I would suggest if your leaving for 3 days not having lights on for 3 days is too long- buy a timer or plan to take him w/ and all his lighting -- do you have someone to feed him/ her while your gone? You can have someone come to feed him and have the timer turn your lights on and off-- but I would not leave him/ her for 3 days w/ no lighting--or food
Karrie
If you buy a timer he will be fine. They can be had for pretty cheap, and you only need one. Just plug your surge protector or splitter into the timer so it controls all your lights.
I don't really have any body that I trust to feed him, I'm scared I'm come home cricket every where and blitz not in his cage. Also I just spent my money on crickets and don't really have any more only change, and me and my dad was gonna build an timer for a coding protect (since I'm homeschooled). I brought blitz before but now that he is twice the size it going to be hard. If I do bring him do you think a small storage container will do?
How big is he? You can put him in a tote but make sure your lighting is correct-- do a test w/ your lights and the container you plan on taking- do you have a infrared heat gun for taking temps? You don't want the basking lamp getting to hot and making temps in the container too hot-- your gonna haft to take his crickets in something - do you have a cricket keeper? How old is he?
Karrie
I did have a tote, but he's to big for it know. He's around 8-9 months and 13 inches. I don't have an heat gun to take temps or a cricket tote. For blitz i think I'm just going to buy a storage container for him and see if can handle the lights. And I'm going to just bring the crickets in a cup, along with some home made good i blended up for him. Does that plan seem good?
Get a big enough tote to take him --- I would get him out when you are visiting for a few hours and then get him back into the tote to warm up - you dont want him out more than two hrs at a time - the crickets wont last in a cup - they will die crickets are not very hardy - the only thing that would last would be the Blow Fly larvea in a cup or dubia roaches w/ ventilation of course- they would be the best for trips - is he eating vegies ? If he is you can leave the crickets at home and just feed him vegies while you are gone--- that would be even easier- 3 days w / out crickets are not going to hurt him- but make sure you do a test / those lights and temps- that is important -- his temps need to be basking 95-105 ---- a infrared heat gun is like $10 from Walmart Home Depot or Lowes - you dont need an expensive one- how are you taking temps now in his tank?
Karrie
I had to throw away his thermometer because he kept pooping on it and it eventually got nasty. I found a storage container but enough for him. He hasn't been able to eat crickets recently because I haven't been able to order them. He likes veggies also, I can't get rubies (even though I want to). I'll see if I can get some fly larve, but my grandma sometimes gets these huge wood bugs(roaches) once in a while, do you think he'll be able to eat those, I know it's a stupid question. :lol: .the infrared heat gun sounds pretty cheap,I might get one of them.
You need a heat gun -- you haft to get temps whether he's in that tote or not-- you need it and invest in a digital probe thermometer it can stick on the side of tank where he won't poop on it--- those roaches your talking about I wouldn't feed-- I am assuming they are a wild roach? You can order dubias on line-- go to Amazon search dubias most suppliers offer free shipping-- they are easy to keep- are you feeding a staple bug now-- he needs protein-- vitamins and calcium every day the calcium vitamins 2 x per week
Karrie
I did have a tote, but he's to big for it know. He's around 8-9 months and 13 inches. I don't have an heat gun to take temps or a cricket tote. For blitz i think I'm just going to buy a storage container for him and see if can handle the lights. And I'm going to just bring the crickets in a cup, along with some home made good i blended up for him. Does that plan seem good?
It wont harm him to go without UV for a few days - think very overcast weather in the wild. He will need 15 hours or so of heat (basking spot about 40 degC, warm zone about 35 degC).
A medium/large tote , a basking log and one good heat bulb to go over one end of the tote will be fine. I've done it quite a few times, there's no problem. Keep the lid off unless you can cut the middle out and hot glue screen to it. You don't need anything fancy at all more than that. Heat bulb should be 100 watt, set only at one end. He will regulate his own heat needs.