Next box idea's.. welcome

[indicus]

I was wondering if anybody would like to share some idea's regarding the different nest box set-up's... What type of setup you may prefer for various species....
Eg; how you setup say a green tree's next box different from say a bredli....same could be said for differences in nesting setup's for a tree monitor, apposed to a storr's. Anyone got any idea's their learnt and may worked well from them? What you may like to make them from; or out of and why?....also what type of substraights you may prefer. Maybe what temperature you may like to have your nesting area at?...Some like to use a few nest boxes in a python enclosure to offer a choice as where to lay....
I'm sure it would be very interesting and helpful to see how some of you have gone about it...

[indicus]

Well thats about 11 people that have looked at this post, and havent got any idea's?....be a bummer of a breeding season, wont it?.....well here's a six pack foam box....wasnt that hard but :wink :

[TrueBlue]

indicus, i dont bother using nesting boxes for pythons, i just have 2x layers of paper on the floor of tank, that they cant get under, and 30-50 layers that they can, and have found that even with a nesting box available to them they rarely if ever use them and lay under the paper instead. Even the gtp is under the paper atm getting ready to lay.
Common trees on the other hand i always used a nest box and found that a low tupper ware container that is blacked out,(for the snake to feel secure), with damp,not wet, spagnum moss does the trick.

Rob.

[Magpie]

No pics, but I've always used top hinged, fully siliconed, melamine boxes with an entrance in the top and newspaper on the bottom for pythons.
For my angle heads I found nesting boxes were unsuitable so I had about 15cm of coir in the bottom of their cage.
The geckos (knob tails) just lay in the sand that is used as a substrate.

[raptor]

True Blues comment makes sense in the wild they dont have nest boxes provided, so wouldnt it be better to try and recreate where they would lay in the wild?

[Pythoninfinite]

I've used polystyrene eskies (broccoli boxes) with vermiculite and sphagnum for carpets, well insulated, unaffected by miosture and can be discarded afterwards, or the females can be left with their eggs for maternal incubation. They're cheap (free from the vegie shop) and all you need is a knife to cut a hole in the side. If you use a larger plastic container to house the whole lot you can maintain very high humidity and a suitable temperature, but dryish conditions inside the esky, and this provides an ideal environment for maternal incubation. if you keep the ambient temp a degree or two below what she incubates at, the female won't use as much energy during the incubation process.

Not suggesting that this is better than careful artificial incubation, but it is a good way to watch a mother incubate her own clutch if you want to do it that way.

Jamie.

[swampie]

I use old ice-cream containers with a hole cut in the lid and moistened vermiculite for substrate for my antaresia and for my olives and coastals (which i dont keep anymore) i used brocoli or fish boxes of appropriate size whith the same substrate. I have a gravid female BHP this year for the first time and i will just suply her with plenty of newspaper to hide under (same way as TrueBlue) as this is where she like's to spend most of her time even when i suply her with hide's.

Cheers swampie

[jordo]

True Blues comment makes sense in the wild they dont have nest boxes provided, so wouldnt it be better to try and recreate where they would lay in the wild?

They don't have newspaper in the wild either
Most of my beardies will happily lay in a plastic or cardboard box with damp sphagnum moss, thicktails same as magpies, marbled geckos however have almost always layed in curled up pieces of bark which were provided as shelter, I also create a moist area for livebearers (skinks) which they use.

[TrueBlue]

jordo, i agree they dont, but the great insulation properties of news paper mimicks, mulch, burrows etc that they would use in the wild. It also makes them feel very safe as they feel they are in a tight and unseen spot away from prying eyes and predators etc.

[indicus]

Thanks for you opinions and idea's all....appreciate it.
I'm always interested in nest box/laying site..ideas.
I have for long time maternal incubated things like bredli, childrens....most cases getting %100
Last year i got a little cheeky and tried to do the same with Bhp's....mmmmm
that didnt go well at all....didnt help i buggered off to Cape York for a week....
This season i'll just go back to the incubator ......then i can bugger off.

[Linus]

Why was it cheeky with BHPS Indicus? Why would maternal incubation be less successful with BHPs than say Bredli?

[nvenm8]

I use an opaque plastic container with sphagnum moss. I place 30% over a heat mat and bingo. The best part is i can partially view whats happening without disturbing them.

[geckodan]

These are the boxes I use for all my arboreal geckoes. Replicotta pots and bases (used as lids) in 100 mm and 150 mm