Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey all... I just bought a new 24 X 18 X 24 Exo Terra glass enclosure... I've got a few idea floating through my crazy little head of mine... but I wanted to see what you all had done to them or if you had input...

I'm looking at placing either a GTP or an Emerald in there... Yes a baby/ sub adult, and yes I know that's a big space for a new one... I wanted the extra room to put a lot of foliage into it... I plan on planting it... everything but the perches I'd like to be growing in some shape or manor... I'm not in a rush to get the animal, I've got my eye on one, but for now, I want to get the cage established, getting the ecosystem to thrive... then throw the animal in there...

Now... has any one ran into issues with planting viv's for Arboreal snakes in the past??

Ok I will try to not miss anything.
Planted viv's for a chondro or ETB are a TON of work.
With these animals being adapt to thriving in the canopies of their native enviro's.
They tend to have health problems in natural planted viv's in my opinion.
A brief explanation is that in the wild where these animals sit 20 to 50 feet of the ground.
It is dry meaning no wet or damp substrate just inches below there body.
The air while extremely humid is never as stagnant as it is in viv's.
Natural factors such as UV, ozone, and rain water keep the bio load in check, which is hard to do in a home viv.

If you are serious about setting up a planted viv do you research and develop a caging system that keeps you animals heath in check.
It can be done but is not always cost effective.
Some recommendations would be install a drain so the substrate can be flushed and can completely dry out.
Set up some sort of air circulation system where on a set schedule the tank is aired out by a PC type fan hooked to a timer.
Be vigilant in daily cage inspections and keeper/animal hygiene.