Posted by:
sdi
at Sun Dec 6 10:02:24 2009 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by sdi ]
I understand your concern with heat tape. It is good to use extra caution with a glass cage especially.
My large cage is being built around a turtle tub as opposed to a steel trough like the majority of experienced keepers use. A turtle tub is an injection molded trough. The model I have is 25% water and 75% land. Honestly, I am sure that a steel trough is probably the best base. I want to add a drain to the basin and I felt more comfortable working with the plastic material of the turtle tub, plus I already had a turtle tub I was not using. I am not using a wood floor for the cage because of the high amount of water/moisture that is required for the tropical reptiles. Any water that enters the cage will flow to the bottom unless it evaporates first. I figured eventually the bottom would leak, warp, rot or all of the above. Our local pet shop which was featured in Reptiles magazine, meaning they are not a rinky-dink place, has a melamine floored cage for their water dragons and they are having problems with it.
The advantages of the trough style base is water/moisture retention, a nice deep substrate can be held, heat tape can be placed under the troughs (with adequate air flow and protection from water) to heat the substrate and the insects can’t climb up the sides of the steel troughs. Depending on the design they can support the arboreal portion of the cage structure as well. Robin from PE, Mike Stefani (sp?) and Mike Heinrich (sp?) who are on this forum have good photos to illustrate the different designs and options (sorry if I left anyone out).
Another thing that I have not come across being talked about too often is using a material on the interior of the cage that the monitors can climb on. I am looking for a place to find cork, like what is used for cork boards, at a good price. In a large cage it can triple the usable surface area if they can climb on the walls. I have also heard of using burlap or screen. Burlap seems like their toes could get caught and potentially broken. Screen seems like it could get shredded. I am leaning towards cork because it should help with humidity, it looks more natural and I have seen it in some of the cages of the European keepers.
As BRICKZ mentioned I have read and been told that a rain cycle is necessary for breeding. I do not have any experience with this as my BTM’s are still young. I am not holding my breath on being successful, but I am going to try. My best success with reptiles has come from mimicking what more experienced keepers are doing and saying and applying my experience to the specific situation. I am going to make a fogger out of a humidifier, pvc tubing, aquarium tubing and a timer which should cost about $60. Even though I have talked to a lot of people I am going to try and research more about misting systems. Some have said use them, some have said don’t bother. I like the idea of using the combination of a fogger on a timer and a hand sprayer. I like to hand spray reptiles that are more interactive and that I am not as experienced with. It almost “forces” me to learn and understand their behavior. However, I may not be able to duplicate a rainy season as well as misting system. No matter what I wind up doing, droplets of water will be involved because that is the main way my monitors drink.
I am glad you brought humidity because I was thinking about this last night. My theory may be a little goofy but it makes since to me. The low atmospheric pressure that is typical of tropical areas not only provides high humidity but a pressure component as well. Think of a really hot shower or steam room and how hard it is to breath. I am not sure where you live but if you have ever been in 82 degree weather with 70% - 100% humidity, like in south Florida or south Texas,? It is harder to breath, move around and the heat index is actually well into the 100’s. Conversely, think of a cold, low humidity area like where I live in Michigan in the winter. The air is much lighter, it is easier to move around and there is less cardiovascular effort involved. When I go from Michigan to the other extreme it feels like someone put a sand bag on my shoulders and everything moves more slowly for me. Here comes the goofy part: my thought is the “weight or pressure” of the humidity could play a role in security similar to how a tight hiding space does except as a sustained source of pressure. I am going to finish my goofy theory with I have been accused of thinking too much. 
To Sterilize large branches I spray them with a diluted solution of Chlorhexidine (Nolvasan) , scrub with a soft wire brush, rinse with water and let dry in the sun. I cut live branches because the chance of getting a fungus, insects etc are lower. I use a low texture branch like maple because there are less nooks and crannies for fecal matter to settle into. I also use cork bark tubes and flats, they use these all the time for security. If you come across a place to get large cork tubes please let me know.
Again, there are much more qualified and experienced keepers out there that have already had experience with these things. I suggest cross referencing any of my ideas with someone else. They may have more cost effective ways to do the same thing. They may also tell you not to bother with or do some of the things that I have presented differently. Whatever you do find out it would be great if you could please keep me informed. Hopefully someone will give us some feedback here, and thanks to those who already have.
I will keep monitoring this thread, or you can email me as well.
Steve - sdi
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RE: Thanks!!!...... - sdi, Sun Dec 6 10:02:24 2009