My new tank for sauritus

[GarterCZ]

Hi there,

I finally finished the new tank for my female sauritus. I will try to obtain a male as fast as possible.
I put there a few fake plants, two aquarium tree roots and a branch for climbing. In the left there is a big water dish made of ice cream box or whatever it was, covered behind the fake plant
The snake is lurking somewhere in the plants :)
The lightbulb in the right is 25W
Sorry for the quality, the picture is from my cellphone.

Please tell me if there is something inadequate and I will improve it.

[guidofatherof5]

Is it just the photo or is that humidity on the inside of the enclosure?

[GarterCZ]

Is it just the photo or is that humidity on the inside of the enclosure?

I just sprayed some water inside a while before I took the photo, its not as wet as it looks ;)

[guidofatherof5]

I just sprayed some water inside a while before I took the photo, its not as wet as it looks ;)

Thanks for clearing that up.

[RedSidedSPR]

FYI 50-60% humidity is safest. But since that's only because you sprayed i'm sure it's fine.

Cool setup.

[Mommy2many]

Nice job on the enclosure!

[GarterCZ]

Here is a picture from this morning, with no water on the wall :)
Its about 50% humidity inside our apartment so it is probably a bit higher in the tank because of the water bowl and seldom spraying.

[guidofatherof5]

Looks great.

[jitami]

That really does look fabulous!

[GarterCZ]

Thx a lot guys, I didnt expect so much positive reply :o
One more picture as she is lurking for fishes in the bowl, too bad she got only thawed bass today :D

[Starling96]

Hes cool looking!
mine has like not much patterning and and orangeish-red stripe, and his belly is sorta blue
Do u mind if i post some pics of her and her tank?

[RedSidedSPR]

I don't think bass is safe.

[snakehill]

White bass is on the unsafe list but largemouth, smallmouth and rock bass are on the safe list.;)

[RedSidedSPR]

Oh, forgot about that list lol

[GarterCZ]

Hes cool looking!
mine has like not much patterning and and orangeish-red stripe, and his belly is sorta blue
Do u mind if i post some pics of her and her tank?

No I dont mind, go on :)

[Starling96]

Ill have them up later :) not home right now
and i use largemouth its a safe fish!

[GarterCZ]

I don't think bass is safe.

I feed with the european species of bass(Perca fluviatilis), I checked some pictures and its very similar to the american yellow perch, so maybe I should call it rather perch :D but the perch is on the safe list so it should be OK.
I am going to get some pinkies on tuesday so I hope I will turn my ribbon into a rodentophag :)

[Starling96]

haha yea
my ribbon is a pig
i have a feeling she will take the pinkies being scented

[GarterCZ]

haha yea
my ribbon is a pig
i have a feeling she will take the pinkies being scented

I hope she will :)

[Starling96]

thanks
Same for you!

[RedSidedSPR]

hey i just noticed you have the light hanging down in the cage (or it looks like that)

Don't. It can burn the snake.

[Stefan-A]

Is that gravel you're using as a substrate?

[Starling96]

it is
ive heard its an alright substrate

[Mommy2many]

I would say hard to keep clean and impossible to burrow in. In the beginning I used rocks as well as earth and switched over to more acceptable and easier substrates. I now use shredded aspen.

Good Luck!

[guidofatherof5]

Many bought substrates also absorb moisture(feces and urates) and keep them off your snake.
They also make clean ups much easier.

[GarterCZ]

hey i just noticed you have the light hanging down in the cage (or it looks like that)

Don't. It can burn the snake.

I saw the snake coming towards it, touching it with her tongue and then just going away and under it, so shes not interested in going on it, the pot isnt so hot to burn anything but I will try to pull it up, out of reach of the animal anyway, thanks for advice :)

[GarterCZ]

Is that gravel you're using as a substrate?

yes its standard gravel as used in aquariums, I used it because when it comes to cleaning(what will have to be very often :D) I can just take it away, wash it in hot water and just put it back then.

[RedSidedSPR]

Not the best substrate, but I don't know if it BAD...

[Stefan-A]

Not the best substrate, but I don't know if it BAD...
It is.

[RedSidedSPR]

ok...

[GarterCZ]

It is.

Why ?

[RedSidedSPR]

Don't ask questions. listen to the man.

Seriously, I'm not sure... Never really looked into it... but in know there's much better
out there, that look just as nice, if not better.

I use ReptiBark... Looks nice, cant be ingested..

[kibakiba]

Stefan has used many different substrates.

Personally, I'd ditch the gravel. Imagine if you were the snake, you wouldn't want to sleep on the gravel, much less slither on it, would you?

[guidofatherof5]

Why ?


Don't ask questions. listen to the man.

Nothing wrong with WHY. Keep asking question and getting answers so that you know why it's not a good substrate. This is a LEARNING place.;)


[/QUOTE]I use ReptiBark... Looks nice, cant be ingested..[/QUOTE]

Not true. All substrates(good and bad) can be ingested.
I know what you were trying to say but it didn't come out quite right;)

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

Gravel is probably one of the worst substrates because it is non porous... So when a snake "goes" the liquid and feces runs between the gravel but ends up not being absorbed or dried out. This creates a breeding ground of bacteria that will fester and continue to flourish. Gravel will retain all the moisture that goes down in it from misting as well and once again, it becomes a breeding ground for molds, fungi and bacteria that can potentially be infectious to you and your snake. Unless you are scouring that gravel twice a week, it is simply highly unsanitary. The moisture that it collects also means that your snake will be very prone to scale rot, and/or fungal infections of the skin/cloaca/eyes/mouth. Gravel doesn't really dry out, definitely not fast enough to be a good substrate choice for any snake. Garter snakes need a very clean, dry habitat to thrive, misting is ok every now and then the but moisture must dry up in an hour or two and can't be lingering. With gravel, that is not possible. Hope this helps! I wOuld recommend switching to a substrate that is absorbent, such as coconut fiber, Aspen shavings, newspaper pellet, repti bark... Etc. That way when the snake goes (And garters go a LOT) it is absorbed and dried out. Gravel and sand are big no-no's when if comes to keeping any snakes, especially garters with their semi aquatic habits and sensitive skin.

[GarterCZ]

Gravel is probably one of the worst substrates because it is non porous... So when a snake "goes" the liquid and feces runs between the gravel but ends up not being absorbed or dried out. This creates a breeding ground of bacteria that will fester and continue to flourish. Gravel will retain all the moisture that goes down in it from misting as well and once again, it becomes a breeding ground for molds, fungi and bacteria that can potentially be infectious to you and your snake. Unless you are scouring that gravel twice a week, it is simply highly unsanitary. The moisture that it collects also means that your snake will be very prone to scale rot, and/or fungal infections of the skin/cloaca/eyes/mouth. Gravel doesn't really dry out, definitely not fast enough to be a good substrate choice for any snake. Garter snakes need a very clean, dry habitat to thrive, misting is ok every now and then the but moisture must dry up in an hour or two and can't be lingering. With gravel, that is not possible. Hope this helps! I wOuld recommend switching to a substrate that is absorbent, such as coconut fiber, Aspen shavings, newspaper pellet, repti bark... Etc. That way when the snake goes (And garters go a LOT) it is absorbed and dried out. Gravel and sand are big no-no's when if comes to keeping any snakes, especially garters with their semi aquatic habits and sensitive skin.

Thank you, I will get some coconut fiber or peat and change it.

[RedSidedSPR]

Dang, not wording stuff right today...

I know what my problem is... MORE SMILEYS

Anyway, I wasnt serious about the "no questions", I was joking. Obviously, nobody gets it, I shouldn't have said it. my advice would actually be, if you have a question ASK THE FREAKING QUESTION

And yeah, it can be ingested. I just meant, it's big, and not as likely to get stick to food and get swallowed.

Sorry, sometimes it just doesn't come out right with me.