Reptile & Amphibian Forums

This morning while doing my daily chores I checked on one of my smaller armata females from the group of smaller animals. I have though that she looked a little plump for the last couple of weeks but wasn't sure so I took her out and palpated this morning. Unlike normal she didn't hiss or freak out and sure enough she is definitely gravid and I could feel eggs.

I decided that my roach colonies are going to be moved and my old greenhouse is going to be turned into a laying viv for my gravid females. I always had great success with my capra nesting in that so am hopeful that it will turn things around for me with the armata. It is 8' long, 2' wide and 2 1/2' tall at the peak. It has sliding glass doors on both sides and on the slanted roof on both sides too. I usually access it from the smaller top doors with is less disturbing for everyone.

It has a double florescent tube down the center and there are options for controlling the temperatures in the viv. I could go with heat from below or basking lights. I think I can play around with it and get that worked out before I move the females.

Anyway, with all of that floor space there should be plenty of room for multiple nesting sites and a couple of water dishes so that I can keep all of the gravid females together.

I also have a coronata that is gravid again, I think, can't feel the eggs yet but she is very fat, and the large armata is getting really fat again already too.

So, there may be a few more eggs on the way!
-----
Marcia - FroggieB Dragons
www.froggieb.com/MHDHome.html

Where would you get a greenhouse like that? Also I would like to see a picture when you get it set up. (no pressure) When I used to garden I think I saw that type of greenhouse in the millions of catalogues I recieved. (kinda miss those)

Is this glass, plexiglss, or plastic sheeting? Do you set it up on the floor or on an 8 foot table? I'm sure I still have a couple of those from the gun shows we used to do. Will my questions ever end?

My female armata isn't lumpy yet but I can definatly feel the eggs. I'm on pins and needles waiting for her to lay. She's not overdue (at least I don't think so) but I'm very excited about possible armata babies.
-----
BONNIE

I answered this but it went to the wrong thread! I don't get it!

here's what I posted. Hope it shows in the right place this time!

Sure, once I get it set up!

By the way, to answer some of your questions, I got this at a garage sale in So. Omaha back when I first got into reptiles. I got it for a 3-toed box turtle. It worked out great for him too. Then later I did use it for my capra like dragons for quite a while. It is one a base that has 2 doors with storage underneath. At one time it had heat tape and a device for reading humidity in it and the controls are still in the side. There is a timer for the light strips as well and that is still wired. I'm sure that if I wanted to I could have it re-wired for the heat and humidity device sometime.

Anyway, I found this when we were out antiquing and looking for estate sales. This couple had some great stuff at their yard sale and when I saw the greenhouse I asked how much and the gal said to make an offer. Not wanting to pay too much but also not wanting to be insulting I offered $50. She said yes and hubby & I loaded it on my pickup!

A few years ago I was looking on the Carolina Biological website and I found the same greenhouse and about fell over. Seems the greenhouse without the base was about $1000 brand-new!

I'll post a pic when I get it set back up!

It is aluminum frame with glass doors.

I just looked to see what I have and it is a Klima-Gro KG-225. They don't make that model any more but the closest thing available today is the KG-4000. You can look at it at www.klimagro.com/products/4000.htmlThe doors on mine are double sliding doors on the top and sides on both sides so there are 4 sets of sliding doors. My base isn't as fancy looking but it serves its purpose and that is holding the greenhouse up at a useful level!

After reading jobi's post I was thinking that it might be a good idea to try to put dividers of some sort in or maybe even one divider in so that the girls have some privacy. Tomorrow we will be driving to Mitchell, an hour away, to get some building supplies for out new store and then will be working on the new building. Hopefully I will have some time to work on the greenhouse when we get home if I’m not too tired! I have to tear down what used to be a bandstand in the corner of the building. I’m sure I will be beat when I’m done, but gotta take care of my girls!
-----
Marcia - FroggieB Dragons
www.froggieb.com/MHDHome.html

I am building a few divider cages 6L-2H-2W witch can be divided in half to allow nesting tranquility. I know these will work very well.
I guess yours being 8ft will be even better.
rgds

The divider cage is a great idea. One of those "Why didn't I think of that". My girls seem so curios when the other is laying. This would stop the laying dragon from being disturbed. Like being covered up and sat on.
-----
BONNIE

Marcia,
I mistakenly posted my response to this post in the wrong spot, under the one about the eggs. I will post a picture of the eggs before the end of this weekend, I was just too busy yesterday, and last night I was watching Shark so I was tied up. The freckles are actually individual dots on the eggs, I'm wondering if they're from the coconut fiber I'm using? Hmmm, we'll see.

Evan