What should I fill this enclosure with?

jrh3

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This 36x18x18 will be empty soon. Looking for ideas on my next tenant. Criteria, no snakes, no bearded dragons, no dart frogs. Its sliding glass front, with a mesh top but i can cover the top if needed.
 

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Wolfram1

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I was thinking just a planted bioactive enclosure or fill it with blue death feigning beetles.
that would work too

i have to be honest though, blue death feigning beetles don't do anything for me, i find them kind of ugly actually

there are so many beetles that i'd rather have is what i am saying

anyway, you already have all that uv lighting, would be a real shame not to have some very nice plants
 

jrh3

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that would work too

i have to be honest though, blue death feigning beetles don't do anything for me, i find them kind of ugly actually

there are so many beetles that i'd rather have is what i am saying

anyway, you already have all that uv lighting, would be a real shame not to have some very nice plants
I already have plenty of cacti growing. This one might be more of a tropical enclosure. You have a recommendation on plants other than orchids? I would like a variety. I think i can only get about 5” soil depth unless I angle it.
 

Wolfram1

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I already have plenty of cacti growing. This one might be more of a tropical enclosure. You have a recommendation on plants other than orchids? I would like a variety. I think i can only get about 5” soil depth unless I angle it.
hmm, thats always the hardest part, finding plants that do well in similar environments

orchids i would buy at an orchid show, there are probbly ones near you at leat once or twice a year and they often have much more interesting species than any box stoes carry, though most of them will need special care even in a vivarium

most orchids want to get wet regularly but also dry off just as fast, so mounting them or hanging them is usually the best option

i havent taken the step to create an orchidarium yet so my personal experience with them is limited.

one great option for a groundcover that prefers higher moisture would be Selaginella uncinata.
its the plant in this video, though thats taken in the wild. It develps a very nice bluish metallic sheen.

Other than that you would really need to ether decide on the conditions you want to create and then pick the plants that do well or the other way around, pick some plants and then adjust the conditions to them.
 
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Wolfram1

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Giant Millipedes
they may destroy some herbaceous plants but it would defenitly be a nice and meditative animal to watch
if you pick a bright red species or some other brightly colored one, they'd also pop out, even if the tank is heavily planted
 

l4nsky

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Do you have a price range? Are you looking for a display animal or a breeding group? Uroplatus spp are an option for a nice planted vivarium and could defray their own costs if you can get them to reproduce, but they are a bit on the pricier side. A big pixie frog might be an entertaining pet should you just want a display specimen.
 

Stu Macher

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M. balfouri communal. Or another species that does well communaly. That would look wild with all the web tunnels
 

Charliemum

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Would look great with a balfouri community in it, could reused the wood ect then 😊 or if you want only plants could always try carnivorous plants. Still eat the same food as your spiders then 🤷🏻‍♀️
 

FlamingSwampert

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This 36x18x18 will be empty soon. Looking for ideas on my next tenant. Criteria, no snakes, no bearded dragons, no dart frogs. Its sliding glass front, with a mesh top but i can cover the top if needed.
Some blaberus sp, fire skink would look cool in a planted viv, I've seen ppl keep moon crabs but this enclosure might be big for just 1 and idk if they can be communal. One of those "big mouth" frogs (pixie, solomon island, etc) could also work well because while they do dig, they tend to stay in the same spot and wouldn't dig up most of your plants.

I've got the same issue lol, got a free 20 gal (idr the dimensions) and nothing to put in it.
 
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