Other pets (pics and discussions)

[guidofatherof5]

Very nice wolf spider.

Hogna carolinensis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[MDahms]

I though I would post a photo of one of my other snakes. This is my adult female New Guinea tree Boa, Candoia carinata carinata. These are small arboreal boas that have the most dainty little faces. They come in quite an array of patterns and colours but both of mine look similar. They make nice display animals and they tend to enjoy cooler temperatures than many other boas and they have a slower metabolism as well. I got this snake when it was very small and have had her for the last eight years. She has gotten more and more attractive with age and she has lightened in colour over time. Candoia is my favourite genus of snakes and I am always looking for more, although they are not common in Canada these days.

The Candoia Bible

IMG_6495.jpg


Mike

[d_virginiana]

Nice snake, but the enclosure is what grabbed my attention first lol. One of the most natural looking ones I've seen!

[MDahms]

Thank you. The enclosure is looking pretty shabby these days. It once contained many live plants but they don't tend to do so well in there over time. The only live plant that is still clinging to the moss and treefern section is a tiny little orchid called Pleurothallis brighamii, which has been in the same spot for at least ten years. This was the first terrarium I made using the Great Stuff foam method and it has stood the test of time. You simply take tree fern panels or cork bark/drift wood and arrange them on the back of the aquarium (while laying flat on it's back) and then carefully fill around them with the expanding foam. Once the foam cures you can carve it or simply apply a layer of black silicon to the surface and then finish it off by covering the wet silicon with dry coconut coir. The effect is very natural and you can get creative and add pots t the vertical wall to hold plants as well. The pots in the vertical wall of my terrarium are empty these days, the snake loves to coil up in them so I decided to leave them empty. I am in the process of planning a much larger terrarium with front opening doors. Having a screen top means too much humidity is lost without having an automatic misting sysyem and it makes it a pain to keep the plants happy. Also any pots that are embedded in the wall need a drainage hole of the plant will not survive.
I am very much into plants and have a large collection of orchid species and other rare plants so I want a way to display plants along with my tree boa.


Here is a how to on foam backgrounds for terrariums.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lDS_pr9OLo

Mike

[d_virginiana]

I've used the foam before to try and get a natural look, but I can't keep plants alive (I'm a botanist, but give me an aloe plant and it'll die in two weeks). Unfortunately the snake that I made that terrarium for went blind, so now I have to use newspaper as substrate so he won't eat the bedding if he smells traces of food on it.
I really like using the foam for frogs since it's the easiest way to avoid sharp edges on decor!

[slipknot711]

i was turning everyones day lights on this morning before work and saw these two cuties all cozied up. ff.jpg

[guidofatherof5]

That's awesome.

[slipknot711]

they are goofballs. they live with a green treefrog and a green snake.

[guidofatherof5]

Tank (Chelydra serpentina - Common Snapping Turtle) is doing well and near 40 pounds.

[d_virginiana]

Finally got a picture of my wolf spider with her babies!