Henry's Free Range.

[summoner12]

I have two adult Melleri that I free range. They do not live together. Today I worked on Henry's free range. I acquired Henry from a member on the forum who was moving and could not take him with. Henry has been living free range style in the living room as a temporary home. Today I was able to get his range close enough to being finished that I introduced him to his new home. He seemed to light it a lot. I know he'll like it more once I get some plants situated. He only tried to leave the range once when I was standing on a stool doing some work on the misting... he didn't like me being higher than him so he tried to go on top of the range. I do have plans to keep him from climbing on top and getting hurt on the heat lamps and such.

The racking is from Uline and is 48" wide, 24" deep and 86" tall. His lighting consists of a dual 48" fixture with a 'grow' lamp and a Reptisun UVB lamp installed. I am using two heat lamps because it is cooler this time of year. One lamp has a 50w lamp and the other is a 25w lamp. If Henry seems to warm himself under the 50w all day I will step up the wattage. The plan for the plants will be to have a lot of pothos and the vines draped around the thicker fake vines. I will also hang the pothos vines down from the top once they become long enough.

The height of the rack is such that I can have two 30" tall cages on the bottom rack. There is enough room to have UV lamps and heat lamps above the cages and drainage underneath.

Stretching out for some 'sun'.

Ready for bed

 

[BocaJan]

Looks pretty meager now. I'm sure he feels very exposed. Are you planning on keeping the plastic up! You need to put screen around. This is a very small area for a Mellari. Having a living room to roam around is definately a better situation.

I hope you can work out something better.

 

[bucky]

Maybe have some sort of a good sized tree next to it?

 

[Brad Ramsey]

I don't think this enclosure is finished yet ... we are just getting a preview.
I think the size is fine (but I don't keep Melleri, nor have I done much research in regard to their husbandry)
I am excited to see the finished environment.

-Brad

 

[tryme]

Good start would love to see how it turns out

 

[summoner12]

Maybe have some sort of a good sized tree next to it?

I want to encourage him to stay in the range... not wonder around. I might hang some Pothos around the area, out of his reach. I don't mind him going out of the range.... But I would rather he stay inside.

 

[summoner12]

This is sorta the start of the pothos. I want them to establish and start growing like mad so I can hang the vines higher than just the fake vines.

Once the vines are longer I will suspend them from the top of the cage. The reason I have not hung the plants or draped them down from the top is because I want to avoid having Henry climbing up to the top of the range. I do have a plan of putting a barrier so he can't get up there... but I don't have that up yet.

Again, work in progress, ideas are welcome.

 

[Brian]

Any updates Kevin? I would love how it looks now

 

[summoner12]

Any updates Kevin? I would love how it looks now

Yeah.. I can post some updates. It has plants in it now... LOL those pics are kinda old lol

When I get home I'll take some pics of the room for ya and post them.