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First attempt at a planted viv!

Floof

Floof

New member
Been spending the last week reading around about bio-active substrate systems/planted vivariums, and today decided to give it a try for my little Beauty snake.

The plants are from Petco. Not really sure what they are, but they were cheaper than Home Depot's plants, plus shouldn't have to worry about chemicals and other nasties. The enclosure is a 12x12x18" Zoo-Med terrarium.

(Front view)
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(Top view)
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(Side view of substrate; the back left corner is a hill, with a PVC T-connector inside the hill as a hiding place)
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Still have to work out lighting... But other than that, I'm pretty proud! And Wyvern seems to like it, too. :)
 
Tweaked it a bit this morning, to allow better climbing opportunity. Plain ol' wooden dowels, with a chunk of fake plants at the top. Hoping to pick up a nicer-looking climbing log/cork tube/something at the expo this month, but this will do for now... :)

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That looks really nice. I would switch out the pvc for one of the clay flower pots or 1/2 a flower pot down the road.
 
Thank you! And thanks for the suggestion! :) I'll have to remember that for when I'm designing her next upgrade...
 
Thanks, Robbie! :D

Snakewhisperer-- Still figuring that out, actually. The problem is that the only logical place in the house to set it right now is nowhere near an outlet (where it used to sit is particularly inconvenient--didn't have overhead room for a light, and was susceptible to sleep-kicks from the dog). Working on fixing that... Have been needing to rearrange, anyway.

In the meantime, the plants seem to be doing well with the ambient lighting. Fortunately, heating isn't an issue right now, either--with how hot and dry our summer has been, the house has been sitting consistently at 80-85F. Blech!

As far as lighting once this set back IS solved, the plan is just to get a "plant and aquarium" fluorescent from the hardware store. I just hope I can find an appropriately sized fixture for such a narrow enclosure...

I am open to suggestions if you have any better ideas. :)
 
Be careful with the flower pot idea.

I seem to remember reading a thread around here where the snake got it's tongue stuck to a flower pot (due to quick dehydration ... kind of like getting flesh stuck to freezing cold metal poles) and lost it's tongue.

I'll have to look around again and see if I can find that thread.

--

Other than that, it's a nice looking viv. I don't really care for all the extra work (and dirt/mud) from living viv's, but it is a really nice example of one.
 
I've been using earthenware flowerpots with Corns since 1991 and have never experienced that issue. I'd see it as a fluke at best. I think they're safer than the lighter plastic ones in that kind of setup as they're less easily barged over, which will be a consideration with robust and fast-growing Taiwans.

It's a lovely practice run for the big setup that you'll eventually need. My ex b/f built a 6 foot wide x 6 foot tall walk-in viv for his, the size of a wardrobe. It would have looked magnificent kitted out like yours!
 
Soulwind, warning is heeded. :) I've never heard of that issue, either, but I've also very rarely put terra cotta pots to use with snakes.

I have used plastic pots before, though, generally cut in half and buried in/under the substrate as a man-made burrow (the tortoises are especially fond of this). I might do something like that in her next viv. The key will just be making it feel secure... I'm thinking a nice Pothos or something growing over the entrance. Hmmm...

Thanks, Bitsy! It was quite a fun practice run, too.

Wow! 6x6 feet? That sounds incredible. I would love to do something so massive for Wyvern down the road... Especially since I'd like to keep this naturalistic thing throughout her life, which means it'll take something like dwarf trees to have any chance of surviving with her, lol!

So, good news... Wyvern will be moving into a 36"x18"x24" viv! Now THAT will be fun to plant. I just have to get the tortoise upgraded and fix a couple little things before I can get started. I can't wait! :D
 
Lol. Same here. The pitfall of snakes: There's so many different species who are all special and unique in their own ways, especially with all the morphs, it's hard to keep it down to a modest number!

I have 11 snakes as of this week (long story, for another thread), even though this time last year I swore up and down I would keep it under 10. (Hey, at least I ALMOST made it to a year on that promise.. Haha!)
 
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