Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Here is a 5'H x 4'W x 2'D that i built. it's not done, needs vents, top screen and the habitat inside, some outside color but for now, i'm still planning what monitor it could house. either a green or ...what? any ideas? I still have a hood and stand to build for it so I'm in no rush, it's a display going into a local school so I'd like something that can except some glass tappers once in a while. any thoughts?

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Thnx,

Deven

Green tree monitors, and tree monitors in general will not handle glass tapping very well. Just a thought.
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Roy Blodgett
royreptile@yahoo.com

1.1 Drymarchon corais
0.1 Coluber mormon
1.1 Lampropeltis getula californiae (desert phase)
1.0 Boiga dendrophila dendrophila
0.1 Candoia aspera (red phase)
1.1 Uroplatus henkeli
1.1 Corytophanes cristatus
1.1 Varanus acanthurus brachyurus (Mt.Isa)
2.1 Pogona vitticeps (snow and red/gold)
1.0 Iguana iguana

“All men lie enveloped in whale-lines. All are born with halters round their necks; but it is only when caught in the swift, sudden turn of death, that mortals realize the silent, subtle, ever-present perils of life.”- Herman Melville

not to mention the humidity requirements a green would need. that pretty wood would get destroyed. But then again, with a screen top that cage really can't hold humidity.

I might go with a really small monitor that likes an arid environment. better yet maybe go for a Texas collard lizard, or something like that.

No monitor can reside in that enclosure. It does look very nice, and I commend you on that. But no monitor should live in there, especially a green tree, and especially not in a school!

If you must put it in a school, I'll make a few suggestions as to what you could put in it. Frilled dragons are fairly tolerant of veiwing and handling, so the school enviornment wont stress them too much, when captive bred of course. Buy from Sundial Reptiles or Dragon Attack for the best quality frillies. Males are much less shy than females by the way, and look cooler. They dont require more than a light spraying every other day, so the humidity wont be a problem. If you can get your hands on a giant gecko or two (they are more active and vocal in groups), that would be nice as well, if the room/hall it is in isnt too bright. Repashy Reptiles would be a perfect place to get one, as soon as his site is up. Maybe you can contact him another way and make a purchase that way, I dont know.

If you have any more questions, ask away. Glad to help.

Ryan

I would put some shelves and then dishes in there. Cheers

p.s. you can ask why if your really interested, but don't ask, unless your really really interested and do not just what to argue.

Thats a really nice trophy case, but a cage for a monitor at a school it is not. Sorry start over.

Just a thought but most reptiles don't really like the tapping of the glass. Just ask a zoo!

It is a very nice piece of work.
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Jeremy

"I am become death, the destroyer of worlds" July 16, 1945 Robert Oppenheimer

1.1 Double Het "Sharp" Snow RTB's
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0.2 Pastel Hypo RTB's
1.0 Double Het Stripe Albino RTB's
0.1 Suriname RTB
0.1 Anerthrystic RTB
3.6.4 Red Bearded Dragons
1.1 Rhinoceros Iguana's
1.0 Green Iguana
1.0 Ball Python
1.1 Cream Golden Retrieviers
1.0 Pomeriaian
0.3 Catus Terribilis
0.1 Spouse
1.0 Child

Don't get me wrong. I agree that the plans for the species listed in a classroom are not the best.

I wanted to address the glass tapping. We used to joke that any feisty animals would be put on exhibit to calm them down. It usually took animals about 2 weeks to completely adjust to the commotion. For instance, a young king cobra tried to attack the first day on exhibit and did some hooding for a few days. After that, she could be laying right near the front while I opened the front to squeegee the water off the glass, and ignore me. Yes. There were a few that had to be removed, but the vast majority did very well and reproduced. I should point out that our exhibits (2 different zoos) were either concrete or custom fiberglass and were set up with soil, plants, rocks, natural wood, etc... They were giant terrariums. Nearly all the breeding programs were done on exhibit. The species ranged from tree monitors to geckos to vipers.
We always asked people to stop tapping on the glass, but I observed VERY little negative effects from it. It is kind of how animals in wildlife refuges loose a certain amount of their fear of humans, I suppose.

AH