Garters and Glass Swimming Pools for their cage....

[Sonya610]

Just saw some awesome pix of terrariums with natural waterfalls and such. Beautiful but WAY too much work to maintain and I would worry about the humidity.

Having said that would a glass salad bowl (with straight sides to avoid tipping) or Pyrex square bowl (something 5 inches deep by 10 inches or so) work for swimming? I am thinking I could put some fake plastic plants in their and drape them over the edge to make it easy for the snakes to enter and come out plus since would NOT be submerged they would be visible while swimming.

Both 2 years old. If there are fake plants and such would drowning be a problem? Do they LIKE to swim? I notice when it gets warmer mine take a dip in their water dishes more but the dishes aren't big enough to really drive under and swim in though.

Plan would be to use it for swimming and drinking water so I would need to pull it out and wash it and put it back in frequently.

[guidofatherof5]

Most garters love to swim. Doubt they will need much help getting in or out.
My large enclosures have 1.5 gallon water dishes in them. I know the snakes would enjoy them even larger if I could.

[BLUESIRTALIS]

Just make sure the cage is big enough so you can keep the humidity down and it should be fine.

[infernalis]

They are great swimmers, I commonly see wild specimens in or around the creek out behind my house.

[chris-uk]

I use one of these for water in my new "Ikea" 120cm viv:
TROFAST Storage box - green - IKEA (http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/60094072/?preferedui=desktop&cid=gb%3Emls%3Ehomepage)

I got three of them so that I can pull one out for cleaning and replace it with one I cleaned earlier. When I get time I'll make them look a little less green, but for now the only adaption is a granite rock in the corner. The girls love hanging out in the pool.

Just thought I'd add this:
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//734/medium/FB_IMG_13678499140407252.jpg

You can see the "water bowl" takes up a good amount of space, the photo was taken while I was setting up. Now there's water in the bowl and a piece of granite in the water, when I get some more plastic plants I'll add some "water weeds" and I want to collect some more granite next week when I visit my mum (she lives near Dartmoor, a good place to find granite).

Hope this gives you an idea or two.

[rickymar81]

I just made this water fall for my guys and it wasn't hard8792879387948795

[Sonya610]

Thanks for all the advice and the great pix!

Chris nice looking setup, you are right the bowl is very very green! LOL. A clear dish may blend in with your decorations better.

Ricky your waterfall is beautiful. When I first started with these guys 2 years ago I may have considered it, now I want fast and EASY to clean!

I got a couple of pyrex (clear glass) bowls about 5" deep and well...they look like two glass kitchen bowls in the cages. I will get a couple of waterproof vines and add those to them for a big of camoflauge. Was of course hoping the garters would go "Oooohhhhh fancy new pool!!!" and jump right in them for a swim but no such luck. One did lurk and finally took a long drink. Maybe they will take more interest later.

Regardless they have to be easier than the heavy large reptile watering bowls I have been using. Those things are not only clumsy but ALSO a pain to clean, all of the fake rock grooves and such take extra scrubbing to get the "slime" feel off. Plain glass should be much easier.

[chris-uk]

Glass will do just fine, and I don't think they will have any problems getting in or out. Maybe the glass will give e less purchase than my plastic, but if your snakies are big enough to push against one side and slither out the other side you should be fine.

[Sonya610]

Glass will do just fine, and I don't think they will have any problems getting in or out. Maybe the glass will give e less purchase than my plastic, but if your snakies are big enough to push against one side and slither out the other side you should be fine.

Yeah I think those bowls I am using are too high/deep, going to get some 3" high square pyrex dishes. I figure with a twisty climbing vine that sit on top and around the edge of the dish it gives them the option to swim or just crawl over the vines and use the space for exercise.

[-MARWOLAETH-]

Why not make it into a pond? If you did partial water changes and had lots of water plants you wouldn't need to take it out and clean it (plus the plants would let the snake swim without feeling exposed)

[Sonya610]

Why not make it into a pond? If you did partial water changes and had lots of water plants you wouldn't need to take it out and clean it (plus the plants would let the snake swim without feeling exposed)

Mainly because it is also their drinking water and a little "pond" would turn into an algae/bacteria infested little swamp in no time with partial water changes. Mine almost never poop in their water dishes but even then dishes get slimy and need to be scrubbed out after a few days (I am on well water which may have something to do with that, no chlorine or other additives to inhibit algae).

[-MARWOLAETH-]

You'd be surprised how well plants clean water. You could always give a small dish of drinking water

[Sonya610]

You'd be surprised how well plants clean water. You could always give a small dish of drinking water

Real plants are way too much work but the pond idea is fun. Here is sort of a cross....glass dish with a small 1" pump that can work in as little as an inch of water. Maybe the best of both worlds, easy to pull the dish out and clean and with vines and a little pump it gives the effect of a small pond. Not sure if the pump itself would get dirty and pollute the water though.

Would be easy to throw a rock in it and turn it into a little waterfall as long as it didn't raise the humidity too much.

http://www.stormthecastle.com/terrarium/images/terrarium-with-fountain-closeup.jpg
http://www.stormthecastle.com/terrarium/big-terrarium-with-pump-pool-and-waterfall.htm

[Ctah_Lu]

Cristal ponds work very well, I build one for my snake. The algae only grow when the terrarium is exposed to direct sunlight, if you change the water in the "pond" at least once a week you should have no problem, although I recommend changing the water more often. Putting plants is also a good idea, they create shade over the pond and prevent algae from growing, also they clean the water and take care of them is not difficult.

P. D. I love that site, storm the castle, that guy does almost everything :).