>>looking for tips on a semi realistic enclosure. what types of ground medium ( for helping with moisture/humidity ) heat bulb wattage, perch material ( natural not pvc ) ect would you recommend?. do you recommend UV bulb or not necessary?

First I'll ask, how old or large is the chondro?

Then I'll say, for babies and juveniles, I recommend paper towels for substrate. The risk of using a natural medium is too much for young animals, in my opinion.

For older animals (2 yrs. and up), I would recommend newspaper, but since you want a more natural look cypress mulch would be my first and only choice. Be sure you don't get anything with a colored dye. Rose brand is natural and clean, and can usually be found at most convenience stores or home improvement stores like Home Depot, Lowes, and Menards. Avoid finely shredded mulch as well....it is usually from compost and contains lots of nasty things.

Most people will say not to use light bulbs for heat, but I've used them for many years with much success....also, one of the world's largest and most successful breeders of chondros and emeralds uses only lightbulbs for heat and light. Depending on the size of the enclosure, you will have to be the judge of the wattage. I've used 25-40 watt bulbs in the winter and 7.5-25 watts during the summer. Currently I'm using a 25W mini-spot, which is a low-profile bulb, and does not get hot enough to burn the animals....the biggest advantage of this bulb is the size. It measures around 1 1/4" x 1 1/4" when screwed into the base. Any style of light bulb will work as long as there is no risk of burn to the animal. Halogen and Xenon are usually avoided because of extremely high temps. Risk of burns are very minimal due to chondro behavior, but it's best to always err on the safe side. You do not need UV lighting, but full-spectrum lights do bring out the best colors in chondros. It all depends on what you want.

For perches, most folks use Maple. You can also use Sycamore, Apple, and Pear. Avoid darker woods like mahogany, cherry, etc. These have been know to contain toxins that can harm animals. Just use fresh-cut limbs and avoid limbs that have been cut and laying around for awhile. Also avoid dowels, unless they are sealed with a non-toxic clear coat of some sort. Untreated dowels will mold rapidly if untreated.

If you want to add more flair, you can use live Pothos and Philodendruns. They grow well and chondros rarely damage the plants. These plants are bullet-proof.

Hope this helps.

Brandon Osborne
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www.brandonosbornereptiles.com

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