I want to start a natural viv...

[rethius]

I am an avid plant keeper and i want to move to a natural vivarium containing plants, mosses, frogs and reptiles. I have great experience keeping large snakes but i need help with this new venture. I am going to build a 2 foot wide/thick x 3 tall melimine enclosure, so any help on plant, reptile/amphibian species selection would be helpful!!
Thanks,
-Jeff

[Kyle Barker]

if your planting it up, and its going to be moist, i wouldnt use melamine. once it gets scratched, VERY easy to happen with melamine, moisture will seep in and cause the wood (which is HORRIBLE wood, i should say sawdust....) to bubble. If you dont mind the extra expense there is a product like melamine (basically 1/8" plastic) that has an unlimited amount of degigns/pictures in it (you can even get it custom so that a picture of your choice is used). Its the same stuff counter tops are made of...EXCELLENT pruduct and very hard to puncture.

If you know plants then just stay away from the obvious bad choices (cacti, spiney bromeliads etc), and if a herbivour a non-toxic plant.

[rethius]

Hey thanks for replying
Where can you buy this stuff? homedepot?
-Jeff

[Kyle Barker]

home depot should have it, any larger hardware store should have it (or be able to get it in). They of course wouldnt be able to do the custom stuff, but they still should have a decent selection. If you are having a hard time call up some local cabinat shops, and counter top guys....

[Dozer]

build an acrylic tank, those are amazing