little zoo together

[Dracoluna]

ok so i have another tank to set up for siss. i want to set it up but i am sticking to my soil and nateral plants. sorry in 6 years that is one thing that i want to keep. so with that is what is called cat grass ok to put in her tank or what are some ideas of plants that can go in with her.

I've been following the thread a bit and was actually kind of intrigued by your idea of a 'natural' setup for your bp. I've done natural setups for leopard geckos and corns and though the maintenance is higher, it can be very rewarding.

First thing to consider is researching what the habitat looks like and this includes soil. You mentioned you want to keep soil so you may want to look at a properly draining soil such as what's found in the African grasslands. It doesn't stay very moist on top which will also help keep your snake happier. You would also want natural plants for the enclosure which would include mostly grasses and maybe a small bush (depending on the size of your new setup). To find out what soil and grasses would work best, I'd recommend talking to your local nursery. Explain that the soil will need to be able to drain well. You could also include branches (bake them first to ensure they don't have any bacteria, etc.) and rocks stacked up for hides. There are plenty of dead branches, sticks, and twigs on the savannah. Also, if you use the rocks to support it, you could even dig little burrows for your girl that I'm sure she'd love exploring. In the wild, they go hunting, eat the inhabitants, and then sleep there many times so think small. She should be able to curl up and almost fill up the entire space. The rocks provide structure so that it stays more stable.

For water, I like using 'natural' looking water dishes and will even bury them essentially in the substrate so that they look like a pond of sorts. Yes, you have to rebury them every time you need to change the water but if you want the natural look, this works better than a pump/filter system.

Just remember when you go to clean up after her, you will have to dig out some of the soil underneath and replace it to make sure you aren't leaving bacteria/etc. behind.

You will also need to ensure that she's getting the proper heat/humidity requirements with this setup. Use a simple digital thermometer/hygrometer combo to measure and then you can always find ways to adjust that as needed. The plants will need a UV/plant light so that will help with heat but that won't be on all day so you'll need a separate heat source for night time. The heat source may be rough on some species of plants so you'll have to experiment to find plants that live well in a dry warm environment. You may go through several before finding grasses that do well but once you do, they should be self-sustaining.

This will take a little while to setup and get everything right, but in the end, your snake will be much happier with her base requirements met. Also, if you could post pics as you set it up, I think it would be nice to see you recreating her natural home. It's too much work for most breeders and even plain pet owners, but it is neat to see when someone does it right.

Here are some links that might help with your research:
http://www.ehow.com/list_7444313_pla...rasslands.html
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/exhibit...grasslands.php

Here are some shots of my leopard gecko setup to give you some ideas for 'burrows'. Instead of sand, you'd be using a well draining soil. The rocks can be found at home improvement stores in spring/summer in their landscaping areas and give you plenty of design options.
This shot shows how the rock was supported (in a 150 gallon tank setup). That ensures it doesn't fall on your animal.


This one shows one of my boys digging his own hole. This rock was supported with smaller ones that stayed buried under the sand.


The result? A nice comfy place where they felt secure.