Hatchlings and keeping them in a large vivarium? Help?

[KierenTavener12]

So I'm soon to be getting a hatchling Bredli. And I'm in the process of building a large enclosure for the little guy. But because he is only a hatchling currently I was going to get a cheap small enclosure for the meantime.


Question is, I had a thought after seeing a few stores reptile or general pet stores I've been to. Have had a small tank a plastic or glass fish tank inside the larger vivarium which might say have a parent or another larger snake. And there using the heating from that tank to keep the little tanks with the hatchlings in them.


would this work for myself instead of buying another vivarium just use a small tank to store him in in the mean time.? Or do you think keep a se ins vivarium setup instead?

 

[Buggster]

My 4-5 month old Woma is in his adult terrarium.
I had purchased a hatchling tub, but he was constantly pushing against the lid and did damage a few scales on his nose.

Put him in his terrarium on his second day with me, and he is absolutely fine.
I have put multiple hides in the tank, and his warm hide actually consists of an adult hide with a smaller one within it, creating a temp gradient of 29-35 if I position everything just right.

he eats like a champ, never refused a meal (despite being in shed at one point) and is very curious when I open the doors- comes out to say hello and after only a month is already totally comfortable with being handled.
(his breeder never handled him before I got him, so I was very surprised with the turn around)

if you don't want to let him run free in his adult one first, buy a click-clack type food tub from the shop. Poke as many holes as you can in the top and sides, and that should be all good as a hatchy setup.

 

[vampstorso]

The main concern would be they can get out if much smaller holes and gaps than you'd expect which can easily be overlooked in a large enclosure.

 

[KierenTavener12]

What I mean is would putting him in a smaller tank within the larger tank be suitable. Using either the heat and light from that one. Or would it be better to connect a seperate heat source for his small click clack tub?

Adding to that is that the main reason most don't put hatchlings in large vivariums because they are more capable of escape?

 

[pinefamily]

Not only capable of escape, but a hatchling can feel threatened and defenseless in a large enclosure, and will hid away more than it would in a click clack tub. Not sure if you'll get a good heat gradient by having the click clack inside a larger enclosure. What pet shops and reptile stores do isn't always best practice.
A small heat mat under a third of the click clack is probably the best way to heat the little one. Paper towel, a hide and a water bowl and you're set. Woolworths sell slightly larger ones now, that will last a little longer while you sort out a permanent enclosure for it.

 

[KierenTavener12]

Cheers guys. I'll just get a click clack and heat Matt. I'm getting a light as well just because the house is a bit dark considering its winter, and I'll gets thermostat.
this way I can take my time building my enclosure for when the little guys bigger.

 

[vampstorso]

Regarding the thermostat,
Another tip is only get a heat source that, God forbid your thermostat fails, won't fry the animal.
So don't go overboard with a heat source that's too large for the enclosure, as tempting as it might be. Because Thermos can and do fail.

Now Stuart has restored the old threads, there should be an excellent thread on making a heat tile using heat cord which is more versatile than a heat matt in the future.