Vote for BP.Net for the 2013 Forum of the Year! Click here for more info.

» Site Navigation

» Home
 > FAQ

» Online Users: 587

0 members and 587 guests
No Members online
Most users ever online was 47,180, 07-16-2025 at 05:30 PM.

» Today's Birthdays

Banjomule (45)

» Stats

Members: 75,899
Threads: 249,095
Posts: 2,572,066
Top Poster: JLC (31,651)
Welcome to our newest member, HellboyBoa
Results 1 to 4 of 4
  1. #1
    BPnet Veteran Stearns84's Avatar
    Join Date
    08-03-2015
    Location
    Elgin, Illinois
    Posts
    505
    Thanks
    584
    Thanked 665 Times in 284 Posts

    Exclamation Dwarf Retic Help / Concern!

    A good friend of mine had to let go of a few of his Retics, so my girlfriend picked me up a male dwarf platinum retic that is right around a year old. He is a big baby, gentle and basically a lap dog. He was kept in a 15qt tub for the “2’ vision cube” setup. Was on paper towels or aspen with a small water dish. I’m not sure how or what his temps were in the rack, but it mite and RI free.



    When I brought him home I put him in a 41qt tub (part of a 2 level rack), paper towel substrate and a medium sized water dish and a large hide. My temps are spot on 90 hotspot, 79*-81* cold side, and humidity was perfect. Went to dinner and came back and he must have tried to soak, as all of the paper towels were soaked, but the dish was not tipped over. I took him out, cleaned up his tub, and replaced the substrate with cypress, put his hide back in (which he does not use), and a lower bigger water dish. He went in for a soak before I went to bed, and when I got up he was still in there. The ambient temps were still spot on, but he was cold from sitting in the water on the cold side all night and humidity was through the roof (even with holes in the tub).





    So I pulled him out, switched back over to paper towel, moved his hide to the cold side (since he doesn’t use it, to shorted the size of his tub), put the large water dish back in (empty so he could rest in an empty dish), and found the smallest ceramic dish I could find, and put minimal water in it. He was in the new small water dish it all day again (or as close as he could fit).





    What options do I have to keep him out of his water dish, even though ambient, hotspot and cool side are spot on, he is cold from sitting in the water all day. Looking for advice on what steps to take to help my little buddy out. Do I get him more small hides, bowls to lay in?


    Thanks in advance!
    -Steve
    Tina - 0.1 Pastel Ball Python
    Gene - 1.0 Platinum Dwarf Retic

  2. #2
    Super Moderator bcr229's Avatar
    Join Date
    03-18-2013
    Location
    Eastern WV Panhandle
    Posts
    9,564
    Thanks
    2,966
    Thanked 9,989 Times in 4,833 Posts
    Images: 34
    After keeping retics I've come to the conclusion that they keep you on your toes not only because of their size, but because they are high maintenance.

    I would get him a large undumpable water bowl with just a little water in it so that if he climbs in he doesn't displace the water all over the tub. Maybe two, one for soaking the other for drinking. Plan on changing the water in both daily, he'll probably use one as a toilet and soak in the other - because he can.

    The cypress is a good idea as it won't mold or get nasty when wet like aspen and paper can, but as you discovered it's naturally wet on its own so it really cranks up the humidity in the tub. You can counteract some of that by spreading it in a shallow tub or pan and leaving it in a sunny spot for a while to dry out before you use it, or you can bake it in the oven in a roasting pan to dry it out. That way when your guy does displace water the cypress will soak it up.

    You can also put ventilation holes in the sides of the tub to lower the humidity. Don't worry about making too many, if it gets too dry just put a piece of tape on the outside of the tub over the hole.
    Last edited by bcr229; 07-10-2016 at 09:14 PM.

  3. #3
    BPnet Veteran Stearns84's Avatar
    Join Date
    08-03-2015
    Location
    Elgin, Illinois
    Posts
    505
    Thanks
    584
    Thanked 665 Times in 284 Posts

    Re: Dwarf Retic Help / Concern!

    Quote Originally Posted by bcr229 View Post
    After keeping retics I've come to the conclusion that they keep you on your toes not only because of their size, but because they are high maintenance.

    I would get him a large undumpable water bowl with just a little water in it so that if he climbs in he doesn't displace the water all over the tub. Maybe two, one for soaking the other for drinking. Plan on changing the water in both daily, he'll probably use one as a toilet and soak in the other - because he can.

    The cypress is a good idea as it won't mold or get nasty when wet like aspen and paper can, but as you discovered it's naturally wet on its own so it really cranks up the humidity in the tub. You can counteract some of that by spreading it in a shallow tub or pan and leaving it in a sunny spot for a while to dry out before you use it, or you can bake it in the oven in a roasting pan to dry it out. That way when your guy does displace water the cypress will soak it up.

    You can also put ventilation holes in the sides of the tub to lower the humidity. Don't worry about making too many, if it gets too dry just put a piece of tape on the outside of the tub over the hole.
    Thanks for the heads up! He was very cold this morning in his water dish but it was also on the cold side of his tub. Should I put both dishes on the hot side (since im using heat tape under the tub)?

    What temp do you bake the mulch at?

    Thanks again!
    Tina - 0.1 Pastel Ball Python
    Gene - 1.0 Platinum Dwarf Retic

  4. #4
    Super Moderator bcr229's Avatar
    Join Date
    03-18-2013
    Location
    Eastern WV Panhandle
    Posts
    9,564
    Thanks
    2,966
    Thanked 9,989 Times in 4,833 Posts
    Images: 34
    Yeah I'd go ahead and put both water dishes on the warm side. Just make sure there's also enough room for him to get out and lay on the heat if he wants to. If there isn't, maybe just one dish.

    If you need to quick-dry the cypress bake it at 150*F for an hour or so. Otherwise have some always airing out and ready to go, to replace what you remove when you spot clean.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v4.2.1