Total n00b with a 29g...

[WinnipegDragon]

I have two 29g ex-aquariums lying around. They are both new, but the seams were defective from the factory (see my 20g planted build if you are curious). I don't trust them to hold 29g of water, but 5g or so wouldn't bother me. I've pretty much decided to keep one as an emergency aquarium, and to convert to other to some other sort of critter tank.

I just *love* some of the lush green palu/vivariums I've seen here, but I'm not sure what kind of animal is best for a beginner. I'd like something that is hearty and interesting, but something that won't eat crickets if at all possible. I'd also like to keep costs reasonable, although I'm an adequate DIY person so if there are some DIY cost-savers that would be handy to know.

I've considered tree frogs, hermits (meh) and lizards (boo to crickets). Anything else I should be looking at?

 

[DAVIDFBT]

The only thing that comes to mind when you say that you don't want to deal with live bugs to feed is either Turtles, (29g space is too small) and Hermit Crabs.

However, If you break free of the cricket fear one day, you should get some Green Anoles. These guys are arboreal (Tree-dwelling) lizards that would go perfect in a tall 29 gallon aquarium. They'll live in the trees that you should provide them or hang around on vines and logs. The only hard part is that you have to spray them with water every day so they can drink water off the leaves. In a 29 gallon space you could fit 6 of these guys in there. Make sure there are no more than 2 males in there. Males have a long poink throat sac and females have a whitish line down the back.

Dealing with crickets isn't really that bad, just ask the guy to give you X amount of crickets but without the cardboard thingy so all you have to do is cut the bag open and put in some nutrient powder then put them in the tank.

 

[WinnipegDragon]

It's not a fear thing with the crickets, it's a noise thing. I should have clarified

The 29g is not overly tall either. It's 30" long x 12" deep x 19" tall. I'm not sure if that's considered a tall tank in this sort of environment or not?

 

[psychoticpengwn]

Crickets don't make any sound if you get some small medium ones the larges is what you will have to worry about I have had my pacman for 3months now and haven't heard a single cricket the whole time but i do feed small medium ones

 

[DAVIDFBT]

To me, if a tank is taller than it is wide, its considered tall to me. If you feed the right amount to the lizards/amphibians, they will eat all the crickets before they get a chance to mate or try to mate. Use 1 cricket per inch of lizard a week and 2 crickets per inch of amphibian. This usually works out in my experience.

P.S. The crickets here are the small kind that are about half an inch.

 

[aquapants]

I have a couple green tree frogs. Cute little buggers. They eat crickets, but as was said, small crickets dont make noise. Tree frogs are very nice and peaceful, and most are pretty undemanding as far as their environs go.

 

[ohbly]

How about fiddler crabs? easy to feed and they are always up to something

 

[Notophthalmus]

I second the green treefrog (Hyla cinerea) suggestion. They, as well as other temperate zone treefrogs like H. chrysoscelis/H. versicolor, H. arborea, etc. are quite hardy and eat a broad range of insects and inverts; if you don't like crickets you can feed them small roaches, flies, moths, etc. However, if you have males, and you keep them happy, they will sing. If you want your tank to be silent, frogs are out.

Even hardier, and utterly silent, are millipedes. Several large tropical species are available in the trade, or you might be able to collect your own temperate species (not sure how many there are up your way). These guys thrive in a forest floor-type terrarium; they feed on dead leaves and vegetables. Other big herbivorous tropical inverts such as stick insects are also supposed to make good terrarium inhabitants, but I have no experience with them.

 

[WinnipegDragon]

Good ideas all, thanks. I'm coming around on the crickets and such, so I've been looking at some smaller lizards.

I do really like the dense arboreal style vivariums more so than the sand-bottomed style. My wife likes leopard geckos a lot and they sound like very good beginner reptiles so that's being considered. However, today we saw crested geckos at our LFS and they were a big hit with my wife an 2yo daughter, and they have the advanage of an arboreal style enclosure.

How are crested geckos for beginners? With a 20g I have room for a couple of critters, so what would go well with them in a similar environment?

I also did more reading on the Green Anoles and they sound interesting. I'm not sure about the amount of upkeep involved though. Is all the humidity control that difficult?

 

[Notophthalmus]

Anoles can be tricky; I would recommend staying away from them until you've had a bit more experience with lizards. I haven't kept crested geckos, but I hear they're pretty hardy. House geckos are another arboreal lizard that is pretty easy to care for, though a little plain compared to cresteds.

You should stick to single-species tanks for now; it makes everything easier. In any case, two geckos in a 20 gallon will pretty much stock it; there's not really room for anything else. I'm a fan of mixed-species terraria, too, but balancing the needs of all the animals can be difficult.