Ackie setup

[grimbeny]

Im getting a trio of Accies shortly and am getting ready for them. Im wondering if it would be a problem to put them straight into a 4x2x2 enclosure from the start. I realise that with snakes its not a good idea becaus they dont need the room. but in the wild these lizards wouldnt be confined to a small space for very long. Also im wondering about what substrates to use and how much of it. I have read of people using sand or soil which is the best and are there any alternatives.

Thanks in advance

 

[python blue]

if they are hatchlings that would be fine im going to use sand on mine but there are alternatives like 100% recycled kitty litter or just newspaper

 

[Scleropages]

Maybe someone can post some setup pics? , I'm geting a trio as well

 

[gillsy]

If you can get the reptile australia mag from a couple of months ago there was a huge article on them in there.

If you can't find them, I could possible fax you a copy. depending on copyright.

 

[kev]

Ridge-Tailed Monitor set up

Here a some photo's just to show
you how to set-up your new Ackie
inclosure.

Cheers,

Kev,

 

[Inkslinger]

That size would be ok, substrate washed river sand is good and cheap obtainable from your local garden centre, be aware that they require heat so you will need a spot light or similar.
An ackie stack is also a goo idea make sure it can not collaspe but it is not 100% required as the will burrow down under the sand any way. They love to dig.

 

[grimbeny]

In the reptile australia magazine it says to use a substrates of sand to a depth of 30mm which is really not very much, they couldnt dig in it. I read on an american website to use a soil substrate to a depth of 1 foot. Thats a big difference. (mind u the website also said to never turn the lights off which i think is pretty cruel really.)

 

[grimbeny]

Does anyone else know what a good substrate depth is?

 

[Inkslinger]

I use a depth of about 5 inches

 

[grimbeny]

Yea im also interested in how people have constructed there "ackie stacks" pictures would be appreciated.

 

[grimbeny]

Bump

 

[kev]

Ackie picture's and stack set-up.

Here are some photo's of my ackies set-up.

 

[Adandiluvsmyreptiles]

Love the last picture!

 

[grimbeny]

How big is the enclosure kev?
Does anyone else have any pics?

 

[kev]

Ackie set up

Hi grimbeny,
My inclosure that l keep my ackies in is 6 foot square, the walls a 2 foot high,
but can be extended to 3 foot high, and the inclosure as a devider in the middle
so it can be use as 2 inclosures, when l need to seperate them at breeding
time, which then turns the inclosure into 2 - 6 foot long - 3 foot wide.
The inclosure is made from exterior plywood, the walls a 19mm thick and the floor
is 25mm thick and as laminex glued too it, so when the ackies dig in the sand, they
wont scratch the floor.
The inclosure as 9 wheels underneeth it, that can handle 40kg each wheel, where
you see the tile stack, they a granite or marble, each of them a 9 inches square, and
they a glossy on one side and rough on the other side, the glossy side facers down
so when they move into those crevices you see, they wont injure their back, while the
rough side facers up, when they climb up onto the tile stack,their claws gripp hold of the
rough edges, and that helps them to keep the claws short, by rubbin again't them.

l hope this as been of some help to you.

 

[grimbeny]

Wow great enclosure. You have put alot of thought into them. Im not really sure how i should do the stack, I want it to look at least somewhat natural. but most of the large pieces of granit and marble are really heavy and i would need to build a stand which can support alot of weight. Whereas thin tiles arnt ussually not very large. and i just dont want the thing to look dodgey. lol

 

[Tristis]

do mine look dodgy just make sure they are tight fitting. mine are 6-9mm ply wood , its light weight and wont crush monitors ,easy to clean just scrub it under the tape and put them back. if you put a small flat rock on top it gets hotter than the board and give you a hotter basking site.

 

[kev]

Ackie set-up

Hi grimbeny,

All you need to do, to create a stack for your ackies too hide in, is go
to a Beaumont tile store, and have a look at the different size's in
marble or granit or slate tiles, then look at some small sandstone
tile, and get the ones you want.

Then to put a stack together, get some blu-tack and put a bit on each
side of the small tile's, then put one on each corner, then put the granit
or marble tiles on top, by pressing down so they stick to the blu-tack,
and make sure the gapp your ackies will crawl into, is deep enough
for them to crawl into, then stick some masking tape on the corners
to hold it in place.

Just take a closer look at the photo's, l have provided and see what l
have done there.
Plywood is another way to create a stack, but the ackies don't get to
shorten their claws on ithe plywood, when they climb up onto it, like
they would on the rough edges of slate or marble or granit.

Good luck with setting up your ackie stack.

Cheers,

Kev

 

[grimbeny]

Thanks for the instructions kev im pretty sure im going to do something like what u have. and thanks for the pics Tristis they look great. Any one else have any pics of their ackie enclosures they want to share? Oh i have another question do you think they might be too noisy at night to have in my bedroom? I dont have to keep them in there but i would like to.