Posted by:
froggieb
at Mon Jun 20 13:14:18 2005 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by froggieb ]
A 20-gallon is way too small for any MHD. They need at least 3' tall viv. I have my tiny little 1.1 A. lepidogasters, 7-8" total length, in a 175 reptarium that is 4'tall, and 28"x28" base. Trust me, they use the top half almost exclusively and are usually in the top 18" of the reptarium. The smallest tank I would use is a 29 high and that would only be for hatchlings or hospital tank.
There are lots of things you can do with the water. I have used a simple bubbler set under a large stone or several smaller stones to keep it submerged and comouflaged. I have a prefab waterfall in one and just a pump in another set so that the water is bubbling up out of the top of the tube and back into the water pan. You can build yourself a stream using silicon mixed with sand, soil, or river pebbles to create the streambed and a pump in a pond at the bottom to send the water back up. You can use the same concept with foam covered with concrete to create a large waterfall. It just depends on how elaborate you want to make it and what sort of ease of cleaning you are looking for.
You can look at my basic set-ups on my FAQs page.
I'm glad you will have him seeing a vet. That is the #1 tip I offer. after that, most is common sense, cleaning, expecting some stress from the move, and patience in getting him though the stress.
Don't fudge on the viv size. Most of the people I talk too insist on using aquariums and in my opinion they are all too small for a MHD. Others are always assuring my that their MHD is happy in their 29 gal aquarium but that they are planning to by a 45 or 50 soon. They just aren't tall enough. Get the right height viv to start with whether it be a reptarium or a custom built viv. You will see a totally different animal once it is in the proper viv.
Good luck and I hope to see you posting more.
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Marcia - FroggieB Dragons
www.froggieb.com/MHDHome.html
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RE: New/Rescued MHD Questions - long post sorry - froggieb, Mon Jun 20 13:14:18 2005