Re: PIX OF MY SET-UP

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Posted by Raymond Moreno on September 22, 2002 at 00:35:32:

In Reply to: PIX OF MY SET-UP posted by Raymond Moreno on September 22, 2002 at 00:03:49:

OK,

now here's a shot of the interior of his cage.

As you can see, on the left is a "Ficus Benjamina" plant. And on the right is a "Golden Pothos" plant. These plants are really nice to look at, as well as very safe for him. Moist soil will also generate heat and moisture. (And if you look closely, you'll see that I covered the top layer of soil with shiny black stones).

And by the way (like I read somewhere), "If you can't keep LIVE PLANTS in your terrarium, how are you expecting to keep a live animal"? Which makes perfectly good sense to me!!! (But don't feel bad if you don't...cuz that's OK, too).

Now look over to the rear, and you'll see a piece of "cork bark" that was placed there for climbing space...as well as for looks. (The crix love to hide within the cracks, and on the upper portion of it). But "Sticky" (his name) has wisened-up to this fact, and is taking full advantage of this "upper-level buffet" situation.

I have also included a 6' foot piece of artificial climbing-vine as added climbing space. As well as a nice piece of "polyurethane-treated" wood in the center. (The coating on the wood makes cleaning his "doo-doo" VERY EASY, as it will not "absorb" into the woods grain).

And on the bottomm you'll see a lid of baby-food, as well as some "gut-load" for the crix that survived last-night's massacre.

I am also still pondering on a design for an "overhang/ledge" to place on the upper wall. It will be a space for him to kick-back and "check-out-the-ladies". (Ha ha). This "overhang/ledge" will be able to hold some type of "moss" (or other material), that will give him some added cover, as well as having the ability to retain moisture.

And in closing, I'm alo attaching a link to THE BEST care sheet for cresty's that I've yet to find . Yea, there's other care sheets...but this is the one that I like the best, as it contains "mucho" information. (Backed with a yearly climate chart of "New Caledonia" to support their reasoning behind their recommended cage temperatures).

Enjoy!!

In Christ: Raymond

As for the substrate, I am currently using paper towels to ensure that there is no chance of impaction. (He still dives HEADFIRST off the walls at crix...and missed. You know that's gotta hurt)!! But if there were some other substrate, he would be getting mouth-fulls of the stuff.

I know it's a "ONE-IN-A-MILLION" chance of him getting impacted like this. And there are some of you out there who have raised gecko's for 150 years with no consequences. But since he's mine, I don't want to take the chance. (What if he's THAT ONE, in the "one-in-a-million")??

:Hey guys,

:I know that I've posted this on "the other" gecko site. But since we're starting "fresh and a-new," I figured it would be nice to post a few pix of my cresty's set-up on this forum.

:First-off...I just purchased my very first cresty from Loren at "Sundial Reptile," so I am a complete newby to all of this as well.

:My cage was gonna go in my living-room (as well as with my beardie & chameleon cage), so it had to look "presentable. (It couldn't look all "ghetto"). Ha ha. So the first step was to design something that will give my cresty (Sticky) plenty of room to grow into, as well as hide those "UGLY" light fixtures.

:Then I also had to consider that he is PRIMARILY an arboreal creature (a tree dweller/climber), so the emphasis on the cage had to be "HIGH," and not "LONG".

:So with the space that I had in my living room, I made the INTERIOR OF THE CAGE a comfortable 24W x 24H x 18D. This is his actual living space, and NOT the exterior dimensions. (The EXTERIOR of the cage was made/designed to hide all the fixtures).

:And if you look at the picture, you'll see that having the ability to access he whole cage was paramount to me. (Especially for sanitation purposes - to clean the cage)!!

:So I made the top part of the cage with a lid that lifts-up to access all the fixtures. (I also installed a "hold-open" latch that does "just that" to the lid). Once the lid is in the open position, the whole top FRONTAL, "wooden section" comes right out. And once that wooden section is removed, the glass just "slides right out" on the grooves in which it rests. (Did you follow that)?

:Underneath the cage (see the picture), I have a few "Rubbermaid" boxes which contain the crix that are his food. (Burp)!!!

:And also, since I knew that I would be misting the cage (at least three times a day), I laid down THREE heavy coats of water-sealer to the whole interior.(I used an oil-based urethane for this). And make sure to let the cage dry-out "at least" three days before you place your "lil buddy" inside his cage.

:Once the interior was to my satisfaction, I stained the exterior as well, and then added two coates of urethane.

:I'll place a close-up of the interior on another post.

:Enjoy.

:In Christ: Raymond

:As for the interior of the cage

Great Cresty Care Sheet

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