I've been toying with the idea of setting up a viv for a few years now, and have had a fair share of false starts. A recent visit to the San Francisco Aquarium (which I hadn't been to since I was young) has seemed to solidify my resolve. I bought an 18x18x18 Exo Terra with the idea that I would either be keeping a Crested Gecko or a group of Mantellas. I realize this is a dart frog forum but bear with me. You all seem to be the experts at vivariums, and at it's core that is what I am setting up.
In the past the main deterrent has been feeding (this makes the Crested very desirable because of the ease of Repashy Crested Gecko Diet). I'm a full time college student, and I don't have a whole lot of extra time. My question is in your opinion how difficult/time consuming/complicated is it to feed frogs? This is a big question and basically decides whether I get frogs or not.
Because I'm having trouble on exactly how to formulate what I want to say I'm just gonna ask questions stream of consciousness style. Assume the below questions concern a viv for frogs only.
How close to set up am I with an Exo Terra?
What about the wire top? Does that need to be covered somehow?
How does one go about heating?
What about lighting?
Not going to buy an automatic mister. How often should I mist considering the ventilation of a Exo Terra?
Should I use ABG or a clay substrate? (I will have a hydroton false bottom)
Can I use local isopods/springtails if I quarantine? (I live in Washington State)
Say I get a shipment of isopods/springtails. After quarantine can I just plop them in the tank or do I need to culture them first? Do I need to keep a culture of them separate the tank and add them regularly? Do they require a minimum humidity? Crested Geckos need their enclosure to dry in between mistings.
Why does the Beginner Frog FAQ say not to use Aluminum mesh for the false bottom?
Is there anything else I should be worried about in terms of viv build and maintenance?
Decor will be plants, bricks and plants on bricks. Dilapidated brick wall style. That's it. No Great Stuff background and no cork.
This is a gecko question for anyone who does both. Will geckos get impaction from ABG? I won't be feeding insects often at all, but will they go for the substrate microfauna?
Another gecko question. What plants can support a full grown Crested?
Basically I want to keep things simple, cheap, and low maintenance without ending up with an artificial looking eyesore of a tank.
In the past the main deterrent has been feeding (this makes the Crested very desirable because of the ease of Repashy Crested Gecko Diet). I'm a full time college student, and I don't have a whole lot of extra time. My question is in your opinion how difficult/time consuming/complicated is it to feed frogs? This is a big question and basically decides whether I get frogs or not.
Because I'm having trouble on exactly how to formulate what I want to say I'm just gonna ask questions stream of consciousness style. Assume the below questions concern a viv for frogs only.
How close to set up am I with an Exo Terra?
What about the wire top? Does that need to be covered somehow?
How does one go about heating?
What about lighting?
Not going to buy an automatic mister. How often should I mist considering the ventilation of a Exo Terra?
Should I use ABG or a clay substrate? (I will have a hydroton false bottom)
Can I use local isopods/springtails if I quarantine? (I live in Washington State)
Say I get a shipment of isopods/springtails. After quarantine can I just plop them in the tank or do I need to culture them first? Do I need to keep a culture of them separate the tank and add them regularly? Do they require a minimum humidity? Crested Geckos need their enclosure to dry in between mistings.
Why does the Beginner Frog FAQ say not to use Aluminum mesh for the false bottom?
Is there anything else I should be worried about in terms of viv build and maintenance?
Decor will be plants, bricks and plants on bricks. Dilapidated brick wall style. That's it. No Great Stuff background and no cork.
This is a gecko question for anyone who does both. Will geckos get impaction from ABG? I won't be feeding insects often at all, but will they go for the substrate microfauna?
Another gecko question. What plants can support a full grown Crested?
Basically I want to keep things simple, cheap, and low maintenance without ending up with an artificial looking eyesore of a tank.