Plastic Totes for Caging...

[Julirs]

I should have put FOR PYGMIES in the title! I have been using these for the past year with better sucess than either aquariums or Exoterra's. They provide better airflow and allow you to easily see and find eggs that are laid. The downfall-they are hardly attractive show-cases! I use a size smaller for hatchlings and put papertowels on the bottom. I am creating some larger habitiats out of the next size up. Mind you I live in Florida where the humidity allows me to get away with things people up north cannot.

While I was taking these pictures I happened upon this interesting sight...

 

[Chase]

Cool! I'm going to try it with the babies if I can hatch some.

 

[lizardboy119796]

Thank you so much for the help, i actually have a lot of those left from other reptiles, i use to always use them, And around how many holes do you punch into the top? And also, do you keep the juvies in the same tub?

 

[Julirs]

I don't use the tops-so no holes needed. They cannot climb out. You could put a screen over the top if needed. I have also not been using any lighting. House temps are perfect here, and they get some ambient UVB from where they have been placed next to other cham cages.

At this time, I have 3 sibling brothers still in one tub together, and the WC females that just came in.

 

[Chase]

Interesting, has it effected growth, or how they eat?

 

[Julirs]

Interesting, has it effected growth, or how they eat?

Not a bit-but they have been together since they hatched and are now almost 9 months old. I will be putting them together with the WC females in about a month.

 

[lizardboy119796]

Ok, just because i dont want to take a chance with crickets getting out because i hate waking up and having one in my bed every morning I think i would just put and old screen lid over top, i was originally just going to use a ten gallon tank, but these tubs really keep humidity very well, Thanks for the help

 

[Julirs]

I thought sleeping with crickets was normal! As is spider-web covered lamp shades and walking into a web in the middle of the night that stretches from the ceiling fan to the door frame across the room!

 

[Eric Adrignola]

These are what I have been using for raising babies and juveniles. They work with some adults, provided you replace one end with screen,and screen the top. Most species that are very shy, and like to stay hidden, thrive in these things.

They can see light coming in, so they do not feel trapped, but they can still percieve it as being there - so they won't try to crawl through it like glass.

They also make great quarantine cages for all species. Usually, even less shy, mean animals will benifit from a safer-feeling, more enclosed cage for the acclimation period.

My friend Pete used these for most of his animals. his thoughts were that the translucent plastic alowed some light, but not details, through to the chameleon. The chameleon responds to these stimuli in the same way it woudl respond to being in dense foliage - it feels safe and secure. He kept large WC panthers and Veileds in them. It was totally weird, to go to his place, and see full grown, beautiful animals sitting in full happy colors, relaxed, not pacing, not trying to escape. It went against everything I knew.

I had a few problems. One, you had to maintain exact control over temps - because there was little in the way of gradients. Two, you couldn't get much natural behavior out of such a setup. Three, while the lizards themselves were healthy and happy, the cages looked like crap - and I keep few enough that that matters!

I just use them for my little guys. Once a day, push the cage furnishings aside, give it a good wipe, push them to the other side, wipe again - clean!

When they get older, and I have a horde of them to keep, I stab a few holes on one side, angle the cage, and use drippers right into it, on the fake plants. All the excess water just drains off.

The best thing, is when they're all grown up and gone, the cages stack neatly.
Or, you can use them for storing extra roaches.

 

[tryme]

Loving the setups, they might not be able to get out but the crix can, check the escapist on the 2nd pic!

How do you clean up with these enclosures? Do any of you use cleaners (bugs I mean)

 

[HairyScaryMark]

Looks like a really great idea. I want to get myself some Pygmy's and attempt to breed them in a couple of years time. Deffinately need a heat mat for pretty much anything here though, in my opinion. At least in the winter.

I just realised I have pretty much all those items lying around my room at the moment (Bark, fake plants leftover from my Vieled re-recordating and a box that's probably actually bigger the ones in that picture). I also have a heat mat but I think it's broken.

 

[eisentrauti]

Doesn't the humidity drop too fast ???

 

[panthercrazy]

I use those exact tubs for babies & juveniles as well. never thought of trying with pygmies?? hmmm might have too. I find the humidity stays longer in those tubs over my screen cages.

 

[Julirs]

Doesn't the humidity drop too fast ???

Benny-I am in Florida-the humidity never drops fast!

 

[eisentrauti]

My fault

 

[Surfrat]

I like it, nice and simple setup. I also think the opaqueness of the plastic is better for them then the clear glass.

Julie where di you get the racks holding your veiled's cages?

 

[Julirs]

That rack came from Lowes I think-but I would like to get hold of the ones from Costco that have wheels and will actually hold 3 cages on each level.

I just went to water the Brevs and sitting on top of the plant like she owned the world was a brand new baby! I am suprised the parents had not eaten her but I did already feed them this moring. Now I am on the lookout for more! That is the first time I have ever had one hatch out in the tank! I am usually pretty good at getting eggs!

 

[Surfrat]

That rack came from Lowes I think-but I would like to get hold of the ones from Costco that have wheels and will actually hold 3 cages on each level.

I just went to water the Brevs and sitting on top of the plant like she owned the world was a brand new baby! I am suprised the parents had not eaten her but I did already feed them this moring. Now I am on the lookout for more! That is the first time I have ever had one hatch out in the tank! I am usually pretty good at getting eggs!

Wow, that is awesome! Congrats.

Do you have a link to costco shelf you are referring to?

 

[hallenhe]

That rack came from Lowes I think-but I would like to get hold of the ones from Costco that have wheels and will actually hold 3 cages on each level.

I just went to water the Brevs and sitting on top of the plant like she owned the world was a brand new baby! I am suprised the parents had not eaten her but I did already feed them this moring. Now I am on the lookout for more! That is the first time I have ever had one hatch out in the tank! I am usually pretty good at getting eggs!

My first female buried her eggs wa-a-ay in the back, where I would have had to strip everything down to get at them, so I left them be. Have found and removed seven babies so far; the adults seem to ignore them completely.
How big was the baby you found, Juli? - Mine have been too big to eat when I've spotted them but I don't know whether they've been out and about for a few days, snacking on springtails.

 

[Julirs]

I just peaked in and there was a second one! Unexpected babies are pretty cool! They are definitely small enough for the parents to eat them. I will see if I can get a picture of one next to a 6 week old and maybe next to adult.