Reptile & Amphibian Forums

hello i was thinking about getting ackies but before i make any commintment i have a few questions.

1.i have 65 gal reptarium wich is 29"L X 27"W X 16 "T
would this be enough room for two ackies?

2.what would i feed a juvenile ackie just smaller crickets?

3.what should i use for a substrate i have heard soil , soil sand mix, coconut shells what is best to use?

4.if i get a male later could i introduce a female and not have a confrontation?

5.and lastly where should i get an ackie should i wait for another a reptile show or order offline i was thinking like pro exotics? being as i never ordered reptile off line before how do they ship them?

i would say that the smallest cage you should use for a juvinile to adult pair of ackies would be 4' long x 2' high x 2' wide.
good luck, it is very easy to buy and make this cage you don't have to spend that much.
Alex Oliver

in response to your q's...
1. a 20 gallon long is perfect for a baby ackie. im not sure, but he might get lost in a 65 gallon tank...
2. you can feed small crickets, ground turkey, etc...
3. i use those brick things that expand in water (sorry, i know its not to sophisticated or anything... he digs his little tunnels just fine, though).
4. i dont think there would be a confrontation if they were around the same age.
5. i bought mine from peter weis. he has a new batch right now. give him a call: 1-850-574-1037
i get stuff shipped all the time. dont wait for a show...

hope that was helpful. email me if you have any more questions.
iwhite@ix.netcom.com
ian
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buy the ticket, take the ride...

I think the reptariums don't work very well with ackies for a couple of reasons. The first would be the depth, and secondly, would be humidity. I would recommend buying online if you go ahead. You might have problems introducing adults, but if you buy a group of juveniles, you should be alright. You have to be aware that just because you have a male and a female, it does not mean they will get along. It is also much easier to find an adult male than an adult female.

I totally agree with the above poster - I think a baby ackie would get lost in a 65 gallon tank - more importantly, you would have a hard time keeping track of the little guy in such a big tank. I keep my baby ackies in 20 long aquariums (1 per tank) with about 6 inches of store bought top soil mixed with vermiculite (3 parts top soil to 1 part vermiculite).

The smaller tank makes it easier for the little ackies to find there food and regulate their temp etc. I tried keeping baby ackies in big enclosures and it just didn't work very well. When they are young, you want to be able to make sure that they are eating etc. and that's much easier to do in a smaller tank.

thank you for all the help

my friend is throwing away a cage he built. its plywood with a plexi glass front i think its like 4 ft long 1 ft or so deep and like 1 ft high keep in mind these are very rough estimates ill have to get thethe measurements soon.im probably going to get a pair and keep them in a 20 long until they get bigger and then move them into a bigger cage. ill probably try to find decomposed granite but if i cant find that ill use 50/50 sand vermeculate mix.