Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I posted before about my male phantasticus i purchased. I just wanted to update you all. He is doing VERY well. For a while i was worried that i got a dud, but counted 8 crickets in his enclosure last time i cleaned it. I kept the same ones in there and just now when i cleaned the cage, they were all gone! YAY! Then i just put 12 in and i saw him eat for the first time. I have a couple questions now:

1. Where can i buy live plants for the enclosure and what plants do you reccomend? And there can't be fertilizer in the soil, right?
2. I need a female, where can i get one? No one has them. (I'm almost sure that all of your replies will be, "Good luck." or "you will never find one" haha) I think the best time to buy them has past.
3. When i get a fecal done on it, does it have to be fresh? Can i treat it myself(im assuming it's not a good idea)?
4. What is the best calcium to use (the kind im using now barely sticks)?
5. Is a 5.0 reptile bulb necesary?
6. What is the best temp for them?

Thank you!
John

I observed hime tail waving a couple days after i got him. What does this mean? If it is something they only normally do while courting, could it have been because a mirror was behind him? I put cardboard in between him and the mirror because i didnt know if it was causing him stress. Thanks again.

John

tail waving is normal. like you guessed, females have only been sold separate here and there, but in the past it was easier to get them. basically if the guys dont sell them in pairs, they'll end up with a bunch of males that no one wants unless they can get females with them. good to hear yours is sounding healthy. others have better advice on self-treating for parasites, it seems like its not the right idea if you dont know what youre doing. keep him in the low 70's, maybe drop to the upper 60's at night and keep the humidity up by making several sprays a day. you can get lots of different plants at home improvement stores, although id recommend you wash the pesticides off the leaves. pothos, ficus, bromeliads, and other small plants that give cover are good.