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Posted by Rob Carmichael on November 19, 2002 at 16:04:55:
In Reply to: Re: an idea and possiblechange in philosophy of bp caging... posted by jfmoore on November 19, 2002 at 15:10:09:
The old saying "you get what you pay for" certainly holds true when it comes to quality cages. We did unload our pocket books a bit as the entire unit (which includes a matching stand that holds a LOT of stuff) cost around $4000 (that's right, four thousand!). THere are many, much less expensive models from HS that look real nice and can be set up to look nice as well. Most average hobbyists would think this is crazy but if you have the resources, I can say that it is well worth the investment. This included all heating, thermostats, lights, and the intricate rock work that was custom made for this enclosure....it would have cost far less had we just gone with a "box" approach but we are glad we purchased the cage that we wanted. It has been up and running for four weeks and the coastal carpet seems to have developed regular patterns of activity which is neat to watch. Currently, we are using CareFresh bedding but will soon be switching over to a more natural looking substrate (we feed this snake while he is perched up high so there is no chance for ingestion). Still, the carefresh looks real good. I will try to post a pic soon.
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:Hi Rob –
:Thanks for your post. I’d love to see some photos. I have a few questions. How long has the cage you describe been up and running at your place? What substrate do you use? How much did the cage and accessories cost? For those who can afford them, the Habitat Systems cages are really slick.
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::For many years I have preached the importance of keeping things simple when it comes to husbandry: paper substrate, hide area, water bowl, heat, light, etc. After all, my snakes have thrived, fed well, and bred even better in these conditions. Their cages, after all, mimicked a small micro-climate of their natural element and that is one of our goals. This philosophy was instilled in me by the late, great Carl Kauffeld (particularly his book, "Snakes, The Keeper and the Kept"; must reading for any serious herp person). I have always kept my bp's in rack systems or neodesha cages...and will probably continue to do so because they are efficient.
::Recently, at the wildlife center I direct and founded (The Wildlife Discovery Center), we obtained some additional funding to purchase a few new display cages. We decided to go with Habitat Systems as I was always impressed by the quality of work that they did. Two extraordinary cages were delivered and while one is on display at our future center which is only a run down farm for now, the other one is on exhibit at our current facility. This cage measures approx. 72" x 33" x 60" with natural rock work background, rocky ledges, radiant heat panels and full spectrum lighting. We decided to put our young coastal carpet python (who is approx. 7') in this cage. Previously, this snake has been residing in a 4' neodesha and always seemed to be a happy and content snake (in its simple set up). To our amazement, we saw a whole new snake come to be once placed in her new environment. She spent hours just cruising the cage, constantly flicking her tongue in an almost curious style. She spends hours coiled high on her rocky ledge soaking up heat under her heat panel but then often retreated to the confines of her ground level hollow log. She even shows a different "ambush" coil when she is hungry while perched on her favorite ledge. It is truly a spectacular display.
::Now I wonder, "what about ball pythons?". We are going to experimenting with another HS cage in which we hope to have similar dimensions but in addition to rocky ledges, we are going to have a natural looking termite mound built on the floor. THe side of the mound will have a clear plexi panel that can be removed for easy viewing while still giving a secure feeling to the bp. As we receive MANY stray bp's, we are planning on a small, communal set up. It should be an interesting experiment. Now, this doesn't negate the many advantages to keeping bp's in simple set ups...they work! But, I wonder how much more we might enjoy our hobby if we create beautiful, naturalistic set ups (the Europeans are way ahead of us in this department). I spent two hours the other day watching our carpet python and I couldn't help but think how much we may be short changing our enjoyment of the hobby because we just get tire of one animal and go on to the next. I realize that this would be impractical for most people who keep large constrictors, however, once again, how much more might we enjoy our animals if kept in this type of environment (we may even be content with owning just a few animals!). Just food for thought. If anyone wants pictures, I would be happy to email someone a dig pic if you can post it.
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