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Cage for Adult Female Basilisk

Herper123 Jan 04, 2004 03:28 PM

My Brown Basilsik is full grown now and I was woundering about here tank size.The cage she is in now is 3'9 long,1'1 wide and 2'8 tall.Is this big enough?She is only like 18 inches,and she seems very happy!Also how do you make yr basilisk friendly,mines very nervous.I decided not to keep my CWD in with my BB.I think I have a Southern BB not a Northern BB.

Thanks for any input

Replies (9)

cv768 Jan 04, 2004 11:29 PM

Basilisks do not tame down easily and it will take some serious time, effort, and trust for her to become "tame"...some never tame others do easily...basilisks are known to be one of the most nervous species of lizard so don't expect much...

ALSO: never keep those two species together...they will not get along trust me...you will have fights...

As for the cage size...that is okay temporarily...but eventually for one basilisk you should have at least a 100-200 gal enclosure and that is bare minimum...some people would disagree with me and say that even that size is totally unacceptable...I would say that for your basilisk to thrive and be happy...go at least 300 gallons...build a custom enclosure...

We have 3 basilisks and we'll be building a 5'x6'x3' cage for them...I think that it is 540 gallons...or something like that...
-----
Chris Vanderwees
REPTILE SALES AND INFORMATION
E-mail Me
1.2.0 Bearded Dragons
1.2.0 Green Basilisks
1.1.0 Crested Geckos
1.2.0 Veiled Chameleons
1.1.0 Corn Snakes
1.0.0 Tokay Geckos
0.0.1 California Kingsnakes
2.5.1 Leopard Geckos

Herper123 Jan 05, 2004 03:11 PM

If my cage is not big enough for my bassie,how come your 2 bassies live in a 50 g and yr male is in a 40 g?????????????
I'm sur my tank is bigger then a 50 g.

cv768 Jan 05, 2004 03:44 PM

First off...you said your female was an adult. Adult basilisks are very active and need much space. Temporary setups in for single animals in 40-100 gallon tanks are fine in my opinion if they are set-up right and as long as it is VERY temporary...

Our male is still not full grown and currently is cramped in his 40 gallon...the two females are much smaller than the male and they will not be adults for at least another 6 months.

This spring---(March)---we will be building a very large enclosure for the three of them...it will be 4' x 6' x 3' or about 540 gallons.

I agree that the 40 gallon is much to small but for the time being the male is left to free roam...under supervision and will be awaiting his cage until March...the two females are still fairly small and will be fine in the 55 gallon until they can be moved with the male in the much bigger tank...my basilisks are not fully grown---as yours is...I'm assuming yours is at least 3 feet long and active...

To set-up a proper adult basilisk enclosure it must be done the way I previously suggested...unfortunetly my basilisks will have to wait for 2 months before recieving a much larger enclosure.

-----
Chris Vanderwees
REPTILE SALES AND INFORMATION
E-mail Me
1.2.0 Bearded Dragons
1.2.0 Green Basilisks
1.1.0 Crested Geckos
1.2.0 Veiled Chameleons
1.1.0 Corn Snakes
1.0.0 Tokay Geckos
0.0.1 California Kingsnakes
2.5.1 Leopard Geckos

Herper123 Jan 06, 2004 09:45 PM

Actually adult female bassies don't even reach 3 feet,usally 2 feet.In inches they are usally 23!

Maybe green female bassies aren't the same as browns(in lenght) but I think they are!

Its nice to give yr lizard a nice big cage but u don't have to go crazy!

I know male bassies can get to a nice size but,ummmmmmmmmmmm

Plus u need a way bigger cage for one or more because they need there territory.

I don't think I am going to get mine a bigger cage I think its fine

Herper123 Jan 06, 2004 09:47 PM

n/p

cv768 Jan 06, 2004 11:02 PM

That would be the light of the picture...the water is actually cleaned everyday. We had a female green basilisk brought in last year that was just shy of 3 feet.

Since basilisks are possibly one of the most active lizards you can own...I would say they need a much bigger cage than a 50 gallon...that's about what you have.

You can keep it anyway you'd like but for a happy healthy basilisk you'd better have a good enclosure. Also...females are not as territorial as males. The male will be seperated from the females for 7 months of the year.

I don't really care what you do. But you asked a question...I gave you my opinionated answer and then you criticise my water quality? Since the picture was taken after the rest of the lights were off in the room...I'd say that you assume to quickly.

You sound kind of young to be owning a basilisk. They are usually intended for more experianced keepers. Maybe you should try a cat or a dog?
-----
Chris Vanderwees
REPTILE SALES AND INFORMATION
E-mail Me
1.3.0 Bearded Dragons
1.2.0 Green Basilisks
1.1.0 Crested Geckos
1.3.0 Veiled Chameleons
1.1.0 Corn Snakes
1.0.0 Tokay Geckos
0.0.1 California Kingsnakes
2.7.0 Leopard Geckos
0.1.0 Green Iguanas
1.1.0 Savannah Monitors

Herper123 Jan 07, 2004 04:46 PM

I might only be 13 but I have had reptiles since I was 7................i think i know what i'm talking about.I have 15 reptiles,more than u probaly.I know all books i have, say an average bassie only gets 2 feet..............i beilvie books not u.

So if u think yr a better Herpetoculturist than me.......Not by a long shot,I have bred lizards too..............so BITE ME

cv768 Jan 08, 2004 01:34 AM

"I might only be 13 but I have had reptiles since I was 7." Since you only have 6 years of limited experiance with reptiles, I find it funny how you can make assumptions so easily. I'm glad that valuable 6 years of reptile keeping has made you an expert. I know that after majoring in Biology for the last 4 years and about to enter our local university's 4 year herpetology program, as well as keeping and breeding all of the species you will find below and conducting experiments with local breeders and proffesors since I was 9...I'm still not an expert.

"i think i know what i'm talking about.I have 15 reptiles,more than u probaly." I'm glad you know what you are talking about since you are only 13 and barely in high school. I also find it very hard to believe that since you are 13 and unable to work a full time job, and live away from your parents that you can own, 15 more reptiles than me...which would be 42 or more...since I didn't bother to count the babies I think it would be upwards of 100.

"I know all books i have, say an average bassie only gets 2 feet..............i beilvie books not u." You can believe all the books you'd like, too bad books become outdated...especially the one written by advanced vivarium systems. Most of those books are so outdated they show picture of people keeping iguanas with beardies. Most show pictures of eggs kept in perlite...which is CANCEROUS to reptiles. Funny...if you are reading and beleiving all the books you may be doing your animals more harm than good.

"So if u think yr a better Herpetoculturist than me.......Not by a long shot,I have bred lizards too..............so BITE ME" I don't know when I said I was better at anything than you...I simply ridiculed you for making an immature comment about my water conditions...but now that you've gone off on a rant I can clearly see that you've made it quite clear you know everything there is to know.

And, I don't understand why you are telling me to "bite you"...you'll be getting plenty of bites from your basilisk when it get cranky in the small enclosure you'll be keeping it in.

The size of the basilisk DOES NOT MATTER! You don't seem to understand that basilisks are active lizards and need at least 100 GALLONS to be comfortable. But have it your way, seeing as you are the 13 year old expert, and herpetoculturist extraordinairre...I'll leave it to you to write the next book on basilisks.
-----
Chris Vanderwees
REPTILE SALES AND INFORMATION
E-mail Me
1.3.0 Bearded Dragons
1.2.0 Green Basilisks
1.1.0 Crested Geckos
1.3.0 Veiled Chameleons
1.1.0 Corn Snakes
1.0.0 Tokay Geckos
0.0.1 California Kingsnakes
2.7.0 Leopard Geckos
0.1.0 Green Iguanas
1.1.0 Savannah Monitors

Herper123 Jan 09, 2004 08:54 PM

I see what ya mean

srry

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