Care Sheet Contest- April/ May Winner

[MeTree]

I've been reading the articles on setting up a dart frog terrarium provided by Frog Forum and I have learned alot! I have seen very interesting ideas, and it seems that setting up a vivarium is going to cost me as much as I orignally thought, of course, I am still learning.

I am very interested to find out how this is going to turn out! I can't wait to get this project going!

Before I start with anything, though, I guess I am going to need an idea for tank size. In the Dart Frog Terrarium Building article, John used a tall 10 gallon tank. I am not exactly sure where I'd find one of those. I also I not positive if I have room on a shelf in my bedroom that I am about to move to (I'm moving really soon). I think it is roughly 16-18" high, but I can go get exact measurements later.

I already have a 10 gallon tank that is empty (old QT). If a standard 10g tank would work I could use that. I am not sure, though. I have heard conflicting accounts on minimum tank sizes for dart frogs. I guess that probably depends partically on what frogs I get and how many. I guess if the forum could provide a list of bold, easy to care for, and I guess relatively easy to breed (LOL!) I could start figuring out what I'd need to take care of a specific species, unless they are all pretty similar, then it could stay a suprise!

I guess I'll run it by my mom and make sure it is fine to breed Fruit Flies. I have just started to do some good research into fruit fly colonies. I am wondering which ones are best for dart frogs. Maybe I ought to have more than one species? I don't know. I'd like to get the forum's recomendation on that. I guess if my mother approves the idea of fruit flies, maybe I could start culturing them this week. I'd love to get the hang of it before the new frog(s) come in.

I am completely open to comments and suggestions from the forum! It is really neat to actually start discovering this new world of dart frogs!! I always figured I'd just not even start to look into darts because I always figured it would be too expensive and take way to long to setup. This is really neat!

I look foward to the huge possibilities! Thanks Cheri!

[bshmerlie]

Let me worry about the tank. I was thinking Exo Terra or Zoo Med but if you're that limited on height maybe we could go with a 20 long. They are only 13 inches tall but they are 30 inches long and 16 inches wide. Which means we would go with a terrestrial frog. I do like tanks with more height which would allow us to do more with a background but I do understand size limitations.

[DonLisk]

I culture wingless since I usually have way to many fliers from the flightless fly cultures.
I also use a culture media that only requires adding water and a pinch of yeast to set up ,so it takes only a few minutes to build a few new cultures.

I can't wait to follow along with this build. You are all so bad for my wallet and I am heading over to the pet shop in the morning for a 20 high since I just seperated some pups off the Bromeliads this morning.

Gotta have a place to properly plant them, and a nice great stuff background sounds like the perfect place :-)

[MeTree]

Well actually, I may be able to put it on a shelf that isn't on the built-in shelf in the bedroom. If that is the case, the hight would be fine, I'd just have to know the base. I am not 100% sure that a 20gL tank would fit in the shelf. am going to need to go measure that. I think it would be close, but I wouldn't be suprised if it was abit too short.

Actually, I just got to thinking...I could probably remove the shelf above and make room for a tall tank. That would be great. I will try to get some pictures of the shelf. It is going to be almost 2 months at max until we move, so I will probably start the project at the house I live in now.

This is so exciting!!

[bshmerlie]

Also know that these tanks with the background, drainage layer and substrate do get pretty heavy. Please consider that when thinking its going to go on a shelf. We don't want any accidents in your room. Your dad would probably kill you. That would not be good.

[MeTree]

Also know that these tanks with the background, drainage layer and substrate do get pretty heavy. Please consider that when thinking its going to go on a shelf. We don't want any accidents in your room. Your dad would probably kill you. That would not be good.

I understand. This is a very sturdy shelf. I am only putting fish tanks (and maybe a dart frog tank) on the bottom because it is on top of a very sturdy piece of strong, think furniture. The bottom shelf is at perfect viewing level. The upper shelves I would certainly not use for fish (or dart frogs LOL), because it is probably more like what your thinking about - 1/2" piece of wood held between 2 vertical pieces of wood with small strews.

Hopefully I can go up to the house and get you guys a picture soon. Don't worry, though. I could probably sit on that bottom shelf (if the upper shelves weren't in the way) and not even bend it. I have used weaker shelves for fish tanks (which way about 9 times as much as the amount of gallons it holds).

The shelf is Ok, but I will try to get a picture so you guys can understand what I am talking about. I certainly don't want to leave you guys in the dark.

[bshmerlie]

I personally like the 18 cubes. There's a good amount of space for the frogs and also a little bit of height so you can have fun with a background. The standard 20 gallon is also a decent size tank. I also like the 29 gallon which is 30x12X18 (LxWxH). Again it gives you a little height to play with but it may be too long. The small Exo Terras have too small a footprint for a terrestrial frog. The Mediums with the 18x18x24 are too tall for terrestrial frogs. They are better suited for tree frogs. We're going to stay away from thumbnails...lets just stick with the larger darts. You might panic when you see the microscopic thumbnails. Find out your dimension limitations and we can work from there.

[DonLisk]

Go with the 18x18x18 Exo. Surely you should be able for find a spot for that.
Once you have this done, your parents might actually be jealous and want it in the livingroom to show off.

[MeTree]

Go with the 18x18x18 Exo. Surely you should be able for find a spot for that.
Once you have this done, your parents might actually be jealous and want it in the livingroom to show off.

LOL, that would be neat! Does anyone know if Petsmart carries the reptile Exo-Terra setups? I can't remember seeing any at mine, but I always overlook the reptile tank section.

I am leaving for a campout, so I wont be on Frog Forum until I get back Sunday. I still need to go measure, but at this point I think that it may be a terrestrial dart frog setup (like maybe a 20g tank, or maybe an Exo-Terra if Petsmart is stocking them). I haven't really been able to find a list of suitable terrestrial dart frogs other than just finding out species and indivially googling them. Maybe someone knows where to find a list?

Thanks guys! I'll be back on Sunday.

Special thanks Cheri!!

[Baelari]

I'm very jealous.