Reptile & Amphibian Forums

What are you all using for cages ans where can I get a nice one? I've seen them being kept in like ferret cages but I was told to use glass. WHat is best?

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1.0 Indonesian Blue Tongue Skink (Don)
1.1 Irian Jaya Blue Tongue Skink(Sammy) & (Sausage Girl)
0.0.1 Tanimbar Island Blue Tongue Skink ( Spunky Sebastian)
0.0.1 Ornate Uro (Spike)
1.0.1 Green Tree Pythons ( Male=Floyd, Baby= Verdi)
0.1 Western Hognose (Piggy)
0.0.1 Egyptian Tortiose(Tank)
0.0.1 Sonoran Gopher snake ( Toro)
0.1 Albino Leo gecko (Sasha)

Glass enclosures, or any solid wall enclosure for that matter, are recommended for PTS becasue they hold humidity well. If you can manage keeping the humidity and temperature up in a ferret- like cage, then they are fine. Many PTS owners, like me, just bulit their own cages, but I don't know if you would be up to that. jrbl

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1.0 Ball Python "Aragorn"
1.0 Bredl's Carpet Python "Strider"
1.0 Kenyan Sand Boa "Gimli"
1.0 Saharan Sand Boa "Frodo"
0.1 Rough-Scale Sand Boa "Arwen"
1.0 San Felipe Rosy Boa "Legalos"
0.1 California Kingsnake "Gentoo"
1.0 Mexican Black Kingsnake "Indigo"
1.0 Snow Corn snake "Chile"
0.1 Okeetee Corn snake "Amazon"
1.0 Crested Gecko "Willow"
0.0.1 Irian Jaya BlueTongued Skink
0.1 Australian Cattle Dog/Pointer "Kira"

48 X 24 X 48
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0.0.1 Corucia (Bubba)
1.0 Indonesian Blue Tongue Skink (Don)
1.1 Irian Jaya Blue Tongue Skink(Sammy) & (Sausage Girl)
0.0.1 Tanimbar Island Blue Tongue Skink ( Spunky Sebastian)
0.0.1 Ornate Uro (Spike)
1.0.1 Green Tree Pythons ( Male=Floyd, Baby= Verdi)
0.1 Western Hognose (Piggy)
0.0.1 Egyptian Tortiose(Tank)
0.0.1 Sonoran Gopher snake ( Toro)
0.1 Albino Leo gecko (Sasha)

Ahhh, Ferret cages usually have vertical sided wires. Not good for an arboreal climbing lizard.

It depends on where you live climate wise as to which outways the other.

Corucia zebrata Enclosure Types-Pros and Cons

Wooden Framed Hardware Cloth Enclosures

Advantages:

Greater surface area for climbing and moving about
Natural UV access
Accessibility for natural rain showers to stimulate breeding and birthing
Better attachment for artifical plants and accessories
Better air circulation to avoid stagnant air
Less chance for infestation by parasites and cockroaches (less dark hiding places)

Disadvantages:

In cooler weather, maintaining a high constant temperature
In dryer, weather, maintaining a higher humidity (75-85%)
If not properly fastened (rare) Getting toenails caught
Direct access to unwanted odors (Cigarette smoke, household cleaners, pesticides, etc.)

Sealed Enclosures (wood or Melamine) 0r Glass Terrariums

Advantages:

Less variance of temperature in cooler climates
Less variance of humidity in Dryer climates
Less contact with adverse odors ie. cigarette smoke, pesticides, household cleaners, etc.

Disadvantages:

Depending on design, stagnant air due to lack of air circulation can lead to mold spores and Other fungal infestation leading to such nasty things as Aspergillosis
More difficulty in attaching artifical plants and accessories
Nooks and crannies can harbor unwanted pests
Lack of natural UV
Lack of natural rain access
Less surface area for climbing and moving about

It is probably best to consider a marriage of both designs. Using a hardware cloth siding for better weather and attaching screw in plexiglass panels in cooler, dryer weather. Remember!
Always leave at least one side or the top open to avoid stagnant air. Remember in your design to have your enclosure designed with a much greater vertical component than length and width.

Regardless of the type chosen, it is recommended to use instead of casters, bakery carts. They are made of tough, thick plastic and have industrial strength wheels that won't knock off like casters. Placing one's enclosure on them works best when one needs to move their enclosure about.

Best of luck with whatever design you choose.

Very nice and thorough list!

Do people usually put UV for their corucia? Since they are more nocturnal or crepuscular, I didn't think they would need much but haven't found a lot of information on them. Thanks.

-Lucy
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Lucy
www.smalldragons.com

THanks for that list it was very helpful. I was thinking about attaching screen to the ferret cage.

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0.0.1 Corucia (Bubba)
1.0 Indonesian Blue Tongue Skink (Don)
1.1 Irian Jaya Blue Tongue Skink(Sammy) & (Sausage Girl)
0.0.1 Tanimbar Island Blue Tongue Skink ( Spunky Sebastian)
0.0.1 Ornate Uro (Spike)
1.0.1 Green Tree Pythons ( Male=Floyd, Baby= Verdi)
0.1 Western Hognose (Piggy)
0.0.1 Egyptian Tortiose(Tank)
0.0.1 Sonoran Gopher snake ( Toro)
0.1 Albino Leo gecko (Sasha)

I do not provide artificial UV to my skinks. They are, as you pointed out, active in the early morning or evening hours. And in the wild they spend daylight hours inside tree hollows when possible. This behavior indicates that they're adapted to process D3 without the aid of UV light, as are many nocturnal lizards.

That said, in the warmer months I do give my PTS 'outside time' as often as possible. I do it mostly for variety for them, and because it lowers my electric bill when I can keep them out for days or weeks at a time.