Ive read some care sheets on the red ackie and most of them say that it is smaller than the yellow ackie, which way around is it? Would a full grown Red Ackie do well in a 60"(l)x18"(w)x24"(h)?
Red ackies are slightly larger. (generally) As for the viv size, that would be fine IF the width was 24" or more. A 48" by 24" by 24" would suffice.
dirt, its the best stuff out there. dont let anyone persuade you to waste your time on homedepot topsoil/playsand mixtures.
so dirt... wheres the best place to get this dirt? my backyard dirt is shity also is it good to have wood for them to climb on since they are arboreal?
Er...they aren't arboreal.... Put some wood in anyway, along with the usual viv furniture, as they like exploring etc. Dirt is fine if you live in a area where you can get it, and can get it close to home (lugging bags of dirt isn't my idea of a weekend), you can make a suitable substrate of fine sand and coco coir etc, as long as you get the same consistency.
the best place to get dirt is in dry stream beds. ackies aren't arboreal, but i know of a case where one was found 14 feet up in a tree. definitely provide climbing branches for your ackie. LOL, coco coir for monitors? i wouldnt.
coco coir is a peat substitute, so you don't damage the environment etc. I have been to 'ackie land' and felt the dirt, about 6 weeks ago. It is basically red, dirty, soily sand. Mix coco coir and sand (red sand if you want a natural look) and they can burrow, and it is like the natural substrate. Dirt is great if you can get some, but it often gets muddy. PS> Marshall, why not get your a Ackie a proper vivarium? As they say, 'fish tanks are for fish'.
LOL, can you tell me what the purpose of a enclosure is? to keep a happy, healthy animal. thats all an enclosure does. if its serving its purpose why would you change it? you wouldn't! aquariums work fine. they just need to be modified. i built a special lid for mine. it holds heat and humiidty marvelously and ive covered 3 sides of it. my ackie never tries to escape, he sheds fine, he eats like crazy, and grows like crazy. my ackie has a "proper vivarium". as far as im concerned aquariums are fine. let me ask you this. do you own an ackie? EDIT: how is digging the sandy soil out of a dry stream bed damaging anything? its not. if anything it clears it out so it can flow freely next year. taking dirt out of the ground doesnt damage anything.
so i would need an enclosure with 2feet of depth and 2feet of height and about 5 feet in length, plus wood for climbing, dirt for substrate, rock piles for basking, cover to keep humidity high and a basking lamp. anything else?
I, personally, would go for a UV lamp. Lots of people would say don't bother, but that's my two cents. Also, amke sure you have a stat (goes without saying). "how is digging the sandy soil out of a dry stream bed damaging anything? " I was referring to the use of coco coir in substitution of peat. "Some environmental organisations and scientists have pointed out that the large-scale removal of peat from bogs in Britain, Ireland and Finland is destroying precious wildlife habitats. It takes centuries for a peat bog to regenerate." Comment withdrawn RE. the tank, I've seen way too many people use an modded tank, making the monitor feel insecure, and get RI.
well, my monitor is secure and does not have RI. why would you use peat? dig up dirt from a stream bed or any area with good soil. no need to go out and by peat to make a mixture. the UV light is completely unnecessary. they dont need it, they barely put off any UV, and some say the light probably doesnt even penetrate the monitors skin. you dont need a thermostat. most thermostats wont even go up to 130-140 that your ackie will need. i use a light dimmer to contrl basking temps. the enclosure should be a minumum of 4x2x2 for a single ackie or pair.
Re: RE: Red Ackie enclosure why would you use peat? dig up dirt from a stream bed or any area with good soil. no need to go out and by peat to make a mixture. Some people can't do that. (You should see the soil in some places!), like I said, "Dirt is fine if you live in a area where you can get it, and can get it close to home" the UV light is completely unnecessary. they dont need it, they barely put off any UV, and some say the light probably doesnt even penetrate the monitors skin. Different opinions. Thermostats are IMO needed. They don't go up to 130-140, but by placing the probe farther away....common sense really the enclosure should be a minumum of 4x2x2 for a single ackie or pair. I'd say at least 5ft for a pair Bear in mind though, this is a minimum. Also, please invest in a reliable IR thermometer
RE: Re: RE: Red Ackie enclosure wow, placing the probe farther away from an area to control that area?? that definitely doesnt sound smart to me. also, consider flood lights go from 140 to 90-95 within the difference of an inch. IR thermometer?? i dont know what that means but if its probe thermometer dont bother. probed thermometers are way off in 110+ temperatures. the basking spot could be 100 but the thermometer will read 120 because of the heat warming up the thermometer probe. what you want is an infrared temperature gun. maybe IR means infrared?
RE: Re: RE: Red Ackie enclosure IR = infra red The heat dissipation from the light creates a thermal gradient, so by placing the probe a little bit further away, the basking area can still be controlled accurately...far more accurately then on a hot day when you're out, and aren't there to control the basking light with a dimmer switch.
RE: Re: RE: Red Ackie enclosure so if i have no where to dig up good soil since i live in the poluted city of toronto, and would rather not put my ackie through those toxins, is there a perfered dirt to buy at home depot? a 5'(length)x 2'(width)x 2'(height) glass enclosure would be good? with about 8" of substrate?or should i have more?
RE: Re: RE: Red Ackie enclosure atleast 12 inches of substrate for an adult. it doesnt NEED to be 5 feet but bigger is always better, so, if you can, make it five feet. placing the probe a few inches away is not smart at all. if you're using a bulb that makes a tight beam (which you should be for a monitor) then there can be a great variation in temperature at any given time. it can be 140 degrees in the spectrum of lighting but a few inches away it will only be a little warmer then temperature of the rest of the cage. this can vary widely but the basking temperature will stay the same. plus, what happens when the monitor inadvertantly decides to move the probe as soon as he comes out to bask?? its COMMON SENSE to only place the probe where you want to control the temperature.
RE: Re: RE: Red Ackie enclosure 1) You secure the probe. 2) No matter how tight the beam, there is still a heat gradient. Find that spot, it's not hard. Also, (goes without saying) run your enclosure for a day to a week to make sure everything is spot on. Rinaldi, that's fine, as Mr Python says, 12 inches preferably. Try to use a soil free of fertilizer etc.
