Mixed Terrarium

[Peeps]

Hey guys, I know this is a frog forum and not much of you know much about lizards, but what would be an easy way to make a half and half vivarium without using a spacer to block the water from the substrate. I have a green anole and green tree frog, and they do fine togethor. I wan to make it so my anole still has lots of room to climb around in, but also so my frog is happy. Btw, I'm new here. I live in America, my frogs name is Peeps, and my lizards name is Zilla. Great to be here! Please help!

[CrazyAirborne]

which of your two pets do you assume needs that much water? tree frogs need trees more than some large body of water imo.

[Peeps]

I want to keep the humidity up for both my frog and my lizard. Yes Green Tree Frogs like trees, but they do still sit in the water to soak it up. I wanted to give my terrarium a more natural look in stead of a little water bowl sitting in a corner.

[CrazyAirborne]

well I guess i read it like you want 50% of your enclosure to be water, which sounds like a lot to me.

[Deku]

I know you said they do fine together. But I thought Id give you some of my opinion. You shouldnt imo put a frog and a lizard together. Anoles are known for some aggression(males), and frogs contain mild toxins which can harm the anole. Both contain different bacteria and parasites which will harm each other(all animals have some parasites). I would keep the anole in a 20high imo, and same with the treefrog. To answer your question you don't need a pool of water for either of them unless you want to breed the frog. Just mist them daily. Anoles should have some plants in the tank which are leafy so the anoles could lap the water from the plants. Thats the only way they drink. You mist the plants twice a day. They drink "Dew" water. I used to live in their natural range. I found that out when I was going to my backyard(I was 9) and saw them drink from leaves. Both species are arboreal. Male anoles are territorial. To figure out if your anole is a male or not it will have a neck flap. Sometimes if you pick them up.... Before biting you they will flare that flap at you as a warning(let me go). Normally they use that flap to attract females and tell males(this is my turf!). Btw both have different care requirements and need different heat levels. IMO an anole needs a higher heat than the tree frog(which if your room is around 72degrees thats good for the frog). The anole IMO needs to be put in a tank with 79degrees-83degrees. Because thats the temps in their natural range(its higher but thats where they go into)

[Deku]

well I guess i read it like you want 50% of your enclosure to be water, which sounds like a lot to me.

Chances are the anole wont use it. The treefrog only needs a water bowl. For increased humidity all that needs to be done is severe misting daily or twice a day. Misting the ground also helps. Making the tank 50% water is going to be a waste of good space for the anole. Anoles NEED room to roam. They are often thought to be good that they can do well in a 10gallon with like 5 or so. No in reality is they need larger enclosures because if you look at them they have high energy as opposed to other reptiles and amphibians. They are constantly moving and only sit still for say like 2-3 hours a day? Anoles are the gerbils of the lizard world.
Hopes this help.

[Peeps]

Thnx for the help, not to be rude, but many people have kept Anoles with frogs and have done very well. Also, my tank is gigantic for 2 animals. Its a 60 gallon aquarium. More than anough space for both. My Anole isnt showing any aggression at all. They dont seem bothered by eachother, but also, I will be keeping the advice in mind.

Anyways, my bad, I should have been more specific about what I mean. I see Green Tree Frogs all the time in ponds and stuff. I want to give my frog a natural place to live in, but also leaving my Anole with enough land to be happy. So not 50 land 50 water. More like 25% water 75% land.

BTW, I do have another tank for my green tree frog if anything goes wrong. So again, i'm watching them both closely.

Thnx for the tips and help. But can someone please help me out with my question?

[Deku]

Thnx for the help, not to be rude, but many people have kept Anoles with frogs and have done very well. Also, my tank is gigantic for 2 animals. Its a 60 gallon aquarium. More than anough space for both. My Anole isnt showing any aggression at all. They dont seem bothered by eachother, but also, I will be keeping the advice in mind.

Anyways, my bad, I should have been more specific about what I mean. I see Green Tree Frogs all the time in ponds and stuff. I want to give my frog a natural place to live in, but also leaving my Anole with enough land to be happy. So not 50 land 50 water. More like 25% water 75% land.

BTW, I do have another tank for my green tree frog if anything goes wrong. So again, i'm watching them both closely.

Thnx for the tips and help. But can someone please help me out with my question?

Okay well in that case do what I do. Get a rubbermaid tub the size of the water space you want it to be and just put it in the tank. You can make it so the pool is at ground level. Like dont put it on top of the soil. Take out some of the soil in that part(meaning that area will be bare glass) and put the rubbermaid in there. Put soil around the rubbermaid to fill in the gaps(you can use some linen to seperate dirt from tub). Get some live moss and put it on the borders so its like a mat. Whenever the anole or treefrog goes in itd wipe the dirt out of the legs and body when they get out itll help keep the plant moist. If you dont want to use the plant you can line it with large flat rocks. :] Hopes this help! There are many other things you can do. I did this with my old terrarium. But what I did was I put the tank with water and then put the rubbermaid with soil. So I can put a filter in the water for the ranids to use. You know? Works either way! Make sure y ou have enough vines/plants on the tank and drift wood for climbing. Anoles are extremely active species.

[Kurt]

I have attempted to keep green anoles, Anolis carolinensis in a set-up you describe, it didn't go well at all. Somehow the anoles ended up drowning.

[Peeps]

I have attempted to keep green anoles, Anolis carolinensis in a set-up you describe, it didn't go well at all. Somehow the anoles ended up drowning.

Hmmmmm, that brings some caution to my mind. But my Anole never comes down to ground level, never once have I seen him come down from his "hangout place." I feed him food from up high. So he never comes to ground level.

[Peeps]

Okay well in that case do what I do. Get a rubbermaid tub the size of the water space you want it to be and just put it in the tank. You can make it so the pool is at ground level. Like dont put it on top of the soil. Take out some of the soil in that part(meaning that area will be bare glass) and put the rubbermaid in there. Put soil around the rubbermaid to fill in the gaps(you can use some linen to seperate dirt from tub). Get some live moss and put it on the borders so its like a mat. Whenever the anole or treefrog goes in itd wipe the dirt out of the legs and body when they get out itll help keep the plant moist. If you dont want to use the plant you can line it with large flat rocks. :] Hopes this help! There are many other things you can do. I did this with my old terrarium. But what I did was I put the tank with water and then put the rubbermaid with soil. So I can put a filter in the water for the ranids to use. You know? Works either way! Make sure y ou have enough vines/plants on the tank and drift wood for climbing. Anoles are extremely active species.

Thnx for the help, I will be using your idea. Now about Kurt's comment, maybe I could put some sticks and plants hanging down from up high into the water. So that way, if my Anole falls in or even gets in the water he can hopefully get out. Also, haha, the water is only meant for my frog, I don't want my Anole in it. Again, thanks for the help!

[1beataway]

I don't know if this helps, but when I made a water area for my Whites', I put large rocks in the bottom. Even though the water level was quite a few inches, for the frogs it was shallow water because of the rocks.

[Deku]

Thnx for the help, I will be using your idea. Now about Kurt's comment, maybe I could put some sticks and plants hanging down from up high into the water. So that way, if my Anole falls in or even gets in the water he can hopefully get out. Also, haha, the water is only meant for my frog, I don't want my Anole in it. Again, thanks for the help!

You know those "turtle docks"? That would be better off in that so should your anole accidentally goes in than he can get out. I would also put sticks like you said. But good luck. Just remember to keep a close eye on it. I guess if you feed them both they may not bother each other? Iam more worried about parasites and bacteria. Plus the fact that all frogs are mildly toxic. If i were you id put a small whisper filter in the lil tub. Itll help remove waste. Still you do waterchanges and itll be like a fishtank(just dont add fish).

[Peeps]

I'm no expert, but don't frogs only unleash their toxins when threatened? Just Wondering.

[Deku]

I'm no expert, but don't frogs only unleash their toxins when threatened? Just Wondering.

In generall its in their skin. when they go in the water, the toxins get into the water. All frogs have poisons.

[snakeboy7167]

I would think that if the anole had plenty of escape options from the water bowl that it should be fine, however the toxicity of the frog is an area of concern. I'm not sure how toxic your treefrog would be to your anole, and how quickly the water could be tainted with the toxins from the frogs skin. However, if you do the rubbermaid idea, you can set it up so that you can remove it daily and replenish it with fresh dechlorinated water, thereby effectively removing any toxin buildup that may occur. It is a gamble, though, keeping two completely different species together, even though both the green treefrog and the green anole share much of the same natural range. I have kept anoles in the past, and have noticed definite aggression in males, however a 60 gal terrarium is a lot of space for both animals to find their own territories. The biggest issue I can see being a problem is the possibility of the anole mistaking the frog for food when it moves, and even though the frog is probably too big for the anole to eat (let's face it, anoles are not the biggest of lizards), it still can cause some damage to the frog's delicate skin should it happen to mistakenly grab it. Also keep in mind that frogs are very opportunistic feeders, and I have witnessed mine try to steal food from each other's mouths. If the frog tries to steal a cricket or something else from the anole, it could wind up getting accidentally bitten. Not to say that this will definitely happen, but something to watch out for. Good idea having a second cage on hand for the frog if need be, and good luck! I think interspecies tanks are cool, just not always the easiest to do.

[Judy S]

After having read these posts, I want to run my idea past you all about setting up a tank for just firebellies...Set up to have glass partitions siliconed to bottom and sides for fresh water area about 5" deep with filter sectioned off in one back corner...and pump for small waterfall area in opposite back corner..glass to be slightly lower for better water movement...and a return from one corner to the other as a small siliconed, rock stream on rubber pond liner material...the water area for guppies which firebellies can eat, and water for them to do their thing..with tinted glass against the planted area...36 G L tank..live plants, screen top. Any suggestions, comments, etc.? I want to plan carefully to have it work the FIRST time...One of my other tanks is set up as a paladarium and has Endlers in the water portion...no filter so I just do small water changes every week...the female had babies last week..

[Deku]

After having read these posts, I want to run my idea past you all about setting up a tank for just firebellies...Set up to have glass partitions siliconed to bottom and sides for fresh water area about 5" deep with filter sectioned off in one back corner...and pump for small waterfall area in opposite back corner..glass to be slightly lower for better water movement...and a return from one corner to the other as a small siliconed, rock stream on rubber pond liner material...the water area for guppies which firebellies can eat, and water for them to do their thing..with tinted glass against the planted area...36 G L tank..live plants, screen top. Any suggestions, comments, etc.? I want to plan carefully to have it work the FIRST time...One of my other tanks is set up as a paladarium and has Endlers in the water portion...no filter so I just do small water changes every week...the female had babies last week..

Well first off firebellies arent going to eat the guppies as they prey on land(from what i noticed). As for mixing guppies with fbt's as long as your tank is big enough. YOu know female guppies produce alot of hormones that apparently can kill other fish if they are overloaded like (20guppies in a 10g or even a 15g with good filtration). Personally I wouldnt waste my time setting up a part for guppies as guppies are somewhat sensitive they also need higher salinity than a frog does. If you wanna set up a tank with small fish with your fbt's try neons or even minnows. Just make sure you quarantine them for atleast a couple of weeks(3) to make sure they dont contain anything(you treat them for parasites and illness so it doesnt pass on to the toads). You will need a good filter and you will need to cycle the water area before you put in fish in there. As well as you need to get aquaintanced with the laws of fishkeeping(like obvious rules). If you plan keeping the fbts in a 20g and you only have half land and its filled with water half way(so its half filled from the top of the tank and its also half of the tank because the other half is land) you would have like 3-4gallons of water which isnt enough room to keep fish in appropriately. For guppies to be happy they need room, these are fish that are extremely active and breed like roaches(I used to breed them in the past). I mean it doesnt matter how big the tank you have, you gotta take accordance to the water area. Its dimmensions like how much ACTUAL water is in the water area? Sometimes itll look like 10gs and its actually 3-5gs. So just so you know should you want to put fish in be ready to use good filters and get a nice large tank. Sure sure fire bellies dont need a HUGE tank, but if you're adding fish to the tank and you're only filling it half way and half the tank is a land area that only gives 2-4gallons of use in a 10-20gs. So like even say a 30g isnt enough to keep the fish in happy unless you plan on keeping a few(2-3) and thats not going to make them happy since smaller fish almost always are schooling fish. Theres also the rule of 1 INCH of SCALE OF FISH Per 2 gallons. So you would be over doing it. People have done it before and have put in fish in there, but just because they are alive does it really mean they are happy in there? Take that fact into consideration. Not only that but they need hide outs. If you use ornaments and plants which are needed for fish you are taking more space in the water area. Thus reducing the gallons of water being used. Not only that but you need a heater for the fish, how are you going to make sure the fish dont end up boiled?

You should join a fish forum for more details on fish keeping. But again, it CAN be done but only if you actually have the room.
Just my opinion and out of information I have researched over the years

[Judy S]

Thanks for your suggestions and observations...I've had many fresh fish tanks and the only problems I ever had was with the plants...Since I enjoy gardening so much was looking for a way to have a visually attractive, practical, live element next to me and my computer...and have a group of visually attractive, practical, live animal to enjoy the same setting...and since I've had experience with the Endlers Live Bearers in my present visually attractive, practical mixed tank...thought I'd take it a step further...and create a definate demarcation for just the few fish...and have a herp that does well in a small group that is somewhat terrestrial and won't drown. I had read that they will eat fish so was prepared to sacrifice some, to me, rather inexpensive fish...guppies are usually attractive and will breed quickly...hence, they were my choice of the day. Please consider this a learning experience for me and hopefully it will be the setup I'm trying to achieve...thanks again for your imput...

[Deku]

Thanks for your suggestions and observations...I've had many fresh fish tanks and the only problems I ever had was with the plants...Since I enjoy gardening so much was looking for a way to have a visually attractive, practical, live element next to me and my computer...and have a group of visually attractive, practical, live animal to enjoy the same setting...and since I've had experience with the Endlers Live Bearers in my present visually attractive, practical mixed tank...thought I'd take it a step further...and create a definate demarcation for just the few fish...and have a herp that does well in a small group that is somewhat terrestrial and won't drown. I had read that they will eat fish so was prepared to sacrifice some, to me, rather inexpensive fish...guppies are usually attractive and will breed quickly...hence, they were my choice of the day. Please consider this a learning experience for me and hopefully it will be the setup I'm trying to achieve...thanks again for your imput...

Atleast heavily plant the water area since they love plants and use good filtration. Make sure to give a large water area atleast 10gallons of water in the water arwa.


Good luck.