That set up looks cool! I'm sure it will be fine

The powdered food should have the right amount of calcium in it so I wouldn't be too worried. You should see my beardies when they've had greens with loads of powder on them. They look like they're taking part in illegal activities haha

Nope. I mean carnivores. Aren't lizards who only eat insects called insectivores? I'm fine with herbivores too. Unfortunately, most reptiles don't eat only vegetation. (Besides tortoises, iguanas and uromastyx) There's probably a few others too, but those are the guys off the top of my head I can list.




Yes. Yes I do.

Oh and by the way, I totally recommend getting an ExoTerra for her since you said she needs a new tank. I have one for Medusa and I love it. It's great! The only problem would be since it's glass and designed to be very ventilated, holding humidity would be the only grievance with ExoTerra need you hold humidity for more tropical reptiles. Solution was easy though. We just cut some plexiglass and put it over 3 of the four big screen top ventilation panels. Can't even see the plexiglass so it still looks great! Have fun decorating it. Besides getting my snake back, the second best part was decorating her tank.

So a quick update: what I thought was mold actually isn't mold at all! It's foam.

And the giant piece of tree bark isn't a single piece of tree bark. It appears to be a substrate made of tree bark attached to said foam underneath. I found this out when taking the plant out.

I decided to go ahead and get coconut fiber for substrate as well as this tree branch-like ornament that she's able to crawl through. I broke the vine in half too so it'd fit better.

She's a little shaken up right now, just kinda hanging near the top of the thing. I'll take a picture once she's a little more comfortable.

I'm honestly surprised she hasn't lost her tail in all this. Although she did pee when I took her out to put everything in. (that's usually what reptiles do when they're stressed or scared).

I did read somewhere that a way to help them get used to you is to let them sniff you. So the other night I let her sniff my finger. In response, she licked me.
According to the Internet, that's apparently a crestie's way of saying that they don't see you as a threat, so that's a good thing.
She's still not completely used to me holding her though, but we're working on it. She's definitely better about it then Georgie though.

I've not heard that about the licking thing, I assumed it would be testing you to see what you are so to speak. Jacobson's organ and all that jazz I'll have to read up on that, I don't know much about their behaviour!

I can't wait to see the set up

I don't really know anything about reptiles, but I can see how licking might indicate that they don't see you as a threat. If they thought you were a threat they might run away, bite you, or threaten to bite. But taking a curious lick seems like non-frightened behavior.

Well I mean, licking is better than growling or squeaking at me (which is what they do when they're mad).

She's still a little mad with me for disturbing her in order to add all of those things in the first place though. Even less tolerant of handling now.
Hopefully she learns to forgive me, and to also eventually explore the ornament. She still appears to be wary of it.

But lo and behold, I actually found someone on craigslist selling an exo terra the same size as those setups I sent links to earlier, and only for $100 dollars. I contacted them just last night so if the seller still has that one, I'm going to buy it and then proceed to do a natural planted vivarium. So you'll see the setup in the before and after pictures most likely.

What luck to have just bought coconut fiber and then find out that I can potentially carry out my plans much earlier than expected. Coconut fiber isn't good for planting if I remember reading correctly, so I'm going to have to get a different substrate, like peat moss, or an organic soil of some kind. Maybe I can resell the remaining compact bricks for like... $5 or less. This stuff is expensive as it is, having it go to waste would be a shame.

EDIT: The terrarium is still available. I'll be getting it soon as there are meeting arrangements. In the meantime I'll try to be constructing a list of plants that would be good to use, and hopefully be going to one of those reptile stores to get some supplies.

DOUBLE EDIT: Actually, I think I'll use artificial plants for now. I need to do a little more research and it's gonna take some time to plan everything for this.

TRIPLE EDIT: WAIT! I have found the PERFECT website that sells substrate, plants, springtails/isopods and all for cheaper prices than I have seen in other places. Operation "good vives" is still a go! Also the guide on the website gives a use for coconut fiber! http://www.joshsfrogs.com/catalog/blog/ ... -vivarium/
I'm making a list via the website's shopping cart. So far, plants, substrates (including divider and false bottom), and springtails are about 50 dollars. In other stores and websites that could easily become twice that price. There was also a "bundle" for plants that would work well in a crestie vivarium. That's much easier than buying individual plants (plus I can always add more later but it's a good place to start).

I would say it was a curious lick for sure, which is a great sign! When my leopard gecko had his enclosure downsized to help with his little legs he had a few days where he was like NOPE at everything and he did actually bite me. I wish I had the lick!

You wouldn't believe how excited I am to see this set up when it is finished. Do you know what plants you're getting yet?

Well, plans have been compromised... Again.

Times like this where I wish I lived alone so all of my decisions are not nagged about by my mom.
Maybe she knows something that I don't, who knows. But anyways, couldn't buy all the things for the vivarium. Instead we placed one philodendron and... Something else, I can't remember the name of it, pot and all, in there. It's enough for her to hide in luckily, so that's something. Also stopped using coconut fiber on the bottom, because there ended up being a lot of mold in the old one. Guess I overdid it with the mistings.

She's ok it seems, but actually a little pale. She's still active and her color's already coming back a little, so I wonder if she had licked the mold out of curiosity or something, and luckily didn't ingest enough to kill her? Or if she's just getting ready to shed skin (which wouldn't make sense if some of the color's coming back). Here's hoping she continues to recover from... Whatever happened. She's looking better than she did yesterday, so that's a plus.

I might go back to the coconut fiber when I get a hygrometer to measure humidity so I don't accidentally overdo it. Either that or get Isopods and spring tales to eat any mold that comes up.

I'm going to a reptile store later today (the evolving exotics one that Carolyn mentioned since I'll be on that side of town for other things), and I'll post pictures afterwards, when everything is put in the vivarium.

I'm sorry to hear it hasn't all gone to plan but I'm sure it will get there in the end

Do you know about 'firing up'? It's a colour change that happens with cresties. You may already know about it but just in case you don't! Cresties change colour depending on the humidity, time of day, mood, temps etc. but especially during the later hours when they become more active.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2r48PZpu970/T ... iredup.jpg That's a good example for you! They can look totally different. You may already know this so if you do I'm sorry

You should definitely take some photos at the reptile shop for me