Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi,

Has anyone here ever used a glass cover for the housing of small terrestrial snakes? I am currently using one for some Brahminy blindsnakes, but was wondering if this would pose any kind of danger, because I use a low-wattage lightbulb above it, on one side and there is high humidity within the vivarium... I let the tank air out every few days... is this OK?
-----
DAVE

0.0.1 Western green toad
0.0.1 green treefrog
0.0.1 Oriental fire-bellied toad
0.1 Western hog-nosed snake
0.0.1 Okeetee corn snake
1.1 red-cheeked mud turtles
0.1 Dubia day gecko
0.0.1 yellow * Everglades rat snake
0.0.1 Eastern mud snake
1.0 Yunnan beauty snake
1.0 scarlet kingsnake
0.1 albino African clawed frog
0.0.1 Northern black racer
0.0.1 African brown house snake (Zambia locale)
0.0.1 Sonoran gopher snake
1.2 European fire salamanders
(parthenogenic) Brahminy blindsnakes *

I like at least some air circulation. The humidity, stale air, etc. seem like they would invite problems with mold and bacteria (I'd be worried about blisters). Would the snakes be able to escape through fine screen / window screen size mesh? With my small snakes (no where near as small as yours), I use the sliding screen lids, and put on a 1" clamp to hold them securly shut without any gaps. The pin alone lets the lid move enough to create gaps that little guys could escape through. If screen mesh is to big, maybe you could try to fabricate some type of lid out of plexiglass or plastic and melt holes in it with a hot pin. If using something like this with limited ventilation, it would probably still be a good idea to open it regularly to let it completely air out.

-Alice

Hi,

Thanks for the advice. Unfortunately, I had tried using various ventilation techniques with this species in the past, and always ended up having them escape. As a test to see how much air was able to enter the vivarium, I pored some water on the to of the glass cover. The water was able to seep through the rim of the top and into the enclosure, so it seems that there is some ventilation. Mold and such problems were a concern to me as well, but there are numerous live plants growing in the vivarium. All of the species that I selected (miniature natives of Mexico) grow very large roots, which disturb and aerate the soil constanltly. In addition, the substrate is divided into natural layers of drainage, soil, and various surface covers. The soil mix that I created was duplicated from the soil of an Asian tree ant ant hill. And, of course, I let the tank air out and ocassionally stir the soil, so I think it should be fine. At this point, I feel that this habitat is probably as close to nature as it gets for a captive Brahminy blind snake... big spaces, NUMEROUS soil covers, a drainage level humidity gradient (The tank is at a tilt), as well as a top level humidity gradient, heat from above warming surface debris... a solid ant hill chamber, easily exitable pools of water... I think that I am off to a pretty good start. Thanks again for the advice.
-----
DAVE

0.0.1 Western green toad
0.0.1 green treefrog
0.0.1 Oriental fire-bellied toad
0.1 Western hog-nosed snake
0.0.1 Okeetee corn snake
1.1 red-cheeked mud turtles
0.1 Dubia day gecko
0.0.1 yellow * Everglades rat snake
0.0.1 Eastern mud snake
1.0 Yunnan beauty snake
1.0 scarlet kingsnake
0.1 albino African clawed frog
0.0.1 Northern black racer
0.0.1 African brown house snake (Zambia locale)
0.0.1 Sonoran gopher snake
1.2 European fire salamanders
(parthenogenic) Brahminy blindsnakes *