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 #1975616


JackAsp
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 Tank upgrade

I took out the taller brick tower because nobody liked it except Pancho, and Pancho likes climbing ANYTHING, so he’s just as happy on branches. This is their home’s currrent incarnation. So far, Lupe is the only one that seems to enjoy the wheel, but maybe the others will join in eventually.
03/27/09  02:34pm

 #1975624


Chippychop
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   Message To: JackAsp   In reference to Message Id: 1975616


 Tank upgrade

nice job!CHIP
03/27/09  02:45pm

 #1975966


Mcdean
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   Message To: Chippychop   In reference to Message Id: 1975624


 Tank upgrade

nice my collards certainly like to play...been thinking of a hamster wheel might try it. good to see set-ups that collards can have fun in.



03/28/09  09:36am

 #1976039


JackAsp
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   Message To: Mcdean   In reference to Message Id: 1975966


 Tank upgrade

if you do it,be careful. There’s a number of things to watch out for.

1. No spokes. Tail or toe injuries. Even if their whole toe can’t fit, even a fingernail snag can be unpleasant. You want one solid unperfprated piece.

2. No crossbar. A lot of them have a strip or two connecting the axel to the rim. That could bash their tail pretty good too.

3. Good elevation. Not only can a low wheel get buried and become useless, but even if it’s still useable it can still get a lot of sand kicked onto it, which will fly into their face when it spins. I check it a lot even as is just to see if it needs a little dusting off, just to be on the safe side.

4. Large size. The hamster-sized model could force them to keep the middle of their back lower than they should, causing strain. I use one made for full-sized adult rats. It’s also wide enough that if two ever decide to both go on it they’ll have room to shift away from scratches.

5. Secure placement. A hanging one would probably be best, but I make do with a pedestal model by bracing the base of it with bricks.

Don’t be surprised if they’re not impressed, of course. If I didn’t have at least one that liked it, I would have given up in two days and used the space differently. If the tank were any smaller I’d probably require more than just one of to like it, in fact. But with a tank 48X18X21 I can sacrifice half a foot at one end for experimentation. Plus, Lupe tends toward pudginess. I like her wanting to run.
03/28/09  12:41pm

 #1982131


JackAsp
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   Message To: JackAsp   In reference to Message Id: 1976039


 Tank upgrade

The wheel wound up mostly just getting ignored, except when Pancho drove himself nuts trying to jump on top of it, so the tank’s evolving in a more conventional direction now.
04/07/09  11:11pm

 #1982500


Mcdean
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   Message To: JackAsp   In reference to Message Id: 1982131


 Tank upgrade

No I won’t do it after all ,got this 30 dollar fishtank basking thing for them as crickets kept hiding inside the more elaborate constructions/cork, bark...its easier to clean...I plugged up the holes in it because the last thing you want is places for their food to hide, die or nest in. made a deep end with sand too. they seem to like digging a lot
04/08/09  06:32pm

 #1982678


JackAsp
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   Message To: Mcdean   In reference to Message Id: 1982500


 Tank upgrade

I have a piece of cork bark at one end, just experimenting with different textures and trying to give each end something they can jump onto and do a Spiderman turn, but they seem to like the tile at the othr end better. So my own corkbark will probably also be history soon too. The tile is only 12" high though. Once I find something with the right texture that comes in the 16X16 size I plan to make three walls of the tank climable, but I’m not there yet. As long as the sand is deep enough, tiles are pretty easy to brace flat against the glass. You can even bury bricks against the bottom of them for extra stability. In fact, that alone might be why they don’t like my cork bark as much. It’s not flat enough to brace as solidly. Crickets hiding hasn’t really been that much of problem though. I use a ceramic flowerpot drain for water, and it’s so shallow that some always get splashed out and soaks into the sand under it,so that’s where any leftover bugs congregate. In the morning while I’m cleaning the water dish, the lizards rush over to see if there’s any leftovers for breakfast.
04/08/09  10:47pm

 #1982807


Mcdean
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   Message To: JackAsp   In reference to Message Id: 1982678


 Tank upgrade

haha, yes watersplash seems to be where my crickets congregate , sometimes when i change the water I just dump the rest in the sand, makes a neat pattern and serves as cricket bait too...and yes the advantage of deep sand is you can bury things and stand rocks upright and tiles don’t have to be glued to the tank...
04/09/09  08:05am


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