New viv for williamsi

[MdngtRain]

So, everything has cured and I got around to setting up Mardi Gras' new viv. It is an 18x24x18 exo - shorter than I would prefer, but still gives him climbing room. It is placed on the top shelf of one of my wire shelves. I'm hoping the high placement will help offset the lack of actual height in the viv.
I used the BG that came with the exo, and added the cork and branches (I got too lazy to make a fully-custom BG). I planted it with some broms and a fern (can't remember off the top of my head which one, but know it is reptile-safe), 2 tiny orchids, and a few air plants. I know those last guys need to dry out considerably between waterings, but hoping they will work out (they have survived the last 3 months on my patio in SFL, which gets quite a bit of rain daily). I will be adding a few more bamboo pieces before I call this completely finished. Currently, he can hide in the cork tubes and the broms...
As soon as I released him into the viv, be b-lined for the bamboo (not pictured) and hid... I was out the rest of the night, so I have yet to see him checking out the place. Lighting is a 5.0 UVB tube and a 25w basking bulb. Ambient temps int he room run in the upper 70's (fluctuate between 75-80 depending on time of day and outside heat). His basking spot had not gotten above 93 before I left, but I will double-check the true temp of it tomorrow. He has enough space in the viv to move about if the spot gets too hot before I check it again, but I think with the low wattage bulb, it should not get too hot. I hand-mist him in the a.m. and in the afternoon.
Please let me know what you think. I will be adding at least 3 more pieces of bamboo tomorrow, 2 horizontal & glued at different heights, and 1-2 more vertical ones.

 

[frankenspud]

Looks great! That's a bird's nest fern you've got there. I would finish the floor of the terrarium with some leaf litter- keeps the soil moist and looks good. Did you add a drainage layer under the soil? I can't tell from the photos.

 

[MdngtRain]

thanks for reminding me about the leaf litter, I have a bunch in the closet. There is a drainage layer - about 2" of lava rock. The soil layer is about 4" on top of that. I wasn't home again today, but I'm assuming he was out and about. The hot spot did not get more than 95 today according to my term. I was worried that the hot day would make it much hotter in there, but I'm glad it did not.

 

[Frinta]

I really recommend bamboo, lots of it, its rather annoying i have cork in my terrariums aswell, still they barely touch them and just hang out at the bamboos constantly (and yes i noticed your adding them later, just sayin!)

 

[MdngtRain]

He actually chills on the cork about as much as on the bamboo, especially when the bamboo gets dry and he slides off (He sticks when it's wet, but slides off when it's dry... weird, as he can climb the glass fine)

Here's some updated pics from yesterday:

 

[JonRich]

looks good.