Custom sized terrarium build log with pics

[Octothorpe]

Originally Posted by froggsong

I really like it! It's turning out really nice. I almost picked up one of those broms with the purple center myself today.

Thanks!

Originally Posted by froggsong

If you are looking to get Anolis carolinensis, the common anole you will find iin the pet trade, you don't have enough cover in there for them as is. They need leafy plants to hide and sleep in. If you get a pothos plant with a nice long vine, you can get it started growing on that branch on the left hand side (a gorgeous piece, btw), that will offer plenty of cover for them and keep them from getting stressed.

Yup, I did get a larger pothos plant, but it ended up taking up too much of the ground space, You can't really see this from the pics taken from the front of the tank, but two of the cork bark pieces are actually hollow, and I've left access to them from both ends.



The large piece on the left side of the back wall is where I'm hoping the little guys will hang out to bask when they feel so inclined, but they can also climb inside. Here's a shot from the left side of the tank looking in behind the cork:



Also, the cork "log" that I have mounted the one bromeliad and tillandsia on is also hollow, so there's a few options for hiding out. Here's a shot inside of that taken from the right hand side of the tank:


And, of course, a couple obligatory shots just of the plantings.





Today is the big day! My anoles are finally in at the shop! I went by and checked them out yesterday and they really need to come home here. (The tank they are in at the shop just has a plastic ficus plant, and a bowl of water on the substrate. I told the clerk that the anoles looked a little dehydrated, and she said "They've got lots of water", referring to the bowl of water. I had to bite my tongue and try to be pleasant and helpful:
"Oh, they don't really like to drink out of bowls, they mostly just slurp the water droplets off the leaves, maybe you guys should keep misting that ficus in there."
I'll be rescuing a pair of them this afternoon!)

I'll see how they do over the next couple weeks, and if need be, I'll put that pothos vine back in there.

[Octothorpe]

Just got back from Aquariums West. They freakin' sold the anoles. Waiting for 4 months for these captive bred guys to show up on special request, and they sell them out from under me.
No Anoles.

Anybody know of any good REPutable reptile dealers in the Lower Mainland of the Vancouver, BC area?

[MTviver]

wow, that sucks. I hate when people do ridiculous stuff like that!
You tank is great though.

Do you guys have petco? mine is actually run by fairly knowledgeable people, so I shop there. they usually have Anoles.

[Austin]

The petco near me also sells anoles.

[froggsong]

Petco is likely NEVER going to have CB anoles. Too easy to catch them and sell them (more profit that way!).

I don't know anything about shipping restrictions or whether he would be able to send you any, but JohnEDove breeds anoles. You might PM him to see if you guys can work anything out.

I hope you complained to the management about your anoles. If you specially requested them, they shouldn't have sold them to anyone else. That sucks. Good luck finding some more. You might have to break down and buy some WC ones and breed them yourself to get CB ones.

[Octothorpe]

It's all good!
I found a place on Commercial Drive called Mr. Pet that had both the Anoles AND the fire bellied toads. I picked up a M/F pair of each.
They're now in their new home, but it's only day 2 and they're still a bit freaked out. (hiding)
I know there in there somewhere, as I can hear the male toad calling.

[froggsong]

Oh, I forgot to mention, you can root a single vine of the pothos so that it only takes up the ground space it needs for the stem and then wrap it around the branch. It roots very easily in water (I'm sure you probably already know this...).

I'm glad you were able to get the anoles after all. I bet they'll be loving their new home soon.

[Allyn]

wow amazing tank! any shots of it's new inhabitants?

[Octothorpe]

Thanks!
Yup, the firebellied toads seem happier and much more quickly adapted to their new home than the two anoles are.
The anoles are still a bit freaked and skittish. The hiding places I built into the tank are almost TOO good, as I can only see their tails sticking out every now and then. They do come out though, very slowly, and they were just that stressed out brown colour for the first couple of days.
Over the last two days, I've completely steered clear of where the tank is placed, and have only watched the tank from a distance, (using little binoculars.)

I am happy to say that both the male and female were out, quite actively cruising and checking out their new home. The tiny female got a couple crickets, so that made me happy. I haven't seen the male eat yet, but he was standing up on the main piece of grapevine, green as green and doing his head bob, dewlap thing.

Of course, as soon as I sneak up to mist the tank, they're both gone in a flash back into hiding -- where they'll remain for the next hour or two. I'm pretty sure that over the next couple of weeks, they'll get accustomed to people walking around in the room they're in.

I may put in that pothos still, I have a pretty long vine that's just a house plant that I can take a cutting off of.

[froggsong]

Having leaves to hide in will really help with them being so skittish. If they know all they have to do is move a little and still be able to watch you, but you can't see them, they'll be more comfortable. They live in bushes and stuff in nature, with lots of leaf cover, and they will come out and sit on the porch rails and stuff and watch people because they know they can hide so easily and still watch them. It's like how they say if you put lots of plants and hiding places in with dart frogs you'll see them more often. The sooner you put it in the better, or else you'll let them get comfy and then when you disturb the environment to put it in, they wont come out of hiding for a long time again (like when you first got them).