Redoing enclosure for new hatchling

Jami

Active Member
Joined
Jun 9, 2014
Messages
288
Hi all,

My new Hermanns hatchling will be here on Tuesday. I'm being super anxious and paranoid because Hermit died of some crazy infection or something that no one can explain and I want to thoroughly clean and redo the enclosure. For now it will be a 20 g long,:30 in long, 14 wide, 12 high. This will be changed as the new hatchling gets older, but I need to clarify a few things so I feel better about it all. Your advice is so appreciated!!! So here goes (I've searched and read for hours, never getting the same answers when I search).

1) using Mercury vapor lamp suspended above enclosure. Lid will be off enclosure a lot, but when not off it will have a hole to shine through. One back corner will be basking area to keep micro climates as the hatch moves down. What should bask temp, main temp and cool be? It was 90s, flowing to about 76 to cool end. Good?

2) should feeding area be close to basking area? Be one & the same? Cooler end? Doesn't matter?

3) water dish - in the middle or other corner on hot end?

4) sleep hide - cool end?

5) I'll be using coco coir again - got new - should I pop some moss in too or just plant plants?

6) on the plants- if I buy young plants, and rinse very well, can I plant them in there right away? I've seen all kinds of answers to that so I'd like to hear from you guys.

Thank you, as always, soooooooooo much. This is pretty much how it was for HermIt, except plants, he had a few spider plants that were safe...And I want to see if I need to make changes for the new baby.

Again, thanks
Jami
 

lismar79

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Oct 29, 2013
Messages
2,995
Location (City and/or State)
Ohio USA
I am also not familiar with hermanns but I would:

Keep hide/ sleep spot on the warm side. Put some moss in it to burrow into.
Do not use freshly purchased plants, even when rinsed the plant still has chems in it. Let it sit for 6 months to a year.... this has been hard for me too - I took tarra cotta plant saucer and dug up some plantain from the yard, put that in and its doing well.
I keep my water on the warm side for my baby sully, but she likes to soak herself. My russian does not soak....ever.....so hers is on the cool side & I soak her everyother day.
I would think those temps you had listed would be fine, but watch your night temps. My food dishes are on the cool side of my set ups. They eat and then walk over and bask.

Good luck :) I understand how you feel. My rescued sully died from a mystery infection and all kinds of other complications from previous bad care. When I got my baby I watched her like a hawk all parinoid. Eventually I figured out that she is fine :)
 

Jami

Active Member
Joined
Jun 9, 2014
Messages
288
I am also not familiar with hermanns but I would:

Keep hide/ sleep spot on the warm side. Put some moss in it to burrow into.
Do not use freshly purchased plants, even when rinsed the plant still has chems in it. Let it sit for 6 months to a year.... this has been hard for me too - I took tarra cotta plant saucer and dug up some plantain from the yard, put that in and its doing well.
I keep my water on the warm side for my baby sully, but she likes to soak herself. My russian does not soak....ever.....so hers is on the cool side & I soak her everyother day.
I would think those temps you had listed would be fine, but watch your night temps. My food dishes are on the cool side of my set ups. They eat and then walk over and bask.

Good luck :) I understand how you feel. My rescued sully died from a mystery infection and all kinds of other complications from previous bad care. When I got my baby I watched her like a hawk all parinoid. Eventually I figured out that she is fine :)
Thanks much! Lots of people with hermanns have responded to me in the past so maybe they're tired of my OCD-like posts, LOL!!! I also thought about digging stuff up from my yard, since we don't treat our yard with anything. That seems like the safest bet for now, and my spider plant spiderling given by a friend who doesn't use any chemicals. I have 1 left that was not in there with my sick one. Thanks again!
Jami
 

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