# 37G Planted Viv for Avic



## hydrophyte

*37G Planted Viv for Avic*

Hi everybody!

I just joined up here. I haven't kept tarantulas since I was a little kid but I am going to be getting an _Avicularia_ (still deciding on a species) to go with a terrarium setup that I have been working on.

I link a picture of the setup below. I am more of a plant hobbyist and actually I do have a few pretty cool plants in there. I'm trading the plants for a spider.

Reactions: Like 1


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## SamuraiSid

Gorgeous set-up. I really like the wood you are using. Drift wood?


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## grayzone

yeah that tank IS pretty B.A..... i really like the grain and coloring on that piece of wood too...


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## hydrophyte

Hey thanks you guys. I made the driftwood feature with manzanita branches and a stiff sheet of PVC. The plastic sheet fits right into the grooves in teh top of the tank and it's handy because I can just lift the whole thing right out.

Reactions: Like 7


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## kingstubb

Wont that be too bright for the T?


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## Malhavoc's

only if maintained 24-7, it looks wonderful I assume the daylight ight will be cycled on and off I also perdict your tarantula making a web in the cwalls of the tank, they have a thing for following the outskirts; hopefuly it will take to the drift wood if it can find it.


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## hydrophyte

Yes the lights will only be on for ~8 hours/day. The spider can just hide while the tank is lit up. I hope to set up some kind of dim dawn/dusk lighting and maybe it will have some activity then.

I hope that it will web more in the manzanita and less on the tank side panels. I'll see how it goes.


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## HoboAustin

What a gorgeous enclosure!


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## hydrophyte

Hey thanks so much. I might have more picture updates tomorrow. I want to add a few more plants.


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## sweetypie

Sweet lift off ideas!
Are you on youtube yet?


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## hydrophyte

Thanks! I have a few YouTube videos for fish tanks...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmekWf0NkGI


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## HoboAustin

hydrophyte said:


> Thanks! I have a few YouTube videos for fish tanks...
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmekWf0NkGI


Your aquarium looks to be snail-free 
I made the mistake long ago of buying live plants from Petsmart and getting overrun with snails. The water also looks really clean. Was that a type of South American cichlid? I have a couple African cichlids.


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## hydrophyte

Oh this tank definitely has at least two kinds of snails in it. There aren't very many though and I hardly notice them. Snails are generally problematic only in new tank setups or if the tank is getting too much food. 

That larger cichlid is a _Cryptoheros cutteri_, which are from Honduras.


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## hydrophyte

I got a quick picture here of the top rear panel with fan, knob handle, hygrometer and thermometer.







I cut a couple of notches for the airline too. And I also put a screen on the front of the fan. It was a wussy little fan to begin with and now the breeze from it is barely perceptible. I hope that it will help to mix that air anyway.


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## hydrophyte

Not much else new with this setup. I'm still trying to track down a spider.

Does anybody out there have any tips (or offers) for finding a sub-adult _A. versicolor_ or something similar? I'm on a budget, but I also have some nice stuff that I can offer in trade.


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## hydrophyte

This is a different setup, but I got a few quick pictures to show the foliage in my 30G project with the "living fossils" plants. Here's a view in through the top.







That _Zamia vasquezii_ fills up most of the tank. I pulled it out and got this shot to better show the rest of the plants.







They all look happy so far. That _Didymochleana_ fern grows really fast and it's a good one for filling in. The _Zamia integrifolia_ that I got from Florida all died back on top and I cut off the dead leaves, but the caudices are nice and firm and I hope they will resprout soon. The guy who sent them to me said that the leaves would dry up but resprout when I got the plants into stable conditions again.


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## hydrophyte

Still no spider yet, but here's another quick picture from a couple of weeks ago...


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## hydrophyte

I don't have much news to report for this project. I did finally find a spider...just need to go pick it up. I know that this setup is really big for a single A. versicolor, but like I mentioned I set this up mainly as a plant display, so I don't mind lots of extra room for the animal.

Here's an updated shot to show the planting. The plants are all looking happy.







This picture shows a few of those little palm seedlings in the foreground, also looking good and growing.


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## *Self_DeFenCe*

Very clean and well made. Where did you get the leaf litter?
Thanks


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## Low

You can get leaf litter from dart frog supply sites....
Joshs frogs, black jungle, neherp etc...

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using Tapatalk


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## hydrophyte

You can also collect leaf letter from outside. Oak and magnolia leaves work real well in planted vivs. I like to semi-sterilize leaf litter before before use by cooking it in a plastic over roaster bag at 300F for about 1/2 hour.


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## JadeWilliamson

I was thinking _versicolor_ since the moment I saw that tank.  Post something about wanting a female on the For Sale section.  Make sure to mention you have stuff you can trade.



hydrophyte said:


> Not much else new with this setup. I'm still trying to track down a spider.
> 
> Does anybody out there have any tips (or offers) for finding a sub-adult _A. versicolor_ or something similar? I'm on a budget, but I also have some nice stuff that I can offer in trade.


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## Ethan

That is an amazing setup! 

cant wait to see the spider in it


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## hydrophyte

Thanks again everybody. I might have a spider to put in here later this coming week.

I just started putting together another smaller setup. I am still pondering livestock ideas for this one (?????). This one is an Exo Terra 12" X 12" X 18". 







I liked the hanging manzanita feature a lot for the 37G and decided to make one for this tank too. 







I htink I might plant this manzanita with some little mini orchids and ferns.


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## hydrophyte

I made a little more headway with the Exo Terra project. I attached long-fibre sphagnum moss to some of the manzanita branches. I will plant the mini orchids and ferns right onto the moss. I used 4 lb. fishing line and it took me a couple hours wrapping around and around and around.


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## Robotponys

Wow those tanks are gorgeous and I know this one is also going to look amazing.  The display will look great I'm sure with a multi-colored T. Do you know when you will put the T in?


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## hydrophyte

Robotponys said:


> Wow those tanks are gorgeous and I know this one is also going to look amazing.  The display will look great I'm sure with a multi-colored T. Do you know when you will put the T in?


I found an A. versicolor and I just need to go pick it up. I might be able to go get it this week. The A. versicolor will go into the 37G. The Exo Terra will be too humid for a tarantula because I have to keep it moist for those plants. I am pondering maybe some kind of smaller roach in a little colony.

I put the planted manzanita feature into the Exo and here it is.







Now I need to plant into the bottom. I have some nice terrestrial ferns and other stuff to use in the bottom.

---------- Post added 06-17-2012 at 07:04 PM ----------

Here it is with the bottom planted and with leaf litter.


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## hydrophyte

...might go get the tarantula today...


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## hydrophyte

Well the _A. versicolor_ that they had was sold, but I picked up a single _A. diversipes_ sling. It's only ~.75" long and it's going to take me a while to grow it up. 

I gotta get some pictures of it. It's really pretty. 

I still hope to find an adult or near-adult spider to use as a display animal in this setup.


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## hydrophyte

Here is the little _A. diversipes._ I had it outside while transferring it to its new somewhat larger jar enclosure. This is the last time I try to handle a baby avic. It's super fast and almost got away from me.

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## hydrophyte

Here's another plant that I've been real happy with. This is the tuberous aroid _Amorphophallus konjac_. This plant eventually grows very large (6'+), but this specimen will not get any bigger this season. When the foliage dies back down later this fall I can just lift it out of the setup and save it to grow as a houseplant next year.

Like other related plants it has this unique parasol foliage formed of a single compound leaf.


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## hydrophyte

I just got another big crate of manzanita via UPS. I am pondering doing yet another setup for a 20 High fish tank and making another one of these drop-in manzanita features. I have plenty of plants around here anyway.


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## hydrophyte

Here’s another quick picture showing that rear panel console. This covers up part of the enclosure top while also holding a circulation fan, digital temperature & humidity gauges and screen vents.


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## hydrophyte

This is a different setup, but I wanted to copy it while I had the link handy. This is a 65G display for a single _Hyla versicolor_ tree frog. I set it up with a Forest Floor kit and used quite a few different ferns along with other plants. The frog seems to like it in there.


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## SuperMommy

Your set-ups are so beautiful! Keep the pics coming!!


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## hydrophyte

Thanks so much SuperMommy! I'll have more pictures on the way pretty soon.

These planted setups are easy!


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## hydrophyte

Photos of my new A. metallica on the way pretty soon!


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## hydrophyte

Here's a quick picture. I had it out in the bathtub for a few shots.


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## hydrophyte

I really like this spider.

This is just exactly what I envisioned for this setup.


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## hydrophyte

Another quick shot, closer...


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## hydrophyte

I just reformatted this picture quick with names for the plants.

Reactions: Like 2


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## freedumbdclxvi

Absolutely beautiful.


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## hydrophyte

Hey thanks!


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## hydrophyte

She's still looking good in there. I was worried about tarantula feces on the plants, but so far I just see little bit on the glass. 

I wish she would spend more time on the branches--she has mainly been up on the glass in the two rear corners. I still haven't seen any extensive webbing.


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## BiGpDaMoNsTa

I can't wait to see a tube web.... hopefully she chooses the branches for it and not the glass


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## derp105

lol makes my cage look stupid


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## hydrophyte

BiGpDaMoNsTa said:


> I can't wait to see a tube web.... hopefully she chooses the branches for it and not the glass


Yeah I am really curious to see how she might web in there. It would be cool to see a web up at the top in the middle of those branches, but so far she is spending more time on the glass.


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## hydrophyte

She was out crawling around on the glass today.


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## RockinOutAmber

That's one spoiled spidey!


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## hydrophyte

Here's another quick shot a bit closer.


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## Shrike

Wow, nice work.  That setup looks great.


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## HoboAustin

That T is living in a tarantula mansion lol. Everything about the enclosure is fantastic, even the Avic


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## hydrophyte

Thanks you guys! I hope that she likes it in there.


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## josh_r

That looks really good as usual hydrophyte. Great work!


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## hydrophyte

Thanks Josh!

The avic is looking happy still. She ate another dubia for me yesterday. 

I need to set up the tank with some extra heat because we are having an early autumn here and the house is getting chilly. I think I might use a ceramic bulb heater.


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## donniedark0

beautiful. i love it. gave me some inspiration. 

quick question, why not just plant the plants in media instead of all them individually in those canisters? thanks in advance


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## hydrophyte

donniedark0 said:


> beautiful. i love it. gave me some inspiration.
> 
> quick question, why not just plant the plants in media instead of all them individually in those canisters? thanks in advance


Thanks!

It's just a lot easier to manage the plants with this kind of setup. I can easily move them around. See this video for an explanation...  Selva-New-Short-8-VIII-12 - YouTube


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## hydrophyte

I have a quick picture from a quick experimental setup in a 30 X High fish tank. 







I don't know how long I might have this set up and I don't have any livestock ideas either. I might think about putting some frogs in here. I need to add some leaf litter to get it looking more natural.


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## hydrophyte

Hey I got a really cool new collector aroid, _Stenospermation marantifolium_.







It might be a good plant to put in this setup. I think it is a terrestrial and it is pretty good sized. The longest of these cut canes in 14" long. 

I found this Flickr photo album with wild plants in the Osa Peninsula (I've been there!) Costa Rica.

Stenospermation marantifolium Hemsl. | Flickr - Photo Sharing!


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## HDaveM

I could easily get my hands on an avi, (i recently got an avi metallica) the problem is that i live in Colombia so im not sure how we might figure out the shipping or whatever mean we use. If you manage to get an avi, i recommend that if its still small (less than 2.5 inches) you keep it in a smaller place because the ones i have gave me a hard time eating while in a bigger terrain. Oh and great job with that terrain! i could use some tips in botany.


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## hydrophyte

The avic is walking laps around here enclosure. She doesn't seem bothered at all by the lights which are on bright and shiny. I gotta get a video recorder so I can get video of here moving around like this. She climbs all over the plants and the driftwood.

Reactions: Like 1


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## HDaveM

I could easily get my hands on an avi, (i recently got an avi metallica) the problem is that i live in Colombia so im not sure how we might figure out the shipping or whatever mean we use. If you manage to get an avi, i recommend that if its still small (less than 2.5 inches) you keep it in a smaller place because the ones i have gave me a hard time eating while in a bigger terrain. Oh and great job with that terrain! i could use some tips in botany.


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## Ambly

good lookin enclosure, Hydrophyte... think I've seen it before in a more froggy setting.  The plant choice is excellent, as well as their distribution.  

Sean


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## hydrophyte

HDaveM said:


> I could easily get my hands on an avi, (i recently got an avi metallica) the problem is that i live in Colombia so im not sure how we might figure out the shipping or whatever mean we use. If you manage to get an avi, i recommend that if its still small (less than 2.5 inches) you keep it in a smaller place because the ones i have gave me a hard time eating while in a bigger terrain. Oh and great job with that terrain! i could use some tips in botany.


Here in the United States we cannot import live animals without the proper documentation. I imagine that Colombia has strict laws about exporting wildlife as well. We can get avics easily enough from breeders and importers here.  



Ambly said:


> good lookin enclosure, Hydrophyte... think I've seen it before in a more froggy setting.  The plant choice is excellent, as well as their distribution.
> 
> Sean


Thanks!


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## hydrophyte

Well the avic finally did some more webbing and built a web hammock up in the right rear corner of the enclosure. I think she must feel more comfortable there because I see here walking around the enclosure a lot less. Now I wish that I had gotten more pictures when she was more active, but I'm glad that she has settled down because I was worried about all of the falls that she took. She never hurt herself, but I watched her tumble from the top of the tank a couple of times.


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## XLRX8

That's a really nice set up man. Any pics with the webbing? Would be cool to see the spider living in there!


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## hydrophyte

XLRX8 said:


> That's a really nice set up man. Any pics with the webbing? Would be cool to see the spider living in there!


I got a quick picture last night.

Here you can see the web hammock that she made up in the rear right-hand corner. She has just been hanging out there in the web for days, but last night she was out for a little while and I got this shot.


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## XLRX8

That is really very nice! It's a three dimensional living piece of art! I always like to see the webs of my spiders develop over time, as they thicken up and become more elaborate. I bet this tank will look (even more) stunning as the plants and webbing grow through it. Well done man!


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## hydrophyte

XLRX8 said:


> That is really very nice! It's a three dimensional living piece of art! I always like to see the webs of my spiders develop over time, as they thicken up and become more elaborate. I bet this tank will look (even more) stunning as the plants and webbing grow through it. Well done man!


Thanks. I hope that show won't web up the plants too much, but it would be cool to see more webbing in the branches.


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## hydrophyte

I think that I want to change this to make a planting more like what I have in my 12 X 12 Exo, with pretty short terrestrial plants planted into the bottom and with epiphytes planted up around the top of the manzanita. I don't have a recent picture, but you can see below that some of the plants are pretty tall and reach up to the top of the enclosure. They have grown even more and now are covering a lot of the branches. They also cast a lot of shade and now the only part of the tank that is very well illuminated is the front, with the effect that the whole thing lacks visual depth and looks flat.







Here is a recent shot of the 12 X 12. To me this photo looks like a larger enclosure than the 37G. The shorter plants in the bottom and areas of bare manzanita branches create an effect of greater height.







For the 37G I want to just leave the small palms in the bottom and maybe add a few more short plants, then plant orchids and/or _Tillandsia_ up around the top. It would be fun to look around for some more unusual orchids that will fit well in the space.


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## hydrophyte

Here's an orchid that would probably be a good choice for this replanting project, _Barkaria spectabilis_. I used to have this one--this is my picture--and now I'm sorry that I sold it off. It's a pretty common species however and I should be able to find another one.







This orchid is a good size and shape. It grows laterally or semi-pendant and it has nice thick white orchid roots. The inflorescence is compact too.


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## hydrophyte

Here's a quick photo update!

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## hydrophyte

I found something fun on the Internets. This is a photo album with shots of _Avicularia_ spp. and tube webs in their habitats...

Avicularia sp.  from Bolivia, Beni province


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## hydrophyte

Another quick shot...


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## Enven Reptiles

Fantastic looking setups mate! i through josh_r's guiding hand will be getting together afew planted setups mostly for green tree pythons, geckos, phlogius spp, trap door spider spp and perhaps space permitting a frog or two


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## hydrophyte

Enven Reptiles said:


> Fantastic looking setups mate! i through josh_r's guiding hand will be getting together afew planted setups mostly for green tree pythons, geckos, phlogius spp, trap door spider spp and perhaps space permitting a frog or two


Hey I look forward to seeing those setups as you get started with them!

Here's another quick detail shot from the other night. I am going to remove most of these plants for the replanting project.


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## hydrophyte

This is a crummy photo, but I wanted to shoot one quick while she was out.

With her molt the avic assumed this amazing dark cobalt blue all over. She is also about 3/4" larger.


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## Kungfujoe

Great enclosure.. I do similar tanks with manzanita wood at work but its for aquatic plants and community fish..


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## Storm76

I totally concur! It's looking fantastic!


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## hydrophyte

Hey thanks you guys!


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## SirCupaTea

I am blown away with how cool this sent up is!


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## hydrophyte

SirCupaTea said:


> I am blown away with how cool this sent up is!


Thanks!

It's pretty easy, too. With the materials and plants and stuff on-hand it came together pretty quick and care is real simple too. The avic seems to like it in there.


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## Rhiannonn

I'm resurrecting this thread to ask if anyone has a source for manzanita wood this lovely and with this kind of branching habit? All I can find near me are twiggy types or one piece logs....


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