Naturalistic enclosures

[B_Aller]

Hello all,
I'm wondering if anyone on this forum is keeping locality specific rosy's in naturalistic enclosures?
Or if anyone has habitat photos of rosy's in the San Diego area?
I've been given a male rosy that was (supposedly) collected in the S.D area and will be building a naturalistic enclosure for it in the next few months, I have tons of rosy habitat pics from the Mojave and wouldn't mind doing a Mojave style rosy set up but I know you rosy guys are crazy about locality specifics!
here's a rosy from the Mojave I found last year with some habitat in the background ( sorry for the crappy pic)
Also wondering what the consensus here is on the substrate used for naturalistic exhibits for rosy's I was going to go with topsoil sand mix (heavy on the sand)at about 12" depth. Thoughts?
Thanks.
Ben

[smy_749]

Originally Posted by B_Aller

Hello all,
I'm wondering if anyone on this forum is keeping locality specific rosy's in naturalistic enclosures?
Or if anyone has habitat photos of rosy's in the San Diego area?
I've been given a male rosy that was (supposedly) collected in the S.D area and will be building a naturalistic enclosure for it in the next few months, I have tons of rosy habitat pics from the Mojave and wouldn't mind doing a Mojave style rosy set up but I know you rosy guys are crazy about locality specifics!
here's a rosy from the Mojave I found last year with some habitat in the background ( sorry for the crappy pic)
Also wondering what the consensus here is on the substrate used for naturalistic exhibits for rosy's I was going to go with topsoil sand mix (heavy on the sand)at about 12" depth. Thoughts?
Thanks.
Ben

Just go back to that spot and bring a shovel with you! Wish I had cool areas like that up here in New england...

[simpleyork]

agreed, if you want it to be natural go with dirt from the area it was found, if you want a rock as well make sure that it will not squish your snake, better yet make one from plaster and/or grout to match the ones found there, then add a piece of sage or grass to finish off the enclosure.

[B_Aller]

Originally Posted by simpleyork

agreed, if you want it to be natural go with dirt from the area it was found, if you want a rock as well make sure that it will not squish your snake, better yet make one from plaster and/or grout to match the ones found there, then add a piece of sage or grass to finish off the enclosure.

Guys, you're missing my point. I go to the Mojave every year collecting dirt is no problem, the snake I'm getting is NOT FROM the Mojave. I'm looking for habitat pics/soil types from the San Diego area, NOT the Mojave.

Simpleyork: I own a naturalistic fabrication company and design and build zoo exhibits all over the country, I'll fabricate the exhibit using fiberglass and sculpting epoxy. Right now I'm currently working on exhibits for monitors, raccoons, aardvarks, fruit bats, wolfs guenons and others. Here's a python exhibit I did last year.
Best

[Donnie]

Ben, it would be really interesting to see some of the work you have done, are doing for zoo's etc. There is a guy on a UK forum who does the same job as you over here and he sometimes posts step by step pics of the enclosures/exhibits he is building and it is great to get some ideas from that I am sure most of us would never think of when setting up new enclosures, so I would love to see some of your work too.