exo-terra for atb?

wrfuess · #1 (**permalink**) 03-20-2010, 01:03 AM

i was thinking about arboreal snakes. and i like atbs
i was curious if an 18x18x24 would be big enough
also does anyone have experience with these exo-terra cages

Exo-Terra Front Opening Glass Terrariums For Less

would that be big enough for a adult atb?
i here they dont need super large cages.

if anyone has atbs. can i see your setups?

feathafur · #2 (**permalink**) 03-20-2010, 03:23 AM

i guess it would depend on the size of the snake you plan to put on it and how big it will get as an adult
Personal use with those cages, the stupid locking nob always broke on the ones i had contact with haha that and the styrofoam on the back sometimes likes to fall down

wrfuess · #3 (**permalink**) 03-20-2010, 04:51 AM

ohh i forgot to say i want to put an amazon tree boa in it.
how are they with humidity?

feathafur · #4 (**permalink**) 03-20-2010, 04:58 AM

well from what im reading
you need room for split/forked branches as well as the large snake

" Something thats about the equivalent of a 20 gallon extra high tank is fine for an adult animal."

found another one saying

"A good sized enclosure for an ATB is (width x height x depth) 32”x32”x24”"

the cage is nice because of the big opening and humidity wise its going to be the same as any aquarium like enclosure it does have the mesh ontop and if youre going to use heat lamps, pre warning the plastic bar that supports the mesh tendsto sag under weight and im not sure how long it will take for that peice to eventually snap

snakehooked · #5 (**permalink**) 03-20-2010, 05:03 AM

Several people keep their ATBs in exo-terras and the equivalent. Mike Heinrich keeps his lovely animals in 16x16x20 enclosures from herpcages.com if I remember correctly. They do prefer an x or y shaped perch instead of a single. For now my ATB is in a taller tub with a couple perches.

mongoose5971 · #6 (**permalink**) 03-20-2010, 01:09 PM

I have a baby in the 12 x 12 x 18 but I would not personally keep an adult in even the largest size. They do make a very expensive and hard to find 18 x 24 x 36 I believe, about the equivalent of a 40 breeder. That being said, if you're starting with a baby they are slow growers and an Exo cage would be fine for a few years. One thing a lot of people don't realize about them is that they are much more terrestrial and active at night than ETBs and GTPs and, in my opinion, require more space. Mine usually hides in his plant or under moss during the day and you wouldn't even know a snake was in there but as soon as the lights go out he's scouring every inch of his cage, making me feel bad that he's cramped. Keep in mind that though thin, an adult will be about 6 feet long.
Here's my guy in his cage at night.

In other notes, I've not had many problems with Exo cages (or ZooMed, they make a similar cage with a single door instead of two, I think it looks nicer.) I personally have never seen the front latches break off, but many times have seen the little clips in the lids break or fail to click closed after getting worn out, which could mean disaster when you have a tiny, strong, arboreal snake.

wrfuess · #7 (**permalink**) 03-20-2010, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mongoose5971

I have a baby in the 12 x 12 x 18 but I would not personally keep an adult in even the largest size. They do make a very expensive and hard to find 18 x 24 x 36 I believe, about the equivalent of a 40 breeder. That being said, if you're starting with a baby they are slow growers and an Exo cage would be fine for a few years. One thing a lot of people don't realize about them is that they are much more terrestrial and active at night than ETBs and GTPs and, in my opinion, require more space. Mine usually hides in his plant or under moss during the day and you wouldn't even know a snake was in there but as soon as the lights go out he's scouring every inch of his cage, making me feel bad that he's cramped. Keep in mind that though thin, an adult will be about 6 feet long.
Here's my guy in his cage at night.

In other notes, I've not had many problems with Exo cages (or ZooMed, they make a similar cage with a single door instead of two, I think it looks nicer.) I personally have never seen the front latches break off, but many times have seen the little clips in the lids break or fail to click closed after getting worn out, which could mean disaster when you have a tiny, strong, arboreal snake.

alrighty cool i think ill probably go with a tank from herp cages.com. they have a pretty nice 20x20x20 i think that should be good.
i was curious also curious if you knew of any breeders. ive been having trouble finding captive bred atb's

mongoose5971 · #8 (**permalink**) 03-20-2010, 03:24 PM

There's a member on this site with some really nice ones. He/she has them up on the classifieds right now.

wrfuess · #9 (**permalink**) 03-20-2010, 07:13 PM

its going to be a little while. i have to get the tank stuff together.
what do you heat your exo terra with?

snakehooked · #10 (**permalink**) 03-21-2010, 02:51 AM

Jon Cairns (C. hortulanus bites), Mike Heinrich, Nick at Amazon Tree Bros.

There are a few. You might want to try looking at amazon-alliance.com

mongoose5971 · #11 (**permalink**) 03-21-2010, 12:27 PM

I just use overhead incandescent bulbs on my ATB and ETB. If you don't live in FL or somewhere tropical though, you might need a RHP or similar. Lights tend to dry out enclosures and it stays warm enough here that I can turn them off at night. This has always worked for me, but like I said if you live in a very cold/dry climate you may need to use something different.

mongoose5971 · #12 (**permalink**) 03-21-2010, 12:29 PM

And mine came from a show, don't remember exactly whose booth but he was marked $100 but talked them down to $75 and I'm 99% sure he's CBB. You can pretty much always get better prices if you wait for shows.

wrfuess · #13 (**permalink**) 03-21-2010, 08:30 PM

sweet!
is the top screen on your exoterra removable?

mongoose5971 · #14 (**permalink**) 03-21-2010, 10:51 PM

Yeah they have little clippy thingies that secure it in place.

wrfuess · #15 (**permalink**) 03-22-2010, 03:05 AM

sweet could i replace that with plexi glass and attach a rhp to it?
or something like that

mongoose5971 · #16 (**permalink**) 03-22-2010, 12:27 PM

You could, but like i said your snake will need something much bigger as an adult and I don't know if they make RHPs that small. Most people do close off the lids with plexi or similar though.

wrfuess · #17 (**permalink**) 03-22-2010, 02:56 PM

hmm i really like the exo terra cages, but i guess ill probobly end up going with a tub and then an appropriate sized ap cage.

mongoose5971 · #18 (**permalink**) 03-22-2010, 03:10 PM

I like them too, I'm just saying it would only last a couple years. Maybe instead of a RHP you could just stick a small heat pad to the back glass, or use the light method like I do.

wrfuess · #19 (**permalink**) 03-22-2010, 03:14 PM

that may just work =)

C. hortulanus bites · #20 (**permalink**) 03-22-2010, 03:55 PM

I recommed not using glass enclosures as they are very heavy, water spot very easily and usually have a screened top that needs to be partially to mostly covered to hold humidity. I like Barr's reptile enclosures (herpcages.com), AP, and ReptiRacks. Barr's are probably the best bang for your buck as they are very light and they have 2 great sizes for ATBs, a 16"x16"x20" for $85 and a 20" cube (which I prefer) sells for $100 + shipping, which is generally much less that $50. You can also get these cages at that price without the screen tops if you choose to room heat or use RHPs. AP and ReptiRacks are also great choices, but are a bit more costly, but if black is a color that you must have, these are the guys you'll have to go to, as Barr's only come in white.

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