Glasgow Andy Has A Question

[Andrew Murdoch]

At present I very, and I mean very rarely see my Mex Red Knee. I have a viv set up with about 3.5 inches of substrate, cork, water bowel. My T seems to be happy enough, it eats regularly, has molted twice, both times went well.
So this is the question.... Is it worth while rearanging the viv, ie. lowering the substrate to perhaps say an inch or two, giving it a more open hide (half flower pot).
This is really to enable me to see more of my T, is it worthwhile or would it be too stressful for my T. I am happy enough knowing my T appears to have a good appetite and that it has already molted, it would be nice to see more of it though.

[James Box]

hard to say! guess it's up to you. the best thing would be to wait til the next time it's left its hide...but maybe it'll eventually calm down enough to venture out on its own soon.
it'd definitely be stressful, but that being said, i've not seen some T's for ages, and ended up worrying so much i bothered them to make sure they were still alive...so it'd be hypocritical for me to just say "leave it alone"

[Clinton Hogben]

At present I very, and I mean very rarely see my Mex Red Knee. I have a viv set up with about 3.5 inches of substrate, cork, water bowel. My T seems to be happy enough, it eats regularly, has molted twice, both times went well.
So this is the question.... Is it worth while rearanging the viv, ie. lowering the substrate to perhaps say an inch or two, giving it a more open hide (half flower pot).
This is really to enable me to see more of my T, is it worthwhile or would it be too stressful for my T. I am happy enough knowing my T appears to have a good appetite and that it has already molted, it would be nice to see more of it though.

Hi Andrew
I would probably leave the substrate at 3.5 inches and just go for a more open hide if you make the substrate to thin spidy may get stressed at not being able to burrow and cool down a bit if it needs to plus 1 inch will dry out very rapidly compared to 3.5
Does your T come out at night more than she does in the day? or does she just feel settled in her hide

Clint

[Peter Lacey]

Stan Schultz covers this issue well - you really should get his book, its less than a tenner. The more you decorate an enclosure, the more you provide plenty of hiding places, the more you seek to make it more naturalistic, the more you provide for a deep burrow etc the less you'll see your T. Its quite likely you'll see more of your T at home than you would in its natural habitat, despite your concerns.

So, we have to find a happy compromise. I wouldn't remove substrate but you may wish to try an alternative hide eg. half a plant pot encourages it to shift home.