New guy,

[eufa1313]

Hello out there in frogland...
The name is Tom,
I'm new to GTF. Ownership,
I have a current set up with 1 gtf inside
My enclosure is a smaller 20gallon tank w/locking lid
It was once home to my BP, but she has scince out grown it so I started looking into gtf's,
Found out there pretty decent to own but really boring as a pet, lol
I don't mind that so much
I established my tf tank some weeks ago to get it up & running, I purchesed 2 gtf from my local pet store got a good price on them (5.28) but I lost one the next day,
Figured that's why they were on sale...
Anyway.
I've got a few pictures of my tank in current standing I will post them shortly....

[eufa1313]

Left side


Right side


I want to change a few things around to give them more arial room to jump & hide
What all live plants are safe for them to have in there,
I've read that pothos are the way to go,

[John]

Welcome to the forum Tom. These frogs need a more developed terrarium - branches, plants, etc. Your setup is more like what I'd put a Pacman in.

[eufa1313]

Yes, i know it is too basic, that's why i'm here i need major input on the developing of a proper terrarium for these little guys, i plan on getting more on Saturday but i want to take the next 2 days (while off work) to make a proper setup.. and if it takes me a while to do so, so be it.. I'll wait to purchase more..
I have been looking at different sites trying to get some info on setups but no one seems to want to share, I found this site on google so i became a member...

Like i stated above, i'm a newb to this... i have a terrarium setup for my 2 forest armadillo lizards and it looks great.. to me anyway, im not a pro.. and they love it in there
Here's a video of my setup,
Terarriumavi.mp4 video by eufa1313 - Photobucket
Its not the greatest by far, but i'm proud of it...
I'm actually thinking about switching them out. but i think it will be to stressful to my armadillos

I live in a country city and there are not many places i can get items for terrariums around me, sadly...

i need to know,
what plants are suitable (live)
what to use as substrate (eco earth right now)
how can i make a background
(other than doing the foam insulation board w/quickcrete thing)
which im probably going to do seeing that i cant find cork board (tree bark)

[bshmerlie]

You can get branches and sticks from PetCo, Petsmart or any reptile store. You can also get a good size Pothos at Walmart, HomeDepot, or any nursery. They are very sturdy plants that won't get abused by the frogs and they are very easy to grow. For the longest time I kept my Pothos in the pot and simply covered up the base with moss. It depends on how elaborate you want to get. Just give them a lot of live plants with sturdy leaves to hide under and climb on. I have found the more natural of a set up my frogs are in the more they move around at night. They will feel comfortable. Happy frogs make entertaining pets.

[eufa1313]

Awesome, i'll start looking into those pothos plants.

I want my setup to be as real as possible,
There are so many beautiful setups on this site i cant believe how boring mine looks compared to the rest... makes me sad.. lol

The one GTF i have seems to be satisfied with his/her soroundings, but im not...
Even if i just get a BG and proper planting i will be somewhat satisfied...
i wish this tank was a few inches taller, i still have the 40g tank but my BP is uber happy with it so i cant take it back from her.


AAARGH!!!
i need sleep...
i will continue my journey of learning tommorow......

[Kurt]

Welcome aboard.

What I would do is, place a drainage layer in the tank, either by using a false bottom or simply a layer of Hydroton (LECA) or pea gravel. A drain pipe will be need to run down to the drainage layer. It should be capped when not being used to remove excess water. It should also be wide enough to allow a siphon hose to be incerted into it. I would also notch the bottom end to allow better water flow.
To build a false bottom see the red-eye article.
To go simple, place about a two inch layer of Hydroton on the bottom of the tank. Remember to place the drainage pipe first.If you are unable to get Hydroton, you can either use pea gravel or ZooMed's Hydroballs. Pea gravel is heavy and Hydroballs, even though a form of LECA, are just not as good as Hydroton, they are more expensive and are inconsistant is size.
Place a nylon screen mesh on top of the drainage layer, with a hole cut into it for the drain pipe. On top of of that, place a layer of ground coconut deep enough to plant in. Than plant plants into it. In the final step, cover substrate with leaf litter. The best leaf to use for this is "live oak", available from Josh's Frogs or from FF member JimO. "Live oak" is best because it doesn't break down as quickly as other types of leaves.
To make the set up more interesting, you can slope the substrate higher on one side or just add branches to climb on.