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Thread: PA Woods Vivariums

  1. #21
    100+ Post Member Larry Wardog's Avatar
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    Default Re: PA Woods Vivariums

    Messaged the owner, completed toad care sheet, working on commentary for video...

    This was a great weekend getting a lot accomplished! I just sent a message to the company and I am awaiting a response! Let's hope it goes well! I have been hearing even more good reviews about them.

    The toad care sheet is completed and I am excited to see it become a care sheet you all will share on here. This was a great experience and I am very thankful for Reptile and Parrots Forum for allowing me to create care sheets and I plan to work on the Gray Tree Frog Care Sheet next and a few others!

    The video has all the clips in it I'm trying to find a good way to order this so it's easier for commentary. I sat down for like 30 minutes and couldn't come up with good commentary so I'm making small changes. I want this to be the most complete video of the playlist. I'm very excited for you all to see this video!

    I am very happy with the progress being made it was a very big week for the PA Woods Vivariums! Every amphibian has gained weight and the enclosure is more peaceful now. It seems food was distributed evenly also. I am excited to to be thinking about the perspective video I think it actually fits well with everything. It's a good time after 5 videos to share more back story of the origin of the vision for the PA Woods and it also will be good if I partner with that pet store. They would have something to support me with because it shows the vision as well as the best features of the 125 Gallon. This is all setting up nicely!

    So I am now a care sheet contributor and hopefully next spring a breeder and potentially sponsored by a store. This is all really great and I am very thankful to have the opportunity to do all of this. I have worked hard and this week was a great example of that. Hard work pays off!

    I am very excited honestly to build the Pine Creek PA Woods Vivarium which will be the sibling enclosure of the Western PA Woods Vivarium. I can't wait to see a waterfall and rain wall with fish in the Pine Creek PA Woods! It will be really awesome with videos and seeing how the amphibians in their different ecosystems and if the amphibians will go after prey whether one enclosure will prefer something over another will be really fascinating. it will be interesting to see how the feeder insects will interact with the different climates as well.

    I have big plans for next year the Swarms Battles, the Seasons Playlist and other miscellaneous videos. Some feeder insects will return each year like the staple feeders for the Swarms Battles. You will get to see how the Swarms Battles progress and new armies of swarms. There are many insects that I will not get to display this year. I will be focusing on the plants more and will be able to show how to introduce certain insects to be active in the ecosystem of each enclosure. I'm excited to work on Toad week and Gray Tree Frog week! There will be a lot of great things coming next year. I hope to have a misting system that works! I also will have to think of how to create two enclosures for my amphibians to breed. The uniqueness of my builds I'm trying to get the frogs and toads to breed in their own enclosures not a rain chamber. I will be excited to welcome female gray tree frogs and some offspring!

    I will get better while I'm focusing on The Five Lined Dumpy Family for my video production which will make my PA Woods Vivariums videos better!

    Did you know the Waxworm is a delicacy for amphibians?

    What would be a good idea to include in my upcoming video perspective? What would you personally like to know about a specific animal or the enclosure etc.?

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  3. #22
    100+ Post Member Larry Wardog's Avatar
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    Default Re: PA Woods Vivariums

    Ace and Pious had a date night! Bane came out and wanted to photobomb some pictures Below [emoji1313][emoji1313][emoji1313]

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  5. #23
    100+ Post Member Larry Wardog's Avatar
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    Default Re: PA Woods Vivariums

    October 5th the day that changed everything...

    Today started out as a usual day with nothing out of the ordinary going on. Then around 10 am that all changed. I checked my animals in the PA Woods Vivarium and I was shocked by what I found.

    When I saw my toads they were all together and I was surprised to see this because Wellsboro was sleeping and hiding for days and Pious climbed to a spot high in the enclosure. They came down and alerted me to the problem. Ace was having a seizure. I was very shocked to see how the other two toads stayed by her side and how they looked concerned for her. So I took her out and rushed her to the vet. My vet thought this was because of a deficiency in calcium but I use so many supplements I couldn't believe it. She had to checkout another patient and she left me with time to just watch Ace and think about what could have happened. Just yesterday she was perfectly fine eating and climbing around. Then I understood from watching her what had happened and I didn't think it would be possible but I was proven wrong.

    When I am wrong I am the first to admit I made a mistake and even if people are not happy and disappointed with me they at least can't say that I lie. This is one of those times and it doesn't feel good because it will change my YouTube Channel, my Facebook Page and the PA Woods Vivariums. I promise that I have researched every animal that I own and I have made sure that they would work either among themselves or with other species. The White's Tree Frogs and Fish, Southeastern Five Lined Skinks with Squirrel Tree Frogs, Millipedes and Snails and American Toads and Northern Leopard Frogs or Gray Tree Frogs or Skinks. I made sure to prepare for the unexpected and to make sure nobody got eaten or poisoned. Everything I have done up to this point has worked. Same species and mixed species setups. Today was the day that would not allow me to say everything has worked. This time it didn't and that's okay because it will help others who think about this in the future.

    So when I saw Ace in the enclosure I immediately got a bin filled it with water and placed her in it. She immediately responded positive to the water. After seeing her at the vet's office in the water soaking I noticed her getting better but still having muscle spasms. I thought back to a night when both Bane and Christian had sat in one of the water bins for hours and then how Ace went in the next day after them. Then it hit me that Ace had been poisoned by the toxin from the Gray Tree Frogs. This by no means was the Gray Tree Frogs fault they didn't do it on purpose or to be mean they were just being normal happy tree frogs. I didn't change the water which I usually do and the toxin from the tree frogs just sat in the bin and must have been strong.

    The reason why the water was helping in my opinion is because she was flushing the toxin from the tree frogs out and absorbing fresh clean water. I also was told by the vet to put a UVB light over top her to let her absorb the vitamins from the light which also I think will help flush the toxin out. The odds of Ace living are 50/50 but she's doing much better now and seems to be recovering from what I can see. She's very strong, active and because of how well she was doing before this she might be able to pull through it. It's unknown if she will make a full recovery but she has movement in all legs as they all work and she is very very alert. She still tried to jump out of my hand when I picked her up.

    I could be wrong and this could be a calcium deficiency but you guys have seen how much these Amphibians have eaten in the videos so to me it's unlikely but possible and it might not be the tree frogs at all. I guess further research is needed.
    She did seem to respond positive whenever the UVB light was on her for a few hours. If this is the case and it is a Calcium deficiency if she's able to make it to Monday whenever the doctor is back in the office I will ask the doctor to give her a dose of a calcium supplement and after she gets the dosage of calcium if she makes a dramatic recovery we will know it was from a Calcium deficiency and not the toxin of the tree frogs. If that's the case then the tree frogs are innocent so for right now everything is up in the air. If it was the tree frogs she should either make a recovery very fast like probably by a week or less and all will be normal for her and then I'll have to most likely release Christian and Bane into the wild. If it's a calcium problem she will continue to show signs of having the same symptoms and if she's able to hold on then on Monday I will have the doctor give her the dose of calcium and the tree frogs and toads can continue to live together. The ecosystem of the PA Woods vivariums can become drastically changed depending on what happens next.

    On Monday if it survives and gets the shot and she is perfectly fine we will have our answer but if she dies before then the answer goes unsolved and for the sake of the other toads the tree frogs will have to be let go. Two out of three possibilities could mean the tree frogs have to be let go but there is a slim chance it could be a calcium problem and if that's the case we will find out on Monday.

    Moving forward I am working on getting a plan of action for each scenario depending on what happens I am optimistic that Ace will make a full recovery and I am taking the best care that I can of her.

    The next swarms battle has been put on hold before it is released in case the worst happens it is ready to go but most likely the result of what happens Monday night will determine the future of the PA Woods vivariums forever.

    But one thing that I'm thinking about and after writing all this out it is important to remain neutral and say the toxins of the tree frogs are innocent until proven guilty for this situation.

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    100+ Post Member Cliygh and Mia 2's Avatar
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    Unhappy Re: PA Woods Vivariums

    I'm so sorry to hear this, I'm rooting for Ace! I'll definetly be reading and waiting for updates on her condition.

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  8. #25
    100+ Post Member Larry Wardog's Avatar
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    Default Re: PA Woods Vivariums

    Quote Originally Posted by Cliygh and Mia 2 View Post
    I'm so sorry to hear this, I'm rooting for Ace! I'll definetly be reading and waiting for updates on her condition.
    There is a small sign of hope. Ace is seemingly doing much better and she appeared to be done twitching.

    I have some optimism for the Gray Tree Frogs.

    So it seems to be the general consensus of those closest to me that they don't want me to get rid of the tree frogs but they don't want them to live with the toads. I initially thought I was going to release them but I have a few options first. So the pet store that gave me the tank might let me setup a display in their store and this would be good for both me and the tree frogs. They could potentially get free crickets and I could still work on their tank and bring other feeders for them and I could potentially setup a PA Woods Vivarium enclosure at the pet store which could be good for marketing for me and I still get to have my frogs they would just be in a different place. This is my first option I'm looking to try Thursday.

    My second option is contacting a local reptile rescue that takes in amphibians that people can't keep for various reasons. I really like this idea and would be willing to partner with them because there is a need for an organization like them. I would still want to maintain the right to come see them and bring food and document them for videos. The reason this is option 2 instead of 1 is because of what my mom said. "if you want someone to watch your baby when your away who are you going to trust more?" "Someone you know or a stranger?" She was right.

    My third option is to keep them if I'm able to find the room for a 5th and final enclosure. It's towards the bottom but still possible if nothing works out.

    My last option is to release them because I've had them for so long now and I'm building trust with them. I'd hate to lose that now.

    So this could all pan out for Ace and the Gray Tree Frogs. This is not a normal update because everything that once was is going to come to an end. The tree frogs and toads will be separated soon and then comes the question what will come of the Western PA Woods Vivarium and Pine Creek PA Woods Vivarium? I will take a break for some time and focus on the exotic animals while things get built up almost from nothing again. I will research this whole winter coming on deeper care for toads and will be researching hibernation and I will make my decision about what made this enclosure different Mixed Species. I learned my lesson about what logically sounds good and even what others experiences of success were and my own knowledge and understanding are not going to guarantee anything will workout. So if you are wondering if I would do another mixed species native setup after this experience I'd say I'm not in a position to answer that right now. I'd 100% go back to one of the animals I previously kept with the toads that I know ate safe but I'm not feeling to excited about it right now. I'll reveal this whenever the time is right in the spring. The hibernation is off for this year also so if Ace survives she can build strength and recover fully. I will also I still plan on building the 75 gallon for Wellsboro and the Mosquito Fish and updating the 125 gallon. I'm going to make sure what I do next does not cause fatalities or make me seem less credible. As things will wind down on here I will focus on the exotic animals for months so time can heal this regardless what happens.


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  10. #26
    100+ Post Member Larry Wardog's Avatar
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    Default Re: PA Woods Vivariums

    Ace has made nearly a full recovery and she encouraged everyone in my home...

    Ace was hopping around and when I took the lid off to see her she looked up at me. Around 9am she looked like she was taking a poop and some brown liquid came out and made me think it could possibly be the toxin? She has full balance and is not twitching. I'll attempt to feed her tomorrow! The UVB and fresh water has made the difference. The UVB helped her to synthesize Calcium and D3 while the water helped her to possibly flush out the toxin? I'm not sure yet what the problem was but let me say that the vet told me if it was a calcium problem she would have died within the first 24 hours and we are far away from that. The UVB light has really helped but so has the water so it's hard to say what the problem was. I can say she peed out a brown substance and was looking much better. Today was just a huge day seeing how Ace recovered.

    If she was poisoned then to my knowledge she is the first amphibian to be poisoned and survive. She is a fighter and brought encouragement to everybody who was watching her. Just how she had the will to survive is something I can't even begin to explain how special that was.

    So we've just about come to a conclusion on what we are doing with the tree frogs. First I'll say I truly understand more cautions with keeping animals together even though I've done it before and had both species, this experience has made me change my perspective more and even though I was never for people asking if they can do it and I didn't support it as being something for everyone to do, I am more specific what I know what works and what theoretically works like the Gray Tree Frogs and American Toads. Yes others have kept them without any problems but it's something that has too many ways it can go wrong this combination is not worth attempting. Trust me I may have almost lost my toad because of it. So I will say I believe some mixed species setups are beneficial like Lizards and large Millipedes and large Snails or non toxic tree frogs and fish I think that has benefits and I have these types of ecosystems for my exotic setups. As to the native species tanks I'm not saying I will or won't have something living with the toads but it would only be with something I had previously not trying something new but would be going back to the old and reliable. But I also might keep just the toads. I'm not really opening this part up for discussion because I need to personally evaluate where I'm at with these types of setups after this. I'll have my answer in the later months. Near the spring most likely.

    There are going to be 3 PA Woods Vivariums


    Western PA Woods (125 gallon)
    Ace and Pious





    Pine Creek PA Woods (75 gallon)
    Wellsboro
    Offspring of Ace and Pious





    PA Woods Paludarium (30 gallon)
    Christian and Bane

    No the gray tree frogs will not have fish because I am not sure that I want to risk the fish being poisoned possibly. The tree frogs are still very great pets and will be given a beautiful setup. I'm not sure about females yet but I know that the Gray Tree Frogs will get the best I have and I'm thankful to say I'm keeping them.

    One final announcement I have is that I will make a video describing what happened to Ace and how everything has changed and what's going to happen next. I think it will be very interesting and will bring peace and do justice for what's going on and to report it for everyone to know what's going to happen next. Thank you to everyone who has expressed their care for Ace and had nice comments I really appreciated it! I was restless for a few days now and while there was so much uncertainty with how Ace was going to do, and the nice comments helped me to stay optimistic. Thank you all for the support. This will not happen again and I will be spending this winter getting back to researching and digging deeper then what I have before. I am going to make this video also for the people who cared so they can see how Ace is doing.

    Ace seems to be getting to 100%

    3 PA Woods Vivariums

    Tree Frogs are staying

    New video to document what's happened

    More research to come for me and I will make the decision what I'm going to do next.

    The Gray Tree Frogs vivarium is the only setup that's got it's inhabitants confirmed.

    More information to come within the next two weeks.

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  11. #27
    100+ Post Member Larry Wardog's Avatar
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    Default Re: PA Woods Vivariums

    Ace seems almost 100% and the Gray Tree Frogs have their own setup...

    I just wanted to give a quick update for everybody regarding Ace. This will not take away from the next two days of updates but I felt since there was a big update between all my enclosures I wanted to give a small update now just on the most important stuff. Starting off with Ace she's doing much better she is very hyper and back to her normal self. She actually went for a swim for the first time since having the seizure. She did something a little more uncharacteristic but it's okay because what she did the other toads have been doing and that is climbing up to the top of the tank. If she's in that good of shape to climb that high up then she must be doing pretty darn good! The next challenge I have is to get her to start eating crickets again and earthworms. I'm hoping I can get that accomplished tomorrow and have another big milestone for you all tomorrow. There was a small update done to the Western PA Woods or in other words the 125 gallon. There were some leaves added and some holes patched from the plexiglass lid and water was added once again.

    As for Christian and Bane they had a different kind of an update. They are currently sitting in the 30-gallon and are a little bit confused as to why they're in a different tank but they seem to be very curious of their surroundings and seem to be okay with the new setup. I think many of you will like this and this is not how it's going to look as a finished product. I still have other branches I want to put in there from the pet stores but I just don't have the money for that right now and it's not necessarily something that they need at the moment because they have a lot of ground cover and a lot of thick foliage. I'm really excited to show you guys they're setup! I think it is something that you all will enjoy looking at I was really proud of the way it turned out and it only has room to get better. So without further ado I introduce to you (in these pictures) the New PA Woods Vivarium...

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  12. #28

    Default Re: PA Woods Vivariums

    I love the pretty pink flower! Is that a real plant or fake?

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  14. #29
    100+ Post Member Larry Wardog's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hill111 View Post
    I love the pretty pink flower! Is that a real plant or fake?
    This is a real plant. It's called a hydrangea plant and this is to my knowledge I Southern species so it's not technically a Pennsylvania native but I think a lot of people will understand this is something that grows in the state and just because it's not represented by a native one it's still the same idea.

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    This is a positive update finally...

    Here is the best news that everyone has been waiting for about Ace. She finally ate tonight for the first time in a week!! She ate two large crickets that were dusted. She had some problems at first seemingly still disoriented still from the seizure. She had no help and did catch them on her own and I'm wondering if she is just a little off her aim because of the seizure and will get back to normal or if the seizure has permanently effected her ability to be as precise in using her tongue. Regardless of the situation she will still be able to eat but it would make me have to adjust my thoughts with my game plan for next year. Ace ate and I'm excited just to see some progress and it's the best thing I've been able to see.

    The American Toad Care Sheet is Finished!
    Finally I can share with you all one of the things I'm most proud of which is my care sheet for this species! Once the link is created I will post it below this update! It's long I'm just warning you now but hopefully you'll learn more about this species!

    A new video on the way. The Perspective video will be made soon and I will discuss what happened to Ace and the New PA Woods Vivarium for the Gray Tree Frogs and what's coming next. This will be the video that you won't want to miss. It will bring everything to a head and explain more details for more background information about the PA Woods Vivariums and the vision behind them.

    The future of the YouTube Playlists
    So the Swarms Battles will return in full force earlier then what they were this year. I will be able to make more with a lot more feeder insects. This time there will be a difference in size variety so all the amphibians get the proper sized prey. The miscellaneous videos of the PA Woods Vivarium playlist will still go on. The Gray Tree Frog Week and American Toad Week will go on. The Seasons Playlist will also go on. Here I will get to show something very special. This playlist I will not be able to get to this year but it's okay. The uniqueness of these playlists will be swapping and viewing all 3 PA Woods Vivariums and how different the ecosystems are. As I said I'm not sure yet if I'll include another species with the American Toad or if it'll just be for them. I will not experiment I promise it would be with a species I've used prior to the Gray Tree Frogs. But I may not use any other species. I am not doing this just because I can I really believed that the tree frogs brought something to the ecosystem and complimented the toads but there were complications. If something I feel first lines up with the vision and it will compliment the toads and it's an animal I've owned or own then I'll consider it. But I'm in no rush to decide and that's a good thing.

    This update is filled with positivity and has good news. I am going to email the reptile business and see if they have made a decision as to working with me and what not.

    I have no questions for you in this update but I'll be attempting to finish my White's Tree Frog Care Sheet tonight as well! I hope to have more good news for you tomorrow!

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    100+ Post Member Larry Wardog's Avatar
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    Default Re: PA Woods Vivariums

    The American Toad Care Sheet

    https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?url...5&share_type=t

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    I apologize for some spelling errors I am working on getting that fixed soon.

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    Default Re: PA Woods Vivariums

    Today was a slow day but I have some updates still...

    There really was no activity in the Western PA Woods Vivarium (125 gallon) as I let Ace rest and she did. Everything seems to be getting better. I have some crickets and Waxworms on the way from Josh's Frogs hopefully coming soon. I'm going to let my animals gorge on waxworms. I must emphasize this is not something that should be done unless you are encouraging weight gain which I am. I want to fatten my amphibians and Skinks up so I will be using the Waxworm to do this. I've had low numbers of crickets and my complimentary feeders didn't last too long so my amphibians are a bit hungry. I'm hoping Ace and Wellsboro will especially eat as much as they can because they are a little thin. I will be using both crickets over the winter and I'll be breaking up the sizes for the crickets. I'm going to try to get medium sized of both species for my toads and White's Tree Frogs and I'll use the small crickets for the Gray Tree Frogs and Skinks. I feel this will help to fatten up the animals if they hunt appropriate sized prey. This week I'll be hoping to film and make the Perspective video and to create the ad for the video also. I think once I release this video you will see how complex the PA Woods Vivariums are and how much in depth research and years of experience went into this idea and I am excited to share my vision that started my passion to build and share these types of enclosures. I think it will explain better then me writing it out!

    I think now I'm going to attempt to break up the updates by separating and talking about one enclosure at a time. So this way the updates are more clear and you know which enclosure I'm talking about. I'll say the name of the enclosure and in parentheses the actual enclosure.

    The New PA Woods Vivarium (30 Gallon) is doing well! It doesn't have much I want to update but I am excited to share it with you. Christian and Bane are doing well and I think it's very fascinating that they are staying together. They haven't explored the tank I think they are nervous but they have stayed next to one another which makes me think they must feel more comfortable together. I was not aware that these tree frogs were communal like the Whites Tree Frog but perhaps this could be something I should look into more! I have not seen their tank late at night so they could be moving around and I just don't know. They look a very bright gray because they are sitting under a T5 light and are sitting very close to it. I managed to hand feed Christian still but Bane will not let me. He refused to eat if I hand it to him. I'm excited to feature these guys in their enclosure and to see for myself what the ecosystem will be like with a smaller top predator. Remember I have American Toads and White's Tree Frogs which get 4 inches and Skinks which are around 5-6 Inches with my make topping out around 8-9 inches. So the Gray Tree Frogs are the smallest amphibians that I have ever made an enclosure for. I think I have something special in store for you all with this setup. Mark my words this setup will have one of the biggest surprised that I haven't shared with you all just yet!

    So for the 3 Vivariums I will be featuring them in videos next year. Yellow Creek is where the Gray Tree Frogs are from and I will be showing you where that is and why I chose to build the enclosure after this area. I will be showing the area of Stony Creek and where Ace and Pious are from and where I rescued them from. I think you will be surprised to see where they are from. Lastly I will be creating the Pine Creek enclosure for Wellsboro which will have the Mosquito Fish in it. I will make a waterfall as I pay homage to the place in my state that is basically THE PLACE where people go to fish. I wanted to make sure that I created a slightly warmer environment because the average high is slightly warmer and I think Wellsboro will be happy. I can't wait to show you this place because it's breath taking and you'll see where Wellsboro is from. I don't know why I chose to pick places that have the word "Creek" in them.

    I will be looking to see what care sheets to announce next. Obviously the Gray Tree Frog Care Sheet is one of the next ones. I want to apologize for spelling errors I spent two days looking to fix that but I missed some. I will be looking to make sure I spend more time editing and looking for mistakes so this doesn't happen again.

    I will be reaching out to the reptile business this week to see if they have made a decision yet! I have gone through a lot these past 2 weeks so I'm not sure what all they've seen but I'm hopeful that things can still work out. Even if they don't I have other places I'm scouting as potential partner businesses. I'd like things to work out but if they don't I'm happy to have Ace alive and to have published care sheets and to have been able to keep my tree frogs. I am considering that I might use the Gray Tree Frogs as a substitute for Thanksgiving to face the Whites Tree Frogs to make it a battle of the tree frogs! What do you think?

    Wish me luck as I start another crazy week optimistically looking at another good week and adventure with the animals of the PA Woods!

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  19. #34
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    Default Re: PA Woods Vivariums

    What a week...

    This week had a lot of good and crazy moments. None were better then seeing Ace make a full recovery! That's right she has caught large crickets this past week! Finally she is able to move around and she has regained stability and strength. She looks good! I gave her waxworms and she got some weight put on her! I fully documented this and it will all be in the Perspective Video coming soon!

    Wellsboro looks thin so I'm going to work with him now. He's not used to being awake this time of the year. His metabolism has slowed down so I will be trying to help him.

    It was a good week I got to see the Gray Tree Frogs moving around the enclosure and I gave them a lot of crickets to hunt yesterday and when I saw them tonight they had full tummies. The toads got crickets and I saw Pious look very impressive how much he ate. I don't have a lot yet of the Gray Tree Frogs that's exciting but they will be the only active enclosure with updates after the perspective video so there will be plenty of time to watch Christian and Bane in their new home.

    I reached out to the reptile store and I'm waiting to hear back. I'm not sure what to think but that's okay if things don't work out. I had a lot happen the week we were talking. That's when Ace had her seizure.

    My American Toad Care Sheet is still being revised. There are some parts of the care article that are a little controversial as I am talking about some behavior that these toads have and while there are not articles on some of the content I have been able to ask an expert about some of the more controversial parts. This is still a quality care sheet but I am making sure to take my time on this matter and I will attempt to have this up soon!

    I will be starting work on the following care sheets next:
    Keeping Wild Gray Tree Frogs
    Northern Leopard Frogs
    Giant American Millipedes
    Virginia Land Snails

    These are some of the upcoming projects! Some care sheets I'm waiting to write for a later time also. Thank you to the Reptile and Parrots Forum for allowing me the ability to create these care sheets!

    I will be looking to reorganize my YouTube channel playlists and will be most likely creating a new thread in the spring because now this info is a little outdated with the Gray Tree Frogs living in their own enclosure so I will be looking to make sure that I am organizing and making my updates and my content as organized as possible.

    I will be planning on having a big 2019 with these animals. Remember there will be 3 PA Woods Vivariums and I'm going to have two of them similar like mirror images with their respective differences. The Gray Tree Frogs are the different PA Woods Vivarium so I will be figuring out if I will have a separate thread for them or if I'll include them. I want your feedback! Do you want me to give one PA Woods Vivariums update including all 3 enclosures or do you want me to separate them with giving the gray tree frogs their own thread? Let me know!!

    I am very excited with updates coming to the 125 gallon enclosure and the build for the 75 gallon. I'm very excited because I am upgrading the tank and will be preparing it for it's new look for next year! I'm not giving spoilers but I will say I have to change the enclosure from an arboreal/terrestrial setup to a terrestrial setup. I'm excited to breed Ace and Pious next year and to begin this project into the second phase of my vision. I'm very excited to get a new mister! The enclosure I'm the Most excited for is the 75 gallon. I'm building a setup for toads and fish. That's pretty awesome! I'm looking forward to the challenge of building a waterfall!

    I will be explaining with bullet points what I wish to accomplish with this build.


    Let me know what you think about having two different threads

    What do you think of my upcoming care sheets?

    Checkout Christian on the accessory for the first time!

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  20. #35
    100+ Post Member Larry Wardog's Avatar
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    Default Re: PA Woods Vivariums

    Focusing on what's next...
    So apparently the parts of my care sheet that was more controversial I asked a herpetologist (one who studies reptiles and amphibians) and a zoologist about what I have suggested and again he affirmed my theory so my care sheet has two subjects that nobody has written about. If you want me to show some of the conversation I would be willing to do that. The person I asked these questions was the guy who has the most articles about these toads and he inspired me when I was first starting out with creating the PA Woods so he is a very qualified and trusted source for information and I'm very happy to have reached out to him and gotten a response. I will ask him this week more about hibernating these amphibians and hear his opinion of that. I believe he may have more tips or something to share with me that I may not get from anywhere else. So I am very excited to be able to ask him these questions. If you think I should put it as a resource in the care sheet I can do that but if you want to see the conversation with what I can share with you I would be happy to share it.

    I'm excited to say that the case is being made for the Gray Tree Frogs to have their own updates. They will come up in the thread talking about the 125 gallon and 75 gallon and in the thread of their own these two tanks will show up occasionally. These 3 enclosures share the native theme and have plants and the ecosystem to match. I am gaining more knowledge on Gray Tree Frogs as well and I'm enjoying the observations of watching mine. I am also very excited to share a Tree Frog battle this Thanksgiving. Instead of the Western PA Woods (125 gallon) facing the Dumpy Family (White's Tree Frogs) the Gray Tree Frogs will take their place. Maybe I'll through a small update on the 125 gallon in that video. I will need some help thinking of the categories that we can compare both species of tree frogs and their enclosures so let me know if you have something in mind whether it's something like who is the better hunter or who appears more intelligent or something like best hunting strategy. Let me know what you think!!

    I am hoping to work on finishing the Perspective video this week. Some of the goals I am attempting to accomplish I will talk about and here are the personal goals I accomplished




    Goals already completed





    [emoji3581]Successfully find a method for growing perennials

    [emoji3581]Encourage others to keep their native species

    [emoji3581]Keep predators and prey in same enclosure

    [emoji3581]Successfully create a mixed species ecosystem

    [emoji3581]Create Care Sheets for featured amphibians

    [emoji3581]Help others care for their amphibians


    What I will share next week is what I am working to accomplish now.

    There was no activity from the toads they were lazy today so I let them rest. The Gray Tree Frogs were having fun jumping around I am happy to see how much they climb around on the bark accessory I got them.

    This week I'll be working with Wellsboro, finishing the Perspective Video and American Toad care sheet. I will be working on the Gray Tree Frog care sheet and awaiting the response or the reptile store. I'll also be reaching out to the herpetologist to ask him about the hibernation process for these toads. I'll be thinking of how I can build the 75 gallon waterfall and background. I will also be thinking about having two different threads for the PA Woods Vivariums. As the updates will be winding down the care sheets and other things will be more of the focus.

    Let me know what categories you can think of for the tree frogs faceoff.

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  21. #36
    100+ Post Member Larry Wardog's Avatar
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    Default Re: PA Woods Vivariums

    Another week of progress...

    I am working on the Perspective video and I think it will be around 20 minutes. I am breaking down a 56 minute video to 20 so it's been a very daunting task. I am excited to talk about 3 big topics such as Ace, Wellsboro and the New PA Woods Vivarium. I will also be talking about what my goals are with my enclosure and to give you all more background knowledge on what makes me passionate about a bioactive and native setup. The video is coming along good and should be out I'm hoping in the next few weeks before the Thanksgiving Day faceoff.


    Ace is back to normal and along with Pious they are very healthy and appear to be putting in good weight. Wellsboro is still struggling to put on weight.

    Tonight I'm starting the Gray Tree Frog Care Sheet! I'm still writing the American Toad care sheet and compiling research and looking for the best way to explain fact from assumption. I am excited to finish this care sheet and to start the Gray Tree Frog Care Sheet. I have been learning so much about the native amphibians and more about their habits. I think this has been beneficial because it will allow me to make enclosure updates that will be more authentic to the desired habitat for my frogs and toads.

    I got an odd email from the light company that I bought my light from. I told them that I was using their light and how I enjoyed it but this was months ago. I'll keep you all updated on what will happen with the light company.

    I have not had any massive updates or changes to really report on just small stuff. I am still working on reaching out to the herpetologist to find out his advice on breeding. I am very excited to hear his feedback.

    I hope to have more information and updates next week for you all. As of now everything is going well!

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    Default Re: PA Woods Vivariums

    Some interesting observations...

    Before Wellsboro came Pious was the top hunter in the enclosure and then Ace slowly caught up to him. Surprisingly Pious has emerged as the top hunter once again. I was at the far left side of the enclosure and he was at the far right. He travelled the entire length of the enclosure and sat at the front of the glass looking up at me to feed him. As soon as I dropped in feeders he ate them. Some weren't even moving! Pious is very strong I have seen him snipe large crickets with just his tongue. Ace and Wellsboro can't even do this. Pious has put on some weight and I'm very happy for him. Ace is doing great and she put on some weight as well. She has a little belly. She has been eating so well that she she'd last night! This means she is growing!

    I am trying to finish the video of the Perspective video and then start the commentary tomorrow. I'll keep working on the Gray Tree Frog Care Sheet tonight as well. I will be trying to proof read the toad care sheet this week.

    The Gray Tree Frogs are doing wonderful. Bane croaked last night and the Banded Crickets I put in the tank, some of then are beginning to call for females and the tree frogs are looking around the enclosure for the crickets. I have been seeing them together every night. They seem to be hunting and sleeping together. It will be really really interesting to see when the baby tree frogs are big enough to go into the New PA Woods Vivarium. We will see how 2 families will handle each other. Will they get along and live peacefully or will they cause competition for all Gray Tree Frogs? I will make sure to document this and share my observations with you all. Do you think they will get along?

    Have you ever heard of a male toad becoming the dominant inhabitant of the enclosure? Pious is around the same age as Ace and he has now twice passed her up to become the top hunter. To me this is incredible because I've never observed a male toad being able to compete with a female, but Pious is special.


    Are you excited to hear the story of Ace and to actually see her from before the seizure to after it?

    I'm so excited to share this video coming out with you all. I believe this is something that will really help to give me something to get everyone excited about for next year when I have my PA Woods Vivariums up and running.

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    Default Re: PA Woods Vivariums

    Another good week...

    I think it took me a while to figure out what it would take to get Wellsboro to eat but finally he started eating. It took an insect I have never fed him before which was the Butterworm. These are the fastest way to build fat. If you ever need to build fat remember this that Butterworms are the best for this. I am very happy to see him eating again.

    The Butterworms have helped Ace and Pious put on weight. They look heavier then they did in the summer! My White's Tree Frogs are getting a little belly from these so I am going to cut them back on the Butterworm. Ace and Pious are doing wonderful.

    The video is still being edited. It's not going to talk about some things I wanted to because of the way I had to edit it. It's going to be more of a conclusion video explaining what happened and what is happening to all the animals in the future.

    We looked at the Refrigerator and the temp starts at 46.5 and down. This is great because I can set the temp after experimentation for a little bit to what temperature I need and think is the safest for the toads! This is a year away but a good update!

    I have been looking at the devices and what's next for the animals of the PA Woods Vivariums and I am going to try to switch to LED lights to create a thunderstorm in all 3 PA Woods Vivariums. I'm going to see if the tree frogs will get a fogger or mister. I have a lot of it figured out! Last year was more about the enclosures and this year will be about the accessories like Foggers/Misters and Lights. That's really what my focus is on which will also be cheaper then buying massive enclosures like last year.

    So I have been researching heavy the past month or two and been getting some personal and precise advice from a herpetologist and the guy who practically wrote the most in depth care about native frogs and toads of my area. He has been helping me understand more advanced behavior of my toads especially. I have asked him this past week about something special that I do not want to ruin. I think he was surprised how much I already knew and he gave me a green light moving forward as I can accommodate my enclosure for it's future and build the 75 gallon to match what the 125 gallon will be updated to. I have really understood more breeding patterns and habitat preferences as well as diet preferences. This will be very beneficial to create care sheets like me updating my toad sheet and creating the Gray Tree Frog Care Sheet!

    So let me ask you. Do you think it's time we moved on from this thread and started the two threads of the PA Woods Vivariums?

    The New PA Woods Vivarium
    (Gray Tree Frogs)

    PA Woods Vivariums
    Western PA Woods (125 gallon)
    Pine Creek PA Woods (75 gallon)

    Let me know what you think?

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    100+ Post Member Larry Wardog's Avatar
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    Default Re: PA Woods Vivariums

    Another positive week...

    So someone told me that if my channel were to say get 20k+ views then unintentionally people could want to take some of the animals from the wild even though I don't support that. So the amphibians that I have that are native I should be happy because I don't have a species that could be harmed by poaching. The Gray Tree Frogs are almost impossible to find in the wild and the American Toad is one of the most widespread animals in America and is into Canada. If I were to have another species I was told I should be mindful of this. I wasn't really looking at this aspect but now I am taking it seriously for the safety of the animals I am trying to protect. Like I said the two species currently are safe with how abundant they are so I would have to make sure I the species is safe somehow just in case my channel gets bigger I don't harm any species.

    I think it's good to think about this now before it's too late!

    It was a good week where everyone was just normal. Ace has gotten so fast and is catching prey at a record speed. Pious is heavy and he took it easy because he ate so much he wasn't as interested in eating more! The Gray Tree Frogs are doing wonderful. Bane and Christian are doing so well and the babies are getting bigger!

    I am looking forward to what is coming for the PA Woods Vivariums! Like I have been saying we are going to go back to the basics this time. Nobody necessarily knows what I mean by that but you'll get very excited with it.

    The Perspective video is going to get worked on tonight and hopefully done tomorrow. I'm probably just going to post it since it's so late and start on the Thanksgiving Showdown with the battle of the tree frogs. I have some good news that the three Whites Tree Frogs are all seemingly coming out and getting more friendly. My Gray Tree Frogs are always confident and photogenic. They might get a terrarium in the spring because it would probably be easier for me.

    I have some massive plans for the Swarms Battles next year. I am very excited to see Predators vs Predators as one of my favorite insects will make a guest appearance as a feeder for Ace, Pious, Wellsboro and the rest. I also found other good feeders to use which will be really fun to see how my animals hunt them. Frogs and toads week is going to be really fun I think we are actually going back to where Wellsboro is from and I get to show you where Ace and Pious came from. I'm excited about the opportunities I have next spring and summer to show some really educational footage and to help others care for their frogs and toads.

    Do you think it's important to think about what impact a native species oriented setup could have on people?

    Have you ever seen Shark Week on TV? What do you think about a Frog and Toad Week? What would you want to see in it?

    What do you think about me switching to terrariums over aquariums? Does it surprise you?

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    Default Re: PA Woods Vivariums

    Sounds like a plan! I agree, good content like this may influence people to field collect, but this is why we need to breed our animals, to reduce that impact and make them more common in the hobby! I also would love a "Herp week," perhaps make several videos in the spring about wild and captive animals when they're more active? Make a herping video about the different animals you can find in the PA Woods? Just a suggestion by the way, no pressure.

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