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 #1441662


Skittles73
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 Getting a hognose! YAY!

finally i am getting a hognose, actually i am getting the snake on October 6, i can’t wait. So i did research and now all i have to do is get the cage , heater ext. Ohh and anyone have any thoughts on over head lamps/UVB some people say use it others say you don’t need to so i am not sure if i should get it or not??? I’ll post pics when i get him/her!!!
09/12/07  10:05pm

 #1441790


Dane_Zoo
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   Message To: Skittles73   In reference to Message Id: 1441662


 Getting a hognose! YAY!

it wouldnt hurt to get the light...unless ur temps get to high, but if ur temps are good with just a UTH then all you need is the natural light
09/12/07  11:30pm

 #1441970


Skittles73
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   Message To: Dane_Zoo   In reference to Message Id: 1441790


 Getting a hognose! YAY!


yeah i thought i might get the heater just cause all my other snakes have them but one and it seems to keep the temps just right. Any one else have any suggestions??
thanks everyone!



09/13/07  08:05am

 #1443558


Skittles73
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   Message To: Skittles73   In reference to Message Id: 1441970


 Getting a hognose! YAY!

Ohh and what r ur ideas on tank size i have hear 10 or 20 which one should i go for, i know females r larger so should i get a 20 if i get a female and a 10 if i get a male????
thanks
09/14/07  03:58pm

 #1444188


JackAsp
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   Message To: Skittles73   In reference to Message Id: 1443558


 Getting a hognose! YAY!

If you’re willing to get a 20, a male won’t mind it either. I don’t think it’s unreasonably small for a female, as long as they can dig around in it, but it’s not unreasonably large for a male either. They aren’t ball pythons. My female is a year old, less than two feet, and recently moved into a 40 breeder tank(36X18.) I’m not saying if you get a female she’ll need that, but I’m saying it doesn’t stress her. I happen to like going over the minimum a bit. Besides the issue of whether or not they "like" having more room to "play" (which I am dorky enoughto answer "yes" to) it also allows me to provide a better thermal gradient that they can adjust their behavior to easily despite flunctuations in room temperature.

Ambient room light may be fine during the summer, but with days getting shorter and shorter, if you want your snake to stay in summer mode, I’d get an overhead. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy or strong, as long as you’ve got belly heat under there. Despite the big tank mine has, all I use for light is an old fluorecent strip light, the size you’d use on a ten gallon. That’s what I had laying around. if all I had laying around was a the light from a five and a half or even a two and half, even that would probably be fine. A big bright light wouldn’t scare her, but anything you can use to keep your snake convinced that daytime is twleve hours long will do the job.

And they are diurnal. Mine wakes up and hits the surface every morning for a few hours, then resurfaces a few more times during the day, then sleeps all night. And hisses like an alley cat on a bungee cord if I bother her at night. So it’s not a waste of money unless you buy into that "All reptiles need UVB" nonsense and pay way too much for the light bulbs. Many, many do use it as an integral part of their calcium synthesis, but not all. Hell, guinea pigs need Vitamin C, but most rodents don’t at all. Metabolisms vary from species to species. On this particular issue, most snake species got lucky. They don’t need a UV light any more than your dog does.
09/15/07  03:26am

 #1444853


Skittles73
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   Message To: JackAsp   In reference to Message Id: 1444188


 Getting a hognose! YAY!

Ok, thanks so much

i think i will get a 20 gallon and an overhead light, i use red cypress beading do you think that will be ok, it works for my other snakes well, some of my snakes like my Kenyan sand boa and rubber boa which bury themselves all day are able to bury themselves well so i think its ok but i am just making sure lol,



09/15/07  06:25pm

 #1447640


Skittles73
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   Message To: Skittles73   In reference to Message Id: 1444853


 Getting a hognose! YAY!

ohh and has anyone ever seen a tri color hognose, i saw one on line last night, they r SOOOO cool lol. I can’t even imagine how much they must cost. I want to get either a normal western or a red phase both are really beautiful:)!!!!!
09/17/07  10:27pm


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