Bioactive substrate (BAS) Natural viv - a why and “how-to” guide.

If your snake wraps around plants, maybe you need a larger bare area in the front or middle of the viv. Then you can coax him into that area when you want to pick him up, where it will be more difficult for him to grab onto something, and easier for you to unwrap him if he still manages to grab something.

Hehe. I can picture myself now coaxing Chopper. He isn't the tamest of kings.

At any rate, looking at my frogs vivs and how much work it is to keep them looking nice long term... I think I'll stick with simpler snake vivs.

Kudos to people who want to tackle it though, they do look nice!

Originally Posted by wax32

Hehe. I can picture myself now coaxing Chopper. He isn't the tamest of kings.

At any rate, looking at my frogs vivs and how much work it is to keep them looking nice long term... I think I'll stick with simpler snake vivs.

Kudos to people who want to tackle it though, they do look nice!

Actually, I find it's no more or less work than a "regular" snake setup, just different work.

Also, it's worth it because it enhances the snakes experiences and coaxes a much wider range of behaviours. It also greatly adds to my enjoyment during observing and such.

Originally Posted by kathylove

If your snake wraps around plants, maybe you need a larger bare area in the front or middle of the viv. Then you can coax him into that area when you want to pick him up, where it will be more difficult for him to grab onto something, and easier for you to unwrap him if he still manages to grab something.

Ha! Coaxing Jo is not an option unless food is involved but I can CHASE her inot the bare area.

You're right Kathy, an open area is needed. This is where design considerations and then refinements come in. I had to move plants around but I've gotten it to a point where I can "peel" Jo off of plants and structurs without too much disturbance. I find that part really amusing actuallly. She runs away and I gotta chase her. I made many places for her to "get away" from me so this is a challenge but it's fun and keeps Jo on her toes so-to-speak. ; )

The two types of vivs you guys have set up are slightly different I think. The dart frog vivs have a slightly more complicated drainage and substrate set up and have many more plants. Wax32, if you are using vines then trimming them as a big part of the work, right?

Tracy, I'm assuming you haven't kept the type of terrarium geared towards frogs that Wax and I are talking about, right? I think the terrarium you have made for your one snake may be great for snakes, while the one I am going to construct, and Wax32 already has, takes a little more work.

All IMHO. I think the cage types each have their own advantages, but the one described in this thread might be pretty good for corns, while not so good for frogs, although it wouldn't be horrible. I'll post pictures of my terrarium for dart frogs whenever we actually get the stuff to set it up. It's supposed to be this week, but I have a feeling that's not going to happen....

Originally Posted by tbtusk

The two types of vivs you guys have set up are slightly different I think. The dart frog vivs have a slightly more complicated drainage and substrate set up and have many more plants. Wax32, if you are using vines then trimming them as a big part of the work, right?

Tracy, I'm assuming you haven't kept the type of terrarium geared towards frogs that Wax and I are talking about, right? I think the terrarium you have made for your one snake may be great for snakes, while the one I am going to construct, and Wax32 already has, takes a little more work.

All IMHO. I think the cage types each have their own advantages, but the one described in this thread might be pretty good for corns, while not so good for frogs, although it wouldn't be horrible. I'll post pictures of my terrarium for dart frogs whenever we actually get the stuff to set it up. It's supposed to be this week, but I have a feeling that's not going to happen....

Yes, actually the set up for corns is rather simple to maintain. There's no complicated drainage, etc. I water plants and turn soil once a week. The frog thing is probably more complicated.

Can hardly wait to see your pictures

I'm going to make this type of setup for my amazon. I think he'll love having all the natural stuff and he's so colorful he should make an awesome display snake.

Yup most of the work with my frog vivs is trimming plants and cleaning lots of frog poo off of the glass.

Here are a couple of mine:

Wax32, great little terrariums! I want to include some large-leafed vines in mine but always get discoraged by the fact that it takes so much trimming.

I will be getting the stuff for mine this weekend. Woo-Hoo!!

Thanks for the thread Tracy. I may just have to try this. I'm planning some 'racks' of sorts that will be more like a bunch of stacked cages for my adults. Maybe I can set these up in there. We'll see, but I think I may have to stick with the simple cages.