How to Make a Vivarium with a Foam Background

Making a Foam Background for a vivarium is very simple. All you need is Great Stuff Foam, aquarium silicone sealant, and coco fiber. You can find the Great Stuff at a hardware store or Home Depot. You can find the aquarium sealant and coco fiber at a pet shop, online, or a reptile expo.

Step 1) If you want wood or rock in the foam background and they are light like cork bark then you will want to stick them to the back of the tank with aquarium sealant. I used black aquarium sealant.

Step 2) Fill the area around the wood or rocks (if used) with the Great Stuff following the directions on the can. Use gloves, and work in a well ventilated area. The foam expands as it dries but we will be cutting it down later.

 Step 3) Let the foam dry over night. The next day cut it down to the shape you want.

Step4) Coat foam with aquarium sealant and working in sections while the sealant is still wet cover it with dried coco fiber (press it down good). I find that the best way to apply the sealant is to squeeze the tube out onto the foam and then rub it around with your rubber gloved hands making sure to get into all the crevices. Once all the foam is covered let it dry overnight.

Alternatively if you don't care about the shape of the background you can put the coco fiber directly on the great stuff while it's wet (skipping the cutting and sealant part) then let it dry overnight. this saves a lot of time.

Step 5) Once everything is dry You can now put substrate in the tank and decorate it as you like. The foam and sealant are long lasting and inert giving you a beautiful homemade background for years.

      

 

 

Wood for Tropical, High Humidity, Wet Vivariums

Next to plants wood if one of the most important aspects of creating a naturalistic vivarium. It is great for the animals to climb on and hide under. Moss and epiphytic plants will grow on it, and vines will use it for support. It is important to choose the wood carefully, as the wrong wood my be harmful or not hold up well in the tank. Thankfully today there are many options choose from.

Cork Bark: A common accent wood, cork is often used in the vivarium hobby. flat sheets of it are great to use as a background for the vivarium. Usually, though, it comes in curled/curved pieces with are great as hides. It is also very light weight.

Ghost Wood: This is a beautiful light colored, smooth wood. Moss loves to grow on it, and it holds up very well in humid environments.

Grape Wood/Vine: It will not hold up as long as many of the woods on this list but it can work in a frog tank as long as it is not kept very wet. This means don't use it for tanks with water features and that get misted more than once a day. It has a great look in a natural vivarium.

Malaysian Drift Wood: This is a heavy, dark wood. It is one of the most popular woods in the hobby for it look and durability. It can even be used submerged under water.

Manzanita: This is a strong wood but it looks delicate. It is light in color and often comes with many long branches that are great for climbers. When used upside down in a tank it gives a branching root system look.

Mopani Wood (Also called Swahala): This wood comes treated (sealed) and untreated. Use the treated for dry tanks. For wet tanks only use the untreated (Some suppliers will call it "Safe for aquarium use").

If you are adventuresome you can use wild wood, though I don't recommend it since you might not know where it has been. But if you get it from deep enough in the wood then it should be fine. Some wild (I know all wood comes from the wild but you get what I'm saying) woods that hold up in wet environments are: elm, beech, and oak. Wild wood should be soaked in a dilute bleach water solution overnight, then soaked in plain water overnight, and then dried at 200 degrees in an oven for a few hours.

If you will be using your wood with a water feature you might want to leech out excess tannins. Tannins are found in the wood and can make your water dark, as well as lowering the pH. The animals usually don't mind but clearer water looks better. To leech out the tannins soak the wood in clean water (Changing the water everyday) until the water is almost clear. I say "almost" clear because you will not need the water to be 100% clear since the filter can handle the rest.

Most wood will mold when put in a tank. don't worry about it. You can scrape it off and eventually it will stop coming.

You can buy Mopani wood using the link below.


     

Culturing Springtails (Collembola): Poison Dart Frog Food

Springtails are very small insects in the order Collembola. They are found all over the world but most people will never see them. They are called springtails because they have a spring-like projection at the end of their abdomens that allows them jump ("spring") into the air. Because of their small size they make great food for poison dart frogs. They are also extremely easy to culture.

There are many ways to culture spring tails. All you need is some type of plastic container with, a substrate for them to crawl on, water, and food. Examples of food include rice, brewers yeast, fish food flakes, chopped mushroom, whole wheat flour, and oatmeal. I will outline 2 methods here.

Charcoal Method

Take a plastic container with a tight fitting lid and fill it half way with pieces of 100% natural wood lump charcoal (do not use charcoal briquettes). Then add water to a level of 1/2 to 1 inch (most of the charcoal should be above the water). Sprinkle a very tiny amount of food on top of the charcoal and add springtails from an established colony (they can be ordered from many online companies). After two weeks you can start harvesting them.

Coco Fiber Method

Take a plastic container with a tight fitting lid and add 1 to 2 inches of very moist coconut fiber substrate. Sprinkle this with a tiny bit of food. Add springtails from an established culture. After 2 weeks you can start harvesting them.

Feed your spring tails every other day or as needed with a tiny bit of food. You don't want to feed them a lot at one time. Open your cultures once everyday to let fresh air in.

You can harvest springtails by: Removing some of the substrate and adding it to your frog tank. Flooding the culture with water until all the springtails float (you can't drown them) and then skimming them off the top or pouring some the water out. Tilting the culture and blowing the springtails out. You'll most likely figure out a method the works best for you.

Your culture could last for months or years.               

Understanding Reptile Lighting: UVA and UVB Bulbs

Most reptiles in the wild bask in sunlight at some point during the days. This is important for their survival. If you are lucky enough to live in a warm climate you may keep your reptiles in outdoor enclosures. Here they will be exposed to natural sunlight and will receive the full spectrum of light needed for health and well being. Most people, though, must keep their reptiles indoors where they are only exposed to our artificial lights which do not provide a full spectrum like the Sun. This is why special bulbs must be purchased for reptile tanks. A mix of artificial lights is used to mimic natural sunlight.

The main light you need to worry about is UV (ultraviolet) light. Humans cannot see this light and reptiles can only see one type. There are three types of UV light: UVA, UVB, and UVC.

UVB: This is the most important light. For this you need to go to a pet shop or reptile supply company and buy a special bulb. All diurnal (active during day) basking reptiles require them. The UVB light penetrates the animals skin causing a chemical reaction that changes pre-vitamin D3 into vitamin D3. without vitamin D3 organs can fail, deformities can occur, and death will eventually happen. Nocturnal reptiles (leopard geckos, crested geckos, tokay geckos etc.) and amphibians (frogs, salamanders, etc) do not need added UVB light. They have adaptations that allow them to make do with less light. When buying a UVB bulb look for linear tube type. They are best.    

UVA: Reptiles can see this type of light. They use it to recognize other members of their species and food. UVA light makes reptiles more active and encourages breeding. It also helps with general well-being. Common "full" spectrum household bulbs, basking bulbs, and many UVB bulbs produce it.

UVC: This light is naturally filtered out by earths atmosphere. It is harmful and only used in industry to kill dangerous micro-organisms. You do not need to worry about this. I only mention it because it exists.

Basking reptiles will also need a basking or heat lamp. This simply provides warmth. A simple incandescent bulb can be used for this. It is important for the reptiles metabolism and because the animals body has to be a certain temperature to synthesize vitamin D3. The UVB bulb should be placed near the basking lamp.       

Care and Breeding of Mealworms

Supplies

1) Dry Food (examples in article)
2) Wet Food (examples in article)
3) Mealworms
4) 3 containers (at least one with a lid, size depends on how many mealworms you start with)
5) Paper towel tubes or paper egg cartons

Mealworms are the larvae of a species of darkling beetle (Tenebrio molitor). They have been a popular feeder insect for years. Mealworms are extremely easy (and cheap) to care for. The mealworm life cycle takes 3-6 months so plan ahead. Like most insects they go through complete metamorphosis (egg, larvae, pupa, adult beetle). If you use them often you should consider raising your own. It is an interesting and fulfilling experience for a herper.

Start with a smooth sided container with or without a lid for the larvae. Cover the bottom with about 1.5 in of oatmeal. This will serve as the bedding and dry food. To make it more nutritious you can add a little brewers yeast, wheat germ, whole wheat flower, fish flakes, or ground up dog food. To this add your mealworms (no less than 100 to start a colony, preferably 500 or more). They will need a water source. This will be provided by fruit and vegetable slices laid on top of the bedding. You can use potatoes, carrots (best), banana peel, cabbage, yam, and apple (worst).

Daily maintenance will include removing moldy wet food, adding fresh wet food, removing dead insects, and checking to see if any larvae have turned to pupa (they will look pale slightly curled and won't move unless touched).

Any pupa you see should immediately be removed and moved into a second container with a tiny bit of bedding (no wet food). Pupa must be separated from adults and larvae so they don't get chewed on. When the pupa become dark in color it means they are about to turn to beetles. Any beetles that hatch should immediately be moved to a third container that is setup like the larvae container. The beetle container should have a lid so they don't escape and you may also add paper towel tubes or egg cartons for hiding spaces. The beetles will mate and lay eggs in the substrate, and after a couple of weeks it should be full of eggs and tiny larvae. At this stage I have heard of people putting the substrate over a wire screen sat over another container. The idea is the tiny mealworms will burrow to the bottom of the substrate and fall through the holes in the screen to separate them from the adults. I just pick the beetles out and let their container become the new larvae container. The old larvae container can be cleaned out and used for the next batch of beetles.

Stage Durations

Egg- 4-19 days
Larvae- About 10 weeks
Pupa- 6-24 days
Adult- 8-12 weeks

The length of each stage depends on temperature and nutrition. Higher temperature will make them grow fast. More nutritious food will make them grow faster.

Book Review: The Frogs and Toads of North America

"The Frogs and Toads of North America" by Lang Elliot, Carl Gerhardt, and Carlos Davidson is pretty nice book to add to your collection. It is by no means a pocket field guide that you would want to take with you on an evening frog hunt. It is too large for that. It is very good for identifying as it has large color pictures, and covers many species. There is not much info on each frog, but of course the book is not trying to be an encyclopedia of frogs. The real gem of this book is a CD of frog calls at the back. This is great for helping you learn to identify frogs by their calls. I recommend this book for the novice or younger herpers.

Breeding Reptiles and Amphibians: 5 Things to Consider First

Breeding an animal can be a difficult undertaking. Before you begin you should take the following statements into consideration.

1) Do I have the Experience?- You need to know how to take care of the adult animals well before you even begin to think about breeding them. Any problems you have with the adults will be multiplied with the young. I suggest at least 1 years worth of experience caring for the adults.

2) Are my adults ready to breed?- In some cases animals can be old enough to breed but still not ready for it. Make sure they are healthy and have good weight. Do not rush them. Breeding can be stressful.

3) Do I have the money?- Be prepared to spend extra money on more tanks/containers, and more food for the young. Often the young cannot be kept with the adults (cannibalism), or require special food.

4) Do I have the space, and time?- The young will take-up both of these. This is especially true if you breed frogs and raise the tadpoles in individual cups (the horror!).

5) Do I have a plan for the young?- Will you keep them, give them away or sell them? If you don't plan on keeping them you should look around for someone who wants them early in the breeding process. If you are successful and enjoy it, you may develop it into a side business.

How to Dust Fruit Flies with Calcium

Dusting small insects like fruit flies with calcium/vitamin powder can be very difficult. It's hard to get just enough dust on them without extra going into the tank. Fruit flies also crawl up the side of the container and have to be constantly shaken down when not covered. A very simple way to avoid this problem is to:

1) Shake the fruit flies into a container. Put a top on it and place the container into a refrigerator. Let the flies cool for at least 10-15 minutes. They will stop moving.

2) Working quickly sprinkle dust on them and shake.

3) Dump them into a fine mess strainer and shake off the excess dust. They are now ready to feed to your animals.

The flies quickly warm up in the tank and start moving again. This is the method I use to dust flies for my dart frogs. I like it because flies that aren't moving are easier to deal with, and you don't get extra dust in the tank.

How to Get My Snake to Eat?

A few tips for getting a stubborn snake to eat...

1) Make sure the snake is warm enough. If the snake is in a cool area it's metabolism will be significantly lower.

2) Make sure the food is warm. A living mouse will obviously have a higher temperature than a dead room temperature mouse. If you soak the mice in warm water before using them the snake may think they are alive and be more interested.

3) If a ball python is rejecting mice or rats try gerbils.

4) Don't be afraid to rub the snake with the food in order to get it's attention.

5) Make sure you are not feeding your snakes too often. if the snake doesn't eat today wait a few days and try again. It may still be digesting its last meal.

6) If the snake is new let it get acclimated to it's new environment before trying to feed it. Also ask if it had been fed just before you purchased it.

7) Some snakes may be more accepting of live food. Live food is nothing to be afraid, just don't leave the animal with the snake if it doesn't accept it.

8) If your snake grabs the food off the tongs and then drops it you can try holding on to the prey item and lightly tugging and wiggling it. This will make the snake thing it is alive and he will hold it tighter to try to kill it (gives him satisfaction). Tugging on it for 10 seconds is enough.

How to Care for Poison Dart Frogs

Poison dart frogs are some of the most stunning and beautiful animals you can have as pets. They have very specific care requirements and require very small foods, With proper research and the right supplies anyone can care for them. Dart frogs are native to Central and South America. They contain powerful toxins in their skin in the wild, but captive bred individuals loose them. They can live 7-15 yrs. These frogs are active during the day and known for being bold. They can provide you with hours of enjoyment watching them search for food and interact.

Housing
Keep your dart frogs in tropical, planted vivarium with plenty of hiding and climbing places. Two frogs can be kept in a ten gallon tank. Add 10 additional gallons for each additional frog to avoid territorial fights.

Water and Humidity
Water should be provided at all times. It can be in the form of a moving water feature or a water bowl. Perform frequent partial water changes if using a water feature, and change the water daily if using a water bowl. Humidity should be between 70-100%. The higher the better with these frogs. Mist the tank daily or hook it up to a fogger to maintain the humidity.

Temperature
These frogs due well with daytime temperature ranging from 72-82 degrees F. Night time temperatures can be allowed to drop down to 70 or high 60s. A heating pad stuck to the back of the tank will provide sufficient heat.

Feeding

Dart frogs require small foods. Feed them pinhead crickets, fruit flies, spring tails, termites, flour beetles and other small foods (Phyllobates terribilis can take up to quarter inch crickets). I culture my own fruit flies, spring tails, and crickets to feed mine.Young frogs should be fed everyday. Adults can also eat everyday, but every other day is just as fine for them. Dust the food with a calcium/vitamin supplement 2-3 times a week and offer a variety of foods.

Good Beginner Species

Dendrobates Auratus (pictured above)
D. Leucomelas
D. Azures
D. Tinctorius
Phyllobates Terribilis
P. Vittatus
P. bicolor

12 New Species of Frog Discovered!

Very interesting article. Link to Article

There is so much left to be discovered on this planet it makes you wonder just how many species there are.

New York Metro Reptile Expo

The reptile expo is back at the Westchester County Center today, Sept. 11 2011 from 10am-4pm. Adults:$10, children;$5, Children under 7:free.

Look at the Color on this Toad!

This beautiful southern toad (Anaxyrus terrestris...I still like bufo but I guess I'll get used to it)was foud in virginia at my aunts house. It was hiding under a wooden board.

Eyelash Viper

I was lucky enough to see an eyelash viper (Bothriechis schlebelii) on my trip to Costa Rica. The eyelash viper is a small, venomous pit viper, rarely exceeding 2.5 ft (with females being larger than males). These snakes are arboreal and known for their wide range of colors (red, yellow, brown, green, and pink). Their name comes from scales above their eyes that resemble eyelashes. They can be found in the moist forests of Central and South America from sea level to 2640 m in elevation, though they prefer lower altitudes. These snakes are mostly nocturnal and eat rodents, frogs, lizards, and birds. They are also ovoviviparous meaning that they give birth to live young from eggs stored in the body instead of being laid. They have 10-12 young in this manner.

The snake pictured above was found crossing a trail on a night hike in Poco Sol, after being nearly stepped on by a companion. It was no more than a foot long.

New York Metro Reptile Expo

The New York Metro Reptile Expo will be held at the Westchester County Center on Sunday, July 10. It is a great place to get your pets and supplies. Time is from 10am- 4pm. Adults are $10. Children 7-12 are $4, and children under 7 are free.

Smokey Jungle Frog

Early during my trip to Costa Rica I managed to find one of the biggest frogs down there, the smokey jungle frog (Leptodactylus pentadactylus). I heard a frog calling early one evening and managed to track it down to the edge of a man-made tilapia pond. Immediately upon my grabbing it, the frog jumped into defense mode and began to yelp like a puppy, and secrete a noxious fluid from its skin. I found many frogs in Costa Rica, but this one was absolutely my favorite.

These frogs are native to Central and South America. Their native name translates into "common bulfrog". indeed they are bull frog size with the males growing up to 7.3 inches. They are found near water in subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, and into montane forests. These frogs are nocturnal and during the day can be found in burrows, under logs, and in leaf litter.

After many pictures were taken (in which I look terrible, and the frog looks almost demonic), the frog pictured above was returned to the pond where he called for the rest of the night.

Leopard Gecko Care

Leopard geckos make great pets. I listed them as one of the best beginner reptiles in a past post. They are easy to care for and can live 20yrs.

Housing: A ten gallon tank is fine for one adult. Use a safe reptile sand, turf, or newspaper as a substrate. I like sand because it is more naturalistic. Provide the gecko with a hiding spot of some kind, and a water bowl. Sticks, rocks, and fake plants may be used as decoration.

Heating and lighting: Leopard geckos come from warm regions in Afghanistan into Pakistan. They thus require added heat. An under tank heat pad will serve this purpose perfectly. The temperature can be in the 80s during the day and drop down to 68 degrees F at night. They are nocturnal and thus do not require special lighting like most other reptiles, but a UV light will make the tank easier to see into and it certainly won't hurt.

Feeding: Leopard geckos are insectivorous. Feed them crickets, mealworms, waxworms, and any other insect. A big adult can even eat a pinkie mouse (but these should not be fed often). Dust the food with a calcium powder once a week.

Handling: Leopard geckos are not very fast, and are very docile, so they can be handled. Don't handle then excessively, though, and be gentle with their tails.

Exitement in the Neighborhood

Sounds like a fun day in the condos, but seriously if you are going to keep a big lizard, keep it locked up when you are not around.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iR6Z4yt-fszJ2UtXEE1NOlw_QfJQ?docId=df1a849b5786482995c1a4e11db33736

Breeding and Raising Crickets

If you have a lot of insectivorous reptiles and amphibians then chances are you have to buy a lot of crickets. Or maybe you already breed them yourself. If you do, read no further. if you don't, why don't you? If a1l you need is 20 crickets a week breeding them won't be worth it (but it will still be fun). If on the other hand you need 100 or more crickets a week then you should definitely look into breeding your own. Be warned, though, crickets smell and they chirp. So find a place not near your sleeping area to store your colony.

Sexing Crickets
You will need adult crickets to begin your colony. Adult crickets are about an inch long and have fully developed wings covering the abdomen. Males have 2 appendages sticking out of the end of the abdomen. Females have three. The middle one on the females is long and black and is called the ovipositor. It is from here that they lay their eggs.

How Many Crickets Do I Need?
Not as many as you might think. A female cricket lays about 5-10 eggs a day, for a total of around 100 in her life (this does not mean the only live 10-20 days just that they will lay up until they reach 100 give or take). So 10 females should give you 1000 baby crickets if you let them lay for 10 days right? Well some females will inevitably die and some may be more or less prolific (not to mention some eggs might not hatch and some babies will die also) Basically the longer you let the females lay eggs the more baby crickets you will get. I recommend starting off small. Go to a pet shop and ask for 20-30 large crickets. You should get a good mix of males and females to start with. Make sure they are adults, though. Not all crickets sold as large may be adults (look for fully developed wings- if you can see the abdomen the wings are not fully developed).

The Setup
A glass tank or critter keeper is good for a small colony. Provide the crickets with food, water, heat, something to crawl on, and a place to lay eggs. Food can include store bought gutload, cricket gels, chicken mash, fruits and vegetables, and oatmeal. Water can come from the foods if they are well like fruits, wet paper towels, or a shallow dish of water with cotton swabs on them. Heat can come from a heat lamp, heating pad or placing the cage next to a radiator. Crickets like it between 85-88 degrees F. Toilet paper tubes and egg carton (paper) will give them climbing surfaces. The egg laying container can be any old plastic container filled with moist coco fiber or other clean soil. Keep it moist not wet. I use old margarine tubs. Clear containers are nice also because you can see the eggs around the edge.

The Babies
Remember that the females will lay 5- 10 eggs a day. The average of that is 7. If you have 15 females, in 3 days you will have around 315 eggs (I you do not heat the crickets you will have significantly less). I would remove the egg laying container at this point, since you don't want to many for you first time. Put the container in another heated cage. Keep it moist! The eggs will hatch in 10-14 days. The young are called pinheads because they are very small. If you have small animals you may use them now. If not you will have to raise them. The young eat what the adults eat, but I would chop it smaller for them. Crickets go through eight sizes. How fast they grow depends on temperature, but in a few weeks they should be standard pet shop "small" size.

Conclusion
Breeding Crickets can be a fun and rewarding experience. It is not all that difficult either. It is so easy. I did it by accident many yrs ago. I was feeding my toad Ben large crickets (the pet shop was out of small). As usual I poured the crickets directly into the cage. Ben ate greedily but missed a few. "He'll get those later" I said. Sure enough he got them. well two weeks went by. I look into his cage and what do i see?. An area of soil covered with little white dots. My first thought was "springtails! why are they swarming?" But upon closer examination I noticed they were baby crickets hatching and I wasn't even trying!

You can buy crickets from many places including Amazon using the link below.

Feeder Insect Nutrition Facts

Nearly all amphibians and many reptiles kept as pets are insectivorous. While larger species can eat mice for health reasons the bulk of your non-herbivorous herps diet should be insects. Their are well over a million species of insects in the world so their is no end to your options for feeding your pets. Indeed if you live in a relatively rural area you can get away with turning on the porch light at night to attract all the insects you need. Alas most of us have to buy our feeders. Nearly all pet shops sell four main feeder insects: crickets, mealworms, waxworms, and superworms (all of which you can breed on your own but that's another post). I call these the "Big Four". If you can't find them you're looking in the wrong place. Their are many other feeder that you usually have to order. These include fruit flies, springtails, phoenix worms, cockroaches, butterworms, and flies. I will be dealing with the "Big Four" here.

There are many charts online outlining the basic nutrition facts for various feeder insects. You may find that their numbers differ. This is due to the fact that no to feeder population sill be the same. One company may have more fat in in their gutload. Another may have more calcium. These charts are simply guides and they are usually not far off. Below I will compare the fat, protein, fiber, phosphorous, and calcium for the "Big Four". No exact numbers will be given since they are not useful here.

Fat
Crickets are the lowest in fat. Wax worms are the highest.

Protein
Crickets and mealworms have nearly the same amount of protein with waxworms and superworms not too far behind.

Fiber
Waxworms and superworms have the most fiber with crickets a far second.

Phosphorous
Crickets have the most phosphorous with mealworms close behind. Waxworms and superworms are almost the same with the least.

Calcium
Crickets have the most Calcium, followed by waxworms, superworms and mealworms have the least.

What Should I feed my Pets?
Short answer: crickets. Of the "Big Four" they can't be beat. Long answer: use your better judgment. You obviously wouldn't want to feed them waxworms regularly because of their high fat content. Also keep in mind that in the wild these creatures have a wide selection of insects to satisfy their nutritional needs. so it is good to give them a selection. Gut loaded crickets fed a healthy diet (like Flukers high calcium cricket food) and dusted with a vitamin/calcium powder can make up the majority of the diet but supplement it with other insects too. Even venture into more exotic feeders (cockroaches are great).

You can buy Flukers cricket food by clicking on the link below.