Learning the hard way...

My husband very kindly, with the best intentions, bought a new viv for our 5 month old BP. He bought the large wide Ex-terra, front opening, screened top. I had been researching Boaphile cages and had planned on the 322D...oh well, it's done now but I can see us changing it as she grows.

Warning 1: the attractive styrofoam backing looks great...BUT, my snake is a climber and it took her about 5 min to find the cut outs for the wires for meters and down the back she went!!! Luckily I saw her do it otherwise I'd of had a panic attack thinking she had got out! It is now on the back outside of the viv against the wall and does help with temp control.

Warning 2: the doors open in the middle front and although the lock works fine, the top where the doors meet the screen top is easily lifted...as yet at 4 months and 273 g she isn't strong enough to move enough to get out, but....she will be.

Warning 3: because of the screen top I'm still having to use damp towel and cardboard to cover 2/3 of the screen to maintain correct temps and humidity., not to mention a block of wood to weigh it down just in case.

So in due course I'll sell this one and buy what I wanted in the first place, but I'm so pleased he is as addicted to our first BP at I am. Today he brought home loads of decoration and another hide for cool side too.

http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14...9e6cbf9078.jpg


Molly & Precioucess

http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14...17ed2e5aa1.jpg

Told you she was a climber!


Molly & Precioucess

Very nice decorations.Looks feistic


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Realistic I mean.


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It is amazing how easily they find ways to get out, I have a couple heavy bricks that help to hold my screen on. When you look at the enclosures like the boaphile you mentioned you can see why they are designed the way they are. :) I'm looking forward to an upgrade, hopefully very soon.

I had my 6ft BRB in a tank like that when I first got him, it was just bigger. He is a great climber and a big time burrower but he was never able to get out of the tank. The screen lid was not held down with anything other than the built in tabs yet he was never able to escape. I also had the background mounted to the glass with an epoxy and never had an issue there either. A BRB is much stronger than a ball and your cage should work fine if you just mounted the background to the wall but leaving it on the outside is certainly fine too.

Trust the tank. Its made for keeping critters in and it should be great as long as you latch the door and don't break the tabs on top. Covering part of the screen is just part of having a screen lid. Aluminum foil tape can work well for that too.

Also a tip. The front of the cage has a vent that runs the entire front. You can use electrical tape and run it along the vent to cover it(on the outside) or a portion of it. This will help keep your humidity in too. The electrical tape is the same width as the vent so it disappears when added to it nice and straight.

Love the aluminum foil tape idea! Woke up to first cool morning here. Despite TStat settings for 90 warm side and 82 cool side the ambient was down to 85 warm side :(. Making me worry for coming cold weather. Humidity stayed at 65 tho :)


Molly & Precioucess

Some keep them as low as 75 but im personally comfortable with my range of 77-82. The ambient temp does not need to be over 85 as long as you have your uth, and even a uth is not needed if you can provide proper air temps that remain constant. That will also save your humidity by dropping the air temp a bit.