Arboreal Hides featuring IJ Carpets

[reptileexperts]

A few years ago I saw someone make metal fabricated mounts for RBI hides to be adhered to the ceiling of PVC enclosures. I thought it was a great idea and really wanted to follow through with it to see what I could do for my Irian Jaya pair. I recently moved them into their new adult enclosures and felt it was a good chance to make this work.


Using mirror hangers I attached via shallow screws the brackets in the four corners of the hide using its lip. I left enough slack that it could slide in and out for access as needed but tight enough that the snake could strike from it without worry.




Nothing else to it! Now the snakes are enjoying their new penthouse hides


Female het granite

Male granite


And just a really nice look at our boy.

Cheers!


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[DougM55]

SWEET! I love it. What size RBI hides did you use?


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[Mustang5]

That is a cool idea. Never even thought of having arboreal hides, thanks for the tip.

[midnightLeo]

That is so cool. Great idea.

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[EL-Ziggy]

I agree, great idea! I might have to try that one myself. Seems like the snakes would love them. Did you have to remove the lid on your enclosure to mount the hides? You have some gorgeous carpets btw.

[Tsanford]

Great idea dude, putting this in "the vault" for future use!

[Gio]

Nice,

That's how its done! I've seen this done by Nick Mutton, the author of THE COMPLETE CARPET PYTHON and my friend/cage builder, Ed Lilley does this in some of his cages. He has photos in the book I just mentioned.

ALL morelia are semi to highly arboreal. If you provide the right options you will see behaviors that are normal for the species and I think allowing them to perform these behaviors is very rewarding.

Watching them hunt from a hide above ground is very cool!

I like what I see here.

[reptileexperts]

SWEET! I love it. What size RBI hides did you use?


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I have had these for years to be honest - But in terms of size that I have, I know I have the largest they make, and these are two sizes below that - so they are Large if I recall correctly. But, it's easily expandable.

- - - Updated - - -

I agree, great idea! I might have to try that one myself. Seems like the snakes would love them. Did you have to remove the lid on your enclosure to mount the hides? You have some gorgeous carpets btw.

Nope, I removed the perches, and used a pencil to do my marks. Then drill pilot holes to make my life easier. From there its just screw the mounts, and the hide literally slides right in. Very VERY easy access.

[reptileexperts]

Nice,

That's how its done! I've seen this done by Nick Mutton, the author of THE COMPLETE CARPET PYTHON and my friend/cage builder, Ed Lilley does this in some of his cages. He has photos in the book I just mentioned.

ALL morelia are semi to highly arboreal. If you provide the right options you will see behaviors that are normal for the species and I think allowing them to perform these behaviors is very rewarding.

Watching them hunt from a hide above ground is very cool!

I like what I see here.

This may be where I originally saw it. These two snakes came from Nick, and were from a first generation cross that, as he put it, were at the time the most distant related pure IJ granites made - period. I'm sure that is not the case anymore though :-). I'll check his book out in my Library when I get back home and see if I can find it there as a reference. I know from talking with Nick though back in 2012, he did a lot of breeding pairs in CB70 tubs. I followed this advice for grow out and it worked well. But I am much happier having them back in an arboreal setup with ample room. Adding vegetation soon for this pair.

[Gio]

This may be where I originally saw it. These two snakes came from Nick, and were from a first generation cross that, as he put it, were at the time the most distant related pure IJ granites made - period. I'm sure that is not the case anymore though :-). I'll check his book out in my Library when I get back home and see if I can find it there as a reference. I know from talking with Nick though back in 2012, he did a lot of breeding pairs in CB70 tubs. I followed this advice for grow out and it worked well. But I am much happier having them back in an arboreal setup with ample room. Adding vegetation soon for this pair.

I look forward to seeing your final setup.

I wish I could add a hide like that but the perches and rock wall would not allow the intrusion of an arboreal hide. Not unless I bought a taller cage. Currently this coastal is in a 2 foot high cage. She goes a bit over 6 feet and is eating 1 pound rabbits at 2.5 years old. I think I'd have to have a fairly larger box mounted which would just not work.


Seeing your animals feeding from those hides looks pretty interesting.

It has me tossing around some ideas.



Ultimately the size of the snake when full grown will factor in to what I can do.

How do you think a SD retic would take to your arboreal hides?