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#arid enclosures
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Leopard Gecko enclosure by Linda Bongers
EDIT: Apparently this person was co-habbing her geckos. It is not advised to house leopard geckos together. They are territorial, they can fight, they compete for resources, it's stressful for them.
I want to leave this enclosure up because it's stunning, but be aware you should keep leopard geckos separate.
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duckweeding · 4 months
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i just realized i havent shown much else of walnut since i got her i should post more pics of her.... maybe when i modify her enclosure a little bit i'll get pics of that
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poisonlove · 4 months
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lorraine smut? but lorraine is the one giving and is dominant
I try it :(
Shut up | Lorraine day
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Under the relentless Texas sun, each day on Uncle Howard's farm became a challenge. The high temperature turned every drop of sweat into a tribute to hard work, while the arid ground beneath my feet made every step a struggle against the toughness of the earth.
On that farm, under Uncle Howard's stern yet understanding gaze, I worked to earn a few bucks. It was my ticket to a different future, far from the arid plains of Texas. New York represented my ambition, the place where I hoped to forge my fortune. So, with sweat on my forehead as a constant companion, I toiled in the hope of one day crossing the horizon to new opportunities.
"How are you doing, y/n?" someone suddenly asks.
I stopped feeding the chickens, turning to see Uncle Howard looking at me seriously. "I'm done..." I reply with a small smile, tossing a handful of corn into the chicken coop.
"Good, because you need to plow the soil for the harvest," he quickly says before leaving the farm.
"I know, J." I glance at my horse, watching me with curiosity from its enclosure. "It's more acidic than usual," I sigh wearily.
I walk over to J, placing my hand on his mane, making him neigh with happiness. "See you later," I mumble distractedly before patting his back and moving away from the farm. The sun beats against my face, and I try to shield myself by raising a hand over my eyes. The heat of the day begins to make itself felt.
The abrupt noise of a vehicle stopping on the ground catches my attention. I turn slowly to see who has arrived, curious to discover what could disrupt the tranquility of the day on Uncle Howard's farm.
A red van appears in my field of vision, and with confusion, I see who's inside. A guy in a white shirt and a cowboy hat jumps out, smiling widely. I furrow my brows as I watch him help a girl down, offering her his hand. Four more guys emerge from the back of the van, their figures still unclear under the blinding sun. My curiosity grows, trying to discern who they are and what has brought them so suddenly to our farm.
"Hey! You!" I shout, determined to capture their attention.
The cowboy guy looks at me with confusion, but his open smile doesn't seem worried at all. "This is a private residence," I assert seriously, scrutinizing the others out of the corner of my eye.
"Calm down, beauty." The cowboy guy takes off his sunglasses, smiling even more. "I'm Wayne," he says, grinning. I raise an eyebrow, confused.
"I don't care who you are, just go away," I say venomously, noticing how one of his friends sizes me up and down.
"Calm down, sweetheart." A blonde approaches slowly, smiling seductively. "We rented this place," she adds, biting her lower lip with a seductive manner. "If you're interested, you can shoot some scenes with us," she timidly suggests.
"Scenes?" I look closely at the group, noticing a camera in the hands of a guy with glasses. The way they flirt... the realization makes me blush violently.
"Bobby, that doesn't seem appropriate," another female voice intervenes. My eyes scan with curiosity over the figure of a girl behind the guy with glasses. I am surprised to see a beautiful girl with brown eyes, a dazzling smile, and an innocent aura. She seemed almost embarrassed.
"Always the same party pooper," the blonde murmurs weakly.
"I'm R.J.," says the guy with glasses, embarrassed. "She's Lorraine, my girlfriend," he adds with a smile. I blink slightly, incredulous that such a charming girl is with RJ.
"I know, I had the same reaction," the other guy in the group, Jackson, intervenes, smiling genuinely.
"Maxine," says the girl next to the cowboy, smiling shyly.
My eyes linger on Lorraine, admiring her beauty with brown eyes and the innocent smile that seemed to contrast with the situation. Her presence, somehow, added a touch of mystery to the whole situation. The tension in the air thickens as I try to understand the reason for this unexpected intrusion into Uncle Howard's quiet farm.
My heart was pounding as I watched the scene. Howard arrives with a rifle in hand, a stern look aimed at RJ.
"What's going on here?" the old man asks venomously, keeping the rifle pointed at RJ.
"Hey, calm down." Wayne raises his hands and moves slowly toward my uncle. "I'm Wayne; we talked on the phone about renting this place," the guy says determinedly.
My uncle analyzes his words before lowering the rifle. "All right... then follow me," he says calmly. "Y/n, you keep doing your work and then go feed the cows," he adds, turning and walking away.
As the six friends follow my uncle, Lorraine turns and looks at me with curiosity, giving me a shy smile. The tension in the air dissipates, but her mysterious presence and attentive gaze leave an indelible mark on my ordinary day on the farm.
(…)
"Can you explain why you don't want to eat?" I ask with exasperation to the cow.
I was so exhausted that I desperately wanted to sleep, but Mrs. Cow here didn't want to eat. It might be something minor, I know, but if the cow doesn't eat tomorrow, we won't have milk, and my uncle will be angry.
"Please... can't you see how good it is?" I smile nervously as I shake a handful of hay in my hands. I sigh as Mary looks at me with boredom.
"You know... I think she's not hungry," someone intervenes playfully.
I turn towards the farm entrance and smile, seeing Lorraine walking towards my direction. There's something about her that irresistibly attracts me, and I don't know what it is – maybe it's the fact that she's extremely sexy and innocent at the same time.
"Oh... hi," my cheeks flush, and I lean against the fence of the pen. "Hi," Lorraine says with a small smile on her lips.
With the corner of my eye, I see the girl leaning next to me.
"And the others?" I ask curiously, and Lorraine lights a cigarette, pulling and inhaling the smoke with her eyes closed. "We've finished shooting; now they're either drinking or doing their thing... well, except for R.J.," she says indifferently, taking another drag of the cigarette.
"You know..." I start as I watch the other cows walking slowly, "I would have never thought that someone like you would do an adult film," I say embarrassedly, blushing faintly.
Lorraine looks at me with blushing cheeks and drops the cigarette to the ground, extinguishing it with the tip of her foot.
"I actually knew nothing... about these films," she begins with a low tone, smiling shyly. "And what do you mean by someone like you?" she asks with a raised eyebrow.
I open my mouth trying to say something that isn't stupid, and Lorraine takes the hay from my hands.
"I mean... you have such an innocent aura..." I start embarrassingly. Lorraine smiles sweetly at the cow, which slowly approaches the fence, sniffing what she has in her hands. "Let's say you look like the perfect cover of a church girl," I say curiously as I watch Mary start chewing on the hay Lorraine gave her.
"Mary!" I say with a falsely mournful tone, and Lorraine chuckles softly.
"Anyway, I came to help my boyfriend R.J.," she says smiling at Mary. I raise my eyebrows at her comment. "I see," I say timidly.
"And anyway, I could handle shooting a scene," she says with confidence. "I didn't say that," I respond amused and move away from the fence. I put my hands in my jeans' pockets and walk near some hay, sitting on it.
"Because I've already done something with R.J.," she says, raising her chin with superiority. Lorraine follows suit and sits beside me, settling into the hay.
"You don't seem very satisfied," I notice, and I start playing with some hay, wanting to keep my fingers busy. "Let's say it's something that gives more pleasure to him than to me," Lorraine shrugs nonchalantly, and I look at her out of the corner of my eye.
"He's a nice person; he helped me settle into university..." Lorraine confesses, lying down in the hay, looking at the ceiling.
I follow her example and turn towards her direction, seeing how some strands of hair are mixed with the hay. Her eyes sparkle, and she looks at me with curiosity. "But you don't love him, right?" I finish her sentence, and she nods slowly.
"I don't want to hurt him..." she continues, and I remain silent at her response. "Anyway, I think you could find someone who can make you enjoy," I say absentmindedly, and Lorraine smiles sweetly, giving me a light push on the side. "And are you talking about yourself?" she says playfully, and I look at her without blinking.
Lorraine stops smiling, seeing my seriousness, and leans towards my face, making my heartbeat faster. "I need someone who can endure my desire," she says in a low voice, expressing her lust.
Her eyes lock with mine, and the sparks between us intensify.
Our lips meet with desire, a palpable tension in the air. I delicately entwine my fingers around her neck, gently pulling her towards me. Initially, Lorraine stiffens, but as seconds pass, I feel her hesitation melt away. Her lips, initially shy, respond to the mutual need, creating a fusion of intensely charged emotions. The kiss becomes a silent dialogue, a blend of desires and feelings expressed through the intimate touch of our mouths.
The brunette straddles my legs and leans towards my neck, kissing it with lust. "Raine..." I say with ragged breath, and the girl moves away to look at me attentively.
Her eyes are hooded, and her lips are semi-open due to heavy breathing, her hair tousled and infused with hay.
Without saying anything, I kiss Lorraine and take her hand, making her glide along my body, slipping it directly between my underwear. Lorraine sighs loudly against my mouth, feeling the moisture between my folds, and intensifies the kiss.
"Don't hold back..." I say breathlessly. "Quench this fire," I say, smiling widely. My mouth opens wide as I feel two fingers inside me, and I spread my legs instinctively. Lorraine settles between my legs and looks at me serenely. "You're really... wet," she murmurs with a husky voice, going deeper with her fingers.
I moan in response.
Lorraine bites into my neck and begins to penetrate me at her leisure, increasing and decreasing the speed according to her desires. "No... not like this," she says breathlessly, quickly pulling away from my body.
My eyes look at the girl with confusion before smiling, seeing how she takes off her panties with the dress. I sigh loudly seeing her curves, her small breasts compensated by the magnificence of her body, soft and smooth skin.
"Calm down" I say chuckling weakly, feeling Lorraine forcefully removing my pants, exposing my warm center.
"Shut up," she says agitatedly, "I'm so frustrated..." she mutters through her teeth. My eyes watch Lorraine's movements carefully, seeing her opening my legs and searching for a better position for both of us.
Both of us release a moan as our sensitive centers rub against each other, our fluids mixing as if they were one.
"To hell with everything..." she says weakly, sighing loudly as she starts moving her hips back and forth. My hands end up on the sides of her body; the nails scratch her back with every movement.
"Mmmh..." Lorraine moans loudly, increasing the speed of her hips. The moans become louder, and the sound of our bodies in symbiosis increases at the same pace. "Raine, I..." I mumble absentmindedly, closing my eyes for a moment.
The pleasure, placing a hand around my neck, "Look at me, damn it," she says through her teeth, moaning and moving faster and faster. "Raine, I..." I mumble almost crying for pleasure, and the brunette releases the grip on my neck, opening her mouth in ecstasy and letting herself be carried away by the orgasm she just reached.
The sight made me come forcefully.
Lorraine slumps against my body, trying to catch her breath. "Is that all?" I ask with a smile on my lips. "Is this the level of endurance?" I inquire with curiosity, and Lorraine licks her lips with mischief.
"Oh no, we've just begun," she says with a husky voice, and I smile nervously, concerned about her words.
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Snakes of Africa: Ball Pythons
This is the first of a series on African snake species, where I go through how they live in the wild and attempt to demystify some aspects of care and myths surrounding African snakes.
We all know the myths about ball pythons. They're from "a narrow strip in Africa," they don't need to climb, they don't need really high humidity...let's challenge some of those ideas!
If you don't know just how big Africa is, it's easy to underestimate how big the ball python's range is, too. I think it's easier to understand if you look at it on a global map:
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That's a big area! Wild ball python habitats range from grasslands to forests, cutting through arid savannahs and even into rainforests.
Because the climate across the ball python's range is so variable, they are best understood as habitat generalists - they have perimeters they prefer, and they can find ways to adapt in different environments.
A large portion of the ball python's range is arid, and that leads to one famous fact about them: ball pythons love termite mounds, because they provide them with a nice and very humid area to nap. Even among people who know wild ball pythons love termite mounds, that's often used as reason to justify keeping them in too-small enclosures. After all, termite mounds don't sound like they're very big...
But they are.
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Termite mounds are one of the reasons ball pythons are such good climbers.
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Despite their arid habitat, wild ball pythons (aside from seeking out termite mounds) will also seek out wet areas, such as streams and lakebeds. In captivity, humidity isn't something you should skimp on for a ball python. At least 60% humidity is essential, and closer to 70% is ideal, and a humidity box allows your snake to have an area that's close to 100% humidity at all times. Humidity boxes also allow for a range of humidity conditions, like your snake would experience in the wild!
An extremely common myth about ball pythons is that they don't climb and won't take advantage of enrichment. This couldn't be further from the truth! In the wild, ball pythons are excellent climbers and are known to even hunt in trees. Multiple studies surveying wild ball pythons have found nearly half of their subjects in trees. These are not solely terrestrial snakes.
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Another stereotype about ball pythons is that they're "pet rocks." If you give them enrichment and look at their wild behavior, this couldn't be further from the truth! Wild ball pythons are observed as being very active snakes who will actively hunt and seek out food rather than relying on strict ambush predation strategies. That's one reason it's best to feed your pet ball python when you see them out and "hunting!"
Of course, wild snakes will be more active than pet snakes simply for the sake of survival, but their activity level in the wild is indicative of what it should be more like in captivity. Some inviduals are a bit lazy, sure, but by and large most ball pythons will take advantage of every inch of space you give them. Climbing branches, tunnels, and new things to check out are a must!
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Because wild ball pythons are habitat generalists, that also clues us into what enrichment they most enjoy. In the wild, along with climbing (which they love!), ball pythons are also known to swim (though they mostly only due this when necessary) and dig burrows. In captivity, many pet ball pythons enjoy an occasional soak, so it's good to provide a big enough water dish for them to curl up in, and some individuals enjoy digging burrows. If you provide an extra few inches of substrate for your snake to dig in, you might be surprised by how much they enjoy it!
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Now, let's talk about food! In the wild, ball pythons eat a wide variety of rodents and a lot of birds. In fact, their semi-arboreal habits mean they even eat a lot of bats when they can catch them! Unfortunately, one of the tricky things about their diet is that their favorite foods in the wild include shrews, jerboas, African soft-furs, rufous-nosed rats, and other rodents that are just honestly impossible to source for your pet ball python. In captivity, a diet of rats is appropriate, and unfortunately it can be hard to provide variety to many ball pythons simply because a lot of them just prefer more hard-to-find rodents and will resist switching back to rats. For good, non-picky eaters, though, other rodents and chicks make excellent treats.
Ball pythons have a reptutation as very picky, finicky eaters, but honestly it's my experience that this effect is much, much lesser when their husbandry is consistently appropriate. Making sure to provide adequate humidity seems especially important in ensuring your ball python is a good eater! Additionally, ball pythons tend to like it a bit hotter - 90 F (32 C) is a good hot-side temperature for most ball pythons.
If there's anything to take away from this brief look into wild ball pythons, it's this: these snakes will thrive best if given the opportunity to engage in more natural behaviors. Climbing, digging, and exploring are essential for any ball python!
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Ball pythons are so much more than just "pet rocks." If you provide them with space and enrichment, you'll be delighted by what fun, active, curious, and engaging pets they are!
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(This message is approved by my sweet girl Miriam.)
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crevicedwelling · 4 months
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Are cross species isopod habitats feasible? I think I can provide a diverse enough range of moisture levels and hidey holes that they would have the space, but I dont know if there are issues with isopodal neighbors. Are there species that make good pairings? Or, a specific pairing to avoid?
Or are most species amicable enough that theres really not much to worry about?
I would say the majority of species in the isopod hobby have a broad overlap in terms of preferred conditions, and in wild settings many isopods do indeed cohabitate under cover items. I maintain a few mixed-species isopod groups (mainly as cleanup crew in other enclosures) and they seem to do just fine. but keep in mind one species may outcompete the other over time, and you might get a higher than normal rate of cannibalism (some is to be expected even in a healthy single species enclosure, such is isopod). generally, you can always expect less strain on an individual isopod when it is kept in a single-species group; I would only mix species if they’re “runoff” from breeding projects like mine or for display, not to breed large volumes of any species.
I’d stick to species with similar needs and reproductive output, but perhaps separated by habitat preference. that might look like Armadillidium vulgare (or any hardy “pillbug”) under flatter pieces of bark flush with the soil & Porcellionides pruinosus inhabiting more curved, taller bark pieces, with obviously some shared areas. whereas, pairing a super-arid high airflow warm Porcellio bolivari with a swampy wet cool Oniscus asellus might not go so well for either.
do not keep Trichorhina tomentosa with any other animals. they are vile little devilesses and should be considered a biohazard. (I joke, but they are annoying—tears up substrate, gets everywhere, and can outclone most sexually reproducing species).
feel free to ask advice if you plan on mixing colonies, always happy to chat bugs :}
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This post’s for those who told me a year ago “bUt YoU cAn’T gRoW aNyThInG iN a SeMi-aRiD eNcLoSuRe”
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orcinus-veterinarius · 11 months
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from your experience, do you think fully indoor enclosures (the Georgia Aquarium or SeaWorld Abu Dhabi, for example) are worse welfare-wise for cetaceans and pinnipeds than outdoor ones? they would definitely be advantageous in places where severe weather is a concern, but I feel like they should be out in the fresh air. i don’t want to make a judgment call if that’s not the case though cuz I’ve always wondered about this but don’t know enough about marine mammals to answer. thanks :)
So this is a really great question, and actually one I’ve been wondering about myself recently. From what I can tell, there hasn’t been a lot of formal research into the pros and cons of completely indoor versus completely outdoor habitats for marine mammals. My “gut” response is to agree with you that, yes, exposure to fresh air and sunlight is preferable whenever possible. Never underestimate the important of sunlight!
However, there are environments where indoor housing is more appropriate, namely urban settings. Aquariums like Georgia, Shedd, and National are literally downtown in Atlanta, Chicago, and Baltimore respectively—major cities. While this is an optimal location for reaching the highest number of people, it also means air quality is poor, and we know how sensitive marine mammals are to respiratory pollutants. In these cases, indoor habitats are probably the wiser option, and it seems to have served them well. In the 12 years since Georgia Aquarium opened its bottlenose exihibit, they have only lost one dolphin (to acute pneumonia), despite maintaining a pod of a dozen or so. Obviously, there are a whole host of factors that go into health and survival rates (Georgia does not permit its dolphins to breed, for one, which eliminates juvenile mortalities), but I don't think it's unfair to assume there would probably be a lot more respiratory problems in their pod if the dolphins lived outside in downtown Atlanta.
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Another major factor that has only recently been recognized is regional microbiomes. This is one of the more viable theories as to what caused the short-lived dolphinarium Dolphinaris Arizona to tragically lose half of its dolphins over the course of a year and a half. Most of their dolphins were born either at SeaWorld Orlando or Dolphin Quest's Hawai'i locations—tropical climates, especially when compared to the arid desert climate of the greater Phoenix area. In Arizona, the dolphins encountered a new set of pathogens quite different from what they were acclimated to, and it is thought this contributed to at least a few of the deaths (one of them died of neurological disease for unrelated reasons).
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Dolphinaris Arizona was a modern facility, with both indoor and outdoor habitats, and inspections revealed no issues with the animals’ care. It might’ve been horrible luck, similar to what CMA is experiencing right now. But I can’t help but wonder if all-indoor facilities might’ve prevented all this heartbreak.
The brand-new SeaWorld Abu Dhabi is now home to twenty-four dolphins—all from US SeaWorld Parks, which are found in humid subtropical to temperate coastal desert climates. Abu Dhabi, like Arizona, is in an arid desert climate. However, as you mentioned, the new facility is entirely indoors, which hopefully will aid in protecting the animals from both the unfamiliar desert pathogens and pollutants of the city. Reassuringly, the dolphin habitat is surrounded by large windows to allow ample exposure to natural sunlight. Since arriving in the fall of last year, all the dolphins have so far been doing well!
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(I’m really excited about this habitat. It’s quite large and features depth variation, rockwork, a rain simulator, and live fish. I’ve also seen waves in some of the park walkthrough videos I’ve watched, although I’m unsure if this is from an actual wave machine or just the changes in depth combined with the animals’ movements).
Thanks for the ask! I hope it was helpful. I would love to be involved in formal research on the topic in the future!
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tigersorange · 2 months
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Small Pets Catalogue:
(Current to 2/18/2024)
If there is no picture I plan to update with a picture. Pictures are of my actual pets and not representative.
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REPTILES:
Smaug - Gargoyle Gecko - Rhacodactylus auriculatus - 3/2023 - Poss Female - F2.5 from F1 and F2 Parents - Future Breeding Prospect from Bowling Green State University reptile collection
Housing - Reptizoo 24x24x18in - Bioactive with “Temperate White Springtails” (unknown sp.), “Panda King“ Isopods (Cubaris sp.), Assorted Plants
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Elton - Leopard Gecko - Eublepharis macularius - Birthdate Unknown, at least 7 years old - Female - Rescue, provenance unknown - Pet only
Housing - Exo Terra Large wide 36x18x-18in - Bioactive with Porcellionides pruinosus “Party Mix” isopods, Unknown sp. of Arid wild springtails that colonized and outcompeted the springtails I had introduced, and assorted plants.
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EVA - Children’s Python - Antaresia childreni - 5/2023 - Female - From E2Exotics on MorphMarket with untraced lineage - Pet only
Housing - S.E.S Series 4 PVC Enclosure 4x2x2ft Semi Bioactive With “Temperate White” (Unknown sp.) Springtails, currently cycling so I have not chosen the isopods yet.
Temporarily in grow out 20 gallon long tank on paper towel until she is large enough that she cannot escape through the gap in the door of the large enclosure.
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FISH
Sasuke - Betta Splendens - Young - Female - From Pet Supplies Plus - Pet only
Housing - Aqueon 5.5 gallon Rimless Fish Tank - Assorted Plants, Mystery Snail (Pomacea bridgesii), Pink Ramshorn Snails (Planorbella sp.)
INVERTS LISTED ON MY BUG BLOG
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kirstielol · 9 months
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🦀 vampire crab paludarium rambling ��
so i've been doing tons of research into this build, i really wanna take my time with this and make it perfect. i've built a lot of bioactive arid and humid enclosures before, but never attempted a paludarium.
in my initial planning i thought i was going to use a pump for the waterfall feature, but after reading more into it and seeing other peoples attempts, it looks like that's not a great idea? seems like it's hard to both conceal the pump (which needs to be submerged in the water), and have it able to be accessed if you need to do some maintenance.
i was reading a dart frog forum and someone mentioned that canister filters are a much better idea for this! they're external filters that take water out of the tank, filter it outside of the tank, then pump it back into the tank. so it's like a filter and a pump in one?? seems perfect for what i want to build, the only thing is they're pretty expensive.. $130 for the small canister filter i want, vs. the $20 pump i was originally planning on 🙃 so that really shot up my build cost.
i'll probably split up the build cost over 3-ish months. i don't need to buy everything right away. i'll start on the hardscaping this month, get the filter, filter foam, stones, and driftwood, and work on the placement of everything. next month i can add the substrate and plants and let it grow in for a while, then once it's up and running for a few weeks, i'll buy and add the crabbies 🦀🦀🦀
i'm planning on doing the spray foam + silicone method to hold all the hardscaping together, and create a nice looking background. i'm soooo excited for this build, i hope it turns out as nice as i'm picturing in my head 🌱
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the-littlest-lunars · 4 months
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We rearranged Whisp's enclosure. His substrate wasn't holding much humidity, which we will need for the isopods we plan to get soon (don't worry, its still arid). So, made some adjustments to the soil and the enclosure. He now has a deep end and a shallow end to dig in. We buried a piece of cork bark for a humid hide and put a coconut shell hide on top of that for a hot hide. Lots of climbing opportunities and clutter so he feels secure (though he likes to spend time in the open, so we likely won't have to keep this level of clutter for too long.) We tried to mostly put things back in the same place as we recently had them in order to not overwhelm him with too much change. We think he will really enjoy the deeper substrate.
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Also he weighs 15 whole grams now! (And is putting all the weight gain into growing longer. The longest tiny noodle!)
Odd angles on this video, but here he is exploring a bit.
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Leopard Gecko enclosure by Kerri Deanto
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What snakes are a good match for someone who wants to own one for the first time?
Any are great options!
As long as you do proper research based on current science and keeping and feel confident you have the time and space for their care then you can really go for any animal. I don't think beginner animals are necessarily a thing.
That being said here's some snakes to consider and some info that may or may not sound more like your kind of thing!
Corn snake - quite fast, good appetite, curious and often active during the day. Arid species. As adults will require a minimum of a 4x2x2 enclosure
Most kingsnakes - same as above. Often has more of an attitude with a very high food response, so be prepared to work on handling often so they don't decide you're food
Western hognose - not super fast, can be picky eaters (especially during winter) and active during the day but they do burrow so there may be times you don't see them for days or weeks. Often display defensive behaviours to ward off potential danger, but hoggies will almost never bite unless you're mistaken for food! Small species, males will be happy in a 36x18x18 for life but females may need a 48x18x18 depending on the size
Kenyan sand boa - not super fast, can be picky eaters (especially males and juveniles) but need food infrequently as adults and active mostly during evenings and night. They can be quite bitey, typically if they feel threatened or if they mistake you for food
Ball python - not super fast, can be picky eaters (mostly during breeding season but also sometimes it their environment isn't right) and usually only active during the night. Very rarely bites unless threatened or if they miss when striking for food. Need high humidity (65-85%). Minimum enclosure should be 4x2x2 but some, especially females, benefit from 5x2x2.
Boa constrictor - quite slow, very good appetite, active mostly at night but will often bask openly in the day. Their high feeding response can result in bites so training with a snake hook is encouraged (look into tap training for snakes) and they can be quite hissy as well if they aren't expecting to be disturbed or handled. They require large prey items so you must be comfortable buying things like guinea pigs, rabbits, quails and other larger available feeders and also be able to guarantee being able to source them. Boa constrictors typically need a minimum of a 6x2x2 as adults depending on the specific subspecies but be prepared to need a 10ft or larger enclosure which may need to be custom built.
I would not recommend anything larger though. Reticulated and Burmese pythons specifically are not meant for your average keeper in many cases. You can get some smaller reticulated pythons but they will still be 8-9ft minimum and it all depends on their genes - some can get over 20ft! Reticulated and Burmese pythons should be kept primarily by zoos and others who are able to provide proper space for them.
General rule is that any snake should be able to FULLY stretch out their body in their enclosure so keep that in mind for any snake you may decide to buy.
I hope this helps!
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poppys-pets-and-arts · 3 months
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hihi, i was wondering about the enclosure you keep candy in! i've thought about these kinds of boxes for inverts but wasn't sure if they would be well ventilated enough. have you done anything special to it or is it just not as big a deal as i've been worrying myself into thinking?
Ventilation is not an issue if the species is arid/semi-arid and can do with just a waterbowl. Definitely don't keep a sensitive species in a decorative terrarium. They're only good for hardy dwarf species, like Hapalopus.
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It's a pain to clean that kind of terrarium, but I've had Candy in it for over 3 years, and it's only just getting dirty enough that I want to clean it. Besides, cleaning isn't really something you need to do with tarantulas - the spiders don't need it, it's just something humans do because it looks nice.
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luminouslumity · 3 months
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Would you say it’s easier or harder to keep snakes at low humidity? I live in a very dry climate and am curious if it would be easier to keep something that doesn’t need super humid conditions
Low humidity is much easier by far, dry substrate and a screen lid for ventilation are an easy recipe to keep arid-humidity species happy. Maintaining consistent higher humidity levels can be much more finicky and requires more maintenance.
That said, though, keeping reptiles is all about setting up a minuature zone with its own temperature and humidity gradients within your snake's enclosure, so it's less about the conditions where you live and more about the foresight that goes into how you keep your enclosures. I live in an area that ranges in humidity conditions throughout the year, but my snake enclosures never feel that.
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crevicedwelling · 1 year
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Hi! I have a tank with crickets (originally raised to feed my whipspider) and isopods, and I usually give them fish flakes, banana, and/or bread, but most of it (especially the flakes) seems to mold. What should I do to avoid this? Would adding springtails to take care of the mold be a good idea? (and if so, should I just grab some in the park or buy from a reputable culture?) Any other solution?
buy a culture of something, (most wild springtail species aren’t as good at devouring moldy grain products like fish food and bread). I suggest entomobryomorphs, not sure what little white species of those I’ve got but they’re literally in every cup I have.
something like these should do, larger than mine but of a similar habit. wouldn’t worry too much about “reputable” since there’s hardly a wrong way to grow springtails (I suppose you wouldn’t want to be sent the wrong species, or a culture with mites in them. tho certain mites are pretty helpful too!)
other option would be to just offer less food. things will mold with springtails or not, just slower because they’ll eat the food and some but not all of the mold. solving the problem at the root is better; only feed what they’ll eat in a day or two. might also help to use a shallow food dish so the food isn’t in contact with moist substrate, and also keep the food in the driest part of the enclosure so that there isn’t water to fuel mold growth.
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