Reptile & Amphibian Forums

This post is going to be put in frogs, tree frogs, and Darts. To see what ppl think of this tank. Please dont just say its a pice dont buy it. someone would wont to know why.
I hear diff things with these tanks. Some say it has flaws, and some say its a good tank. What flaws are there? If there are can you fix it?
No one really hasn't told me what flaws there are.
?????

http://www.exo-terra.com/EN/products/glass_terrariums_i.html

I've had one of these for a few months now.
I ran it for about 3 weeks without frogs in it, to get it set up, and then put two RETFs in it.

I have it permantly planted with three different plants/trees, and they're doing well in there.
Though I didn't do a drainage system using pebbles ( and went for just an orchid bark substrate to plant into ) I haven't had any root rot signs yet.

On the whole the terrarium is very good.
There's room underneath for a heatmat, but you'll need to get some polystyrene or something to put under the heatmat to keep it against the glass at the bottom.

You'll probably never take the top vent off, and you can build a box for a flurescent light like I did, to hide the glare, and it should fit quite well for a 15" or so.

The lip at the front is very good at keeping crickets in.
I've found the glass easy to clean.

The only problem I have ( and I don't see it can be avoided ) is that wires for waterfalls, foggers, and sensors for heatmats have to go down the back behind the polystyrene backing (Which, on a side note, is a very good back. The frogs love it).
This keeps the wires hidden perfectly, but the problem comes when you need to run a new wire down the back, and you have it already planted.
It's very difficult to pull the soil away from the gap at the bottom of the polystyrene where the wires come through, and actually get the wire down the grove and out the openning.
Took me about an hour when I had to do it for a new sensor for the heatmat thermostat.
Having said that, I don't think it could have been done any other way.

It's a great terrarium, in my opinion, and well worth the money.

Here's some photos of the terrarium planted, and the frogs in it:
http://www.kodetortoise.com/frogs/terrarium/
http://www.kodetortoise.com/frogs/050730/
http://www.kodetortoise.com/frogs/050731/
http://www.kodetortoise.com/frogs/others/

Hope this helps

G

where did those red eyes come from? they are lovely! did you order them offline or get them at a petstore? ive been looking for a trio of adults to buy, probably on the internet, but there are so many websites that offer them, its hard to know which one to pick... ill probably wait until after frog day if i do buy.. there is a frog oriented herp show in atlanta on the 15-16 of oct... would you be willing to share your source? if i dont find any at the show i will have to buy them offline (no stores in the area carry them)... thanks much!
-----
my pets: clown treefrogs, reed frogs, big eyed treefrogs, tiger leg monkey frogs, gray treefrogs, milk frogs, cuban treefrogs, whites tree frog, green treefrogs, squirrel treefrogs, blue webbed gliding treefrog, chameleon treefrogs?, dusky salamanders, tiger salamander, veiled chameleon, box turtles, mud turtle, map turtle, yellowbelly slider, florida softshell, two saltwater tanks, four cats, two chinchillas, and a boyfriend.

Sure, But you're not going to like it...
A nice reptile store in Crystal Palace, London.

They're wild caught Honduras RETFs.

I tried SO many sources to try and get some, originally looking for captive bred ones.
I was looking for some with vivid blue arms, and individual and very blue sides.

I didn't find any for a long time, and then I went to see some Wild caught ones that had come from honduras, and they were perfect.
He actually had a lot more there, but I only took these two.

I didn't like the idea of keeping WCs, since I thought it was cruel, but then I argued the "Well they're already caught, and they could go to a worse home" line with myself until I felt appeased.
They seem to be really happy.

I would like to give them a much larger terrarium though, to be honest.

G