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Post by infiltraitor on Nov 17, 2009 10:27:47 GMT
What would everyone suggest is the maximum height that a vivarium should be? Looking on the Petsnails Rule of Thumb calculator, it doesn't advise anything over 35cm, even for 700 tigers! I appreciate the taller they are the greater the risk of damage to (and by) falling snails would be, just wondered if anyone keeps snails in anything much taller as they seem to love climbing. Oh, and no; I'm not seriously considering housing 700 tigers!  |
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Post by feebix on Nov 17, 2009 12:45:46 GMT
I really wouldn`t worry, as high as any tank goes is fine I`d say. As far as damage from falling, just be careful what you put in there. I don`t have anything hard in with my larger snails but I do have a resin log in with my smaller species. All the large snails have got to fall on is moss and compost.  I also use rubber tree braches, you can bend them into the shape you want and with a taller tank, this actually adds another dimension to the tank, giving them more room and more places to go. A taller tank is just more space which is never a bad thing  In my humblest of opinions of course |
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Post by AlienSnail on Nov 17, 2009 16:19:50 GMT
Well Tiger snails, when they get larger, in my experience, don't often cling upside-down anyway, they prefer to just climb the walls and then climb back down again. They should be fine as Feebo says, if there's nothing much to land on. I have experienced snails falling off and landing on other snails though, so that may be something to watch out for. Feebo's tanks are springy soft at the bottom, (substrate and moss), so even if a snail were to land on another the substrate would still more than likely absorb much of the blow. If you can get your hands on a vivarium that is right in every other way but you feel uncomfortable about the hight you can always put copious amounts of substrate in, thus decreasing the distance from lid to floor  , and create a springy floor like Feebix has done (and no-doubt many other people here) with moss and deep substrate |
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Post by crossless on Nov 17, 2009 18:41:07 GMT
I would keep something like 50cm maxium height, you just need to put more soil if you find perfect tank but it's too high for snails otherwise and you need to be careful not put anything har in tank. Nothing sharp in tank neither I heard that they can rip foot apart if snail falls and stick pierce or other wise damage their leg. Height can be problem if you need to open tank on top not from side harder to clean and change food and if it's on table. |
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Post by infiltraitor on Nov 17, 2009 19:51:01 GMT
Thanks for the input folks It's not tigers in planning for; just the two retics we're planning to keep plus our recent margie addition. I've got my eye on an Exo-Terra viv, so no problem with having to access through the top. I understand they're a pain to keep the humidity in, but modding is my middle name Due to space constraints, it'll most likely be a 45x45cm one, I'm just debating whether to go for a cube at 45cm high or the more elegant looking 60cm tall one that you can do a bit more to with plants (real and fake), branches, etc... |
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Post by Amber on Nov 17, 2009 20:00:06 GMT
Ive got quite a few ext terras, and the mesh lids are a pain regarding humidity but as you say, modify, it seems to have worked wonders for us. Ive got the 45 cube and a 60cm high one too but even with branches etc the 45 cube ones are pretty cool.... the 60cm high one got used for tehe stick insects..... seemed wise given that they needed the height more than the snails did. They are great..... im very into the exo terras. The snails love the backing on them (pretend rock surface) and climb over it and balance on the pretend rocks...... although some breeds gradually eat it the retics seemed to have controlled themselves !
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Post by infiltraitor on Jan 16, 2010 23:33:01 GMT
Well, I've just taken delivery of a 45x45x45cm cube and have to say I'm very impressed with the build; the slimers are gonna love it in there once I can get things modded and set up.
Amber, (or anyone else with the same tank) can I ask what heatmat you've got on your 45cm tank? I'm running a 17W mat on our small tank at present, and wonder how much higher to go with this larger viv.
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Post by crossless on Jan 17, 2010 0:29:01 GMT
I have read that heat mat should be one third of tanks bottom, but I'm not sure how much difference is between manufacturers. I don't know is that really ideal size or how that big it should to get desired temperature.
Feels like I have too low watt mat it like warms up only to to 2 to 4 degrees, so I think I will use it in some smaller tank or change it on the container my two snails seems to sleep much 'cos lack of heat. So it's trip on monday to get to others some heat infrared lamps so others can take heat mat.
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Post by feebix on Jan 17, 2010 22:45:10 GMT
I would have said that in small tanks, say one to two feet long, it doesn`t hurt to heat though whole back of it. As the tanks get larger, you may want to heat a portion of the back, I would say that portion should be at LEAST a third. Ideally half or all of it. That snail calculator doesn`t make any sense, I don`t listen to it, you can`t beat a bit of common sense and good judgement really. ;D
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I also use rubber tree braches, you can bend them into the shape you want and with a taller tank, this actually adds another dimension to the tank, giving them more room and more places to go. A taller tank is just more space which is never a bad thing 
In my humblest of opinions of course 
, and create a springy floor like Feebix has done (and no-doubt many other people here) with moss and deep substrate 