my first vivariums

[Duzt]

i did the smaller 20 gal first and that got me interested in doing my bigger tank, i dont think i used enough silicone on the background tho where the water runs down the sides quite a bit of the coco bedding has washed off...
20 gal

its happy tenant, hes calls if u scratch his belly a lil

i think its 40 or 45 gal, 3ft by 1ft by 1ft n a half high

left side

right side

the tenants first my dumpy

a gecko

and my tiger


i have since made clear plexiglass tops for both tanks and the humidity levels are much better, but now i cant see in the tank as well... catch 22

[Ajax]

I hope all of those are not in the same tank. Mixing species is bad husbandry. Lots of things could happen.

I love the tank though!

[Rainfrog]

How large is the tank with the 3 different species? it is recommended the one Whites Tree frog be housed in a 29 gallon tank. I dont know the specific care for the gecko or the tiger salamander but this tank does look small for 3 species.

it is hard to meet the requirements of multiple species that would normally never interact in the wild. and for them to be near to an alien species can cause a lot of stress.

it is possible to house different species in the same environment if they have the same care needs ie temp, humidity, light cycle. a lot can go wrong as well even in the best of set ups. a lot of animal meet a premature end for this. I do not know the experience level of other people on this site, specifically new members but in general I advise against holding multiple species in the same Vivarium.

There are exceptions to the rule and I belive experienced keepers can have success but if multiple species are kept in one Viv you need more space, more hides, more maintenance cross species contamination possibilities and fights will in crease if not enough space is provided and stress becomes a factor.

Nice looking vives though love the pacman

[Duzt]

its a 40 gal long tank i think and everyone pretty much keeps to themselves the salamander hangs out in his cave in the bottom right and sometimes goes in the water the dumpy and the gecko keep to the upper part of the tank n dont seem to mind eachother... i didnt really kno much about vivariums when i started but have since learned quite a bit, and in the future would look quite a bit more into species compatability and so forth but for now they all seem to be doing very well in with eachother....(theyve been in there for 2-3 months now....)

[Ajax]

It doesnt really matter with 2 to 3 months now..... One day, you are going to come home with less tank mates.

I am sorry Rainfrog if I repeat anything that you said, but someone wrote this a long time ago, and I think it might help with the situation (I added some as well):

"There are people everywhere that want to mix different species of reptiles and amphibians together to make some sort of jungle for their animals, but many of these keepers fail to recognize that mixing species is a horrible idea that can only be left to people that know what they are doing (People that have studied exactly what is needed to be done in order to actually keep these animals healthy while mixing these species) Here are some warning points with mixing that I have derived for you:

1.One problem is that each individual species need their exact environmental requirements that are found in their habitat. Abiotic factors such as physical characteristics and biotic factors together make up a niche (Meaning: The particular area within a habitat occupied by an organism) and with specific factors make up single specie’s niche. Species are only able to live in environments that vary accordingly to their specific niche. Even within different environments with the same climate, there are multiple niches that are present. It is extremely difficult to duplicate these factors into a small terrarium and at the same time, keep these animals relieved of stress. Different species need more room to get away from each other to hunt for their own food. Because of this, terrariums need to be very large and even harder to maintain than those of only a single species.

2.Also, larger cage mates usually “Bully” different species for food or shelter. A large enough difference I size can also lead to the larger of the species devouring the smaller other cage mates. Some animals have defense mechanisms that actually activate whenever it is harmed. This can lead to the injury or even death of an animal in your cage. Different species may not recognize the other specie’s “warnings”. A misunderstanding can lead to an injury for an unexpecting species. (EVEN IF it has been going on for so-and-so weeks or months)

3.Different species develop differently than species living in another niche. They develop immunities to viruses, parasites and diseases found in their specific niche. Although they may be immune to it, it may be deadly to their coexisting cage mates, who have no immunity towards it when introduced.

Stress might now be plain to see, but an animal is not just going to say to you, "Hey dude. I'm stressed out here, and this guy is intimating me..."

I know that we have all seen different species in the same tank online or at your local pet store but let me tell you that those people don’t know what they are doing. They only want to show off their “Mini-Jungle” or save space to sell reptiles without the least bit concern for the animals’ health. If you really want to appreciate your animal and give it the best possible chance of living happily, Don’t mix species. Please listen to this information."

[greensnakeman]

I agree with everything that Ajax said especially the pet store part. Don't be intimidated by the pet store cages that have 15-20 animals from different species in a 10 gallon tank. They don't know or give a crap about the animals.
But I really like your second viv.

Alex

[Spazizz]

Nice pacman frog. he looks awesome. Your larger tank looks nice, and your dumpy looks good. So do the other animals. Im not going to say much about having them all together but Im sure it would be nice to get them seperate tanks. Think of it as more opportunity to make some cool looking tanks.

[schlegelbagel]

also, tree frogs need vertical space. You have a 40 gallon long. They also need plants and branches to climb on. Nice tank if you were housing a few dart frogs, but not a good idea for all those critters together.

[Green Ghost]

Lovin' that second viv. Really nice. I guess many folks have had something go wrong when mixing species -hence all the advice. When I first started keeping frogs I mixed a firebelly with a leopard frog. They started out together and the leopard frog was slightly bigger. But...... after 3 months or so my firebelly turned invisible!!! Now I have an invisible firebelly God-knows-where in that tank!

[Ajax]

Also, cresties need a verticle space as well.

GreenGhost- that is a nice example! Even if 2 or 3 months or more, things can still happen.

~~Sorry we are "getting on you" when you just posted pictures to get comments about the tanks. I think I already said my comment so, whatever you do, just keep in mind what we said.

Good-luck!