Guidance on how to safely create a vivarium for a 1st time frog caretaker?

[Dahliasmom2012]

Hi,

I put a little in the introduction section.

Mainly, I am very new to all this. I have a small american green tree frog and have purchased an exoterra 12x12x18 terrarium for her. So far I have a corner water bowl, two hanging plants (I know it isn't enough but I just started and want to go with live plants for her.) a few good sized chunks of live pillow moss and a base of flukers green sphagnum moss all over the bottom. There is a big foam tree like back to the exoterra that came with the terrarium, it seems to give her a little more security than the all glass little tank I had her in the first night.

I am looking to see if someone could guide me on what plants would be best to put in there and how to safely plant them. I work in a wholesale floral warehouse so I can find just about anything, I just worry it would be harmful to her. Is there a way to prep plants before adding them?

Also, so far for food she is eating crickets. I got some of the flukers orange cube cricket food/water supply. Is this adequate to gut load them for my little frog or is there a better food for her food?

Thank you so much in advance.

[flybyferns]

Hello again Haley.,
I answered some of you questions here.

http://www.frogforum.net/introductio...tml#post164095 (yes you do! )

http://www.frogforum.net/tree-frogs/...caresheet.html

http://www.frogforum.net/vivarium-te...struction.html

You are on your way !!!!!

[Dahliasmom2012]

Thanks so much. I do have a question on getting soil for the bottom to set up a live plant base to the terrarium, is there any good places to find frog safe materials for the soil base listed in the terrarium construction? Although I work for a floral wholesale warehouse they don't carry anything close, the soils they have would be full of fertilizers and such that I don't want my little froggy dancing about in, even if that is where she initially came to me and the pet store I went into has moss, sand, coconut fiber but not much else. I don't mind having to mail order, I am getting a bit excited about working on her environment.

Also, anyone have luck with phalenopsis and oncidium orchids in terrariums? We have an orchid grower here that has small versions of both (the oncidium is on my work desk currently sans flowers but the leaves look fab and I bet Midori would like them.)if they work well any suggestions on putting them in there? I have seen large phalenopsis with their roots hanging freely in some booths here at the market, they simply mist them every so often and they do wonderfully. I wonder if I could do something similar suspended halfway from the top of the tank?

[deranged chipmunk]

I can definitely help with your soil questions and about the orchids, but i am at work and it would be too involved to type on my phone. I'll expand more after work, if nobody beats me to it. Btw, here's my mini Phal. In my enclosure:

[shatter]

Hey guys, i thought i would just jump straight in and see if you's could help me out a bit, {well quite majorly actually} i have recently picked up an exo terra 45*45*45 which i am hoping to house two dendrobates tinctorious azureus.

i have almost everything up until the stage where i add live plants, i just need to purchase 3 coco panels so i can fully commence.

In the meantime i was planning on starting the bottom, but im having a seriously unsure moment. I picked up a small pump and pipe to install incase the bottom substrate layer gets over flooded but im not entirley sure the best way to do this, i wasnt planning on having a cirulating water feature inside the viv, so im just wondering is the pump actually needed ..?

my other big worry is do i need to make a section at the front for a {water in} just incase the bottom doesnt have enough water for plant growth..?

i know most people use egg crate to create a false bottom if they have water features, so im deciding to use just hydroballs as the 1st layer, although i do have roughly 50cm x 20cm piece of egg crate.

apologies to get into such a long description, this will be my 1st vivarium and i just want to make sure i do things correctly, so any knowledge on this would be greatly appreciated.

everything else i have covered,{i beleive} its just the bottom thats messing with my head lol

Many thanks and i shall hope to hear some of your thoughts, your help will go a very long way.

Bob