New to pygmies

[elapid66]

I am going to be getting a couple pygmies in a month or two and want to have everything up and running ahead of time. I already have a 12x12x18 zoo med terrarium with a layer of lava rock as drainage, some soil without fertilizer, a cork background, humidity gauge/thermometer, a dwarf umbrella plant, and a habba mist system (I know there are better ones out there, I just had this one sitting around. It will also only be used if I am out of town, normally I will mist manually). Before I put the umbrella plant in the tank, I washed as much of the store soil out of the roots as I could. The cork background was used in an anole tank before so it was baked before going in. I am still debating whether to get a layer of leaf litter or some other plants that would also provide some ground cover. I am thinking of possibly using Ficus pumila for this, do you guys think that would work well or have some other suggestions?

Also, I have heard many bad things about using compact fluorescent bulbs but I haven't seen any linear ones that would be small enough to fit on top of my tank. Would a compact bulb be okay if I put a layer or two of screen in front of it to limit the U.V. that enters the tank?

 

[lisa h]

You should be able to find a 12" linear bulb and hood. We have one made by exoterra. Also, for leaf litter I use actual leaf litter collected from my yard and boil it to get any "nasties" out. I put it in damp on top of the soil. It looks really good, IMO, and serves it's purpose.

 

[VeiledOwner87]

I am going to be getting a couple pygmies in a month or two and want to have everything up and running ahead of time. I already have a 12x12x18 zoo med terrarium with a layer of lava rock as drainage, some soil without fertilizer, a cork background, humidity gauge/thermometer, a dwarf umbrella plant, and a habba mist system (I know there are better ones out there, I just had this one sitting around. It will also only be used if I am out of town, normally I will mist manually). Before I put the umbrella plant in the tank, I washed as much of the store soil out of the roots as I could. The cork background was used in an anole tank before so it was baked before going in. I am still debating whether to get a layer of leaf litter or some other plants that would also provide some ground cover. I am thinking of possibly using Ficus pumila for this, do you guys think that would work well or have some other suggestions?

Also, I have heard many bad things about using compact fluorescent bulbs but I haven't seen any linear ones that would be small enough to fit on top of my tank. Would a compact bulb be okay if I put a layer or two of screen in front of it to limit the U.V. that enters the tank?

i think you are golden friend. but a few suggestions. i would add a little bit of eco earth, or plantation soil, over the non fertilized soil just to be safe. i house a pair of pygs in the same size enclosure. i would be a little weary about a misting system though. just because of the pressure and what not. but im not sure how heavy the mist is on the hubba mist. add whatever you'd like (leaf litter, ficus) i have both a schefflera and ficus in my enclosure. just make sure the leaf litter is cham safe. moss that you make your self (the exo terra or zilla ones in a brick) will be great i use that in all of my enclosures.

i use linear tubes on all of my enclosures, but because of the width of the enclosure and scarse selection of sizes in my area. i am using a 13W CFL EXO-TERRA. 2.0 of course. i dont have any branches exceeding 3/4 of the way up the tank, and i do trust the exo-terra cfls. always get the most up to date one if you will be using them. not ALL cfls are bad.

hope this helps.

also i want to suggest training the, to cup feed, and just cut a plastic cup down to maybe 2.5'". crickets running around with all that decor is a pain, it is also known crickets eating and nibbling on chameleons while they sleep, and because pygs are so slow, will nibble if free ranged while their awake too. ive seen it on more than one occassion

 

[Tazjunky]

I have 2 exo terra 18x18x24 set ups both with CFL's 2.0 in them and had no problems what so ever, in fact, quite the opposite, iv had 3 clutches of eggs since i got my little tribe in march. CFls IMO only cause problems with the larger truer chameleons using the higher UVB bulbs, in a set-up that size cfls will be fine. dont go any bigger than 13w 2.0 though. ; )

 

[glaceauz]

as cool as the creeping fig would look, i think it might spread too much to be manageable in an exoterra. i have them growing around my house and in a year they covered an 8 foot wall on one side