Your Reptile and Amphibian Resource and Information Site

Back to Anoles Forum   Forums   Home   Members Area  

Anoles Forum

Snickers76   Rodent111   Snickers76   Coolguy132435  
 Member  Message

 #1717843


Snickers76
View Profile

 Live Plants, Moldable flooring, tank side basking locations

I had visited my family in Florida, and my son saw a few lizards near our family’s home. I captures three of these lizards, later identified as Brown Anoles. Now, I had no idea it was illegal to transport them across state lines; so, what can you do right. I brought them to Virginia and I am keeping them in a 10 gallon tank. I will soon be buying the Exo Terra 24x18x24 tank. These lizards were small when we first captured them and couldn’t ID the genders. As it turns out, we have two males and one female. This is a bad combination, I know. The female has laid two eggs now. Her very first egg ever was infertile (yellow and soft). I found it laying on top of the substrate which at the time was T-rex Cypress Bed. This second egg is hard shelled and white in color. I have removed it an placed it in an separate enclosure within the tank. I have also placed an artificial substrate down for ease of cleaning.
My question is concerning a few items for their new enclosure.

LIVE PLANTS
I plan on purchasing Bromelaids, Crotons, & Pothos plants; however, I have no idea where these can be bought.
Can anyone tell me where I can purchase Bromelaids, Crotons, & Pothos seeds or plants ONLINE?

MOLDABLE SUBSTRATE
My idea here is to, for example, take clay or some other material and mold an interesting floor design for my exo terra vivarium. I want to mold the clay so that I can insert the potted plants into holes to disguise the potted plants and make it look more natural instead of being a pot set in a cage. The flooring will have different gradients and I will have a small watering hole made from glass. I will also place the artificial grass on top of this molded material. I will also have areas with natural substrate so the anoles can dig in it.
What material is safe and non-toxic yet will allow me to mold it, set/harden it, and then place the fake substrate material above it?

TANK SIDE PERCHES
I have used foam material and placed suction cups to the sides of them to make rock like perches on the side of my 10 gallon tank.

Does anyone know where these items may be purchased?
Does anyone know of a safe natural rock appearing material that I can use to make these items?

Thank you for all of your assistance here. I know these are a lot of questions.
I will post pictures of the new tank when complete.



04/27/08  12:23pm

 #1718126


Rodent111
View Profile



   Message To: Snickers76   In reference to Message Id: 1717843


 Live Plants, Moldable flooring, tank side basking locations

I know of a subsrate called Zoo Med Excavator clay, I’ve never used it but it sounds like it would work for you.

Quotes from the site

"You can mold and create multi-level terracces and burrows in your reptiles terrarium"
"Excavator holds its shape so burrows and tunnels won’t collapse"

here’s a link:

Link


I’m not sure where to get live plants online but i got all my plants at walmart and lowes. I got pothos, bromelaids, spider plants, african violets, pony tail palms, majesty palms, you name it they probably have it.



04/27/08  05:04pm

 #1718171


Snickers76
View Profile



   Message To: Rodent111   In reference to Message Id: 1718126


 Live Plants, Moldable flooring, tank side basking locations

I hadn’t even checked lowes nor home depot. Thank you for mentioning that.

I was going to check the pet store for the excavator clay. I’m was thinking it may be designed for desert terrain. I need something that will hold the weight of a small plexiglass water container. I am currently thinking of carving the base from solid cork blocks or custom molding the base insert out of ceramics. If I used ceramics, then it would require no additional waterproofing for the water area. My anoles seem to really love splashing in the water dish. There have been a number of nights that the anoles have completely emptied the water dish. I think it helps with their shedding.
04/27/08  05:52pm

 #1718494


Coolguy132435
View Profile



   Message To: Snickers76   In reference to Message Id: 1718171


 Live Plants, Moldable flooring, tank side basking locations

Zoo Med Excavator clay is not for anoles, it is for reptiles that burrow such as uromastyx lizards, aND others. Ive also heard that it can be very dangerous for the lizards and that it hardens like clay when wet
04/27/08  10:11pm


Back to Anoles Forum   Forums   Home   Members Area