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Eyelash Viper Cage types
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by chondroinvert on October 29, 2006
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Im looking into getting a neonate in the next few months and was wondering what type of cages you would recommend and what type has worked for you if you have any arboreals? Right know I have the smallest slant front neodesha that is 24"L 12"W 9"H and was wondering if that would work or if I should purchase or build something smaller? I was also wondering what everyones views are for cages with hinged doors or sliding doors?
Thanks,
Joe G.
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RE: Eyelash Viper Cage types
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by Viperlady on October 29, 2006
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I've kept juvenile tree vipers in plastic boxes (Tupperware type) with adequate ventilation, I mean enough for a good exchange of air but not too much for the inside to dry out too quickly. I don't know what kind of boxes you can find in your area, but I've been lucky to find one type that fits perfectly for the requirements of my Bothriechis and Atheris. This particular box has a little door on one side which you can open or close according to necessity. I also add some artificial vegetation, a small water bowl and use cotton-like kitchen napkins or towelettes as substrate (they look like paper towels but they´re made of some kind of fabric like the one used for baby wet towels... hope I explained myself!!...lol...), and that way humidity is maintained at a good level for a longer time and since this material is white it permits a better visual analysis of feaces.
I personally don't use any hinged cages or sliding door cages. I've found they can be dangerous both for the animals and the keeper.
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RE: Eyelash Viper Cage types
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by Rob_Carmichael on October 30, 2006
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We raise our neonate eyelash vipers in the 2' slant front neodeshas. They work great for raising baby eyelashes. We heat them with laminate heat pads attached to the back covering 1/3 of the cage back and attached to a thermostat to create the proper thermal gradient. We keep them in a fairly simple set up: paper towel substrate, cork slabs/vines to provide proper perching opportunities on the warm and cool sides of the cage and a small philedendron (live) plant to help boost humidity. We mist the cages once or twice daily. Sliding fronts can be a little tricky but with the 2' model, it's just a single pane so just open the front from the opposite side that the snake is resting and use long hemostats to introduce prey (just wiggling a frozen thawed pink in front of them is usually enough to elicit a feeding strike).
Good luck,
Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center
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RE: Eyelash Viper Cage types
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by chondroinvert on October 30, 2006
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Viperlady I use tubs for my green tree pythons and love them.
Rob im glad that someone else uses them ive had one for a few years just sitting in the closet collecting dust and wanted to put it to use. I was wondering if you could recommend any good websites for keeping eyelash vipers. Most of the ones ive found mainly have pictures on them.
Another thing I was wandering about is what type of tools did you find yourself using the most? Right now I have a bunch of different size hooks, tubes, a pinner, and hemostats that range from 6" to 24".
I would like to thank both of you for your help.
Thanks,
Joe G.
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RE: Eyelash Viper Cage types
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by Rob_Carmichael on October 30, 2006
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I can't think of any websites that have husbandry info but their care is fairly straightforward. Here's how we keep them:
Cage: 2' neos for juveniles/young adults. Adults move to Habitat System Arboreal cages that measure 2' x 2' x 2'.
Set Up: paper towel substrate, low lying cork bark along with various width perches via vines (fake) so that the snake can thermal regulate. Some will also spend time on the cage floor; that's normal. We also provide a live philedendron plant and a shallow water bowl to help with humidity.
Drinking: We heavily mist the cage once a day and the snakes will drink the droplets; use tepid water (not cold, not hot). During teh dry winter, we may mist twice a day.
Lighting: We provide a full spectrum light overhead that comes through the vent. Our adult cages have the lights built in.
Heat: We place a laminate heat pad that covers approximately 1/3 to 1/4 of the back of the cage (not underneath). AFter a meal, they will oftentimes rest on their cork bark along that back of the wall. We keep this on a thermostat so that the basking temps are around 82-85 deg F. (surface temp) while the ambient temps are in the 72-75 deg F. range. Night temps fall to around 72 deg F. The key is to control ambient temps so that your cage doesn't get too warm.
Feeding: Our little guys get 1 pink or 1 fuzzy every 10 days. We supplement with vitamins every 3rd feeding. They will readily take frozen/thawed prey off of hemostats...it usually doesn't require tease feeding. Just slowly wiggle the prey near their head you'll get a st rong feeding response if they are hungry.
Handling equipment: I use my mini-hooks by Midwest (www.tongs.com) almost exlusively for working with eyelashes. Animal Capture equipment also sells a decent hook but my preference is with Midwest. I'll use two hooks for adults.....always keep the snake BELOW your hands when on the hook!
Hope this info is helpful.
Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center
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RE: Eyelash Viper Cage types
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by chondroinvert on October 30, 2006
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Thanks for the reply about general care. I already have one of the mini hooks from midwest and plan on buying more it one of my favorite hooks.
Thanks,
Joe G.
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