building a tree snake (arboreal) cage out of a plastic tub?
ok so today i bought a plastic tub taller then wide suitable for a small arboreal snake and would like to pick one up at the reptile expo coming up and dont know how i would heat a tub made of plastic for a snake that doesnt touch the ground because its arboreal also how well ventalated this tub should be and all that stuff maybe even a link or somthing to creating an arboreal plastic tub enclosure or somthing? anything helps thanks!
how does the heat mat attached to the side work? should i make it so the snake would be touching the side of the tub where the heat mat is while it son the perch? or does it heat the air or what?
Actually most arboreals do better in cages with more horizontal than vertical. All my arboreals are kept in wide, moderately tall cages. This makes it easier to control the temps at the bottom of the cage. Amazons spend a lot of time on the ground. Green tree pythons don’t. If this is your first arboreal, then I suggest you get an amazon. If you do purchase a green tree python than buy from a breeder who can show you mother and father. Stay away from anything listed as captive hatched or born. They should only be US captive born and bred or cbb. You’ll pay a little more but you won’t have all the parasite issues and other problems that come with imports. Import amazons are much more hardy but you’ll have to do parasite treatment with them as well.
I use heat mats on the side and top for arboreals when I’m keeping them in tubs. If it’s an amazon I might add one under the tub. You’ll need to drill holes for air along the sides and you can always cover some if it seems to be drying out too quickly. I attach the heat mat with electrical tape or duct tape on the outside of the tub. Heat mats will heat the air nearby and the probe for the thermostat should be placed at perch level on the warm side. I have a caresheet on both amazons and chondros on my website.I think I’ve got pictures of some of the tubs somewhere if you want to e-mail me. There’s a link on my site for e-mail.
November 27th, 2009 at 1:03 pm
You should put some air holes around the rim of the tub with a drill or soldering iron for ventilation. Arboreals like it pretty humid so you don’t need a ton of them. You should buy a pvc pipe or brand and fit it in the tub (you may need to cut holes). For heat you can use flexwatt heat tape strapped to the side or back. Make sure you use a thermostat with heat tape at all times. You could also use a UTH fixed to the side. It will not melt the plastic at the temps you need for the snake. Hope this helps.
References :
reptile keeper
November 27th, 2009 at 1:49 pm
It depends on which species you plan to keep, but I think there is nothing wrong with it. You’ll need a few air holes drilled in the sides. Only do a few then check the humidity. You can always drill more holes if the humidity’s too high. A piece of flexwatt or other UTH or radiant heat panel attached to one side will provide a good heating source to a snake that stays off the ground. Next consider where you’ll attach it’s perches. You can simply get a sturdy fake plant or solder on plastic perches at various heights. Your water bowl can be on the ground of the enclosure, but getting the snake to drink may be a problem. Most arboreal drink by licking mist off themselves or off the leaves of trees rather than going to ground for it.
Good luck.
References :
Own multiple snakes
November 27th, 2009 at 2:28 pm
Actually most arboreals do better in cages with more horizontal than vertical. All my arboreals are kept in wide, moderately tall cages. This makes it easier to control the temps at the bottom of the cage. Amazons spend a lot of time on the ground. Green tree pythons don’t. If this is your first arboreal, then I suggest you get an amazon. If you do purchase a green tree python than buy from a breeder who can show you mother and father. Stay away from anything listed as captive hatched or born. They should only be US captive born and bred or cbb. You’ll pay a little more but you won’t have all the parasite issues and other problems that come with imports. Import amazons are much more hardy but you’ll have to do parasite treatment with them as well.
I use heat mats on the side and top for arboreals when I’m keeping them in tubs. If it’s an amazon I might add one under the tub. You’ll need to drill holes for air along the sides and you can always cover some if it seems to be drying out too quickly. I attach the heat mat with electrical tape or duct tape on the outside of the tub. Heat mats will heat the air nearby and the probe for the thermostat should be placed at perch level on the warm side. I have a caresheet on both amazons and chondros on my website.I think I’ve got pictures of some of the tubs somewhere if you want to e-mail me. There’s a link on my site for e-mail.
References :
Owner/breeder of snakes
http://www.franclycac.com