New pet project, (pun intended)

Gravelanche · 02-14-13, 05:37 PM

Hey everyone im new here, i have owned a couple of snakes over the years and am looking to start a fairly ambicious project over the next few months and i would appreciate all the help i can get.

I'm building a very large enclosure, the bottom third will be an aquarium, and the top 2 thirds will be a tropical enclosure for a variety of things, including some frogs, newts lizards ect, and i would LOVE to see some kind of snake in it as well.

I will start by going over the best case scenario i'd like to see, i understand that i am not the ultimate expert on the interaction of some of the species involved and the idea will probably be tweeked greatly.

The base is a 67 gallon tank, it measures 18x18x48, im going to build a custom stand to set it on which will also bear the weight of the upper enclosure which will be a further 3.5 feet up, they will be open to each other with lots of vegetation and climbing areas. I am kind of envisioning a mangrove type scheme. I am planning on building a custom filter and have a friend who is going to help me there, we are going to then use a pump to push the water to the top of the enclosure where it will be used for the artificial rain and a waterfall style feature. (we will be exploring a valve system to turn off the waterfall when needed) it will then cascade down guided by some PVC piping and eventually land back in the tank.

the aquarium itself will be brackish and i am really hoping for archer fish as the main attraction for the aquarium. i have some fish experts helping me with the aquarium, filter and piping aspect and it is looking fine so far

I come to this site for some insight on the residents of the upper half of the tank. i would love as many compatible residents as possible. I had been suggested some rough green tree snakes but it seems the RH in this tank would be much to high. and as i dont really plan to have a "ground" at the bottom it could be problematic. i do not NEED a snake, but i would love to have some kind of focus animal that would thrive in this type of environment. aside from that i plan to have a variety of smaller gecko's and tree frogs, and maybe a couple of more surface dwelling frogs with some live plants.

Can anyone suggest some animals that would thrive in this kind of rainforrest style tank?

on a side note i plan on researching this project for at least the next month or 2, though i may not know as much as i'd like now please bear with my awkward questions as i want to learn everything i possibly can.

Squirtle · 02-14-13, 06:31 PM

DO NOT get any snakes, as they'll most likely eat what ever is inhabiting the tank. I say get some frogs, salamanders and geckos..

Gravelanche · 02-14-13, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Squirtle

DO NOT get any snakes, as they'll most likely eat what ever is inhabiting the tank. I say get some frogs, salamanders and geckos..

IF i got snakes, the only ones i would get are rough green snakes, and everything else would be too large for it to consider prey. however i am not dead set on snakes.

but yes i am definitely considering that route, i just dont want to feel like the 150 gallon space is being used for a few tiny frogs. havent researched salamanders too much yet though

Pirarucu · 02-14-13, 07:33 PM

No snakes period is a bit of an overstatement. There are zoos that house large pythons with various lizards. At Moody Gardens there is a Mandarin Rat Snake housed with Vietnamese Mossy Frogs.. It can be done successfully. You just have to pick your species wisely.

Gravelanche · 02-14-13, 07:36 PM

thats why in the last 24 hours i've registered to a snake forum, frog forum, and an aquarium forum.

Squirtle · 02-15-13, 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pirarucu

No snakes period is a bit of an overstatement. There are zoos that house large pythons with various lizards. At Moody Gardens there is a Mandarin Rat Snake housed with Vietnamese Mossy Frogs.. It can be done successfully. You just have to pick your species wisely.

Sorry, just thought snakes couldn't co-exist with other species. I honestly thought mostly every species of snake were solitary, and only come together. Even if they aren't big enough to eat the prey, wouldn't they go around the cage chasing and biting them attempting to? That would just cause stress to the amphibians.

Falconeer999 · 02-15-13, 03:20 PM

My local zoo has a nice "local habitat" exhibit that has a "pond" with fish and turtles, a swamp area, and dry land that has 4 eastern timber rattle snakes in it and several species of lizards, newts, and salamanders all coexisting.
But if you get species that aren't normal prey items for the snake and provide it with a steady diet, it shouldn't be an issue. Or, worst case, your snake is well fed.

Squirtle · 02-15-13, 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Falconeer999

My local zoo has a nice "local habitat" exhibit that has a "pond" with fish and turtles, a swamp area, and dry land that has 4 eastern timber rattle snakes in it and several species of lizards, newts, and salamanders all coexisting.
But if you get species that aren't normal prey items for the snake and provide it with a steady diet, it shouldn't be an issue. Or, worst case, your snake is well fed.

The difference is that the exhibit is most likely several feet long and wide with a pond, while his fish tank is only 67 gallons..

-MARWOLAETH- · 02-15-13, 03:30 PM

Frogs and lizards usually are distressed by the presence of snakes.The only species combo that I can think of would be floating frogs (Occidozyga Lima) and Anoles.

pdomensis · 02-15-13, 04:03 PM

Ah, still looking for the elusive herbivorous snake.