Introduction...

[Jeff Godbold]

Whats up everyone,

               I just wanted to introduce myself to the forum.........I'm new on here and I'm starting up a (side) "hobby/business" called JAG Reptiles. Still acquiring my "stock" if you will, but looking forward to producing some nice animals in the near future. I'm also always looking to learn so any advice is always accepted and appreciated....

Thanks,

Jeff Godbold

[ColleenT]

welcome

[smith710]

Welcome to the forums. I'm sure anybody here would be glad to answer any questions that you may have.  Do you have a website yet?

[Jeff Godbold]

Yeah you can check my profile and it's on there but i can just give it to you now...... www.freewebs.com/brazyjsurf/ (the address will be changing soon but i'll notify when it does)

Jeff Godbold

[Liz]

hey welcome to the forums. best of luck with JAG reptiles.

[smith710]

You don't think a 5 gallon tub is a little small for sub adults and adults? I noticed that you said that's what you use in your care sheet thing.

[Jeff Godbold]

Smith,

       Thats what I've been using when rotating in and out of breeding harems (keeping individually)......They seem to thrive in them and have done exceptionally well. It makes food very excessable and I also use the ones with the height more so than the width. I've had no problems with them at this point; what do you use? I'm open to suggestions and other points of view if you have any...

Jeff Godbold

[smith710]

Don't get me wrong.  I wasn't trying to say that you were wrong or anything.  I was just curious.  I don't use a rack system, so it's alot different for me.  I just use aquariums. I just thought a 5 gallon tub would be a little small for them to move around in. 

[Liz]

what are the measurements?

[Jeff Godbold]

Smith,


 ? ? ? ? ? I'm very upfront and direct so I apologize if I sounded offended. I'm not. For a single crested (with my limited experience) these enclosures have been very productive. Many people want to set up an elaborate display for there animals which are great intentions but are not always the best for the animal. Simplicity can be a good thing. I've had a lot of experience with snakes and I have used aquariums....but in my oppinion, they are best left for what they were orinally designed for........fish. They're heavy, brake and are just completely inconveneint. They may work great for you, so this is just my experience talking.....not trying to change your mind. I've actually been debating on moving my adults into larger tubs......but the tubs are the best route......cheap, easy to clean and give you the same visibility as you would get with your aquariums, they're also more durable. I might go with the larger size used by Anthony.....i'km open to any advice you may have from your own experience....

Thanks,

Jeff Godbold

[Jeff Godbold]

Liz,

      I'm think they're a 12LX10HX8W (I'm not sure what the exact measurments are but those are very cose tothe actual size....

Jeff Godbold

[smith710]

No, I'm not saying that I think you should change to aquariums at all.  Even if I was using tubs, I don't think I would be able to put them into a 5 gallon tub.  To me, it just seems like it's really small for an adult crestie to live in. But again, I'm not saying that you are wrong or anything.  Just my opinion.  To tell you the truth, I would even think a 10 gallon would be too small for a crestie, but I don't think it would be too bad.  At least it gives them a little room to jump and move around.

[Jeff Godbold]

I personally think a ten gallon is the absolute biggest cage to house a single adult crestie. I was keeping 3 in a 55 gallon and my feeding response for all three geckos changed dramatically once separated to individual smaller containers. This was my first trial and error. I really like the enclosures BARRS makes (herpcages.com). But I like the affordibility found in the sterlite/rubbermaid tubseven better. They are so much more economic. I bet if you try housing one of your cresties in a tub for a month......cleaning and doing day to day activities with all of your aquariums, you'll see the difference and eventually switch over. Just try it and see for yourself. Someone asked me to do that and I've never gone back. You'll see how much easier it is to move tubs, clean them without worrying about braking them if they drop (tubs don't brake), and your humidity will stay for a longer amount of time. If you don't like it.......your only out $5.00 and you can be more committed to your current set-up. Remember, this was asked of me and i've been grateful for it ever since.

I don't consider myself an expert by any means, nor do I feel like I have all the answers (it seems i ask more questions than answer them) but I can say i'm always learning and improving my methods to become an expert. I've had several types of reptiles and I've tried to implement some of those pincipals to my recent projects. One thing I know for sure, the less you work with, the more "expert" you will become....as for me, all I really care about are Cresteds, Carpets, and Chondros. I'm trying to learn as much as possible about those and their husbandry.

Jeff

[smith710]

Well at the moment, I have two adults in two 20 gallon high aquariums.  The female is gaining a ton of weight and the male is gaining a good amount of weight.  They are both very good eaters.  I have a juvie in a 10 gallon and even he is gaining a really good amount of weight and eating alot.  I haven't had trouble yet with feeding and I wouldn't even think about putting a sub adult or an adult in an enclosure that small.  To me, it just seems like there's nowhere to go.  Nowhere to jump, basically nowhere to do anything that they can usually do in nature.

[Jeff Godbold]

Smith/Liz......the measurments are 14 1/4L X 9 1/2W X 12 1/4H.......they are aprox they're under the "showoffs" tab (1896 model) on www.sterilite.com. you'll find everything under "Storage".

Jeff Godbold

[Anthony Caponetto]

Hi Jeff, good to see you on here.

Just FYI, I use the same containers (20 quart Sterilite) to raise up my subadults and to house lone adult males and they actually do really well in them...the small size probably helps them find their food more easily, which helps when you're trying to get geckos conditioned for breeding.?

I will say, though...That's the smallest I would ever use to house an adult sized crested, but I think it's OK, provided you're only keeping one in there (except when the male is in there for breeding).

[firecrested]

I use the same thing too for sub adults or lone males.  We sell them at work for $4.

[Jeff Godbold]

Yeah, I thought they worked well, although I'm debating on trying a size bigger for my lone adults....

Anthony, and suggestions?

Jeff

[firecrested]

This works well too.  I housed 1.2 breeders in it.  I think it's a 32 gallon sterlite.  This one use to house rats, that's why the water bottle is in there

[Anthony Caponetto]

Yeah, I thought they worked well, although I'm debating on trying a size bigger for my lone adults....

Anthony, and suggestions?

Jeff

I can't really say what would be a good size for single adults.  I don't really keep many geckos separately on a permanent basis.  I just use the 20 quart for lone adult males (they're usually only kept by themselves for a few weeks at a time) and I use the 58 quarts for breeding groups.

Just FYI, here's a link to my housing page...

http://www.ciliatus.com/content/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=28&Itemid=175

[Jeff Godbold]

Yeah I like the 58 qts and the 20 sounds good as well......I'll have to do a little research. Anyone going to the FIRE Expo this weekend in Orlando, FL?

[smith710]

Ok, well that's good to know for in the future when I get more.

[smith710]

Ok, wow, I'm sorry.  I don't know what I was thinking.  I was thinking 5 gallon tubs were way smaller than they are.  I just saw them at the store and it's definately not that bad.  I don't know why I thought it was so small...