyways! (no offense, just saying that the petco decorations are a complete rip-off and your cash is better spent at craft stores or kept in your pocket and go outdoors)

nepoez · 03-23-13, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smy_749

I hope you didn't pay full price for that, those are like 27 - 40 dollars at petco and petsmart :-/. That could have been used to cover half the enclosure with fake plants! I don't like those ready made hides from petco, I had one that came with a setup I bought off craigslist similar to yours, and I put it in my fishtank (it was designed for aquariums), the paint slowly came off, making my water murky. The second problem is if a piece snaps off, they create VERY sharp corners. You could have easily picked up some logs for free from your back yard, bought lots and lots of fake plants, and even then , your save will probably just make his own hide and never use that anyways! (no offense, just saying that the petco decorations are a complete rip-off and your cash is better spent at craft stores or kept in your pocket and go outdoors)

Yeah I got the log from my yard so that's free.. but that tree I do feel ripped off but I thought it would be a good addition, at least for the next while. And you are actually right about the hide... When I took the original brick out of the enclosure(cuzz it seems dangerously heavy) I thought the savs would be under there, but they actually dug a tunnel under the brick and I have no clue where it leads but it's a deep tunnel that led somewhere far enough for 2 savs, cuzz one of their heads is as the hole when I lifted the brick then it was gone, so far in the hole that I can no longer see.

But yeah price aside I hope the addition of the log, the hide, couple rocks and the rip off tree would give them more coverage and feel more secure.. then when I have the bigger tank built it will be summer by then and no more snow out, I'd be able to find more stuff form the park for free. After all 8x4x4 would cost a lot to cover if bought from a pet shop.

Think I might not bother with fake trees this time around.. just grab a bunch of logs and leaf litter instead... maybe grow some grass if possible.

nepoez · 03-23-13, 06:06 PM

also I don't think I like plastic and paint..

smy_749 · 03-23-13, 09:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nepoez

also I don't think I like plastic and paint..

Easiest way to cover it is with foliage (fake or real) , if you just buy a few big ferns or fake bushs and stick them in the ground, your entire enclosure will be covered for probably less than 20 dollars. I'll post a pic of some of the plants I found at walmart for 80 cents.

http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphoto...75259661_o.jpg
http://sphotos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/hphoto...81525826_o.jpg

Ofcourse they have bigger stuff/different looks, but this was just temporary, I think for that entire bundle on the carpet I spent 3 dollars...

nepoez · 03-24-13, 12:33 PM

So today I finally see 2 of them out at the same time, either that, or finally the other one is coming out. Although 1 is still out much more, like out since morning till now and non-stop roaming, and the other didn't come out till 11:30am and still shy. He's even scared of the other guy a little, he's huff or breathe real hard when the other guy approaches.. But when they are active, they move around a lot and real fast.

If the shy one continues to not be able to be relaxed around the other one, I guess I might have to sell him to prevent problems later on.

nepoez · 03-25-13, 12:16 AM

Today the active one started to be less and less fearful of my presence. I can actually move around to watch him and he won't bolt back in his burrow! He is also out a lot more today. He was out from 10am and roaming almost non stop till 7pm before he went back to his burrow! That's a lot of roaming!

Pirarucu · 03-25-13, 03:57 PM

They come out of their shells with time, especially once they learn you have food.

nepoez · 03-25-13, 04:04 PM

The tree proved to be a good addition after all, there are crickets that go up there and they would get chased down by the babies. Great climbing exercises hehe.

P.S. the weather is getting warmer now and the cold end is going up to 84F is that going to be a problem? Should the cold end me more like 75F?

smy_749 · 03-25-13, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nepoez

The tree proved to be a good addition after all, there are crickets that go up there and they would get chased down by the babies. Great climbing exercises hehe.

P.S. the weather is getting warmer now and the cold end is going up to 84F is that going to be a problem? Should the cold end me more like 75F?

Get a thermostat to regulate it for you :-P problem solved

nepoez · 03-25-13, 05:38 PM

The problem is the heat is coming from the basking lights and if the thermostat turns off the heat source to lower the temp, there will be no basking spot for that period of time.

murrindindi · 03-25-13, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nepoez

The tree proved to be a good addition after all, there are crickets that go up there and they would get chased down by the babies. Great climbing exercises hehe.

P.S. the weather is getting warmer now and the cold end is going up to 84F is that going to be a problem? Should the cold end me more like 75F?

Hi, if you`re still using the 100w MVB plus the 150w CHE you would be better to swap to the low wattage halogens now, I think the CHE is the reason the ambient temps are relatively high. You would be better changing to the low wattage halogens now, not when you build the bigger enclosure in several months. Yes, the cool side is too high at 84f, (if that temp is in the hides/burrows)?

nepoez · 03-25-13, 06:14 PM

No the burrows are like 75(due to the tank being in the basement) but above ground it's now 84F, whereas it was 75 very lowest before.

ok, I will change to low wattage halogen, But I need more advise before this switch...cuzz night time temps will drop(I'm in canada) without the light and I'm not sure I should keep the lights on all night, so once night time comes and lights turn off, without the CHE the cage will be too cold.

smy_749 · 03-25-13, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nepoez

No the burrows are like 75(due to the tank being in the basement) but above ground it's now 84F, whereas it was 75 very lowest before.

ok, I will change to low wattage halogen, But I need more advise before this switch...cuzz night time temps will drop(I'm in canada) without the light and I'm not sure I should keep the lights on all night, so once night time comes and lights turn off, without the CHE the cage will be too cold.

What about some sort of heatpad to keep night time temps on the warmside up? I would suggest a ceramic heater but you'd have moisture issues I guess. I'm curious as well how people keep there cages warm at night if they keep them in basements...