Portable, Cheap, Short Duration Enclosures

[Tom Highum]

I am going to the Gulf Coast to field herp and want some sort of cheap enclosures for animals that I capture. I only plan on keeping the animals for for probably an hour or up to a day. I have been trying to figure out an idea for a cheap easily portable enclosure. So far I have only found a vivarium made by Exo Terra called a flexarium but it is not sold in the US and only comes in very large sizes. So I have been thinking about some sort of home made vivariums. The main problems i need to over come are ventilation and a need for being secure. My main idea right now is air tight Tupperware with the top part replaced with piece of screening. I like this idea mainly because of how cheap it will be, they will be stackable but they will mostly be small, this might be nice for frogs, small lizards, snakes and salamanders but wont work well for anything larger and turtles. Any tips/ ideas?

[John]

Do this:

http://www.frogforum.net/vivarium-te...-vivarium.html

[Tom Highum]

John that is what I was thinking (I read that when you first wrote it) but would it be secure enough for small snakes and tree frogs? They seem to be very adept at escaping. Also will the lid stay on despite pushing from larger snakes? Also what about larger turtles and tortoises?

[John]

That's a good question. It'll stay on for most snakes I would say - certainly anything below 3 feet. The other candidates I doubt - turtles are very strong, as are large snakes. If you need to carry snakes around for a while, get some pillow cases - those are ideal - just tie a knot in one end after putting the snake inside.

[Tom Highum]

Thanks, I doubt I will be getting any snakes larger then 3 foot for the most part. Turtles are not a huge problem though, due to their lack of skill at climbing i will just get am extra deep container. But will they keep frogs in?

[John]

But will they keep frogs in?

In my experience, yes.

[Kurt]

I would use the pillow cases that are made for king sized pillow sas they are longer and easier to tie a not in. I would also use Ziploc containers with a few hole poked in them. Poke holes in them in an outward direction, so there are no sharp points that can come in contact with any animal you place in them.

[Tom Highum]

Ok thanks. Those containers seal fairly tightly right?

[Tropicok]

Small plastic container suited to the size of the critter, carried in a backpack and later placed in a larger food cooler chest is what most of my friends use on field hunts. Damp paper towels can be used when containing aquatic animals. Small holes can be punched or drilled into the containers since little air is required until you release them or get them home.
Pillow cases are the standard for most herpers who collect snakes and almost anything else.
One caution: turtles have strong necks and can push up a lid that is fitted loosely.
If you don't want to buy bungee cords, cut strips from either bike or car inner tubes to make homemade rubber bands. (I don't know if inner tubes are available any more.)

[UncleChester]

I am going to the Gulf Coast to field herp and want some sort of cheap enclosures for animals that I capture. I only plan on keeping the animals for for probably an hour or up to a day.

Hi, I have no real experience with field herping apart from in my yard, but I'm curious, what do you do with the animals that you find? Photograph? Just observe? Other?

At any rate, good luck with your trip!

[Tom Highum]

Generally photograph, look at and show my family (except for the snakes my step mom is terrified) Once in a while I will keep them as a pet but only on a small number of circumstances with multiple criteria. Mainly these criteria are: if it is legal, if there are a significant number of that adults of that species in the location i remove them from, if I have enough money or extra supplies to create a suitable habitat, and if my father okays it.