|
|
Post by chrisd on Mar 15, 2010 19:48:04 GMT
Hi,
You could be right regarding the change of temp from one extreme to another. The sides of my cages can be taken off as well as the tops when the weather permits which is pretty often. My garden is quite open and therefore can get pretty windy.If I had only open cages at the top with venttilated sides then I think I would have problems keeping the cages warm enough for them to act in a normal manner. I too am very aware of protecting the cages in winter. I wrap them in bubble wrap most of the winter and unwrap them frequently to give them fresh air. Inside the cages there is plenty of opportunites for the animals to burrow down and thurmoregulate as there is a good thick layer of moss that I raked from the garden. I still may drill some holes in the sides just to give a better flow of air in the smaller cages.
air. It is really hard to get the balance just right
|
|
|
|
Post by viridis on Mar 15, 2010 20:29:03 GMT
My vivaria/coldframes have one mesh side and open or mesh tops depending on the weather.Its not easy though as I know that I will have to do something else for my muralis as they will soon clamber up the mesh and escape.
|
|
|
|
Post by chrisd on Mar 16, 2010 19:36:50 GMT
You'll have to watch out for your muralis escaping soon Viridis !! One of my female Viridis once climbed up the frame of the Greenhouse to the top window which I had left open for ventilation and escaped !! If theres a way to get out then I'm sure that they will find it !! Even more so with muralis as they are lighter and like climbing, get a lid on soon !!
I removed the pollycarbonate on my cold frame lid and replaced it with fine mesh. Then to protect them further I put Perspect on to keep the rain out, as needed. This year I'm aiming to make a rain hood which will keep most of the rain out but all the sun in.
|
|
|
|
Post by clemmys on Mar 16, 2010 22:48:41 GMT
Hi, I saw my L. viridis & a P. muralis, for the first time this year, enjoying some March sunlight. Likewise with a polycarbonate cover on the viv during the Winter & early Spring it can get warm in there......& then cold again at night. Fortunately the reps have always managed to get back underground at night. My 6 ft square viv has glass sides & partial roof with deep underground hibernaculum. Attachments:
|
|
|
|
Post by viridis on Mar 16, 2010 23:13:48 GMT
Looks good Clemys. What type and thickness of glass have you used?What do you fix the glass to at the base?Do you cover the open air piece to stop bird and cat attacks?Just curious as I want to build some outdoor enclosures.
|
|
|
|
Post by clemmys on Mar 17, 2010 23:21:27 GMT
Hi
The glass is 4mm thick and is held together with aquarium silicon .
The glass rests on a breeze block base & is again sealed with silicon sealant.
I do cover the top over with chicken wire in a frame when were not about.....have learned a harsh lesson in the past regarding cats. Also beware of tall growing plants, the lizards will use them as an escape route. I have now had the enclosure for nine years & it needs little maintenance.
|
|
|
|
Post by monkeyboy on Apr 1, 2010 11:48:23 GMT
Fantastic enclosure, wouldnt look out of place at the Chelsea flower show!
Continuing with the theme of hibernation emergence my muralis is out and had a Western Fence Lizard succesfully come through winter only to get caught out by change in weather at start of month, wish I'd taken him in (and heeded advice earlier in this thread!) still very active and species so may give them a go again, anyone else ever tried them outside?
|
|
|
|
Post by clemmys on Apr 2, 2010 10:09:10 GMT
Thanks for comments on viv. Sorry to hear about your western fence lizard, unfortunately our unpredictable spring can be a killer. I have never kept this beautiful species.....but it seems they can survive the cold, as yours came through a particularly cold winter. Looking forward to some decent warm weather, as i have other reptiles to put out & new ponds to build. keepingreptilesalfresco.blogspot.com/ |
|
|
|
Post by viridis on Apr 3, 2010 13:14:48 GMT
I saw some of my bilineata and muralis out today.this surprised me as the temperature was only about 10 celcius.
Clemmys do you have to be careful with your vivarium ,4mm glass is very thin? Is it one sheet per side?
|
|
|
|
Post by clemmys on Apr 3, 2010 17:30:02 GMT
It does seem thin at only 4mm, but it is toughened glass and unless its struck hard it will not shatter. I would certainly use this thickness again. keepingreptilesalfresco.blogspot.com/ |
|
|
|
Post by Killian on Apr 5, 2010 15:02:57 GMT
clemmys that is quite a nice blogspot you have, feel free to post a link in the links section to it so all our members can keep up with your progress over the year! Some nice pictures on there also
|
|
|
|
Post by Killian on Apr 5, 2010 15:03:40 GMT
have you a plant list for the above viv?
|
|
|
|
Post by clemmys on Apr 5, 2010 15:44:22 GMT
The plant list is Galium odoratum (sweet woodruff), thrift,lavender,birds-foot trefoil ,sedum & a creeping bellflower. I will have a clean out soon & add some of the smaller varieties of heather. I have 3 Darevskia "unisexualis"to put out when the weather improves. These are a self reproducing or parthenogenetic species.....all females. www.lacerta.de/englische-Version/index-englisch.html |
|
