Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello, Just wondering if anyone had any thoughts on using those Exoterra cages for keeping a young chondro. If supportive, what size would be most appropriate for the first 1-2 years before moving to something that probably holds better heat and humidity?

Link for additional information:

http://www.exo-terra.com/EN/products/glass_terrariums_i.html

What?!!! The younger they are, the more critical that the temps and humidty is for green trees. As babies, you want them set up properly!!

If you want to save money until they are adults and you can get a proper adult enclosure, go with a rubbermaid tub set up with heat tape, thermostat and drill/melt a few small holes for ventilation and get them dialed in for your area of the country.

I understand that the requirements for heat and humidity and the like are greater for a neonate. Are you saying then that the Exoterra cages cannot retain the necessary humidity and are an inferior product for raising GTPs?

Yes, the exoterras can be made to work, but they are not ideal. The screen top is the main problem. How do you plan to heat the enclosure. Radiant heat panels are the preferred method, with heat tape also providing a gentle heat that is not as drying to the air as ceramic heat bulbs.

GTP enclosures shouldn't really be taller than they are wide, ideally you would want a temp gradiant from one end to the other in the tank, not so much from top to bottom.

If using glass the room temps that you keep the snake in should be relatively warm as the glass is poor way to hold the heat.

This is a link to thread which describes the way one gtp keeper modified the top of exoterra to make it more appropriate for gtps.
ExoTerraModification

Thanks Jungle, and see considering an Exoterra isn't negligent care, particularly as I haven't even bought the snake yet. The animal I am considering is about 6 months and doing well. If I make a nice and sturdy lid to cover the screen on the Exo and use a radiant heat panel, it seems like I should be okay. Is 18"x18"x18" too much room for a young GTP? And lastly, for additional heat I was planning on using one of my wife's hair curling irons as a perch, set to low of course...

The 18"x18"x18" is a little on the large size for a 6 month old baby, it would really depend on the baby at this point I would say. The thing to watch out for would be how well it adapts to the new surroundings.

I've had some pretty aggressive yearlings that I've moved up into full size 222 Vision enclosures that did EXTREMELY well!! OTOH, I've got a male that is going on 4 now, average size that everytime I upsize him from his tub that is about 18x15x12 he goes off feed and into hiding. He just doesn't "feel secure" it seems when he's got the space. He's incredibly beautiful too and I'd sure like to put him in a nice display cage!!

The good thing about slightly larger is that they can grow into them too.... I'd set him/her up, give it plenty of quiet time, you can cover the sides of the enclosure so that it doesn't feel so exposed to possible threat. If the baby perches well and continues to eat on a regular basis, you have the temps and humidity dialed in, the actual size of the cage doesn't really matter as much imo.

If you want a heated perch buy some small diameter plastic conduit pipe and run heat cable down through it. Much safer!

If you heat the perch, where is the baby going to perch if it wishes to be warmer or cooler at the time? Heated perches are generally not recommended for chondros.