Natural vivarium construction....

Discussion in 'Enclosures, Heating & Lighting' started by UncleLunchBox, Jun 5, 2003.

  1. UncleLunchBox

    UncleLunchBox New Member

    Messages:
    48
    Hey guys,
    I need to know all I can about designing and producing a good natural, planted vivarium for Galadrial(my African fat-tailed gecko). I already plan on using a 20L or 29Gallon aquarium tank. I need mainly to find some plants suitable and have some in mind, but I need to get specifics on the plants such as how large they get. I don't want anything that will outgrow my tank. Any help with the process of setting up the vivarium would be great. Also, does anyone have any advice or know of any great sites to visit because I just can't seem to come up with much on the search engines. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

    UncleLunchBox ;)

    [Edited on 6/6/2003 by UncleLunchBox]
     
  2. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

    Messages:
    5,483
     
  3. pixiefrogw

    pixiefrogw Embryo

    Messages:
    17
    Amazon has a book on Terrarium cage and construction.at:
    http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIM/0764106732
    also try putting terrarium plants in your search engine I found alot of good sites on terrarium plants, too many to list here.
    Hope this helps


    [Edited on 8/6/2003 by pixiefrogw]
     
  4. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

    Messages:
    5,483
     
  5. UncleLunchBox

    UncleLunchBox New Member

    Messages:
    48
    Thanks Pixie, I'm gonna give that a try and see what I come up with. I'll keep ya'll posted.

    UncleLunchBox :D
     
  6. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

    Messages:
    5,483
     
  7. pixiefrogw

    pixiefrogw Embryo

    Messages:
    17
    So, have you got started yet?
     
  8. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

    Messages:
    5,483
     
  9. UncleLunchBox

    UncleLunchBox New Member

    Messages:
    48
    Well, partly. I got her tank(a 29G) and everything needed for it. I got two 8 quart bags of Jungle Mix and 35 pounds of Rio Grande River Rock. The gravel is air drying at the moment and I'm waiting on my book to come in which I ordered from Amazon.com on terrarium design and construction. It looked like the best book there was. It's published by Barron's and I think Bartlett is the author. I hope it's good because it looked like the most in depth and understandable book I could find. The only problem I'm having is with the gravel. It is drying, but has a slight smell of something like fingernail polish. It's odd because it seems like a natural smell while having a strong hint of acetone or fingernail polish or something. I disinfected it with a vinegar/water solution and rinsed it about 3 times over in the sink, but it has an odd smell now. I'll wait and see what it does. Maybe it's just my nose playing tricks on me. When it dries, I'll bury my face in it again and see if I detect anything. I have to get pretty close to smell it, but it's still better safe than sorry I guess. Anyways, I won't be doing anything until I get my book in and read it thoroughly. I just need to decide what type of environment I want to go with because I've heard that fat-tailed geckos have been put in arid set ups from one source and then I've heard they've been put in forest habitats from another. So I'm just gonna see what the book says and maybe you guys can give some input. And by you guys I guess I mean you pixie because it seems like no one talks on this thing anymore. By the way, I loved your website. Very elaborate for just one person. Also very pleasing to the eye.

    UncleLunchBox :D
     
  10. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

    Messages:
    5,483
     
  11. pixiefrogw

    pixiefrogw Embryo

    Messages:
    17
    I had some gravel for a fish bowl that had a strange smell like that, it made the water cloudy untill I cleaned it for the first time. It didn't seem to bother the fish any thou. As for the set up you could always try and do it 1/2 and 1/2. I agree, I would wait for the book and see if it has any advise. Thank you for the compliment on my site. You know I do have a pet catagory if you want to talk there. I'd like to get to know you better so don't be a stranger. :D
     
  12. UncleLunchBox

    UncleLunchBox New Member

    Messages:
    48
    Well, I got my book in yesterday and it's pretty good. It's the only book I found that looked like it might be worth a darn anywheres and I'd recommend it. It talks in terms that a beginner can understand but clears lots of things up at the same time. In other words, it's simple but in depth. According to the book, African fat-tailed geckos are from savannah and dry forest. I think what I'm gonna do is lay my gravel and fiber mesh and mix my own soil. I have two 8 quart bags of Jungle Mix and I'm gonna mix that with a bit of sand I believe and some peat moss. I want to go with the dry forest habitat because the savannah is said to be a little harder to keep going and you also have to use potted plants since the substrate is strictly sand and gravel. I also bought my gravel for the drainage layer so I don't feel like wasting it. I guess I still have a little thinking to do though so we'll see. Anyways I gotta hit the sack cuz I got work at 8 AM so I'll talk to ya'll later.

    UncleLunchBox :D
     
  13. pixiefrogw

    pixiefrogw Embryo

    Messages:
    17
    So Uncle how's the cage coming along?
     
  14. Terra5

    Terra5 Embryo

    Messages:
    4
    Natural vivarium plants for AFTs...

    I jsut came across this and wanted to reply. the best plants are low grwing succulents that are plants in a drainable soil. that means, you will want to plant then using a curse gravel or pumis based soil, like bonsai or cactus mix. the extra added drainage will help as teh substrate will be mostly hardpacek clay. first, plan your landscape, place the soil mix where your' going to have the plants. make this large. then ocne you've planted, just cover the tope with a good amount of clay and stones. as the top substrate dries, it becomes hard and the soil below will be fine. if you need name of the plants, drop me a line.

    deven
     
  15. Axe

    Axe Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    3,922
    Yeah, we used aloe & other succulents in our anole enclosures a few years ago, they loved 'em. They helped keep the humidity up there, and the babies would always pair off and sleep on their leaves at night.
     
  16. lacerta

    lacerta Member

    Messages:
    313
    Just wanted to make a couple comments. I put together a naturalistic vivarium for a leopard gecko last year. In it I used snake plants of the genus Sansevieria. One popular species is call "Mother-in-Law Tongue", but there are many more decorative types available. Check the houseplant section of your local Home Depot or Lowes. Also supermarkets sell them from time to time. Most have hard waxy leaves and are similar to shape and form as the Aloe vera. Definitely a xerophytic plant.
    I can recommend another good book -- "Design and Maintenance of Desert Vivaria" by Phillipe de Vosjoli. I think I purchased it through one of the web-based book mongers. Has a long chapter on suitable plants also many inspirational pictures of layout. I chose a terraced design that starts off shallow at the front and is built-up in deeper layers toward the back corners. The deeper layers of substrate are walled in with pieces of driftwood or cork bark In one corner I planted a snakeplant directly into a substrate of orchid mix and sand. In the other corner I buried a potted plant. Just left it in its original pot but cleverly hid it behind a piece of driftwood. On one end of the enclosure I have a heat pad. It is situated toward the front (shallow sand) to provide my gecko with a thermal gradient. Temp is controled using the helix environmental system with sensor temp set at 90 during day (on the hot end) and 77 after lights out.
    After almost a year, here are my lessons learned:
    1) If you gonna do live plants you need light. Not just a token flourescent strip, but a full spectrum dose. The geckos, being noctural, certainly don't need the light but your plants will slowly die without it.
    2) The lights and heat will quickly dehydrate your plants unless they get frequent watering. I water them daily. The plant that is planted directly into the substrate is slowly dying. I don't think it is getting enough water. The plant in the pot is flourishing. It is much easier to gauge proper water application on a potted plant. In the future I will stick with potted plants. They do much better and they allow greater flexibility for tasteful arrangements. It is not to hard to hide the pots with a few tricks.
    3) Plants can be problematic when feeding live insects. Crickets hide in the foliage and around the base of the pots. They will then chew holes in your plants, or worse, chew on your gecko. I resorted to using a deep petri dish to place live mealworms (dusted with vitamins and calcium) and allow the gecko to feed smorgasbord style. The worms are contained by the smooth glass sides. I still feed crickets but now use a long pair of forceps. My leopard gecko has become quite adept at taking crickets off the tweezers. He is also less shy of me now and I bet I could probably get him to take a cricket from my fingers if I persist. I enjoy the personal bonding time during these feeding sessions. He comes out into the open more often (when hungry) for a handout.
    4) With all that bright light, make sure your gecko has a selection of hide sites. Preferably one on the warmer side and one on the cooler end. When watering your plants (I use a large spray bottle), mist the inside of the hide site a couple times per week. The humidity will help with shedding, and from what I read, it more naturally simulates the higher humidity found in subterranean hide sites (even in the desert). Also keep in mind that African fat-tails require higher humidity that leopard geckos.
    Good luck to you. George
     

Share This Page