Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Is it possible to set-up a vivarium that will no longer require to be cleaned every month-- Just set-it-up and leave it as it is?
Because I've been reading that some people have done this? How about when the animal defacate, won't that make the whole vivarium acidic? Detailed Help here PLEASE!!!
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1.0 Garter Snake (Evola)
0.1 Python
1.0 Green Tree Boa
1.0 Green Iguana (Shhhhhhhh)
5 (unknown sex) Read eared Slider (Ganbu, Shoty, Aulfayan, Phlegm, Lucky, n/a)
3.3 Malayan Box Turtle
1.0 Pyxidea Mouhotti (Driffy)
0.1 Diamond back Terappin (Genbu)
1.0.2 Sulcatta (Darien Wings, Tblt, and Damaso)
0.1 Red Foot(Elsa 140)
1.0.2 Alligator Snapping Turtle (Kilthum, Leudo, and Nanazusa)
1.0 Skinnypig (Poppolochrois)
1.1 Rabbit (Bugs, n/a)
0.1 Albino Cranwell's horned Frog (Mandella Banana)

*Fishes, insects, Dogs, Cats, and Birds are not included.

>>Is it possible to set-up a vivarium that will no longer require to be cleaned every month-- Just set-it-up and leave it as it is?
>>Because I've been reading that some people have done this? How about when the animal defacate, won't that make the whole vivarium acidic? Detailed Help here PLEASE!!!

I don't have to clean my viv every month. Once you get the proper balance of animals and plants, you won't have to worry about it anymore.

It depends on what you want to house. Like for instance there's no way you could do this for your iguana. Mostly only works for small animals that live in very humid environments, such as darts or tropical geckos.

You will introduce food. The animals will eat the food. The animals will then poop. The humidity will liquify the poop. The plants will break down the poop and use it to fuel their growth. Just like a litte ecosystem in minature.

I'm housing a pacman frog and a pygmy chameleon. So their poops are really small. Would you please help me with how to set-up a good vivarium. I'm also mistified how a good drainage works? If I water the plants, won't the water just stays under the ground and be stagnant? How do I make a good drainage system without the use of "false" drainage?
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1.0 Garter Snake (Evola)
0.1 Python
1.0 Green Tree Boa
1.0 Green Iguana (Shhhhhhhh)
5 (unknown sex) Read eared Slider (Ganbu, Shoty, Aulfayan, Phlegm, Lucky, n/a)
3.3 Malayan Box Turtle
1.0 Pyxidea Mouhotti (Driffy)
0.1 Diamond back Terappin (Genbu)
1.0.2 Sulcatta (Darien Wings, Tblt, and Damaso)
0.1 Red Foot(Elsa 140)
1.0.2 Alligator Snapping Turtle (Kilthum, Leudo, and Nanazusa)
1.0 Skinnypig (Poppolochrois)
1.1 Rabbit (Bugs, n/a)
0.1 Albino Cranwell's horned Frog (Mandella Banana)

*Fishes, insects, Dogs, Cats, and Birds are not included.

You want to house a cham with a pac man? Yeah, how big is this tank, because it will be hard to keep one area of the tank moist and cooler for the pac man while you try to keep one area hot for basking for the cham. What you will be feeding the pac man will be crickets, and by the time it is an adult the adult crickets are too big for a dwarf cham and will harass, as will the pac man, I have had pac mans and I have cared for them and the majority if something is moving on the ground they will go after it, and the chameleon would eventually go to the ground. Plus pac mans don't take small poops, by the time they get adult size they get bigger, plus if you ever want to feed it a mouse instead of crickets and worms that will be a nice big one. I would never in my wildest dreams mix these two animals. I really hope you are keeping them seperate. Without the false bottom you could use a couple inches of gravel that will work. And if you have a light one plus heat the water will evaporate out of the tank or at least some of it will
Mark Jemison
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Click here to See my frogs and Terrariums!
0.0.6 Green and Black Costa Rican D. Auratus
0.0.4 D. Azureus
0.0.2 Golden Mantellas

Thank you so much for that lecture MARKJ all I want to know is how to make a successful drainage in a vivarium that will not require me to clean it every month.
Believe me, I know what I'm doing. I'm not just some clueless person who does things without the proper infos and research works.
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1.0 Garter Snake (Evola)
0.1 Python
1.0 Green Tree Boa
1.0 Green Iguana (Shhhhhhhh)
5 (unknown sex) Read eared Slider (Ganbu, Shoty, Aulfayan, Phlegm, Lucky, n/a)
3.3 Malayan Box Turtle
1.0 Pyxidea Mouhotti (Driffy)
0.1 Diamond back Terappin (Genbu)
1.0.2 Sulcatta (Darien Wings, Tblt, and Damaso)
0.1 Red Foot(Elsa 140)
1.0.2 Alligator Snapping Turtle (Kilthum, Leudo, and Nanazusa)
1.0 Skinnypig (Poppolochrois)
1.1 Rabbit (Bugs, n/a)
0.1 Albino Cranwell's horned Frog (Mandella Banana)

*Fishes, insects, Dogs, Cats, and Birds are not included.

At some point you will have to remove some of the water or at least change it out. The only way to do this is to have a hole drilled through the tank bottom for the water to drain, or to siphon the water out. You don't necessarily need a false bottom, but if not, you will need a few inches of gravle unless you like a swamp. Also, I don't know anything about pac mans but I have owned a few chams, and I worry that the stress from the frog would seriously shorten the lifespan of the cham.
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Matt

Hey There,

The Naturalistic Vivarium is an online group that can really help out with those questions and ideas, see the link below.

There is a wealth of information on the website including extensive Files, Links and photo’s sections. Good Luck

The Naturalistic Vivarium

I could just kiss you all!
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==============================================================
1.0 Garter Snake (Evola)
0.1 Python
1.0 Green Tree Boa
1.0 Green Iguana (Shhhhhhhh)
5 (unknown sex) Read eared Slider (Ganbu, Shoty, Aulfayan, Phlegm, Lucky, n/a)
3.3 Malayan Box Turtle
1.0 Pyxidea Mouhotti (Driffy)
0.1 Diamond back Terappin (Genbu)
1.0.2 Sulcatta (Darien Wings, Tblt, and Damaso)
0.1 Red Foot(Elsa 140)
1.0.2 Alligator Snapping Turtle (Kilthum, Leudo, and Nanazusa)
1.0 Skinnypig (Poppolochrois)
1.1 Rabbit (Bugs, n/a)
0.1 Albino Cranwell's horned Frog (Mandella Banana)

*Fishes, insects, Dogs, Cats, and Birds are not included.