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Thread: Vivarium plants questions

  1. #1
    frognerd101
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    Default Vivarium plants questions

    Hey, it's Andrew

    I am planning on building a really cool vivarium for my two tree frogs. They are a black eyed tree frog and a yellow eyed tree frog.

    I have a 29 gallon setup they are in and I wanted to redesign my tank. I am interested in getting some plants, like bromeliads and others, from Lowes or Home Deopt. Does anyone know if they put any special kind of pesticide or chemical in the soil that might hurt my frogs. I will not risk their lives.


    Also, does anyone know how to create a safe backround for my frogs that looks real. I was thinking about a clay backround, but I don't know where to start. I want the backround to be done quickly, so I don't have to keep my frogs in their quarantine tank for a long time.

    Thank you everyone for your help!!!

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  3. #2
    AReaHerps
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    Default

    I'm very interested to read responses.
    I want to do something similar.
    Sent from my Android using the Tapatalk Forum App! It's awesome!

  4. #3
    KingCam
    Guest

    Default Re: Vivarium plants questions

    Quote Originally Posted by frognerd101 View Post
    I am interested in getting some plants, like bromeliads and others, from Lowes or Home Deopt. Does anyone know if they put any special kind of pesticide or chemical in the soil that might hurt my frogs. I will not risk their lives.
    Almost every plant you buy in a retail store is going to have chemicals in the soil. It's best to wash the soil out of the roots and re-plant in organic soil. It's also good to wash the leaves in case they have been sprayed with anything.

    Quote Originally Posted by frognerd101 View Post
    Also, does anyone know how to create a safe backround for my frogs that looks real. I was thinking about a clay backround, but I don't know where to start. I want the backround to be done quickly, so I don't have to keep my frogs in their quarantine tank for a long time.
    Coat the back of the tank with black silicone and immediately (very firmly) press coco fiber or peat moss into it before it starts to dry. It's basically like the foam backgrounds without the foam. It'll just be a flat wall of "dirt."

    Another super simple way to make a nice looking background is to use the vinyl adhesive tiles from home depot. They stick right on!

  5. #4
    BadKat
    Guest

    Default Re: Vivarium plants questions

    Any commercially grown plant will have fertilizers and/or pestcides that can be harmful to your frogs. From what I've read here, it takes about six weeks to prepare them for introducing them into a Vivarium.

    My suggestion, (this is what I plan to do) is find someone that has a lot of houseplants, chances are they have rooted cuttings sitting in a glass of water somewhere. (Make sure they haven't treated the water)

    Philodendron and pothos are both houseplants that are hardy, easily propogated and suitable for terrariums. I don't know anything about Brom propagation, but I will be reading up in the near future.

  6. #5
    BadKat
    Guest

    Default Re: Vivarium plants questions

    Propagating Bromeliads — How to Propagate Bromeliads

    Here is a little article on propagating Broms, I don't know how to link yet cuz I'm a f'noob. :-)

  7. #6
    frognerd101
    Guest

    Default Re: Vivarium plants questions

    Thank you everyone for your help. I think that I am just going to stick to buying Bromeliads from my dealer who sells me all my frogs. That seems to be the safest way.

    Also, does anyone know where to get the black silicon mentioned above. Can I get it at home depot or should I get it somewhere else?

    Again, thank you all for your help.

  8. #7
    KingCam
    Guest

    Default Re: Vivarium plants questions

    Quote Originally Posted by frognerd101 View Post
    Thank you everyone for your help. I think that I am just going to stick to buying Bromeliads from my dealer who sells me all my frogs. That seems to be the safest way.

    Also, does anyone know where to get the black silicon mentioned above. Can I get it at home depot or should I get it somewhere else?

    Again, thank you all for your help.
    Home depot should have it.

  9. #8
    AReaHerps
    Guest

    Default Re: Vivarium plants questions

    The only concern I would have is how to easily clean the somewhat permanent background? How would you clean it? Would it better to simply buy a piece of plastic sheeting which you could just cut to fit so you can clean or replace it? I'm guessing we could build backgrounds multi-dimensional as well by adhering moss and other items?

  10. #9
    KingCam
    Guest

    Default Re: Vivarium plants questions

    Quote Originally Posted by AReaHerps View Post
    The only concern I would have is how to easily clean the somewhat permanent background? How would you clean it? Would it better to simply buy a piece of plastic sheeting which you could just cut to fit so you can clean or replace it? I'm guessing we could build backgrounds multi-dimensional as well by adhering moss and other items?
    You would clean it by turning up the water heater in your house and then spray it with water hot enough to kill bacteria. The water that comes out of my kitchen sink is hot enough to cook meat, no joke. I like to use scalding water to sanitize things because I think it's less risky than using chemicals.

    You could probably attach some thin bark, but the silicone won't support a ton of weight. If you want to make a 3D background use Great Stuff Expanding Foam. There are serveral tutorials on this forum for such a project, I'd urge you to use the search feature.

  11. #10
    frognerd101
    Guest

    Default Re: Vivarium plants questions

    The method that I was going to try was adding springtails. These tiny insects love to eat fecal matter and dead plant and insect matter, so they should keep my background clean.

  12. #11
    frognerd101
    Guest

    Default Re: Vivarium plants questions

    Where can I get Great Stuff expanding foam. I have watched tutorials and it seems really easy but i don't know where to get it.

  13. #12
    KingCam
    Guest

    Default Re: Vivarium plants questions

    Quote Originally Posted by frognerd101 View Post
    Where can I get Great Stuff expanding foam. I have watched tutorials and it seems really easy but i don't know where to get it.
    You can get it anywhere almost. Walmart, Target, Lowes, HomeDepot, Amazon.com, etc

  14. #13
    J Teezy
    Guest

    Default Re: Vivarium plants questions

    I don't think springtails are going to climb your background and eat stuff off that. They tend to stay in the soil

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