Please help!

[deranged chipmunk]

Utb+glass bottom+water =cracked tank

[Zachattack]

Possibly.. Unless I have a temperature controller or cover that spot of glass with silicon..

[deranged chipmunk]

Possibly.. Unless I have a temperature controller or cover that spot of glass with silicon..

Good luck with that. Have a nice day

[Zachattack]

Haha what's wrong man? I feel like you've got something against my ideas lol

[deranged chipmunk]

Not at all. You obviously have it all worked out. Wish I had you around when I cracked my first tank many years ago.

[Zachattack]

Well I always put a piece of aluminum foil on the sticky side of the uth so that I can remove it easily for cleaning.. I've never had problems with glass cracking from an uth but I also have never introduced water.. But I think a layer of silicon will protect it from heat.

[NatureLady]

HI Zach...one question for you...do you keep snakes now?

I have kept reptiles of all kinds for years and I will tell you I have kept them on a wide variety of substrates. With all of that substrate experience I keep them in a certain way now and each species is different. I would not keep a snake in a false bottom viv for any reason. Worms are bad if you are planning on having water (other than a water bowl) and compost in the same viv. I have kept snakes in a compost substrate before and the upkeep and snake health is a tricky tricky balance.

[Zachattack]

At this moment I do not have any other snakes. Worms aren't that big of a deal to me either. I just want a little Eco clean up crew and I think something along those lines would be good. Why would you not want a snake in a false bottom? And what if I want plants?

[NatureLady]

If you are planning a false bottom you are planning for moist soil which is not ideal living for a boa. I would place money on your boa killing all live plants you plant in the viv. If I were to put live plants in the boa viv...I would plant them in pots and then sink the pots into the soil substrate. That way you could remove broken and damaged plants and replace with back up...rotating them as needed.

[kueluck]

Put the plants in pots. and if you are going to have a boa you won't be able to keep enough cleaners to keep up with the urates and poop anyway.

At this moment I do not have any other snakes. Worms aren't that big of a deal to me either. I just want a little Eco clean up crew and I think something along those lines would be good. Why would you not want a snake in a false bottom? And what if I want plants?

[kueluck]

Zack, if you plan on keeping snakes in this viv you want to build, you REALLY need to go to a snake forum, not a frog forum. Since you are new to this, seeking advise from those how have gone through this is the only smart thing to do. I'm sure you don't want to end up with a dead snake, cracked tank & broken heart. Now if you're gonna do frogs or toads well that's a whole different story then. Pick a species and the folks here will point you in the right direction so that you and your amphibian friends will have a long and healthy relationship. There is nothing more frustrating than someone not taking the advise given by those who are the knowledgeable ones, then later on reading the thread “ I HAVE NEW **** AND IT'S DIEING.” thread to pop up. Please heed the advise given here, we're just trying to help. Remember, you came here asking for help and that's just what we are trying to do.

[Zachattack]

I see what you are saying.. Would this moist soil problem still exist if I were to add another layer of substrate that was less absorbent? Maybe like some kind of bark mixture?

[NatureLady]

If you are willing to listen Zach...the truth is that building a viv for a frog and building a viv for a snake are two totally different worlds!

I have built an amazing viv for rough green snakes (native to my area and kept at work). I have foamed the back, included 3 potho's planters in the background, and an awesome branch for climbing...BUT...I have green carpet on the bottom and a water bowl for the ease of up keep AND in turn the health of the snake. Snake poop is unreal and the cleaning needs to be easy, quick, and painless for you. A dirty (poopy) snake is an unhealthy snake. You will have to remove hands full of substrate after each feeding. All of this and that is not to mention the feeding aspect for this animal. Substrate of any kind holds a ingestion thought...will my snake eat this, will it impact the snake if it does...see where my thoughts are going? Next are you going to be feeding FT or Live? That changes the thoughts on the impaction/substrate problem. I really could go on...but I agree with all those before and say that you need to venture to a boa forum. All forums have their place and we here love the froggies...some of us keep much more than that, but even I have more then one forum I call home

[Zachattack]

If you read one of my previous posts, you'd see that I am asking vivariums. Aren't really and snake/vivarium forums that I know about. And who says I'm not taking advise? I'm just questioning advise and trying to see which route to take is best. There is not room for originality if I don't try to make my own way. That being said, I understand the risks of trying something new.

[Zachattack]

I think the carpet is to this for an uth.. Is it not? And I would think that cleaning the carpet would be more of a pain that scooping out a spot of poop. And I won't be feeding the snake in the same enclosure. So he won't be at rush of eating the substrate. And I built my own filtered waterfall. So that won't be a problem either

[Zachattack]

And what did you use for the foam nature lady??

[kueluck]

We've showed what road work. And IMO it's foolish to take a risk when it involves a living creature. I'm done with this thread..........good luck fellow FF friends.

[NatureLady]

There is a reason to why there are no snake/vivarium forums imo. I hope you are taking advise and it is always good to question...I agree in that for sure. I have done my fair share of questioning and sometimes I went my own way...

Trying new things is good. Just research the absolute basic needs of the boa and go from there. Belly heat is going to be your number one pritority. Without it your snake will not properly digest it's food.

[Zachattack]

And exactly what risk do you think I'm taking?? I'm trying to research as much as I can..

[NatureLady]

I agree with Gail...as long as this trying new things doesn't harm a living creature in the process! Vet bills are terribly expensive and so is total replacement.

I used GS Foam, gaps and cracks...back ground only.