May need to upgrade cage-what do you use to clean and keep the bottom clean?

Little_Miss_Mo

Little_Miss_Mo

Member
Hi guys! Now that my girl Georgia is healed and happy, I want to get her cage really nice and functional. I have a repti-breeze medium screen cage, 2 magnetic planters with snow white pothos, a potted schefflera and ficus on the bottom and some of the climbing vines that lead down, and at first I'd been lining the bottom with paper towels. But after a day or so, they'd be so soggy they'd just fall apart when I'd change it out. I stopped with the paper towels and have just been wiping it out every couple of days, but I can't really do a thorough job, and there are definitely some gnats taking up residence. I've looked at the Dragon Strand cages, do they help with this issue? Also, what do you guys use to clean? I rescued her and she had severe health problems requiring daily treatments, and she now refuses to be handled-which is totally fine, but I don't want to stress her out by having to take her out to deep clean it. Even me going in there to just wipe out the bottom causes her to turn absolutely black and hide in a corner, though she has stopped hissing and trying to strike at me when I open the cage door-Progress!!

Pic is her after I cleaned out the cage today, she's green and happy again because she thought I was gone. Of course, she retreated immediately after I took this picture because she truly hates my face and presence. But I love her :)

IMG_1127 2.jpg
 
Little_Miss_Mo said:
Even me going in there to just wipe out the bottom causes her to turn absolutely black and hide in a corner, though she has stopped hissing and trying to strike at me when I open the cage door-Progress!!
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I usually use a bird ladder n coaching my cham to walk on it and bring it out the cage then I clean my cage after ...just keep an eyes on the cham when she is out of the cage..unless u have a spare cage to temporary settle her in there while u doing the cleaning.
 
Little_Miss_Mo said:
Hi guys! Now that my girl Georgia is healed and happy, I want to get her cage really nice and functional. I have a repti-breeze medium screen cage, 2 magnetic planters with snow white pothos, a potted schefflera and ficus on the bottom and some of the climbing vines that lead down, and at first I'd been lining the bottom with paper towels. But after a day or so, they'd be so soggy they'd just fall apart when I'd change it out. I stopped with the paper towels and have just been wiping it out every couple of days, but I can't really do a thorough job, and there are definitely some gnats taking up residence. I've looked at the Dragon Strand cages, do they help with this issue? Also, what do you guys use to clean? I rescued her and she had severe health problems requiring daily treatments, and she now refuses to be handled-which is totally fine, but I don't want to stress her out by having to take her out to deep clean it. Even me going in there to just wipe out the bottom causes her to turn absolutely black and hide in a corner, though she has stopped hissing and trying to strike at me when I open the cage door-Progress!!

Pic is her after I cleaned out the cage today, she's green and happy again because she thought I was gone. Of course, she retreated immediately after I took this picture because she truly hates my face and presence. But I love her :)

View attachment 231439
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I have a dragon strand cage and I love it. I adore their drip pans. I have the drip easy pan. They only thing about that one is you can not put a plant on the bottom because there is a screen that sits between the cage and the pan below. But they have others that are designed for plants on the bottom.
 
Thank you guys so much for the advice! I'd really like the medium atrium dragon strand, but I need to look into how I'd need to change the lighting/heat lamps to accommodate that much cage!
 
Little_Miss_Mo said:
Thank you guys so much for the advice! I'd really like the medium atrium dragon strand, but I need to look into how I'd need to change the lighting/heat lamps to accommodate that much cage!
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I am really hoping to save up enough for an atrium in the next few months also! I would suggest just emailing them to ask how they recommend setting up lighting for that big of a cage.
 
Daesie11 said:
I am really hoping to save up enough for an atrium in the next few months also! I would suggest just emailing them to ask how they recommend setting up lighting for that big of a cage.
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That's a great idea! Are you looking at all screen or clear side? I can't decide!
 
Little_Miss_Mo said:
That's a great idea! Are you looking at all screen or clear side? I can't decide!
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I am in Colorado, so I am leaning more toward the clear side.. however it's such a HUGE price difference that idk if it's worth it. Right now on my screen cage I used a window insulation kit to keep in humidity and it is working like a charm, so I might get the screen version and just apply the window insulation kit to it, because it's only like $5!
 
With that said though, the visibility benefit of the clear side is so much better! As you can see, I also cant decide :LOL: I think my wallet may be the final decider
 
Little_Miss_Mo said:
The wallet definitely makes the rules around here! The screened in looks like it'll be on a July build, which would give me enough time to save up for the Mistking too?? I just want all the things for her!
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A mistking is a MUST. I have pretty much everything except feeding automated, and it makes things so easy. I went on vacation for a few days and my mom just had to stop by to feed him and everything else was automated so it was super easy for him
 
Daesie11 said:
A mistking is a MUST. I have pretty much everything except feeding automated, and it makes things so easy. I went on vacation for a few days and my mom just had to stop by to feed him and everything else was automated so it was super easy for him
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That's awesome! I have the monsoon, but idk, it's not my favorite. But I love having it automated!
 
As far as lighting goes... You want a T5 that runs the width of the enclosure. This can be a single, dual, or quad fixture. The more bulbs the more light which I highly recommend for the larger dragonstrand cages. I got my quad at lightyourreptiles.com. I have a 30 inch wide and I still only have one basking spot. I suppose on one of the large atriums having two may be an option but I prefer to have mine with a dry side and a wet side instead. This also allows for different temp and humidity gradients and pockets throughout your enclosure. :)
 
Beman said:
As far as lighting goes... You want a T5 that runs the width of the enclosure. This can be a single, dual, or quad fixture. The more bulbs the more light which I highly recommend for the larger dragonstrand cages. I got my quad at lightyourreptiles.com. I have a 30 inch wide and I still only have one basking spot. I suppose on one of the large atriums having two may be an option but I prefer to have mine with a dry side and a wet side instead. This also allows for different temp and humidity gradients and pockets throughout your enclosure. :)
Click to expand...
Oh that is awesome! I have a 24" double with an Arcadia 5% and a daylight bulb, so it'll be about 5" short or a few inches on each side, would that be ok?
 
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