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#1357456
Foster901
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 Important question about expanding upwards
I have learned/decided that although I originally thought otherwise, my aquarium dimensions 24Lx12Wx18in high are not tall enough for my MHD. I want to buy a terrarium topper for him. Unfortunately the only one’s I can find made for reptiles come in either 10 gallon or 20 long size (i have a 20gal high), I found one made for rodents that it wire, but I don’t think It will work (crickets escaping etc). I guess my question is open for discussion....does anyone make 20 gal high screen toppers? or should I look into a reptarium or something similar. What is your experience? I can’t spend alot, and don’t have carpentry skills....so keep this in mind.
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07/13/07 05:29pm
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#1357620
A¢¼
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Message To: Foster901 In reference to Message Id: 1357456
Important question about expanding upwards
Tip it on its side, so that it’s 24" tall. It’s better than nothing, and I wouldn’t suggest a topper. How much COULD you spend? I’d make a custom one for you at a cut rate price, but shipping would cost a fortune.
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07/13/07 07:00pm
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#1357672
Foster901
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Message To: A¢¼ In reference to Message Id: 1357620
Important question about expanding upwards
You aren’t in Ohio are you by chance?? What experiences do you guys have with reptariums? I have considered the 65 gal one, it’s only like 30 bucks. I worry about the large opening, how do you get in without the crickets getting out?
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07/13/07 07:40pm
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#1357693
A¢¼
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Message To: Foster901 In reference to Message Id: 1357672
Important question about expanding upwards
Uhhhh-huh. No, not Ohio; Texas. Reptariums are cool, except they allow air flow, wich takes humidity out. You know MHDs need 60%-100% humidity right? That’s hard to achieve with a reptiarium. Unless, of course you wrap it in plastic, so that the humidty remains in the terrarium. If you can find another solution to the humidity problem, go for it.
>>I worry about the large opening, how do you get in without the crickets getting out?
I never go IN the enclosures, but, uh, I wouldn’t worry about crickets getting out. Knock them away first, and there shouldn’t be any problems. Anything else?
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07/13/07 07:53pm
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#1357696
A¢¼
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Message To: A¢¼ In reference to Message Id: 1357693
Important question about expanding upwards
I’ll give you a minute before leaving the computer 
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07/13/07 07:55pm
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#1357948
Foster901
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Message To: A¢¼ In reference to Message Id: 1357696
Important question about expanding upwards
I guess I was too slow.... Yeah, I am keeping my humidity close to 80% right now, how would you do that with screen???? Well, I guess I have some planning to do before I upgrade, I am just kinda in a hurry because I think he wants more room, he is rubbing the glass a little and staring dreamily at the screen top.
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07/14/07 12:04am
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#1357950
Foster901
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Message To: A¢¼ In reference to Message Id: 1357696
Important question about expanding upwards
I guess I was too slow.... Yeah, I am keeping my humidity close to 80% right now, how would you do that with screen???? Well, I guess I have some planning to do before I upgrade, I am just kinda in a hurry because I think he wants more room, he is rubbing the glass a little and staring dreamily at the screen top.
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07/14/07 12:04am
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#1358023
Dericka
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Message To: Foster901 In reference to Message Id: 1357950
Important question about expanding upwards
Hi! Where in ohio are you? I live in middletown near dayton and cincinnati...
anyways, I will just give ya my two cents, I have one of those screen reptariums, the biggest one thats like 100 bucks, and what I did was tape up those plastic fish tank backgrounds over the back and sides. I have a large cat litter pan with a bubbler, and mist about 3-6 times a day, and my humidity will be around 65% at the very lowest, usually at 75-80% on average, higher obviously when misted. I’ve had my oldest one three and a half years now, they’ve lived in the reptarium for over a year, and they breed, and they seem pretty happy with their setup!
The reason I like the reptarium, personally, is that they can utilize every bit of it, in that they can climb and hang out on all the walls, not just the vines and branches. I have never had a problem with their nails or anything getting hung up on the walls either...Also it is very lightweight and so much easier if neccesary to move than an aquarium. I also love that it opens from the front the way it does. It is not really hard in my opinion to cover the sides well enough to hold in humidity. When they lived in an aquarium, the humidity never stayed any higher than it does now, and now they have a much bigger water bowl and more space!
~deri
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07/14/07 12:59am
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#1358036
Dericka
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Message To: Dericka In reference to Message Id: 1358023
Important question about expanding upwards
another thing i love about the reptarium is the way you can twisty-tie vines from the top and to the sides!
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07/14/07 01:11am
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#1358136
FroggieB
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Message To: Dericka In reference to Message Id: 1358036
Important question about expanding upwards
I just recently sold my entire group of MHDs but I was keeping them in reptariums. I used the 30" x30" x 4’ tall and wrapped it in plastic to keep in the humidity.
If you would like to see how I did it go to my web sites FAQ page. http://www.froggieb.com/MHDFAQ.html#reptarium
This is just one of many options that can give you roomy housing without the huge expense!
Marcia
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07/14/07 03:30am
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#1358333
Foster901
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Message To: FroggieB In reference to Message Id: 1358136
Important question about expanding upwards
thanks so much for your replys, I think that I can handle wrapping some plastic around it or something. I live in Pleasant ridge, not too far from middletown! Are you going to the columbus show today?? I can’t make this one, but got my MHD at the last one a month ago. I was going to go with the 65 gal reptarium, and use it so it’s taller than long....is that big enough for 1 dragon? The fish backdrops are a good idea, I bet that looks nice too. Thanks again!
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07/14/07 11:58am
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#1363633
Dericka
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Message To: Foster901 In reference to Message Id: 1358333
Important question about expanding upwards
Cool, someone who lives near me! I’m hoping to make it to next month’s show, I am moving out in a few weeks and will be able to get my very first snake! if I have the funds. My dad tolerated everything I ever brought home, but doesn’t like snakes, so I’ve been able to have one...
And yes, I think the cage does look nice with the really leafy pictured backgrounds. I think it might make them feel more secure having it there, any time me or my dog or even a vacuum goes by, they just look at it with interest, they’ve never acted frightened in this cage.
Marcia, I’m really glad to hear that you had reptariums too! It didn’t look like anyone else on here did, I love em, but it makes me glad someone else did too, especially you!!
deri
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07/18/07 01:01am
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#1367274
Foster901
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Message To: Dericka In reference to Message Id: 1363633
 Important question about expanding upwards
I ordered my reptarium today, if they are good enough for you gals, then one is good enough for me. I got the 65 gallon one (for 28$!) and plan to use it in the "tall" position of course. None of you mentioned the soft tray thing, but i got one of those too. I think Beezo is going to like it! He has really grown and put on muscle since I’ve had him. He has crickets always in the terrarium, but I also feed him 3 to 8 redworms a day depending on the size of them. I also saw him swimming and drinking today!
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07/20/07 02:34pm
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#1367900
Mad4You2
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Message To: Foster901 In reference to Message Id: 1357456
Important question about expanding upwards
I have 2 that size that I use for my pair of Jackson’s....they really like it. We have the soft tray thing on the bottom and I think it works reallly well. You might have to put some plastic wrap on the sides to increase the humidity....that is a great price you got! I’m sure he’ll love it. Good luck....Angie
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07/20/07 10:42pm
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#1368789
Foster901
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Message To: Mad4You2 In reference to Message Id: 1367900
Important question about expanding upwards
Thanks, I am going to use some plastic of some kind to wrap the back and 2 side of it with. I hope that he likes it, i am worried about moving him to a whole new scene.
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07/21/07 07:41pm
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#1369088
Mad4You2
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Message To: Foster901 In reference to Message Id: 1368789
Important question about expanding upwards
I moved mine a few weeks ago and they are still not over it! Someone on here suggested transitioning them by letting them stay in the new enclosure for a few hours and moving them back to their old one so they can get used to it gradually....I think that is a good idea and I wish I had done that instead of a cold turkey move....good luck...Angie
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07/21/07 11:40pm
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#1371426
Foster901
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Message To: Mad4You2 In reference to Message Id: 1369088
Important question about expanding upwards
yeah, i read that and am definately going to try it. I can set them up next to one another and just put him in an hour or so at first. What kind of "vines"do you guys like?
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07/23/07 07:50pm
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#1371962
Mad4You2
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Message To: Foster901 In reference to Message Id: 1371426
Important question about expanding upwards
Do you mean brand? I’m not sure, but I think I probably have more than one brand of those bendy vines. I also have vines that suction cup on glass walls and hang down in bunches. You can use pothos...that’s a great ivy for them to climb around on...and they are pretty hardy if you want to go with a live plant. You can use branches or just about anything they can climb on. I use a lot of Fluker’s vines and silk vines because they have a pretty good selection of them at Petsmart. It’s a good idea to do the sterilization thing of any type of cage accessories that you bring from outdoors and I usually let live plants sit on the patio and water them excessively daily for a couple of weeks so they drain and hopefully wash away any chemicals. You can use diluted solution of dishwashing soap to wash the plant itself off. Hope this helps....Angie
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07/24/07 12:51am
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#1372365
Dericka
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Message To: Foster901 In reference to Message Id: 1371426
Important question about expanding upwards
I use those bendy vines in mine as well, there are like three different sizes of them, I use large size, and I’ve also twisted the smallest/thinnest ones around the bigger ones, that looks cool. The dragons seem to like them a whole lot, and lay on them easily. I use them for alot of my frogs as well. I also have some of those suction cup plants that hang down! I haven’t used any real wooden deco in my dragon cage in a long time, because with the moisture and humidity the wood would get kinda rotted and buggy after a while...
I am glad to hear Beezo is doing so well! It’s great to see them playin in the water, I have one male that does it all the time. Good luck with his transition to a new habitat! I am moving in a few days, mine will be in the same cage, but it will be in a whole new place with all new sights and sounds, so I hope they take it allright!
deri
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07/24/07 12:59pm
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#1374264
Foster901
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Message To: Dericka In reference to Message Id: 1372365
Important question about expanding upwards
yeah I meant the brand of fake vines and the size. I think I will try the large bendy ones. I have a nice big piece of driftwood and pothos and fake broad leaf plant thing now, but my pothos isn’t growing very quickly. I really like having live plants, they seem to add to the humidity quite a bit too.
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07/25/07 04:30pm
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#1374826
Mad4You2
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Message To: Foster901 In reference to Message Id: 1374264
Important question about expanding upwards
I agree about the live plants...do you have the dripper going into the pothos? Sometimes if the soil is too wet is seems to slow down the growth...that makes no sense because the cuttings I have in water grow like weeds....but the ones that are planted seem to like the soil to dry out before the next time I water. They grow really great on my front porch in partial shade and the ones at work do great with fluorescent lights...I think the UVB and the humidity and temp should be really good for them to grow in the MHD environment. About the brand...I have a lot of Fluker’s stuff and I think a few of the All Living Things (or something like that) brand from Petsmart. :-) Angie
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07/25/07 11:51pm
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#1375333
Dericka
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Message To: Mad4You2 In reference to Message Id: 1374826
Important question about expanding upwards
I thought about putting pothos in my MHD cage, but I assumed they would accidently crush it or break it...
I have pothos in several of my frog tanks, two of them are half water tanks, and the plant is always in the water, and they’ve been growing (and overgrowing) for about a year and a half to two years like that now. Then in one tank the plant is still in the pot, I water it every few days and it does dry out before I water again, and it grows marvelously! And I have pothos in another frog tank, it wraps around the whole tank and has big thick vines that they climb on, and the plant decided to start rooting in the water bowl, so I don’t even water that one!
deri
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07/26/07 11:56am
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#1375356
Foster901
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Message To: Dericka In reference to Message Id: 1375333
Important question about expanding upwards
Yeah, I grow pothos all the time in my fish tanks, It loves to root into water. I am not letting it dry out in between waterings in my terrarium though, I will try that. I just assumed it needed lots of water because, like you said, the cuttings do well in water. I expect my reptarium today!! I am going away for the weekend and don’t know if I should fully move him before of after I get back. I kinda want to take him with me!! lol!!
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07/26/07 12:10pm
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