Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I just have a few questions....

my BRB is in a 30 gallon tank she is 2 years old eats regularly active at night and all. i have a 100 watt infared bulb that is on 24 hrs controlled on a rheostat that i just bought basically its split up like this. ive made a hide box/shelter for her to hide in wit some wood and some moss she enjoys it very much. the temp there is abt 76 during the day and abt the lowest is 71 at night. in the middle of the tank the temps is low to mid 80's during the day and abt mid to high 70's and night.

her water bowl is in the middle of the tank pushed to the back. her basking sight is at low to mid 90's during the day and mid to high 80's at night (mind you i have 3 thermometers in my tank i check them all the time)

her substrate is mulch with moss and wood for her to hide under (in the basking spot) i spray it twice a day, but the first one is always a lil more than the second mist.

i kno this is long....but....im just concerned abt the temps cuz i kno they have to be right for digestion and shedding and everything basically. just wanna make sure im doing it right or if anyone has other suggestions. one more thing.....im interested in adding real live plants cuz i hear they help keep the humidity up, i would like to kno wut are some good plants, vines, or something to help it out, plus i like to go for the natural look!

Anthony - Thanks Alot

Hey Anthony,

You have a temperature range in your cage so it's probably O.K. However, your temps are a little on the high side for me. The hot spots in my BRB enclosures max out at 86° F. The cool end fluctuates with the season. In winter, it can get down to 65° or so.

I also love the natural look in my adult enclosures. I prefer artificial over live plants and there are some nice, realistic looking ones out there. If your heart is set on live, Pothos has been popular and I think that ferns would also be O.K. But remember, your snake doesn't care. The animal will tip the plants over, uproot them and possibly damage them just by crawling around in the cage. With artificial, you don't have to worry about this.

If you take a look at the BRB care section on my site, you'll see some pics of how I decorate my cages. Also, if you're interested, e-mail me and I'll send you a PDF of my caresheet on BRBs. Good luck,
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Mike Lockwood
www.tooscaley.com

well the reason they are so high is cuz my BRB just got off a repiratory infection which the vet told me was most likely caused by it being to damn and cold in her cage. so he told me to raise the heat some. lol

btw where did u get these artificial plants cuz the one my local reptile store has arent the nicest of looking things.

Anthony

Your vet is right. Raising the temps a bit can help to fight off RI.

About the fake plants, I 'm am little embarrassed to say it, but I can frequently be found at "Michael's" arts and crafts store. Now, normally I wouldn't be caught dead in a place like this. But, they do have a good selection of artificial plants.
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Mike Lockwood
www.tooscaley.com

LOL....its alright...i wouldnt be caught dead in their either but ill go ahead and check it out. BTW i was lookin at ur site how are ur Green Trees doing? when are u expecting babies? and other details!!!

Funny you should ask about the chondros. My pair has been breeding since October. Recently, my female went two weeks without eating and I thought she was developing follicles. VERY EXCITING!!! Then, last Saturday, she took a meal VERY DISSAPPOINTING!!! We'll see what happens but I've just begun to prepare myself for the fact that she may not go this year. Not sure what went wrong but all are happy and healthy so there is always next year.
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Mike Lockwood
www.tooscaley.com

Mike,

You website shows that you use pine shavings for your large rubbermaid tubs. Isn't pine toxic to snakes?

Anyhow, your site is awesome and full of all kinds of helpful information. It has actually given me some great ideas for my adult setup as I am about to my sub-adult pair from a 50gallon to potentially a 72"x24"x24" Animal Plastics enclosure. I am a big fan of lots of space for the adults...

Thanks for the info!
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-Iman

Loving to Learn
Learning to Help
Helping to Love

Stimulate debates, stifle arguments.
Please be nice always.

Iman,

I've always used pine shavings with no adverse effects. I've always been told to avoid redwood and cedar because of toxins. No first hand experience with this. Just what I've heard.

72" cages rock! I agree that this is a very nice size for your adults. I used to have a 6 foot cage for breeding groups and I loved it. In fact, my very first babies were born in a 6 x 2 x 2 cage (wipes a tear). Post some pics when you've got 'em.
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Mike Lockwood
www.tooscaley.com