Pygmy Enclosure?

[louwillie]

I want to have a breeding group of 3-4 females and 1 male. How big should the enclosure be for this group? Thanks

 

[pssh]

Rule of thumb, 20 gallons for the first pair then add an extra 10 gallons for every add on. The species might also make a difference, but I'm assuming you want the more common species like the bearded pymies?

 

[louwillie]

Rule of thumb, 20 gallons for the first pair then add an extra 10 gallons for every add on. The species might also make a difference, but I'm assuming you want the more common species like the bearded pymies?

Ya. I forgot to mention bearded pygmies. How many eggs does a female reproduce in one year? Thanks

 

[louwillie]

Should it be a long 20 gall. or a tall 20 gall.?

 

[Chase]

Should it be a long 20 gall. or a tall 20 gall.?

Either, but they aren't needy of a 20 tall, so a 20 long is good. And females can lay 2-5 eggs a clutch, with maybe 3-4 clutches, after that they may not be any good.

 

[Lizardlover]

Rule of thumb, 20 gallons for the first pair then add an extra 10 gallons for every add on. The species might also make a difference, but I'm assuming you want the more common species like the bearded pymies?

Actually, 2 or even 3 adults can be kept in a 10 gallon, however it is recommended to use a 20 gallon for 3. All three of mine were in a 10 gallon for a couple of weeks and before I got my male my females lived in a 10 gallon for a few months.

 

[Brad Ramsey]

A group that size would be fine in a 20 gallon.
I would go tall so that the plants have some room to grow and you can do a few inches of substrate without sacrificing all their space.
If you choose to use an aquarium with a screen lid, a small computer fan would not be a bad idea.
Position it to blow across the top of the screen, not into the enclosure, to draw air up and out.
Have you read Tom Routhouska's articles on the e-zine?
If not, I highly recommend you do. He helped me a lot with my brevicaudatus, as did Mike Monge.

-Brad

 

[pssh]

You can put 5 in a twenty gallon? Wow, I must be telling people to put them in huge cages. I guess not all care sheets are correct.

 

[Lizardlover]

You can put 5 in a twenty gallon? Wow, I must be telling people to put them in huge cages. I guess not all care sheets are correct.

well duhh....I would't use a Petsmart caresheet for my chameleon.

seriously though 5 can be kept in a 20 gallon.

 

[pssh]

I mean the online ones! it's odd that they say to put them in larger enclosures instead of smaller ones though.

Some of the petco/petsmart care sheet would keep an animal alive, though not the best care, but they would at least keep them alive. It makes me mad that they don't even follow their own care sheets though!

 

[Brad Ramsey]

You can put 5 in a twenty gallon? Wow, I must be telling people to put them in huge cages. I guess not all care sheets are correct.

Care sheets are to some degree going to play it safe.
Experience is a very good teacher. Working closely with these animals and personally experiencing how they live and react with each other is where my information comes from.
I am not regurgitating information someone has told me or that I've read (Tom recommends a larger cage in his article ... Mike and I have not discussed enclosures) ... I am sharing what I have experienced.
Husbandry evolves ... I believe I may be the only person that claims this, but I believe this species does well (and needs to be) in close family groups or tribes. 5 animals (1.4) works very well in that space with this species.
Additionally, eggs can be left to incubate where they were laid. The adults do not eat the young and as long as the enclosure does not become over-run with crickets, the young can remain for awhile.

-Brad

 

[sgvreptiles]

Look into some coustom cages from Protean Terreriums. He has some really nice cages that work GREAT for pygmys. He is located in Los Angeles.