40 gal Zilla tank: Good size for Garters?

[InsanePirateDragon]

Now when I was doing my pet food shopping I saw one of these that was marked down because of a crack. I didn't look at the crack so I don't know how bad it is, probably won't hold water but I wouldn't use it for that and I wasn't sure if it was the turtle tank, I can get another look at it over the weekend hopefully.

But is one of these big enough to house a few garters? I know its not what I wanted but it is half off so I might snatch it up instead.

[Light of Dae]

40g should be LOTs big enough for a number of garters, yes. :)

[kibakiba]

Zilla's are made for reptiles and should *never* hold water. If it's a 40 gallon long, I'd say go for it.. but make sure the crack is sealed before puting any snakes in it.

[EasternGirl]

If it's the same as mine..I have a couple of the Zilla 20 gallons with the slide lock lids and I love them. I house 2 garters in each of my 20 gallons. Yeah...just make sure the crack is sealed up safely and go for it.

[snakehill]

Is it a 40 gallon breeder? Go for it! ;)

[InsanePirateDragon]

Yeah it is and when I got there they were actually having a sale on some older 40 gal breeders that just needed lids for 30. No cracks, just needs a little cleaning.

So for 45 I got a new old tank and a lid!

Anyone want to make a drive to KS there's still a couple left...

[katach]

Great deal, was it a chain store? Maybe I should check out my local shops. I need more space. Everyone is getting so big.

[InsanePirateDragon]

No its a local little shop unfortantly. They come highly recomended from me. Its called Go Lizards and the do make the reptile expo circuit in Ok, Iowa, and Minnasota.

[InsanePirateDragon]

And here is the new house still working on cleaning with bleach and whatnot;
http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i234/InsanePirateDragon/IMG_20120409_135902.jpg
http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i234/InsanePirateDragon/IMG_20120409_135840.jpg
http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i234/InsanePirateDragon/IMG_20120409_135830.jpg

The next couple of days I'll be cleaning this bad boy out with bleach and cleaning out all the rocks. Apparently it housed baby alligators until they were able to make their gator room in the store where the babies aren't that much of babies anymore. Most of the gators come from rescues that they take in.

Now I do like how the back is painted, probably will give Marley a bit more security with that. I might take it off in the future and do my own background but

Bedding: something thats not to expensive and easy to spot clean and I can get a lot of, they have big bags of the reptibark that I use and prefer but I'm not sure how it would cost in the long run, I know the small bags are about $5 at where I buy it. I've tried reptile carpet in the past with Leos and wasn't very happy with it so thats out. And I'm not sure whats the safe mulch/woodchip that you can get from the hardware store.

Heating: They didn't have any UTH at the moment but they ordered one for me so it'll only be a couple of weeks so Marley might stay in the 10 gal until I get it or if gets warm around again. I intend to keep the light that Marley has now. I figure if I can make a basking platform so that is going to take a bit of playing around to find something .

Water dish: The plastic bottom of a flower pot, I have one thats a good size and deep enough for an adult to submerge if they want to.

Decor won't be too much of a problem, but I have been wanting to use real wood but I'm not sure whats safe or not and stones won't be too hard to find as there's plenty of limestone that might work. And I have a ft long segment of black PVC pipe that could make a nice hide once I clean it.

But my main problem is plants. Marley seems to love to weave and climb in the ones that she has but the dollar store doesn't have any bigger than what I have now.

And does anyone know what these things are;
http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i234/InsanePirateDragon/IMG_20120409_155447.jpg
They came with the tank as well as the rocks which I've washed and cleaned, don't know if they're snake safe or not. There's three of them and they have an opening at one end and this opening in the side. I don't know if they'll work as hides.

[guidofatherof5]

Just a couple of concerns. Be very careful about outside time. Sun can heat the interior of an aquarium in an instant.
If hides are small and not easily opened snakes will hide and refuse to come out. Then it becomes a battle, which can stress the snake and the owner.
Nice size tank.

[InsanePirateDragon]

Yeah Marley's just on top to show size right before I started cleaning. She's inside in her temporary/travel box. She does get outside time a couple of times a week to slither along supervised of course.

But it'll come in once I know its all clean. It was tank cleaning day since it wasn't too hot or cold. Super paranoid about cross contamination. I've heard horror stories of entire collection being wiped out.

[guidofatherof5]

I think it's good to be a little paranoid about it then to just say it's no big deal.;)

[kimbosaur]

If hides are small and not easily opened snakes will hide and refuse to come out.
Nice size tank.

Steve, do you mind explaining this a little more? Do you just mean when you are trying to take them out of the tank or in general? I feel like my snakes are very inactive and spend nearly all their time in one hide (together).

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

The sills critter tanks are half price this month at pet supplies plus!!!! You can get the 40 breeder for $50!

[guidofatherof5]

Steve, do you mind explaining this a little more? Do you just mean when you are trying to take them out of the tank or in general? I feel like my snakes are very inactive and spend nearly all their time in one hide (together).

I've found that with most small hides snakes seem to cram themselves in and stay for extended periods of time. Having hides that are easy to access makes life much easier.

[InsanePirateDragon]

Alright, I've encountered a bit of a problem. No matter how much you treat the water and what not around where I live in KS, you're still going to have trouble with hard water and the tank as a build up at it on the bottom.

Anyone know of a safe cleaner to use to get it off. I've heard talk of Mr. Clean Magic Erasers doing the job.

[guidofatherof5]

Vinegar, CLR.

[tress29]

CLR.
Really? I guess you'd just have to rinse a gagillion times?

[guidofatherof5]

Really? I guess you'd just have to rinse a gagillion times?

Not quite that many times.;)

[InsanePirateDragon]

I'll give them a try when I get the next chance to clean. Got the CLR and vinegar, now just got to find time since its starting to get crazy around where I live. I live and work near the Nascar speedway in Kansas and with races next week for us we're putting in extra hours.

[guidofatherof5]

A paint scraper razor blade will also be a big help. Sorry didn't say that before.

[InsanePirateDragon]

Thanks, the combination of the vinegar, CLR and a lot of scrubbing and scrapping, I've managed to get off most of the staining except for a two-three inch ring at the top of the tank which I am giving up on for the time being. Most of it cleared off and its airing out after the last rinse out and clean with a reptile deoderizer.

That ring won't cause any trouble will it?

[guidofatherof5]

I would think it's just a hard water stain. Bleach (1 to10 mix, 1 being the bleach) it just to be safe.
A couple rinses and air dry and you'll finally be done.

[InsanePirateDragon]

I'll have to pick some more up then. I used the last of it with the first initial cleaning. And a break in the rain that we're suddenly having.

[guidofatherof5]

I'll have to pick some more up then. I used the last of it with the first initial cleaning. And a break in the rain that we're suddenly having.

If you've used bleach already I don't think you need to do it again.

[InsanePirateDragon]

Great, just have to finish setting up the metal shelves that I've been sitting on for a about a year now, bought it on sale for $25.

Its pretty similar to this;
Amazon.com: Whitmor 6070-267 Supreme 5-Tier Shelving Unit, Black: Home & Kitchen (http://www.amazon.com/Whitmor-6070-267-Supreme-5-Tier-Shelving/dp/B000LRDTYG)

[guidofatherof5]

Looks like those should work very well. Good price too.