So I've got a 6 foot long irreparable tank, what to do?

AnnetteG

AnnetteG

getting back to basics
Sep 24, 2007
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We picked up this 135 gallon tank, thinking we'd be able to redo the silicone, only to find that the primary seal between the glass at the corner is gone. SO, what do we do with it now? My husband wants some sort of creepy crawly critter. I do like bearded dragons, but I was reading online about them last night and DANG they eat a LOT of bugs! Blech!

Okay, so I've got 2 little boys, ages 4 and 2.5. Keeping that in mind, gimme some ideas for this tank! I think it could hold a LITTLE bit of water in the bottom, if we needed a little pond for whatever we end up with. It either needs to be fascinating to watch or nice enough to hold and play around with. My boys are very good about being gentle, but...they are still young. The tank does have a stand and is quite tall, so they won't be getting into it without supervision.

Also, it's got glass tops, but if we need a different type of lid, have you got any suggestions for me? Something that locks maybe?

Ideas?

Thanks!

ETA: NO SNAKES :)
 
That would be a nice little place for a tortoise! No water needed, except for the water dishes of course;)! I don't know too much about them, but maybe you could fit two in there! One for each of the boys:)
 
A lot of tortoises get big though... watch what species you get. And make sure you get lots of variety in your veggies. Box turtles are pretty cool critters, but they like their bugs as well. Beardies become more and more vegetarian as they get older (and have to have veggies offered from the start, too much protein isn't good for them)... and I bet the boys would enjoy feeding it bugs ;P

If you get a reptile, make sure your boys learn the importance of handwashing - Salmonella is always a threat with reptiles. And make sure you spend a lot of time researching the species - there's a ton of misinformation out there, a good bit of which is because they used to not know any better. anapsid.org tends to have decent info, and there's a number of good species/type specific forums out there. You could also get in contact with your local herpetological society. Probably 90% of the problems vets see with reptiles are completely due to husbandry issues - not feeding right, not warm or cool enough, wrong humidity... there are species that aren't too fussy, but most are pretty specific in their requirements.
 
I would put a lizard in it like a breaded dragon or iguana and don't worry about the bugs you will get over it quickly.

Its i real shame you don't want a snake
 
don't iguanas get too hugimongous?
 
No tortoises or Box Turtles. They need more room then this and being able to see out of their enclosure stresses the heck out of them. I'd go with some sort of ground dwelling lizard. Beardies are nice but if you don't like feeding insects you should look at uromastyx. They are awesome lizards and their main diet is veggies. They are also quite tame and your kids would be able to hold them every now and then. Just keep in mind that they need very high temperatures. Here's a basic care sheet for the genus of Uromastyx. http://www.kingsnake.com/uromastyx/caresheets/uro-care.htm

greenguy3.jpg
 
I wasn't aware that turtles and tortoises don't like to see out the sides of their enclosure - I haven't owned one, but have seen them in various enclosures... it does occur to me that most of the smaller ones are modified rubbermaid tubs. And then if they have a good owner, they graduate to outdoors. Heh.

Iguanas get really really big, and are strict vegetarians.
 
equus_peduus said:
I wasn't aware that turtles and tortoises don't like to see out the sides of their enclosure - I haven't owned one, but have seen them in various enclosures... it does occur to me that most of the smaller ones are modified rubbermaid tubs. And then if they have a good owner, they graduate to outdoors. Heh.

Iguanas get really really big, and are strict vegetarians.
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For Tortoises and most turtles, the grass is always greener on the other side. But tortoises seem to be the most thick headed when it comes to being able to see out of their enclosures. They will constantly try to get out.

North American Box turtles are a whole other story. I've been keeping and breeding them for almost 20 years now and they do best outdoors. If they don't have a proper cooling period to hibernate, it shortens their life spans and causes them a great deal of stress. I'm one of those good owners who keeps my Eastern Box Turtles outdoors all year. At the moment they are hibernating.
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You can keep water turtles in transparent tubs or tanks for the most part. But some individuals will constantly swim against the glass. They don't always understand that they can't swim through the transparent sides of their enclousres. The only water turtle that I still have is a juvi Stinkpot Musk Turtle that I got last year. He lives indoors in a transparent 40 gallon rubbermaid tub.
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Oh yeah, and I've had a couple Green Iguanas as well. My biggest was 6 foot male. They get huge and are very messy animals. Not the best beginner herp out there. His enclosure was big too, 6'x3.5'x5'.
 
I would get a bearded dragon! I have a ~5 month old male named Sid, who is currently sleeping on my chest as I write this. they need insects however (silkworms are very easy to care for, what I feed Sid) and can eat up to 50 silkworms every day (though 30 is usually the most they will eat). this can get expensive, sometiems up to 75 bucks a month. once they reach their first year a beardie will start to eat mostly veggies (moving from 80% protein AKA live prey and 20% veggies to 80% veggies and 20% protein). they are great and tame animals, as are the uros mentioned earlyer.

other thoughts would be uros, frogs, a tegu (black and whites are supposed to be tame) and probably a few others not mentioned. if this is a pet for kids then it would be best to stay away from most of the geckos, monitors, probably most tegus, and turtles. I would really get a SINGLE (beardies cant live in pairs or groups, it is risky and will 90% of the time lead to injury, death, or loss of digits, Sid is missing a toe from being housed with other beardies). bearded dragons.com forum is a great place to go.
 
I said this in your other thread... but I really think you should fill most of it like a vivarium or the land area of a paludarium, and sink a smaller tank or build a plastic box or tub that sits into the soil to form a 5-10 gallon mini pond, that is completely sealed on it's own. you could contain the filter and heater in a hidden box under a rock, behind the pond, and maybe even have a waterfall. then I'd plant the land areas heavily and maybe have either frogs or crabs or salamanders. maybe some terrestrial snails or something... it could be so cool. you might even be able to position it to have a portion of the pond up against one of the outside glass surfaces, so you can see under the water too... but that seems secondary
 
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