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joeplant57

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Hi guy's this is Cuddles new home made it out of a display unit just need to cadge the other two of the wife and I will be laughing lol..Cheers Joe
 

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Good job. Cuddles is a lucky snake with lots of room.
 
Well I'm hoping that eventually a BHP will go into this encloser and poor old Cuddles will go back into her smaller one where she came from lol. Cheers Joe

Guys did you notice the light cover? Waste paper bin from Sams, 2 bucks and so easy to cut I did it with scissors. Got to be better than paying 80+ for the proper type. Cheers Joe
 
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Well I'm hoping that eventually a BHP will go into this encloser and poor old Cuddles will go back into her smaller one where she came from lol. Cheers Joe

Guys did you notice the light cover? Waste paper bin from Sams, 2 bucks and so easy to cut I did it with scissors. Got to be better than paying 80+ for the proper type. Cheers Joe

Very nice enclosure, so neat! And love the decorations =)

Just a few things, with the light cover, be sure that the snake can't push in the top edge, where the cage connects with the ceiling. I had some mates make a homemade light cage and didn't consider this; the snake got her head into the cage and got it stuck. They found her before it burnt, but she got a few ripped scales around her head and neck. Just something to be careful of with your snake =)

Also, you said a BHP might be going in there. They're a terrestrial species (ground-dwelling) and would benefit much more from a longer cage, and wouldn't use the height much. An adult BHP would need a cage at least 4 foot long. I also found that all the BHPs and womas I know (including my own) are very clumsy: if they climb up something they tend to fall off a lot, so that's another reason not to give them such a tall cage with lots of climbing room. The enclosure is, however, absolutely perfect for arboreal species like a jungle. You should definitely keep Cuddles in there, she'd love it!

Edit: I just saw a close up of the photo with the snake in it. I take back what I said about Cuddles being in there, she'd probably do better in a click clack (how big is she?) until she gets a bit bigger and more confident. I mean, she could stay in that larger enclosure, just be sure to deck it out with heaps of hiding spots so she feels nice and secure and not too exposed.
What are the cage dimensions?
A lovely bredli or albino darwin would look nice in there, though =P
 
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Thanks for the advice Stella, Cuddles is actually nearly 2 feet long I know she does look tiny in that enclosure but she does not seem to have a problem with it ( not that she told me so anyway lol ) seriously she gets all over in it and does not seem to want to get in a hide. She seems to prefer the top or lower limbs. Looks like Gut Bucket the Olive will go into a longer enclosure ( he is in a 4 footer at the mo )and the BHP in hers that's when I get one. Cheers again
 
I definitely agree with Stella's comments - comprehensive and correct and should be taken into account.

Blue
 
I definitely agree with Stella's comments - comprehensive and correct and should be taken into account.Blue
Hi Blue I am like a sponge I take it all in and it stays there till I don't need it anymore then a quick squeeze and hey presto it's gone. On a serious note I do take it in when I think it's good advice and this sounds good advice to me.. Cheers Blue. Joe
 
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But I must say some of the stuff well enough spoken don't want to get booted of the Forum after all it cost me 15 bucks.. Cheers Blue. Joe

what the hell does this mean? also i hope you have owned your olive for over 6 months as if you read your licence. It states you cannot move the animal on unless it has been in your hands for 6 months.
Also it looks like that tiny snake is really trying to get some heat maybe put a horizontal branch closer to the lamp.... but you probably already knew that and have already made your mind up since you have been keeping reptiles for soo long.
 
But i have to say, some of the posts made on this thread, well, i won't say too much about them as i don't want to get an infraction, after all, it's not really worth it as the cage only cost me $15.

EDIT: I don't intend for this to sound patronising OP. Just realised it might come off that way.
 
thankyou little m, you have been ever so helpful.
honestly i dont know why i comment on these threads... really got to stay away from the keyboard when ive had scotch
 
what the hell does this mean? also i hope you have owned your olive for over 6 months as if you read your licence. It states you cannot move the animal on unless it has been in your hands for 6 months.
Also it looks like that tiny snake is really trying to get some heat maybe put a horizontal branch closer to the lamp.... but you probably already knew that and have already made your mind up since you have been keeping reptiles for soo long.
I've read the license and no intentions of swapping anything until I'm back from UK. As for the little snake there is a lamp lower down if she needs more heat she gets close to that one. Joe
 
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Joe,
As I read it, the comments were basically well intentioned. There was one remark I would classify as “snide” and therefore inappropriate but we should try to take what is offered by others in the context of where they are coming from. Had there been a string of belittling comments, then I reckon your response would have been well warranted.

I will take this opportunity to add a few more detailed comments if I may. With arboreal species and in a cage such as you have, I believe it is important to also have bottom heat. A slate tile (or 2) with a 15W heat cord underneath and adjusted so that only as much of the cord is in the cage to achieve the desired temperature, is important. A hide near the tile and one at the cooler end should be provided. The ceiling heat should only be provided during daylight hours. This mimics what happens in nature. Arboreal species will bask on an elevated perch during the day as they feel safe in this situation. They will also use rock slabs at ground level to warm themselves after dark before going off to hunt. They will also use these to warm themselves in the day, particularly if they have recently eaten.

I have a personal preference for limbs that are branching into three and cut so that you have a the fork at the top. There should also be a nice solid branch horizontally placed under the ceiling heat, such that the snake may move along it to locate its desired temperature at any given time. Lots of chopped off stubs of branches along this, or two branches running parallel and close together, are most desirable. As alluded to earlier, arboreal species that can find a comfortable elevated perch will feel secure. For them, this is the equivalent of a hide. And provision of multiple branches across ways to maximise utilisation of the vertical height is again a good idea because it further mimics what they have in nature.

Many people do not want to do this as they feel it clutters their view or offends their aesthetics. My experience is that you will end up seeing a lot more of your python without having to drag it out of a hide.

And to go back to Stella’s advice, do keep an eye on the behaviour of your snake. If it seems nervous or stressed – repeatedly striking when normally it would not do so – then it may not be big enough yet to cope with the freedom and space of a large viv. It may well still need the security of a smaller space with ready access to hidey holes. This is because small young snakes are often on the menu for many animals and it is not until they get a bit larger that the tables are turned and they become the hunter rather than the hunted.

Blue
 
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Good advice, Blue. I might be setting up a tall cage for an MD soon and this description is really helpful, especially with regards the bottom heat source as I was puzzling over the best way to do that. And I wasn't 100% sure what an arboreal snake needed for hides. All good now =D

I believe it is important to also have bottom heat

There is a heat source at the bottom right hand corner of the cage. It's tricky to see, but it's there =)
 
Thanks Blue for the very informative advice. It does not show in the Photo but the is a heat lamp lower in the enclosure which is aimed at another branch also Cuddles often sits on top of this lamp. I will take a pic later and see what you think. Cheers again for the advice much appreciated. Joe
 
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