# We are a little stumped and would love some help!



## SwindonReptiles (Apr 15, 2012)

Hi All,

Swindon Reptiles is renovating one of our buildings over the summer months ready for our open day in August.

We have a space which we are trying to fill and we have no idea what to fill it with!

The enclosure runs down the corridor and is 16ft long, 7ft tall and 1.5ft deep. It has solid insulated walls and back with a glass front wall (4 large glass doors within a wooden frame). 

We would love some ideas with what to fill this enclosure with!

Many thanks!

Swindon Reptiles


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## Rach1 (May 18, 2010)

What about a beautiful rainforest type enclosure?
Not a snake one.. Too many about.
I'm assuming it has to be reptile related?

Or a lagoon? With a waterfall and mini lake?


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## SwindonReptiles (Apr 15, 2012)

Rach1 said:


> What about a beautiful rainforest type enclosure?
> Not a snake one.. Too many about.
> I'm assuming it has to be reptile related?
> 
> Or a lagoon? With a waterfall and mini lake?


We would love to have it themed and as natural as possible. We had considered sugar gliders, wanted to see if anyone had any other ideas? I would also consider doing a mixed enclosure :2thumb:

It doesnt have to be reptile related, just beautifull and interesting! not something you can see everyday!


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## Rach1 (May 18, 2010)

I have no idea what would mix well?
I love to see beautiful enclosures with well kept animals.
I think waterfalls are good as they add movement and sound.

Lighting is also nice if it's well done... Underwater lights?

What about a dark tunnel with night lighting and bats?
Is that legal?


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## SwindonReptiles (Apr 15, 2012)

Rach1 said:


> I have no idea what would mix well?
> I love to see beautiful enclosures with well kept animals.
> I think waterfalls are good as they add movement and sound.
> 
> ...



I will look into bats, might be a good idea with the length and the height of the enclosure :2thumb:


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## Rach1 (May 18, 2010)

Do I win a prize for such an amazing suggestion?


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## SwindonReptiles (Apr 15, 2012)

Rach1 said:


> Do I win a prize for such an amazing suggestion?


Haha would you like to come to our open day? It is on the 25th August :2thumb:


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## Rach1 (May 18, 2010)

Your too far away! :-(
It's ok tho I accept your offer of namin the enclosure the rach1 appreciation enclosure!
Lol lol lol


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## em_40 (Sep 29, 2010)

shame it's not very deep, not sure it would really make for a comfortable flight for bats. I don't know if it's the same for all bats but the ones I see at night always swoop from side to side, and in big circles. :hmm:


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## SwindonReptiles (Apr 15, 2012)

em_40 said:


> shame it's not very deep, not sure it would really make for a comfortable flight for bats. I don't know if it's the same for all bats but the ones I see at night always swoop from side to side, and in big circles. :hmm:


I know what you mean.... I am truly stuck with what to do!


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## brittone05 (Sep 29, 2006)

Mmmmm I reckon a stonking hugeeeeeee dartfog world! Rainforest, natural habitat maybe with some ikkle birds in that won't eat the frogs?

Nice waterfall and lagoon in it, plenty of height for some birds to live on the "canopy" level and then frogs and stuff in the main body of the display? x


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## SwindonReptiles (Apr 15, 2012)

brittone05 said:


> Mmmmm I reckon a stonking hugeeeeeee dartfog world! Rainforest, natural habitat maybe with some ikkle birds in that won't eat the frogs?
> 
> Nice waterfall and lagoon in it, plenty of height for some birds to live on the "canopy" level and then frogs and stuff in the main body of the display? x



I like that idea, would love to have animals in there which will use the height.


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## brittone05 (Sep 29, 2006)

I know diddly squat about tree frogs mind so don't know if any of the species would use any of the height or about mixing species - could you perhaps put red eyed tree frogs in with them for example?

Some little teeny pretty birds would be pretty cool though  xx


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## SwindonReptiles (Apr 15, 2012)

Im not sure about using the enclosure for frogs as it will be next to my amphibians corner and I would lose them! Haha If I could have some little pretty birds in with something else it would be nice.


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## Rach1 (May 18, 2010)

Yeah that's a good point.
Does this mean my invite and naming ceremony are now off the cards.
God damn you em-40!

So it's more narrow and long.
Keep the night theme and set it up like an urban city scene and have rats!
They could be in an underground set up.
Above ground some nigh time animals...
Hedgehogs? Foxes? Lol
I don't know.
I do know one enclosure I did once see that stuck in my mind was a rat set up made to look like the inside of a garden shed... It really stuck out cause it was different and the rats loved climbing about on the items.

It's hard to think what might work.
The depth is what's doing it.
Rats would be good cause they love height and things to climb on. Plus they are small and easy to maintain.
How about dividing it in two and having an underground/above ground theme.
Or water/land?


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## Rach1 (May 18, 2010)

How about keeping it British and having a native hedgerow display?
Harvest/field mice?
Or urban/rural?

Make it educational as well as interesting?


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## Postcard (Aug 29, 2010)

SwindonReptiles said:


> Im not sure about using the enclosure for frogs as it will be next to my amphibians corner and I would lose them! Haha If I could have some little pretty birds in with something else it would be nice.


I'm sure you could do a mixed aviary if you ask on the avian section - something like parrot finches would love that length and are small enough probably to cope with the narrow-ness. That is very narrow though. I don't know if they'd breed in a colony. You could have chinese painted quails on the bottom? I've never had this mix of birds before so only going on reputation, I haven't kept parrot finches myself but they have been recommended to me as hardy and easy to breed in cages.

Here's a compatability chart for finches which is quite good:
Lady Gouldian Finch .com - Finch Species Compatibility Chart




























Would look good if you added some trees in the enclosure in tubs and lots of java wood perches or something. You'd need to figure out how to stop the air getting stale with the glass, though, but that would actually be really helpful so it didn't set off customer allergies.


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## bbav (Oct 17, 2007)

I don't really know much about them but how about a big colony of leaf cutter ants?
I saw one in a much smaller space at a local butterfly park and it was pretty cool.
Our daughter had to be pulled away from them or she would have stood watching them all day lol


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## SwindonReptiles (Apr 15, 2012)

bbav said:


> I don't really know much about them but how about a big colony of leaf cutter ants?
> I saw one in a much smaller space at a local butterfly park and it was pretty cool.
> Our daughter had to be pulled away from them or she would have stood watching them all day lol


Would be great but they are my biggest fear! haha I think it has something to do with my brother having an ant farm as a kid and letting them loose in the house...


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## Amalthea (Oct 2, 2007)

SwindonReptiles said:


> We would love to have it themed and as natural as possible. We had considered sugar gliders, wanted to see if anyone had any other ideas? I would also consider doing a mixed enclosure :2thumb:
> 
> It doesnt have to be reptile related, just beautifull and interesting! not something you can see everyday!


Having gliders in a place that is open to the public during the day would be pretty pointless, really...


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## em_40 (Sep 29, 2010)

small squirrels?


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## smithy73 (Aug 31, 2010)

how about meerkats possibly


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## SwindonReptiles (Apr 15, 2012)

Amalthea said:


> Having gliders in a place that is open to the public during the day would be pretty pointless, really...


#

We are not open to the public, It would be a private collection which would be seen on our open days and when people come over by appointment


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## Blissfullsilence (May 7, 2010)

Butterflies!


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## Rach1 (May 18, 2010)

Decided yet?
Lol


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## SwindonReptiles (Apr 15, 2012)

Rach1 said:


> Decided yet?
> Lol



We have a rough idea... It is going to be extended forward to make it 2ft deep. It will be separated into 4 enclosures measuring 4x7x2ft. One enclosure will be a large incubator, one will house a small colony of sugar gliders and possibly a few pygmy hedgehogs, one enclosure will house a Green Tree Python and we have no idea for the last one yet.... Might get a frilled lizard to fill it


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## joe190 (Jun 28, 2008)

you could do a ranforest type exhibit with maybe a pair of touraco's or toucan's, agama's and iguana's! could also include a underwater veiwing area pond with tropical fish, or xenopus frogs in? basically described my colleges biome! would look awesome though, could go really mad and chuck some slow loris in there to


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