37G Column Viv for Avicularia

[hydrophyte]

I'm gonna try to get FTS picture tonight. Everything is looking real good in here and the spider has been pretty active again. She really likes to climb around on the manzanita.

[hydrophyte]

I think that I want to change this to make a planting more like what I have in my 12 X 12 Exo, with pretty short terrestrial plants planted into the bottom and with epiphytes planted up around the top of the manzanita. I don't have a recent picture, but you can see below that some of the plants are pretty tall and reach up to the top of the enclosure. They have grown even more and now are covering a lot of the branches. They also cast a lot of shade and now the only part of the tank that is very well illuminated is the front, with the effect that the whole thing lacks visual depth and looks flat.



Here is a recent shot of the 12 X 12. To me this photo looks like a larger enclosure than the 37G. The shorter plants in the bottom and areas of bare manzanita branches create an effect of greater height.



For the 37G I want to just leave the small palms in the bottom and maybe add a few more short plants, then plant orchids and/or Tillandsia up around the top. It would be fun to look around for some more unusual orchids that will fit well in the space.

[Shimagoma]

Uhhhg I keep snakes and everytime I see this post I just die! hah so beautiful! Id have to bolt everything to the ground and then some to keep that going in a snake cage. So beautiful! <3 <3 <3

[hydrophyte]

Originally Posted by Shimagoma

Uhhhg I keep snakes and everytime I see this post I just die! hah so beautiful! Id have to bolt everything to the ground and then some to keep that going in a snake cage. So beautiful! <3 <3 <3

Yeah it's hard to keep any kind of snake with live plants.

I have seen a couple of nice planted vivs with green tree pythons.

I have wondered about trying a rough green snake with plants. I have heard that they are delicate, but CB specimens are usually more hardy.

[Shimagoma]

Originally Posted by hydrophyte

Yeah it's hard to keep any kind of snake with live plants.

I have seen a couple of nice planted vivs with green tree pythons.

I have wondered about trying a rough green snake with plants. I have heard that they are delicate, but CB specimens are usually more hardy.

You know a Rhino rat snake or Bamboo Rat snakes might do well. Semi arboreal means less time DEMOLISHING everything hah. Even my asian rat snake rips everything down when he gets the chance lol

[hydrophyte]

Originally Posted by Shimagoma

You know a Rhino rat snake or Bamboo Rat snakes might do well. Semi arboreal means less time DEMOLISHING everything hah. Even my asian rat snake rips everything down when he gets the chance lol

I just looked them up and those two rat snakes are real handsome animals.

Somebody also suggested egg-eating snakes.

[Shimagoma]

Originally Posted by hydrophyte

I just looked them up and those two rat snakes are real handsome animals.

Somebody also suggested egg-eating snakes.

Egg eating would be kinda cool! though they can be finicky. Most asian rats are. Rhinos, bamboos, thai beauty snakes, mandarin rat snakes (another HUGE fave of mine) have some serious attitude but make for an amazing and moderate to advanced snake. Kunashi island Rat snakes are slowly becoming more common and have a great poweder blue belly. the babies start out as brown with a two dorsal stripes and then get green/olive/blue coloring. and they have a natural albino population as well. <3 snakes hah ill hush now hehe

[hydrophyte]

Are any of those rat snakes smaller in size?

[Shimagoma]

Originally Posted by hydrophyte

Are any of those rat snakes smaller in size?

http://www.ratsnakefoundation.org/in...phyraceus-coxi
Coxi are pretty tiny! they can be pretty defensive but they are amazing as far as color and can be kept in pairs!

http://www.ratsnakefoundation.org/in...ophis-prasinum
green bush is more on the advanced end but is also small!

http://www.ratsnakefoundation.org/in...ceus-vaillanti
another awesome more red snake.

ratsnakefoundation has a lot of snakes that you can look through, coxi and the mandarin rat snake are my two top pics, just because they are rare-ish but small in size, fairly common to see captive bred when you find them and even though they might get a little "long" they tend to be very thin and tiny. Same thing for the rhino rat, thin bodied but VERY long which changes the cage requirements!

[crazydaz]

Thanks for the links, Shimagoma! I love snakes, and it's always neat to find something new! My wife hates them, so she may be able to prevent me from getting one, but she can't stop me from lovin' em!

Devin, I'm ordering my orchids this weekend for my set up. I think it's so cool to have such a beautiful tank for such a relatively "fearsome" creature (to most people). In a way, it's a psychological twist on things! I happen to think that your avicularia is quite superb, though!

[hydrophyte]

Originally Posted by Shimagoma

http://www.ratsnakefoundation.org/in...phyraceus-coxi
Coxi are pretty tiny! they can be pretty defensive but they are amazing as far as color and can be kept in pairs!

http://www.ratsnakefoundation.org/in...ophis-prasinum
green bush is more on the advanced end but is also small!

http://www.ratsnakefoundation.org/in...ceus-vaillanti
another awesome more red snake.

ratsnakefoundation has a lot of snakes that you can look through, coxi and the mandarin rat snake are my two top pics, just because they are rare-ish but small in size, fairly common to see captive bred when you find them and even though they might get a little "long" they tend to be very thin and tiny. Same thing for the rhino rat, thin bodied but VERY long which changes the cage requirements!

Thanks for these tips! Those look like good possibilities. I really like the idea of a green arboreal snake in a planted viv. Would these snakes be OK in a 18 X 18 or 18 X 24 enclosure?

I bet these tropical rat snakes would be compatible with plantings made primarily with orchids and other epiphytes mounted securely in place.

[hydrophyte]

Here's an orchid that would probably be a good choice for this replanting project, Barkaria spectabilis. I used to have this one--this is my picture--and now I'm sorry that I sold it off. It's a pretty common species however and I should be able to find another one.



This orchid is a good size and shape. It grows laterally or semi-pendant and it has nice thick white orchid roots. The inflorescence is compact too.

[thebuddha]

never knew that spiders could look so colorful and beautiful



seeing this tank really makes me want to start a viv or palu.

[hydrophyte]

Originally Posted by thebuddha

never knew that spiders could look so colorful and beautiful

seeing this tank really makes me want to start a viv or palu.

Avicularia spp. tarantulas are good choices for a planted viv. So long as you meet their care requirements they are pretty hardy. And they are really handsome animals too.

[Shimagoma]

Originally Posted by hydrophyte

Thanks for these tips! Those look like good possibilities. I really like the idea of a green arboreal snake in a planted viv. Would these snakes be OK in a 18 X 18 or 18 X 24 enclosure?

I bet these tropical rat snakes would be compatible with plantings made primarily with orchids and other epiphytes mounted securely in place.

generally the rule for most snakes is 1square foot of space per foot of snake. Thin snakes kinda break that rule and you can do slightly smaller than that. The bamboo ratsnakes are a good example of something that can go slightly smaller, and same with a redtail rat snake. Of course, if you want either of these heh prepare to live with it for 20+ years and get bit a lot heheh