I've been swamped with work lately, so forgive the lack of posts! I was hoping / thought I had posted at least once last month, but with reading week blues and formal labs to hand in, I just didn't get the time.
I've haven't been busy, but my mind has. I've decided I will (eventually!) build my own tank. I feel as though I'll make a ball python habitat first and work from there. It would be a fair-sized build, but not the biggest I'd like to do.
It's not the first time I've thought about, but it is the first time I've actually looked into products, made plans, and generally put more than an evening's worth of thought into it. I'll post my plans in the days to come, as it's a little late tonight to start playing around with SketchUp. I've fleshed them out in 3D, so I can get a real feel for the size.
Looking into some materials, I've come to the conclusion that I will be spending approximately 300.00$ on this, and that's without actually calculating how much wood I'll need, or the price of sliding glass doors. Everything looks like it costs relatively little, but it adds up so fast!
I'll need screening, ventilation, locks, hinges, doors, and wood, not tomention any coating I want to apply for protection and finish. Plus tools.
Maybe more like 500.00$, but it will be nice, sturdy and able to hold temperature. I'll be quite happy with it. I won't pick on anyone in particular, but some of the ideas I saw online looked really cheaply done. My tanks are as much an esthetic part of my environment as they are a self-contained habitat for my animals. I also believe anything worth doing is worth overdoing.
I'm also looking into what kind of product I should use. Right now, I'm basically designing a box that can act as a piece of durable furniture as well! I am hoping to be able to stack it one day, so I want to make sure the weight will be supported.
In the meanwhile, some nice examples of custom built habitats can be seen from Vivexotics.
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Friday, January 18, 2013
Future Aquisitions (part 2)
So over the last couple posts, I've mentioned that I'm now looking into another possible creature to bring into the fold. I came a cross one while at Stacey's, getting crickets. I even got to touch it, hold it, let it check out my arm. It climbed right up to my shoulder before the girl took it back and replaced it in its tank. This creature, steeped in myth, legend, and fear, carries the name "royal", for it was rumoured to be ever at the wrist of Cleopatra.
I'm talking about Python regius, the royal python, or ball python as it's commonly called.
These snakes are one of the most, if not the most, popular pet snake across North America. They're very even-tempered, docile, and easily handled. They also grow to respectable, yet manageable length (about 3 feet for males and 5 feet for females) and can live several decades. Their diets aren't overly pricey, only requiring a feeding every week, or other week once fully grown. They also have some very attractive morphs, varying from browns, to yellows to whites.
The snake I got to play with was a youngling, only about a foot and a half long. This was the first time I've actually held a snake on my own and it was amazing. You can really feel the power in it, like a great spring, ready to strike. But I also get the feeling that it was totally safe with it in my hand, and on my arm. I can really say that I respect this animal for being something much more than just an attractive creature; it's a predator. I was informed by the girl at Stacey's (going to have to learn her name) that they don't require as much room as some people would think, if you are the type of person to let it out of the tank often enough. That's not to say some caring, passionate people don't go all out on their pythons. I would honestly like to have a setup of about five feet long by three or four feet up; these snakes are terrestrial, but do like climbing up in the lower branches from time to time.
After doing some research, I notice that most people (at least those that post to the internet) use the sterile type setup for ease of cleaning and maintenance. Well, that's just not my style. I've seen some really nice naturalistic setups, and I feel I would be okay with that. But what I would really like is to try and reproduce some of the natural habitat of Ghana and Nigeria, which is the native homeland of the the royal. I've seen some nice setups, but I'm not blinded to the fact that natural setups can engender health risks, like moulds, parasites, and the like. However, if you take the time and build up a more natural ecosystem, the risks are minimized, and I feel like that's what I would really like to do. My experience with natural versus artificial is definitely leaning in favour of the natural.
The setup itself is straightforward; two hides, a heat source, a light source, a watering source big enough to soak in, a dry substrate, and as much enrichment as you can provide, as well as all the little bits and bobs that come with tanks.
This simple diagram came from The Doctors Foster and Smith pet care site (linked to right here). It shows all the basic needs for your python. The tank sounds fairly easy to control, and certainly no more difficult than a crested gecko. From what I've gathered so far, I could use a similar mix of substrate as the one I mixed for my tropical terrarium, with maybe some sand in place of the tree fern; something to make it a little more arid than what I currently use it for. The girl at Stacey's does caution that these inquisitive explorers are escape artists and to watch for any possible way out of the enclosure. I like the idea of the wading pool. It will definitely make controlling humidity less of a critical task. Any additional moisture can be taken at the snake's leisure. Time to break out the foam and grout; we're making a pool! Well, one day.
When I see the variety of morphs out there, even though they're all nice, it's clear in my mind which one I prefer; original. Or at least, the deep, earthy browns that look like polished wood. The white and yellow morphs are okay, but I can't see the desire to keep a stark white snake when you could keep one that looks like a piece of living, varnished driftwood. Gorgeous. All the pics I've thus far posted reflect my particular tastes. Oh! And best of all, what with the popularity of this snake, pretty much all the one found locally are Canadian-bred. I would definitely look into a breeder though. From what I've seen, your animal will get the better care at a breeder than a store, which makes sense. Breeders are usually well experienced in what they breed. I found a breeder in Ottawa (a list actually) and I would love to visit some facilities and see what they have to offer.
I could go on and on about this species, like how they're revered as earth spirits in their native homeland, and seen as good omens and all sorts of stuff, but I'll just cut it off here. Next post, I'm thinking I need to start looking into actual construction. I'm getting less and less impressed with commercial terrariums as a whole.
I'm talking about Python regius, the royal python, or ball python as it's commonly called.
 |
| Image from Wikipedia |
The snake I got to play with was a youngling, only about a foot and a half long. This was the first time I've actually held a snake on my own and it was amazing. You can really feel the power in it, like a great spring, ready to strike. But I also get the feeling that it was totally safe with it in my hand, and on my arm. I can really say that I respect this animal for being something much more than just an attractive creature; it's a predator. I was informed by the girl at Stacey's (going to have to learn her name) that they don't require as much room as some people would think, if you are the type of person to let it out of the tank often enough. That's not to say some caring, passionate people don't go all out on their pythons. I would honestly like to have a setup of about five feet long by three or four feet up; these snakes are terrestrial, but do like climbing up in the lower branches from time to time.
| Image from Amuzani's forumpost on http://www.albertareptilesociety.org |
The setup itself is straightforward; two hides, a heat source, a light source, a watering source big enough to soak in, a dry substrate, and as much enrichment as you can provide, as well as all the little bits and bobs that come with tanks.
 |
| Image from http://www.pet-care-portal.com |
I could go on and on about this species, like how they're revered as earth spirits in their native homeland, and seen as good omens and all sorts of stuff, but I'll just cut it off here. Next post, I'm thinking I need to start looking into actual construction. I'm getting less and less impressed with commercial terrariums as a whole.
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Leopard Gecko Build (part 4)
After reviewing my third post on the leo build, I realize I never got around to talking tech about the methods and materials used for the foam rock cave.
Therefore, as promised, methods and material review for my rock cave!
Materials
My best advice here is to keep searching until you have exactly what you want. I spent weeks trying to find Modge-Podge, finally settling for Liquitex, a similar product. Ironically, I later found Modge-Podge at Wall-mart for half the price. Now, I have to say, however, that the Liquitex seems to have worked really well. It was the least toxic substance I could find, it was the right finish, and it is resistant to moisture.
For the paint, all I did was dig through some old (really old) arts and crafts boxes in the basement and found a decent pallet of naturalistic rock colours. I based my pallet choice on some of the rocks I've collected to use in future tanks; rocks found along the shoreline, in fields, etc. Rocks are one of the few things I prefer to find outside than actually buy. They aren't porous (obviously) so they're easy to disinfect and use. Sorry, side-bar. This is one of the parts of the build that might require a bit of an artistic background. I've been taught colour selection and identification since I was young, so it's all fairly second nature to me. Luckily for everyone, the rules of art are somewhat flexible. And by that, of course, I mean it's all up to you. It all comes down to what you're able to achieve. Choose colours that reflect the type of habitat you want to create for your animals. For this build, as I recall, I used the following colours; a creamy white, a deep blue, a dark grey, a mocha brown, and bit of black.
Lastly, the right tools for the right job. I'm lucky enough to have a plethora of brushes both new and old kicking around. I used just one brush for the majority of the painting, one sponge brush for the sealant, and one fine brush for the cave painting details. I originally wanted to use a spray-bottle to apply the sealant, but Liquitex specifies not to mix with water, which would have been necessary to reduce its consistency. The sponge brush work fairly well, leaving a nice pitted texture, which I found worked better than the unnatural strokes of a course brush.
Methodes
The best way I can describe how to get a natural rocky look is to just dump on the paint. Don't mix it on the pallet, mix on the canvas (the rock). This makes for a blotchy, heterogenous mix of colours which looks much more natural than straight lines of different, solid colours. Another tip is just that, the tip. Use the tip of the brush and... just... tap it on. Hard to explain. Let the bristles give the rock that "sprayed on" look like that of centuries of mud and weather working on the stone. Once you've got a nice mix of colours, don't over work it! This will blend the colours and ruin that natural texture you've jsut spent fifteen minutes getting!
Also, don't feel rushed, but if you can establish a base over the entire build while the initial coat is still wet, you'll have a much easier time mixing the colours up just the way you want them. If, by chance, you want a dusty look, try a little dry brush action, which I won't get into detail here. I'll leave that up to the much artsier people of the internet.
You want to see the third phase of the leo tank? Yeah you do.
For anyone who's followed the progression of my leo tank, much change can be observed. Chief among them, the substrate. Although the use of sand makes me leery, this is not your run of the mill sand. It's Zoo-Med's Excavator Clay Burrowing Substrate. Before I launch into it, I have to mention the following:
This is a clay-based substrate; there IS a risk of impaction.
Having said that, here's why I still chose to use it.
First of all, the clay is a great base to hold all the driftwood and stones in place, and it makes for great hills and depressions. It also holds heat far better than the Eco-Carpet. It's also more natural and visually appealing, though by no means should you compromise functionality for looks. This clay sand compacts nicely and forms a fairly solid base. It's much harder to accidentally ingest this than regular sand. Also, in my case, the crickets usually make for the dark "safety" of the cave. As such, the cave still makes use of the Eco-Carpet, for exactly that reason. It becomes the feeding ground for crickets. Another designated feeding area is the large flat stone I sunk into the clay sand just outside of the cave. So far, it's been great.
The clay is made of sculpt burrows and tunnels, but I've heard tales of the tunnels collapsing, most likely due to poor construction. I didn't even try this, for exactly that reason; I didn't want to risk having a tunnel collapse on my leo.
The overall result has so far been pretty good. The cave, thanks to the new Heat Wave Desert under-mounted tank by Exo-Terra, I'm holding a pretty cozy temperature inside the cave. I haven't yet been able to buy the thermometer I've been eying to get an exact reading, but it's certainly around 30 °C. Bronka spends most of his time basking half inside the cave, half outside, sleeping right under the heat lamp. I put not a small amount of thought into the layout of this setup; the cave is both the first and second floor of a three-storey "bungalow", the third being the old piece of driftwood I've been using since I first got him. This layout effectively creates a sort of Rete's stack, despite the fact that it's far warmer at the bottom. The new piece, clearly visible on the right, was a great find! It's hollow, making for a very cozy natural hide out of the direct light. I will be placing moist moss in it soon enough, finally providing the two natural hides he should have; cool and warm, dry and moist. I've seen him out exploring much more since he's moved in. I truly thinks he enjoys it! The front door access has made picking him out ofthe tank much easier, allowing me to handle him much more than before!
Although I could fit a couple extra furnishings, I think I'll limit myself another rock or two, just to minimize the overall amount of open sand, effectively reducing risk of ingestion. He has a lot to climb on as it is, and I think he appreciates the wide open spaces he now has as well.
Coming up in the next post, I'll talk about the creature I'm really working on acquiring, and possibly revisit some of my previous product reviews.
Therefore, as promised, methods and material review for my rock cave!
Materials
My best advice here is to keep searching until you have exactly what you want. I spent weeks trying to find Modge-Podge, finally settling for Liquitex, a similar product. Ironically, I later found Modge-Podge at Wall-mart for half the price. Now, I have to say, however, that the Liquitex seems to have worked really well. It was the least toxic substance I could find, it was the right finish, and it is resistant to moisture.
For the paint, all I did was dig through some old (really old) arts and crafts boxes in the basement and found a decent pallet of naturalistic rock colours. I based my pallet choice on some of the rocks I've collected to use in future tanks; rocks found along the shoreline, in fields, etc. Rocks are one of the few things I prefer to find outside than actually buy. They aren't porous (obviously) so they're easy to disinfect and use. Sorry, side-bar. This is one of the parts of the build that might require a bit of an artistic background. I've been taught colour selection and identification since I was young, so it's all fairly second nature to me. Luckily for everyone, the rules of art are somewhat flexible. And by that, of course, I mean it's all up to you. It all comes down to what you're able to achieve. Choose colours that reflect the type of habitat you want to create for your animals. For this build, as I recall, I used the following colours; a creamy white, a deep blue, a dark grey, a mocha brown, and bit of black.
Lastly, the right tools for the right job. I'm lucky enough to have a plethora of brushes both new and old kicking around. I used just one brush for the majority of the painting, one sponge brush for the sealant, and one fine brush for the cave painting details. I originally wanted to use a spray-bottle to apply the sealant, but Liquitex specifies not to mix with water, which would have been necessary to reduce its consistency. The sponge brush work fairly well, leaving a nice pitted texture, which I found worked better than the unnatural strokes of a course brush.
Methodes
The best way I can describe how to get a natural rocky look is to just dump on the paint. Don't mix it on the pallet, mix on the canvas (the rock). This makes for a blotchy, heterogenous mix of colours which looks much more natural than straight lines of different, solid colours. Another tip is just that, the tip. Use the tip of the brush and... just... tap it on. Hard to explain. Let the bristles give the rock that "sprayed on" look like that of centuries of mud and weather working on the stone. Once you've got a nice mix of colours, don't over work it! This will blend the colours and ruin that natural texture you've jsut spent fifteen minutes getting!
Also, don't feel rushed, but if you can establish a base over the entire build while the initial coat is still wet, you'll have a much easier time mixing the colours up just the way you want them. If, by chance, you want a dusty look, try a little dry brush action, which I won't get into detail here. I'll leave that up to the much artsier people of the internet.
You want to see the third phase of the leo tank? Yeah you do.
For anyone who's followed the progression of my leo tank, much change can be observed. Chief among them, the substrate. Although the use of sand makes me leery, this is not your run of the mill sand. It's Zoo-Med's Excavator Clay Burrowing Substrate. Before I launch into it, I have to mention the following:
This is a clay-based substrate; there IS a risk of impaction.
Having said that, here's why I still chose to use it.
First of all, the clay is a great base to hold all the driftwood and stones in place, and it makes for great hills and depressions. It also holds heat far better than the Eco-Carpet. It's also more natural and visually appealing, though by no means should you compromise functionality for looks. This clay sand compacts nicely and forms a fairly solid base. It's much harder to accidentally ingest this than regular sand. Also, in my case, the crickets usually make for the dark "safety" of the cave. As such, the cave still makes use of the Eco-Carpet, for exactly that reason. It becomes the feeding ground for crickets. Another designated feeding area is the large flat stone I sunk into the clay sand just outside of the cave. So far, it's been great.
The clay is made of sculpt burrows and tunnels, but I've heard tales of the tunnels collapsing, most likely due to poor construction. I didn't even try this, for exactly that reason; I didn't want to risk having a tunnel collapse on my leo.
The overall result has so far been pretty good. The cave, thanks to the new Heat Wave Desert under-mounted tank by Exo-Terra, I'm holding a pretty cozy temperature inside the cave. I haven't yet been able to buy the thermometer I've been eying to get an exact reading, but it's certainly around 30 °C. Bronka spends most of his time basking half inside the cave, half outside, sleeping right under the heat lamp. I put not a small amount of thought into the layout of this setup; the cave is both the first and second floor of a three-storey "bungalow", the third being the old piece of driftwood I've been using since I first got him. This layout effectively creates a sort of Rete's stack, despite the fact that it's far warmer at the bottom. The new piece, clearly visible on the right, was a great find! It's hollow, making for a very cozy natural hide out of the direct light. I will be placing moist moss in it soon enough, finally providing the two natural hides he should have; cool and warm, dry and moist. I've seen him out exploring much more since he's moved in. I truly thinks he enjoys it! The front door access has made picking him out ofthe tank much easier, allowing me to handle him much more than before!
Although I could fit a couple extra furnishings, I think I'll limit myself another rock or two, just to minimize the overall amount of open sand, effectively reducing risk of ingestion. He has a lot to climb on as it is, and I think he appreciates the wide open spaces he now has as well.
***
Coming up in the next post, I'll talk about the creature I'm really working on acquiring, and possibly revisit some of my previous product reviews.
Monday, January 14, 2013
Tropical Terrarium Build (part 2)
First, a little catching up after the holidays!
Regrettably, my moss project didn't go so well. I think it was due to a poor mixture and lack of sufficient natural lighting. I think I'll give it another try in the spring, after the melt, when the moss will be accessible. This time, I'll give the beer recipe a try. Or maybe even both yogurt and beer, for a comparative analysis.
I've also got a bunch of new pics to put up! Lots of new things in both my leo's habitat and my tropical terrarium. My leo's build has been completely upgraded, tank and all. For Christmas, I got the Exo-Terra Medium Low terrarium; much nicer than an old aquarium! I'll get into that on a different post.
For now, I'll showcase my tropical terrarium.
Behold, the final product of my tropical build!
It's not quite what I had envisioned, but I'm satisfied with it. I was obviously hoping for a little moss in there, but I may yet be able to culture some and transplant it. In the meanwhile, I bought some Zilla Premium Compressed Frog Moss to toss around for a little extra splash of green. I'm glad I didn't try to stick it down; it works much better just fluffed about. The colour can be a little dominating if I put too much of it in one spot.
Also note that my plants have been trimmed down and separated. I mixed up my pothos a little, so I hope that they won't be in direct competition for root space. The gold pothos (just visible on the right) is doing fine. It's sprouted a couple new leaves in the time since it's planting, meaning that it is doing well.
I was having some trouble with the philodendron and sansevieria (snake plant), however. When I put the Zoo-Med Hydroballs in, I oversaturated the soil. This lead to me loosing a couple philodendron leaves and a sansevieria stalk to overwatering. Still, being fairly hardy plants, they've totally bounced back. The philodendron has also sprouted two new leaf, which are not visible in the above image. Some of the individual pothos plants are withering off, but some have also sprouted new growths, kind of averaging it out. The sansevieria is now my cresty's favourite resting spot. He wedges himself between the leaves, almost completely concealed. I wish he'd take advantage of the log hideout I built him, but I'm just glad he's enjoying the plants.
I've still got to install the Monsoon system from my old tank, although for now, my hand mister is doing fine. As a side bar, I'll most likely be revisiting my review of the Monsoon system eventually, as I've had some issues with it since. One of the tubes is also in need of a little patch job. A drop or two of silicone should solve the issue.
In later pics, you'll see the substrate layers; drainage, mesh, and substrate layer. The substrate is a combination of three Exo-Terra products: Exo-Terra Jungle Earth, Exo-Terra Tree Fern Substrate, and Exo-Terra Plantation Soil (brick format). The mixture I used is as follows:
-2 parts plantation soil
-1 part tree fern substrate
-1 part forest soil
This gives me a really nice, fairly natural substrate that is both visually appealing and thus far totally functional. Plenty of drainage and a good amount of water retention.
I've also added a couple extra pieces of wood, drift wood and grapewood. I originally planned to use them for the leo tank, but once again, my eyes are bigger than the physical space of my tanks. It's all worked out though, since they fit perfectly into the tropical tank. They give even more jumping and climbing platforms, and help to break the line of sight.
The overall effect has been fairly noticeable. Humidity has been stable at the 50 to 70 percent range, and temperature has been holding at 20 to 25°C.
Psycological effects have been noted as well. Rocza's a little less intimidated by my presence, he eats more freely from my fingers, he's actually walked up to the glass and observed me, and he's gone as far as jumping at my fingers as I worked to place some wires around the outside of his tank. I'm fairly sure it was the twiddling movements that set him off. I placed my hand in right after and he recognized it at once, and tryed to lick Repashy off my fingers.
But enough analysis, time for some more pictures!
Next post, I'll show off the third phase of the leopard gecko build, talk about some new product I'm trying out, do a little research into yet another animal I'd like to acquire, and post plenty new pictures. Hopefully, it won't be another month till then!
Regrettably, my moss project didn't go so well. I think it was due to a poor mixture and lack of sufficient natural lighting. I think I'll give it another try in the spring, after the melt, when the moss will be accessible. This time, I'll give the beer recipe a try. Or maybe even both yogurt and beer, for a comparative analysis.
I've also got a bunch of new pics to put up! Lots of new things in both my leo's habitat and my tropical terrarium. My leo's build has been completely upgraded, tank and all. For Christmas, I got the Exo-Terra Medium Low terrarium; much nicer than an old aquarium! I'll get into that on a different post.
For now, I'll showcase my tropical terrarium.
***
Behold, the final product of my tropical build!
It's not quite what I had envisioned, but I'm satisfied with it. I was obviously hoping for a little moss in there, but I may yet be able to culture some and transplant it. In the meanwhile, I bought some Zilla Premium Compressed Frog Moss to toss around for a little extra splash of green. I'm glad I didn't try to stick it down; it works much better just fluffed about. The colour can be a little dominating if I put too much of it in one spot.
Also note that my plants have been trimmed down and separated. I mixed up my pothos a little, so I hope that they won't be in direct competition for root space. The gold pothos (just visible on the right) is doing fine. It's sprouted a couple new leaves in the time since it's planting, meaning that it is doing well.
I was having some trouble with the philodendron and sansevieria (snake plant), however. When I put the Zoo-Med Hydroballs in, I oversaturated the soil. This lead to me loosing a couple philodendron leaves and a sansevieria stalk to overwatering. Still, being fairly hardy plants, they've totally bounced back. The philodendron has also sprouted two new leaf, which are not visible in the above image. Some of the individual pothos plants are withering off, but some have also sprouted new growths, kind of averaging it out. The sansevieria is now my cresty's favourite resting spot. He wedges himself between the leaves, almost completely concealed. I wish he'd take advantage of the log hideout I built him, but I'm just glad he's enjoying the plants.
I've still got to install the Monsoon system from my old tank, although for now, my hand mister is doing fine. As a side bar, I'll most likely be revisiting my review of the Monsoon system eventually, as I've had some issues with it since. One of the tubes is also in need of a little patch job. A drop or two of silicone should solve the issue.
In later pics, you'll see the substrate layers; drainage, mesh, and substrate layer. The substrate is a combination of three Exo-Terra products: Exo-Terra Jungle Earth, Exo-Terra Tree Fern Substrate, and Exo-Terra Plantation Soil (brick format). The mixture I used is as follows:
-2 parts plantation soil
-1 part tree fern substrate
-1 part forest soil
This gives me a really nice, fairly natural substrate that is both visually appealing and thus far totally functional. Plenty of drainage and a good amount of water retention.
I've also added a couple extra pieces of wood, drift wood and grapewood. I originally planned to use them for the leo tank, but once again, my eyes are bigger than the physical space of my tanks. It's all worked out though, since they fit perfectly into the tropical tank. They give even more jumping and climbing platforms, and help to break the line of sight.
The overall effect has been fairly noticeable. Humidity has been stable at the 50 to 70 percent range, and temperature has been holding at 20 to 25°C.
Psycological effects have been noted as well. Rocza's a little less intimidated by my presence, he eats more freely from my fingers, he's actually walked up to the glass and observed me, and he's gone as far as jumping at my fingers as I worked to place some wires around the outside of his tank. I'm fairly sure it was the twiddling movements that set him off. I placed my hand in right after and he recognized it at once, and tryed to lick Repashy off my fingers.
But enough analysis, time for some more pictures!
 |
| The philodendron leaf on the left covers the feeding dish, giving the gecko a better sense of security while he eats. Having the dish on the door also simplifies cleaning. |
 |
| Formerly, the newest leaf of the philodendron. |
 |
| Jade pothos, now a little more worst for where. |
 |
| Here, we see the pothos wrapped around the grapewood, as well as the log hideaway. And Rocza, of course. |
Next post, I'll show off the third phase of the leopard gecko build, talk about some new product I'm trying out, do a little research into yet another animal I'd like to acquire, and post plenty new pictures. Hopefully, it won't be another month till then!
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Research into Custom Natural Habitats 3: Growing Moss
My black silicone came in, finally! So now that I've started putting substrate to the foam, I'm looking into my next step; growing moss.
Since my attempt at transplanting moss failed epically, I'm trying the 'moss paint' method. There are a couple different recipes I came across: moss and beer, moss and buttermilk, moss and plain yogurt. I chose yogurt as it was cheap, it came in a small format, and to me it would have a more paint-like consistency over the other two options.
I also read and interesting idea on caudata.org (a forum for caudata enthusiasts) that involves using fish emulsion fertilizer to jump-start the moss' growth. After doing a little searching, I found that one of the local types of fish emulsion is Muskie 5-1-1 fertilizer. I had a hard time pinning it down in stores, most likely because it's November. Finally found some at Marlin's Orchard; a very nice orchard and garden store just outside of town.
The recipe I used is as follows:
-1 cup of plain yogurt
-3/4 cup of moss clumps
-couple pea-sized globs of fish emulsion
Blend thoroughly and apply to surface. Mist daily and keep in a cool, shady spot.
I also went one step further and decided to apply some fish emulsion as a base before pouring on the mixture.
See here is what the mixture looked like once blended. I think I may up the moss ration; the mixture was pretty thin.
Just as an experiment, I applied it to four different surfaces, coating half the surface with fish emulsion and leaving the other half bare. My four materials are a piece of fire wood, a flat stone, a brick, and a plastic cover. This way, I can determine what my moss will grow on, and if pouring it over fish emulsions will make it grow faster or not.
Note: I've read that mould will appear, but that it doesn't mean that the moss is ruined. I guess the moss will grow in after.
Since my attempt at transplanting moss failed epically, I'm trying the 'moss paint' method. There are a couple different recipes I came across: moss and beer, moss and buttermilk, moss and plain yogurt. I chose yogurt as it was cheap, it came in a small format, and to me it would have a more paint-like consistency over the other two options.
I also read and interesting idea on caudata.org (a forum for caudata enthusiasts) that involves using fish emulsion fertilizer to jump-start the moss' growth. After doing a little searching, I found that one of the local types of fish emulsion is Muskie 5-1-1 fertilizer. I had a hard time pinning it down in stores, most likely because it's November. Finally found some at Marlin's Orchard; a very nice orchard and garden store just outside of town.
The recipe I used is as follows:
-1 cup of plain yogurt
-3/4 cup of moss clumps
-couple pea-sized globs of fish emulsion
Blend thoroughly and apply to surface. Mist daily and keep in a cool, shady spot.
See here is what the mixture looked like once blended. I think I may up the moss ration; the mixture was pretty thin.
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| Not shown is the plastic cover experiment. |
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Future Aquisition
I've been looking into what I want to get after I move Rocza to his new tank. It's probably going to be arboreal and tropical, since that's what I'm set up for. In truth, I'm not looking to break the bank on this critter either; it will most likely be a pair or a trio of anoles (Anolis carolinensis or sagrei), depending on how much space they require. Anolis carolinensis is the typical green anole while Anolis sagrei is the brown or "bahaman" anole. These are the little guys that first sparked my interest, or at least the first herp I tried to get when I was a wee little lad. I never ended up getting one, probably for the same reasons I can't own a frog or a turtle now. In all fairness to my parents, it's very likely I would have accidentally killed the thing after a week, but I didn't see it that way back then, obviously.
According to PetSmart's pamphlets, crested geckos (Rhacodactylus ciliatus) is beginner level shit. These guys are at least on the same level, if not lower. Maybe it's just because I've seen them for years, but I just feel like they're very easy to raise. Anoles have been in the pet trade for ages, after all. You always see them in these huge groups at the pet store, just chilling out; brown and green anoles living together in their little utopian society.
Well, maybe not quite so technicolour, but still.
I wouldn't mind a mix, myself. It would add a little variety to the tank. The only iffy thing about it is that they are exclusively carnivorous, so I would have to leave crickets in the tank. This frustrates me, since they can get behind the foam backdrop and stay tucked away, chirping into the wee hours of the morning. The only saving grace is that the crickets will probably have to be smalls; too young to be able to chirp. Then again, I'm probably just over thinking this. A war-band of fleet-footed anoles is surely a match for a couple small crickets.
I have also been putting some thought into making an aquatic/terrestrial hybrid tank. I've drawn a couple sketches for a vertical hybrid tank, but... I can't get frogs with my current living condition, so there aren't many options of creatures to put in it.
So since I can't get frogs because I don't have my own house or turtles because my parents don't want "that aquarium smell", I've decided to revisit salamanders and newts (Caudata), like the tiger salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum) to the right here. What's cool about salamanders is that they have larval stages where they are completely aquatic, like frog tadpoles. I don't think I'd get one that young, since I don't think a hybrid tank would have enough water, unless it's really big. Who knows fur sure, though; I may decide to get a pair of larva and see them through to adulthood! This setup would definitely need to be horizontal; most salamanders aren't arboreal. That's not to say I couldn't build up, I'd just have to make sure I give them a nice easy incline. I'll give it some more though.
Another nifty thing about most of the common salamander species is that they not only live in my type of climate, some are even native species. That give me a much bigger range of plants to chose from, and easy access to them. No need to pay 5.00$/lb. of drift wood or mopani wood when I can go out and find tree branches and stones from habitats used by wild salamanders. I should point out that the salamander I really want is native to Europe; the fire salamander (Salamandra salamandra). They still live in similar habitats; clean running water with plenty of mossy cover and places to burrow. Maybe it's only since I've been studying evolution in biology (note that I know use Latin names as well as common), but I find that salamanders have a sort of primal beauty to them. Amphibians were the first vertebrates to crawl up onto land, after all. Plus, I have a penchant for dangerous animals; they're usually much more interesting than their safe, gentile cousins. Clear example: monarch butterfly vs. some... shitty, white, non-toxic butterfly. These fire salamanders produce samandarin, which is a powerful neurotoxin they produce in their skin which causes muscle convulsion and hyperventilation in vertebrates. How cool is that?! Finally, a reason to put a lock on the cage door!
I'll write up another post soon (hopefully) on some research into making moss which I found while looking over some caudata sources.
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| Image from http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/learning/webcasts/urban/urban.phtml |
Well, maybe not quite so technicolour, but still.
I wouldn't mind a mix, myself. It would add a little variety to the tank. The only iffy thing about it is that they are exclusively carnivorous, so I would have to leave crickets in the tank. This frustrates me, since they can get behind the foam backdrop and stay tucked away, chirping into the wee hours of the morning. The only saving grace is that the crickets will probably have to be smalls; too young to be able to chirp. Then again, I'm probably just over thinking this. A war-band of fleet-footed anoles is surely a match for a couple small crickets.
I have also been putting some thought into making an aquatic/terrestrial hybrid tank. I've drawn a couple sketches for a vertical hybrid tank, but... I can't get frogs with my current living condition, so there aren't many options of creatures to put in it.
 |
| Image from http://www.reptilegardens.com/amphibians-bugs/amphibians/salamanders.php |
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| Image from http://firesalamanders.weebly.com/ |
I'll write up another post soon (hopefully) on some research into making moss which I found while looking over some caudata sources.
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Tropical Terrarium Build (part 1)
I've been talking about if for a while now, so it's about time I made a post for it; after many delays, here is a look at my tropical terrarium.
Bet that was anti-climactic! The truth is, being my first build of this kind, it's taking even more time on top of all the delays. Lacking the proper techniques definitely slows down the process! But I've come up with a few by trial and error, such as stringing up the wood that I'm siliconing in before spray-foaming. I'll get to those tips later on, I'm just giving a bit of a status report on it at this point.
If it looks at all crowded from this picture, that's because it is. In fact, that's what I'm going for. I want maximum amount of furnishing without over-crowding. Also, this picture doesn't really capture the scale of this build; the tank is 18" x 18" x 24". I mean, I can fit my head in there... so it's big. Trust me.
As show to the right, here, you can see that there is in fact much room for plants. I also feel I should mention that since this particular shot was taken, I added a bunch of foam to the bottom corners to build them up. The reason for this is to minimize the amount of substrate needed in areas where it's not really useful to have it.
Something else clearly visible is how painfully close my pots are to the top of the tank. This is something I learned the hard way to look out for. In the end, I'm sure it'll be fine. The only problem is one of the two pothos plants I wanted to put there is kind of... growing up instead of growing like a vine. I may try to transplant parts of it, or maybe just buy a new one. I'll probably have the room for a third one down at the bottom.
Quick price break down:
-Great Stuff Pond and Stone (which is the black kind): 9.00$/can, 3 cans
-Aquarium Silicone (price carried over from the leopard gecko build): 13.00$
-See previous posts for prices of plants and wood (I hope...)
Some of the tools I used include:
-Breaking Bad costume Breathing mask
-Caulking gun
-Many pairs of disposable rubber gloves.
All of these I had lying around the house. At this point, I also want to point out that I don't condone the use of disposable latex gloves; be kind to the environment and get some nice rubber gloves that you can use again and again. Yes, I am a hypocrite.
I won't add the substrate costs just yet, at least not until I have a better idea how much I will use. Hopefully, Amanda at The Pet Store will live up to her standards and get me some good aquarium silicone by the end of the week!
If it looks at all crowded from this picture, that's because it is. In fact, that's what I'm going for. I want maximum amount of furnishing without over-crowding. Also, this picture doesn't really capture the scale of this build; the tank is 18" x 18" x 24". I mean, I can fit my head in there... so it's big. Trust me.
Something else clearly visible is how painfully close my pots are to the top of the tank. This is something I learned the hard way to look out for. In the end, I'm sure it'll be fine. The only problem is one of the two pothos plants I wanted to put there is kind of... growing up instead of growing like a vine. I may try to transplant parts of it, or maybe just buy a new one. I'll probably have the room for a third one down at the bottom.
Quick price break down:
-Great Stuff Pond and Stone (which is the black kind): 9.00$/can, 3 cans
-Aquarium Silicone (price carried over from the leopard gecko build): 13.00$
-See previous posts for prices of plants and wood (I hope...)
-
-Caulking gun
-Many pairs of disposable rubber gloves.
All of these I had lying around the house. At this point, I also want to point out that I don't condone the use of disposable latex gloves; be kind to the environment and get some nice rubber gloves that you can use again and again. Yes, I am a hypocrite.
I won't add the substrate costs just yet, at least not until I have a better idea how much I will use. Hopefully, Amanda at The Pet Store will live up to her standards and get me some good aquarium silicone by the end of the week!
Leopard Gecko Build (part 3)
Finally, some new pics of my first rock outcrop project!
For a bit of an idea of the price of this part of my build, check out my quick break down:
-Rona Sanded Grout: 10.00$
-Rona No Sheen Grout Sealant: 10.00$
-Liquitex Matte Varnish: 20.00$
Throw in some left-over acrylic paint and some old brushes I had kicking around, and there you have it.
All I really have left to do now is give it a bit of a washing, but only once I touch up my little ding. I was going to put on a third coat of varnish, but after the second, I find that it starts to get a little cloudy. Since I don't intend on this piece to go in a humid environment, I think two coats should do just fine. The Liquitex is made for outdoor use, after all.
Quick fun fact; i made some crappy little cave paintings inside, just for funzies.
This build turned out way bigger than I had originally anticipated! I will definitely need a new tank soon. Thankfully, Christmas is just around the corner! I'm thinking possibly one of Exo-Terra's new Low models, but that's going to depend on prices.
I digress; next post on this particular project will be the conclusion post, wherein I will give a total break down of what I used and what I would not use again, as well as helpful tips for getting a natural finish and how to avoid annoying bubbles in your varnish!
Friday, October 26, 2012
Much-Needed Updates
(FECK! I just spent way too long writing a post that I jsut deleted!)
Alright, so here's a long story made short, since I just deleted a good couple paragraphs of information.
Been busy these past couple months; lots of school and volunteer work.
Lots of delays in getting my black aquarium silicone.
Aqua Zoo had me pay up front, plus extra for shipping, only to get me the wrong product two months later. That's a no-no.
Amanda at The Pet Store has ordered me some, though it has not come in yet due to shipping issues, she hasn't charged me anything.
Plus, she ordered me Zoo-Med Clay Hydro Balls and Terrarium Mesh in exactly one day; that's from ordering to receiving. Booyah.
Waiting on her black silicone to compare with whatdick-face Mr. Aqua Zoo got me (which I couldn't return because he wasn't there as usual and his staff can't do anything without him).
That's why I'm late in my projects.
Sadly, lost my venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) to cat attacks.
Lost my moss to dehydration, though I may still use it as dried moss.
Worried my philodendron (Monstera deliciosa) might not be getting enough humidity locked away in my basement, trying to avoid cat bites.
Pothos and Sansevieria doing amazingly well; truly idiot-proof plants.
Leopard gecko build nearly finished.
Spent lots of time hunting a better varnish.
Found one. Applied a coat; looked good. Applied a second coat; not so good. Won't be putting a third on. Still need to wash it for a bit and soak off all excess varnish. Post to come later with pictures, materials, and details.
Tha'ts it for now. I'm ticked off at my incompetence with blog posts.
Alright, so here's a long story made short, since I just deleted a good couple paragraphs of information.
---
Been busy these past couple months; lots of school and volunteer work.
Lots of delays in getting my black aquarium silicone.
Aqua Zoo had me pay up front, plus extra for shipping, only to get me the wrong product two months later. That's a no-no.
Amanda at The Pet Store has ordered me some, though it has not come in yet due to shipping issues, she hasn't charged me anything.
Plus, she ordered me Zoo-Med Clay Hydro Balls and Terrarium Mesh in exactly one day; that's from ordering to receiving. Booyah.
Waiting on her black silicone to compare with what
That's why I'm late in my projects.
---
Sadly, lost my venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) to cat attacks.
Lost my moss to dehydration, though I may still use it as dried moss.
Worried my philodendron (Monstera deliciosa) might not be getting enough humidity locked away in my basement, trying to avoid cat bites.
Pothos and Sansevieria doing amazingly well; truly idiot-proof plants.
---
Leopard gecko build nearly finished.
Spent lots of time hunting a better varnish.
Found one. Applied a coat; looked good. Applied a second coat; not so good. Won't be putting a third on. Still need to wash it for a bit and soak off all excess varnish. Post to come later with pictures, materials, and details.
Tha'ts it for now. I'm ticked off at my incompetence with blog posts.
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
More Plants
For part two of today's posts, I'm showing off the newest plants I got for my cresty build. To be fair, "new" is relative, as I have had these for a couple weeks now, and despite a little feline intervention, the majority of them are still alive!
Firstly, I picked up another pothos, but instead of a Jade pothos, I picked up a Gold pothos.
I also found this really nice philodendron which has the best leaves ever! Perfect for a shy little gecko to chill out on. As time goes on, the leaves will develop splits and become more articulated. It also spreads fairly well, I'm told, so I'll be trimming it fairly often.
Also, I finally found the perfect sized snake plant, which sadly became the target of a cat attack and lost a couple leaves...
Lastly, and this one might not make it through to the terrarium, is this cute little Venus Fly-trap. I've fed it several times, forgetting that each "mouth" only feeds once before it dies. So, as a result, I'm left with a plant with very few mature "mouths". Still seems to be living though, so, yay!
Also, though I didn't technically buy this, I harvested a little moss from my back yard and have so far been able to keep it alive on nothing but a rock, so kudos to me!
I plan on incorporating most of these plants, if not all, and a couple more into my cresty build, which, as it happens, I'm currently in the process of building! Finally! I'll definitely post phase 1 tomorrow, when I have a few more things completed.
Firstly, I picked up another pothos, but instead of a Jade pothos, I picked up a Gold pothos.
Also, I finally found the perfect sized snake plant, which sadly became the target of a cat attack and lost a couple leaves...
I plan on incorporating most of these plants, if not all, and a couple more into my cresty build, which, as it happens, I'm currently in the process of building! Finally! I'll definitely post phase 1 tomorrow, when I have a few more things completed.
Leopard Gecko Build (part 2)
Lots of new events going on this past month, which is why I plan on making a second post after this. Just trust me on this one.
I'll start off with the foam rock I'm making for my leo.
After re-evaluating the size of my setup and the size of the rock I was making, I decided to cut it down a bit, leaving me with this:
If you can see it, I've also added a tunnel going from the main chamber and exiting on the side. I figured this build is goign to take up a lot a floor space, and that by adding layers like this, I'm just adding on to the amount of space my leo will have to explore and hunt. There's also a secondary chamber inside which would be visible from the back.
After a little YouTubing, I found this great video by Beckywheeler (check her out), who has a TON of DIY foam background videos. Her technique for making foam rocks look more natural is to torch them with a lighter. I supose an actual torch would work here too, but that just seems like over-kill to me. My BBQ lighter did a great job, even with its sputtering little flame.
So after torching all the flat surfaces to give them a more pitted, uneven texture, and after torching down the 90 degree corners, I ended up with something like this:
And, I don't mean to gush, but for my first foam construction, I've exceeded all my own expectations! I even went as far as to torch the inner tunel and chambers, which really make it look like rock, I think.
Also, a couple weekends back, I bought some grout and some sealer, so all I need now is to find my old acrylic paint and I'll be able to wrap this project up!
I'll start off with the foam rock I'm making for my leo.
After re-evaluating the size of my setup and the size of the rock I was making, I decided to cut it down a bit, leaving me with this:
After a little YouTubing, I found this great video by Beckywheeler (check her out), who has a TON of DIY foam background videos. Her technique for making foam rocks look more natural is to torch them with a lighter. I supose an actual torch would work here too, but that just seems like over-kill to me. My BBQ lighter did a great job, even with its sputtering little flame.
So after torching all the flat surfaces to give them a more pitted, uneven texture, and after torching down the 90 degree corners, I ended up with something like this:
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Got Wood?
First off, as promised, the pics of my new swag loot that I got the other weekend:
I did a bit of research into the mopani wood, since I want to learn how to get rid of the sap once and for all. I guess, from what I've read, I just have to keep soaking it and boiling it.
More disturbing are the horror stories I'm coming across of how the tannins can cause fungal grows, psychological disabilities in the animals, and a mess of other things. But then I read posts from people who've been using this stuff for decades. I think it's a case of improper preparation, personally.
Still enough to worry me though.
Side Note: I am still looking for a decent-sized pot to boil my wood pieces in. Got them soaking for now, but I want to boil them a couple times before siliconing them in place. I just wish I knew how much OSAP I'm getting this year! It's kind of my limiting factor as to what I can and can't buy. With all the (long) extra hours I've scored at my job, I should have enough spare cash to really trick out my tanks, at least if my price estimates are decent.
So my question today is this:
To be fair, the stories I read about where the animals developed neurological symptoms were talking about different species of geckos. And in all honesty, it doesn't seem unthinkable that some species have different reactions to different types of plants or wood.
My greatest fear is that once I've foamed my wood pieces in places, something will occur that will force me to remove them, along with my entire background. It's not like these tanks are cheap to decorate, so I want to get this done, and get it done right.
Next on my hit list is a bromeliad plant! Maybe a crawling vine too. I also need to repot that jade pothos, in order to remove as much of the fertilizer as possible.
I did a bit of research into the mopani wood, since I want to learn how to get rid of the sap once and for all. I guess, from what I've read, I just have to keep soaking it and boiling it.
More disturbing are the horror stories I'm coming across of how the tannins can cause fungal grows, psychological disabilities in the animals, and a mess of other things. But then I read posts from people who've been using this stuff for decades. I think it's a case of improper preparation, personally.
Still enough to worry me though.
Side Note: I am still looking for a decent-sized pot to boil my wood pieces in. Got them soaking for now, but I want to boil them a couple times before siliconing them in place. I just wish I knew how much OSAP I'm getting this year! It's kind of my limiting factor as to what I can and can't buy. With all the (long) extra hours I've scored at my job, I should have enough spare cash to really trick out my tanks, at least if my price estimates are decent.
So my question today is this:
Is mopani wood dangerous for reptiles, and more specifically, crested geckos?
From what I've been reading on Reptile Forums UK and Herp Center, it should be fine. Lots of people use it, and have been using it for years without any incident.To be fair, the stories I read about where the animals developed neurological symptoms were talking about different species of geckos. And in all honesty, it doesn't seem unthinkable that some species have different reactions to different types of plants or wood.
My greatest fear is that once I've foamed my wood pieces in places, something will occur that will force me to remove them, along with my entire background. It's not like these tanks are cheap to decorate, so I want to get this done, and get it done right.
***
Next on my hit list is a bromeliad plant! Maybe a crawling vine too. I also need to repot that jade pothos, in order to remove as much of the fertilizer as possible.
Sunday, July 15, 2012
So many goodies!
I just got back from Ottawa today with a couple bags of funky stuff for both my terrariums. At Big Al's, I found some nice little pieces of mopani wood that I'm going to use as accents for both my tropical and arid terrariums, along with some Malaysian drift wood. On my way back across the plaza, I stopped in at Rona's garden center and was really surprised by this young guy there who was quite savvy about tropical houseplants. I bought a jade pothos plant, though I could have bought a lot more! They had snake plants and a whole mess of everything. Lastly, on my way past PetSmart, I stopped in for the heck of it and found a cork round. All in all, a pretty decent haul, and all of it for under 40$! I think I'm good for wood now. All I need is some fake rocks which I plan to make myself, some substrate and a couple other miscellaneous goods and I will be ready!
Also, I got my new top in from Stacey's, which I ordered a week and a half ago to replace my rusting one temporarily while I mod it up a bit. It looks like the tops I've been using up till now were Exo-Terra's older models, as this one isn't exactly the same. I'm hoping it will still fit, just to use it as a temporary lid. It was only 15$, after all, so I don't feel that bad. If it doesn't I can always return it.
Pictures to follow.
Also, I got my new top in from Stacey's, which I ordered a week and a half ago to replace my rusting one temporarily while I mod it up a bit. It looks like the tops I've been using up till now were Exo-Terra's older models, as this one isn't exactly the same. I'm hoping it will still fit, just to use it as a temporary lid. It was only 15$, after all, so I don't feel that bad. If it doesn't I can always return it.
Pictures to follow.
Monday, June 25, 2012
Take Oxygen (O) and Iron (Fe) and You Get?
The answer is rust. And I just noticed I have something of a problem... At first I was pretty ticked with the terrarium for rusting out so much, but it's not technically a defect in the product, per se.
This is the damage. What happened is that one of my Monsoon's suction cups came loose, tilting it's angle way up, but not enough for me to really notice. It was also spraying under the canopy, which is don't move too much as Rocza likes to use its cover as his shelter. Well, I moved it last night, and found this. Not happy. There was still water droplets on it, with rusty water and all. Very unhappy, but mostly at myself.
I read up on this, obviously, found that it's not just me who's had this problem (again, obviously). And although to be fair to Exo-Terra, although their terrariums are listed as tropical, this level of moisture on this particular surface isn't really what one would normally have. This entire paragraph to say "I'm not angry at you, Exo-Terra, just disappointed". I've seen other companies paint their mesh with a sealing coat of paint, so I wonder why Exo-Terra couldn't also do this, even if these pieces are out-sourced.
So some solutions I found range from temporary and simple to complex.
The most basic, which I have begrudgingly done for the time, is to slide a sheet of plastic-wrap between the tank and the lid to create a waterproof barrier. This will also raise the humidity and heat levels, since over half of the relatively open top is now shut off. I'm not disappointed about that though, in fact it's a plus.
The second solution, which I also utilized, was to order a new lid. I ordered through Stacey's rather than to do it independently, since they know the proper channels. I know I probably could have whined to Hagen or Exo-Terra and got a free lid, but I don't really care. This is my bad, I will pay for my own mistakes. I always have. It will take some time, so that's why I also went with the temporary solution.
Solution number three; spray your lid with hydrofuge paint. Simple enough, and I will definitely do that with my new lid, and all subsequent lids from now on.
Now, the fourth solution is kind of cool. I found a thread (where is it now... Oh yes, right here) posted on Reptile Forums UK by KJ Exotics on how to convert the Exo-Terra tops into glass tops with sliding doors. Pretty cool stuff, and easily adapted to my situation. I think once my new lid arrives, I will repair my damaged lid in this way, since I know a bunch of people in the glazing business. Props for working for general contractors!
So for now, it's the El Cheapo method whilst I wait patiently for Emily to get back to me about my lid! Once I get some of the products, I'll be sure to post exactly what I'm using. Which I should probably do sooner than later, as I ahve not updated my list of products in ages...
Side bar here; anyone in the Cornwall region who has questions regarding reptile care, go see Emily. She knows stuff! But that's just, like, my opinion, man.
This is the damage. What happened is that one of my Monsoon's suction cups came loose, tilting it's angle way up, but not enough for me to really notice. It was also spraying under the canopy, which is don't move too much as Rocza likes to use its cover as his shelter. Well, I moved it last night, and found this. Not happy. There was still water droplets on it, with rusty water and all. Very unhappy, but mostly at myself.
I read up on this, obviously, found that it's not just me who's had this problem (again, obviously). And although to be fair to Exo-Terra, although their terrariums are listed as tropical, this level of moisture on this particular surface isn't really what one would normally have. This entire paragraph to say "I'm not angry at you, Exo-Terra, just disappointed". I've seen other companies paint their mesh with a sealing coat of paint, so I wonder why Exo-Terra couldn't also do this, even if these pieces are out-sourced.
So some solutions I found range from temporary and simple to complex.
The most basic, which I have begrudgingly done for the time, is to slide a sheet of plastic-wrap between the tank and the lid to create a waterproof barrier. This will also raise the humidity and heat levels, since over half of the relatively open top is now shut off. I'm not disappointed about that though, in fact it's a plus.
The second solution, which I also utilized, was to order a new lid. I ordered through Stacey's rather than to do it independently, since they know the proper channels. I know I probably could have whined to Hagen or Exo-Terra and got a free lid, but I don't really care. This is my bad, I will pay for my own mistakes. I always have. It will take some time, so that's why I also went with the temporary solution.
Solution number three; spray your lid with hydrofuge paint. Simple enough, and I will definitely do that with my new lid, and all subsequent lids from now on.
Now, the fourth solution is kind of cool. I found a thread (where is it now... Oh yes, right here) posted on Reptile Forums UK by KJ Exotics on how to convert the Exo-Terra tops into glass tops with sliding doors. Pretty cool stuff, and easily adapted to my situation. I think once my new lid arrives, I will repair my damaged lid in this way, since I know a bunch of people in the glazing business. Props for working for general contractors!
So for now, it's the El Cheapo method whilst I wait patiently for Emily to get back to me about my lid! Once I get some of the products, I'll be sure to post exactly what I'm using. Which I should probably do sooner than later, as I ahve not updated my list of products in ages...
Side bar here; anyone in the Cornwall region who has questions regarding reptile care, go see Emily. She knows stuff! But that's just, like, my opinion, man.
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Research into Custom Natural Habitats 2: Backgrounds
A little late on my idea to post more findings for making the natural habitats but with studying for my chemistry refresher courses, the heat we've been having lately, as well fretting over tuition and grant money, it kind of got back-burnered.
Anyway, I found a really decent website for Do It Yourself naturalesque backgrounds called Bamboo Zoo, which links to several threads on Reptile Forums UK.
The setup I really liked was the Reptile Habitat in Foam by Hedy S., shown below. I've been trying to get a hold of some black spray foam from a guy at work, which is an idea I found on Youtube posted by bshmerlie which I will also post below. (Note to self, don't start Youtubing Skyrim soundtrack female covers!)
What I like about Hedy's background is the way their mopani wood seems to grow out of the backdrop, something which I feel gives natural backgrounds some credibility. I also like how they added a couple synthetic plants as accents.
Now before I skip ahead to the part I like the most about Hedy's setup, here's the video posted by bshmerlie on how to create a spray foam background, hosted by Sherry. It's long, but very informative.
Just to note, I've been around to a couple places, even asked some of the contractors at work, and no one has even heard of black spray foam insulation in my part of town till just now. Not sure if this black Great Stuff is strictly an American product, but I certainly can't find it. Now what I like about Sherry's technique is how it stand up to wear and tear versus the generic white spray foam background. I think I might use a bit of a mix of black and clear acrylic, using the clear around the mopani wood to avoid black spots.
Now to get back to Hedy's setup, they use a mixture of substrates which really give it a natural feel. They even use a bark background, like the one Zoo Med but which I cannot seem to find on their product site.
The end result is this stunning piece of work.
What I really like is the mixture of the fine-grade Eco-Earth and larger Repti-Bark, both from Zoo Med.
I'd also really like to try to find a good way to grow moss on the mopani wood. Exo-Terra has the Tree-Fern Panels, but I'd like to know if they're in any way malleable once it's soaked. Also, I'd like to see if it actually does as advertised and grows small ferns and mosses.
So my shopping list is as stands:
-Spray foam insulation (preferably black)
-Aquarium-grade black silicone (I already have clear)
-Mopani wood (you can never have enough)
-Cork bark rounds (mix things up a bit)
-Plants
-Fine substrate (probably the bag format of Exo-Terra's plantation soil)
-Coarse substrate (some bark or coco husk)
And that's just for my cresty!
I'm planning a second upgrade for my leo already. He's very curious and loves to explore. unfortunately, all I have for him are aquariums which are more vertical than horizontal.
If I could get my hands on a nice-sized low and wide tank, I'd be happy. I'm also planning on introducing some greenery into his environment, like this Jade cactus.
Maybe some of my other synthetics as well, since it would be hard to keep his habitat dry like he needs it and still have nice plants. I'll work something out though. I'm also going to need some things for his hab.
-Sand (not as an actual substrate, but as a sub-substrate, jsut to hold the rocks off the tank bottom and stop crickets from hiding under them)
-Concrete grout (with which to cover my foam)
-Lizard-friendly sealant (to protect the grout)
-Large pebble substrate (to go over any sand that may be visible)
I have a lot to keep me busy, on top of all the things that currently keep me busy...
Anyway, I found a really decent website for Do It Yourself naturalesque backgrounds called Bamboo Zoo, which links to several threads on Reptile Forums UK.
The setup I really liked was the Reptile Habitat in Foam by Hedy S., shown below. I've been trying to get a hold of some black spray foam from a guy at work, which is an idea I found on Youtube posted by bshmerlie which I will also post below. (Note to self, don't start Youtubing Skyrim soundtrack female covers!)
What I like about Hedy's background is the way their mopani wood seems to grow out of the backdrop, something which I feel gives natural backgrounds some credibility. I also like how they added a couple synthetic plants as accents.
 |
| Image from BambooZoo |
Now to get back to Hedy's setup, they use a mixture of substrates which really give it a natural feel. They even use a bark background, like the one Zoo Med but which I cannot seem to find on their product site.
The end result is this stunning piece of work.
 |
| Image from BambooZoo |
I'd also really like to try to find a good way to grow moss on the mopani wood. Exo-Terra has the Tree-Fern Panels, but I'd like to know if they're in any way malleable once it's soaked. Also, I'd like to see if it actually does as advertised and grows small ferns and mosses.
So my shopping list is as stands:
-Spray foam insulation (preferably black)
-Aquarium-grade black silicone (I already have clear)
-Mopani wood (you can never have enough)
-Cork bark rounds (mix things up a bit)
-Plants
-Fine substrate (probably the bag format of Exo-Terra's plantation soil)
-Coarse substrate (some bark or coco husk)
And that's just for my cresty!
I'm planning a second upgrade for my leo already. He's very curious and loves to explore. unfortunately, all I have for him are aquariums which are more vertical than horizontal.
If I could get my hands on a nice-sized low and wide tank, I'd be happy. I'm also planning on introducing some greenery into his environment, like this Jade cactus.
-Sand (not as an actual substrate, but as a sub-substrate, jsut to hold the rocks off the tank bottom and stop crickets from hiding under them)
-Concrete grout (with which to cover my foam)
-Lizard-friendly sealant (to protect the grout)
-Large pebble substrate (to go over any sand that may be visible)
I have a lot to keep me busy, on top of all the things that currently keep me busy...
Saturday, June 16, 2012
The Great Escape! and Other News
Well, lesson learned, and to cut off any undue concern, I'm not talking about my geckos.
As it turns out, the Kricket Keeper I use has a slight weakness when it comes to small sized crickets.
If you leave an egg carton leading up to the air vents, they can squeeze out. I only learned this after loosing about five...
I'm not even sure of that number, but I've confirmed three kills, missed two (which I may have got later) and just assume there's one decent creeper who stayed out of sight. I bought "a dozen" but there's no point counting. The fine ladies at Stacey's are generous with the crickets. Good thing I have a cat.
Also, apparently being down in the dumps about money and all warrants one an early Christmas present? Yeah, I feel kind of foolish saying it, but that's what happened. I got my tank upgrade for Rocza. Now I'm trying to make a deal on some black foam, trying to find some more mopani, along with a canning pot since I almost ruined the good one trying to boil my new piece of wood, and also trying to find some good plants.
It will take some doing, but I think my research has served me well. I have a general idea of what I want to do. Still, it will take time and money, only one of which is at my disposal. I think in the days to come, I will start posting my research, both for my desert rock formation and for my tropical arboreal terrarium. I've found some really good ideas, or rather ideas that look really good. This could all blow up in my face, I guess.
Still, I think this will be a good learning experience!
As it turns out, the Kricket Keeper I use has a slight weakness when it comes to small sized crickets.
If you leave an egg carton leading up to the air vents, they can squeeze out. I only learned this after loosing about five...
I'm not even sure of that number, but I've confirmed three kills, missed two (which I may have got later) and just assume there's one decent creeper who stayed out of sight. I bought "a dozen" but there's no point counting. The fine ladies at Stacey's are generous with the crickets. Good thing I have a cat.
Also, apparently being down in the dumps about money and all warrants one an early Christmas present? Yeah, I feel kind of foolish saying it, but that's what happened. I got my tank upgrade for Rocza. Now I'm trying to make a deal on some black foam, trying to find some more mopani, along with a canning pot since I almost ruined the good one trying to boil my new piece of wood, and also trying to find some good plants.
It will take some doing, but I think my research has served me well. I have a general idea of what I want to do. Still, it will take time and money, only one of which is at my disposal. I think in the days to come, I will start posting my research, both for my desert rock formation and for my tropical arboreal terrarium. I've found some really good ideas, or rather ideas that look really good. This could all blow up in my face, I guess.
Still, I think this will be a good learning experience!
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
More Hornworms
Tried getting Bronka some more hornworms today. Again, he totally loved them. I think they were a little larger than the last one I bought. This time I got some pics though, and here are a couple of them. For the entire album, check out my Photobucket montage.
 |
 |
| He actually came over to my hand and crawled right up into it. He's pretty social! |
 |
| But enough excitement for one day. |
 |
| I wish this was a video instead of a picture. Just after this, he tried to extend himself even further out, lost his grip, plopped down onto the carpet, got right back up all cool and stealthy as possible, and took out the worm. Hilariously cute! |
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Some New Toys and Treats
First off, I found another place to buy some tropical plants!
The local orchard and garden center carries a variety of tropical plants, but not many of the ones I need or want. They can get some in, but that will most likely take a while. They carry gold and jade pothos, so I might mix them up and get a bit of variety. They also had a nice little cactus, one without thorns, that I though would look great in Bronka's habitat, especially once I get more rocks in.
But that's just a side note.
Surfing through cable last night, I found a special on photography of small animals with Catherine Chalmers and Rosario Dawson. It was terrific and I leave a link to Catherine's website for anyone interested in some really in-depth photography and art. The point is, I saw her Catherine photographing a leopard gecko and feeding it hornworms. I'm not sure if I mentioned before, but Stacey's Pet Depot sells hornworms, and I've been curious about them since I saw them. I've even wondered, seeing as these aren't true worms but caterpillars, if it would be a good idea to let the mgrow into their moth forms and try feeding them to Rocza. This idea seems a little ill-thought out. I guess the caterpillars can reach about 10 cm in length, so the moths are probably a decent size too. Much too big for little Rocza.
Anyway, I decided that after seeing Catherine's success with hornworms, I would try one out for Bronka, who might be having trouble catching the quick, little crickets. He absolutely devoured it. What I plan on looking into now is how many of these big guys I should consider feeding Bronka per week, as they do cost about ten crickets. They're not nearly as repulsive as meal worms though.
I was at Big Al's this weekend and found this awesome piece of mopani wood.
It's not small either. It's about 16 inches long and weighs about 4.5 lbs. I had to pick it up; just look at the cavity! Placed as it is in the picture, it would make a terrific natural hide. But, place it vertically and it becomes a really nice spot to plant a pothos plant or some other piece of greenery. I haven't decided who it's for yet. I think both Bronka and Rocza would enjoy it, but bronka already ahs a nice piece of mopani, whereas Rocza only has synthetic stuff for now. In any even, it's kind of big for either tank. It'll have to wait till after Christmas.
The local orchard and garden center carries a variety of tropical plants, but not many of the ones I need or want. They can get some in, but that will most likely take a while. They carry gold and jade pothos, so I might mix them up and get a bit of variety. They also had a nice little cactus, one without thorns, that I though would look great in Bronka's habitat, especially once I get more rocks in.
But that's just a side note.
Surfing through cable last night, I found a special on photography of small animals with Catherine Chalmers and Rosario Dawson. It was terrific and I leave a link to Catherine's website for anyone interested in some really in-depth photography and art. The point is, I saw her Catherine photographing a leopard gecko and feeding it hornworms. I'm not sure if I mentioned before, but Stacey's Pet Depot sells hornworms, and I've been curious about them since I saw them. I've even wondered, seeing as these aren't true worms but caterpillars, if it would be a good idea to let the mgrow into their moth forms and try feeding them to Rocza. This idea seems a little ill-thought out. I guess the caterpillars can reach about 10 cm in length, so the moths are probably a decent size too. Much too big for little Rocza.
Anyway, I decided that after seeing Catherine's success with hornworms, I would try one out for Bronka, who might be having trouble catching the quick, little crickets. He absolutely devoured it. What I plan on looking into now is how many of these big guys I should consider feeding Bronka per week, as they do cost about ten crickets. They're not nearly as repulsive as meal worms though.
 |
| Image from University of Nebraska's Entomology Department |
I was at Big Al's this weekend and found this awesome piece of mopani wood.
It's not small either. It's about 16 inches long and weighs about 4.5 lbs. I had to pick it up; just look at the cavity! Placed as it is in the picture, it would make a terrific natural hide. But, place it vertically and it becomes a really nice spot to plant a pothos plant or some other piece of greenery. I haven't decided who it's for yet. I think both Bronka and Rocza would enjoy it, but bronka already ahs a nice piece of mopani, whereas Rocza only has synthetic stuff for now. In any even, it's kind of big for either tank. It'll have to wait till after Christmas.
***
In other news, I haven't progressed much on my foam rock outcropping. I still need to finalize the design, but also, I need to save up a bit and get the mortar coating. I'm really thinking I'll be upgrading Bronka's habitat size in the coming year, as I feel he'd like to explore even more. Having come to that conclusion, I want to redesign some of the rock so that even if I choose to change the size of tank, it will still fit in decently.
Now, something has been troubling me for a little while now, and I feel this is the place to bring it to light.
I was in a pet store recently (not one of my local stores, fyi) and saw an African Fat-Tailed Gecko. It did not have a fat tail. It had a bony, emaciated tail, pointy ribs and boney legs. To be honest, from the way it was laying there, I'm not even sure it was still alive. And what really got me is that, surely lacking on site veterinary services, this store was most likely not going to do anything to help this little creature, as the price tag on it was only 40$. In other words, it's not worth their time.
This really got to me, but I feel like I really can't criticize them; what did I do to help this poor creature? I didn't have the money to buy it and set up a suitable habitat for it in order to attempt to nurse it back to health, but I feel that, had I approached them and asked to take it off their hands, they wouldn't of refused me. It was not their only Fat-Tail, and it was clearly on death's doorstep. Trying to appease my guilty conscience, I said to myself that I couldn't have done anything. But is that true? I have a friend who's sister is a veterinary technician. I may have been able to have her take a look at it and see if there was any simple way of improving this gecko's health. The truth is, being from a smaller city's clinic, she probably doesn't have much herpological experience, but still, this feeling nags at me.
I'm a very shy, reserved person, but that's no excuse to stand by and watch something die. At least, that's how I feel. It's quite possible this was just the end of the gecko's life, that it had lived out a decent life, but I jsut don't have that feeling. Pet stores don't necessarily have the best care for their animals, despite the fact that many do.
I think what I took from this experience is a guilt that will drive me to more the next time I see a situation like this. I just wish I had the courage to stand up more, especially for those that can't stand up for themselves.
I'm a very shy, reserved person, but that's no excuse to stand by and watch something die. At least, that's how I feel. It's quite possible this was just the end of the gecko's life, that it had lived out a decent life, but I jsut don't have that feeling. Pet stores don't necessarily have the best care for their animals, despite the fact that many do.
I think what I took from this experience is a guilt that will drive me to more the next time I see a situation like this. I just wish I had the courage to stand up more, especially for those that can't stand up for themselves.
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Leopard Gecko Build (part 1)
Well, as I now have a part-time job at my old place of work (though somehow I managed to clock 39 hours last week...) and with the release of Diablo 3, I've been too busy to post. But no more! Well, as in, taking time today.
Right, so things I've been up to:
-Browsing hardware stores for tank decor material
-Searching for tropical plants
-Bargain hunting for new pet gear
I'll start with the pet gear. Just a side note really. I managed to score the Exo-Terra terrarium I've been wanting for cheap on a clearance sale at PetSmart. Down side is, I didn't pay for it as it is a Christmas present... But hey, progress.
I also snatched up some Zoo Med Eco Carpet in the tan colour for Bronka's hab. It's better than paper towel, I hope.
Now, for some tropical plant news. After much searching, I have to come to an obvious conclusion; I need to listen to people more. I've been looking through every garden center I can get to with little to no luck. Home Depot has some interesting, colourful plants, but not really the ones I want. people keep telling me to check the florist shop downtown, but I kept shrugging it off. I've been in there before, but never noticed anything very tropical. Long story short, they have some. They're getting some bromeliades in this week actually. I might just look into it. Though I'll probably just grow them in one of my empty tanks till I get my new one up and running so I can grow out any excess of fertilizers they may have.
Now, for the bigger news. I've found some decent products for building some rocky outcropping for Bronka at my local Home Depot. It's all fairly cheap too. So far.
Quick shopping list:
-Six-pack of rigid board insulation: 10.00$
-"No More Nails" adhesive: 8.00$
-Silicone Aquarium Sealant: 13.00$
I probably don't even need the silicone for this particular project, though I will need a water-resistant sealant to go over the grouting, though making a water dish might be fun.
Now, some pictures!
Behold the colour-appropriate Eco Carpet by Zoo Me, as it is being explored for the first time by a curious Bronka.
And finally, construction of the desert rock formation after day one.
I'm building it in two general pieces to facilitate getting it in the tank, since it's the full length.
It's admittedly wider than I had originally wanted but I fell it'll work out in the end.
I plan on squeezing my brown rock in front of this on a bed of sand to add stability and block out the access of crickets.
I have a nice little hide carved out right over the under-mounted tank heater. This is obviously going to be Bronka's warm hide. I plan on either using his current hide as the moist hide on the opposite side of the tank.
It's not glued yet because I want to have a better idea of the final product before I start shooting glue everywhere.
And lastly, simple tools for a simple job: adhesive, sealant, metal straight edge, steak knife, and of course a Sharpie.
More pics to come as I progress.
Today's work was definitely a good learning experience. I learned that this is an uber messy project, as one can clearly see. I learned that doing this without a shirt on is a bad idea, unless you want to look like a polar bear afterwards. I learned plans are useless, but planning is essential.
I wonder what I'll learn next session.
Right, so things I've been up to:
-Browsing hardware stores for tank decor material
-Searching for tropical plants
-Bargain hunting for new pet gear
I'll start with the pet gear. Just a side note really. I managed to score the Exo-Terra terrarium I've been wanting for cheap on a clearance sale at PetSmart. Down side is, I didn't pay for it as it is a Christmas present... But hey, progress.
I also snatched up some Zoo Med Eco Carpet in the tan colour for Bronka's hab. It's better than paper towel, I hope.
Now, for some tropical plant news. After much searching, I have to come to an obvious conclusion; I need to listen to people more. I've been looking through every garden center I can get to with little to no luck. Home Depot has some interesting, colourful plants, but not really the ones I want. people keep telling me to check the florist shop downtown, but I kept shrugging it off. I've been in there before, but never noticed anything very tropical. Long story short, they have some. They're getting some bromeliades in this week actually. I might just look into it. Though I'll probably just grow them in one of my empty tanks till I get my new one up and running so I can grow out any excess of fertilizers they may have.
Now, for the bigger news. I've found some decent products for building some rocky outcropping for Bronka at my local Home Depot. It's all fairly cheap too. So far.
Quick shopping list:
-Six-pack of rigid board insulation: 10.00$
-"No More Nails" adhesive: 8.00$
-Silicone Aquarium Sealant: 13.00$
I probably don't even need the silicone for this particular project, though I will need a water-resistant sealant to go over the grouting, though making a water dish might be fun.
Now, some pictures!
Behold the colour-appropriate Eco Carpet by Zoo Me, as it is being explored for the first time by a curious Bronka.
 |
| "Dafugg is dis? Dafugg is dat? Dafugg are you?" |
And finally, construction of the desert rock formation after day one.
I plan on squeezing my brown rock in front of this on a bed of sand to add stability and block out the access of crickets.
And lastly, simple tools for a simple job: adhesive, sealant, metal straight edge, steak knife, and of course a Sharpie.
More pics to come as I progress.
Today's work was definitely a good learning experience. I learned that this is an uber messy project, as one can clearly see. I learned that doing this without a shirt on is a bad idea, unless you want to look like a polar bear afterwards. I learned plans are useless, but planning is essential.
I wonder what I'll learn next session.
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