[Deadly_Kermit]

Originally Posted by sushigex

There's also a general rule of thumb that if mixing species, it probably isn't a bad idea to make sure that the animals are from the same general location. Being that this is your second forum of which you have aired out this question with cautionary replies, maybe you should take the advice. Why not start by successfully keeping both species individually?

This guy has the right idea... I think experience with each species individually is necessary before you try mixing. You need to know what they are like in ideal conditions so that you can identify small changes in behavior that may indicate stress.

[porkchop48]

Correct me if I am wrong ( cause I am one of those stuck up dart people) I did not think cresteds needed that high of humidity? Wont having the humidity at a constant 90% or higher cause problems for the geckos?

If you do use a screen for a lid or install fans then you are going to run the risk of fruit flies getting out.

I really dont think it is a good idea regardless of what board you post it on.

[heiser]

Sushigex is steering you right. Dart frog tank is too humid for cresteds. If you try to keep the top ventilated you will almost certainly make it too dry for darts and you still will have cresteds at the bottom humid part of the tank.

I keep a mixed species tank and suggest you might consider something similar. I have a trio of D. tinc., a singular male D. intermedius (I still can't find him a female), a pair of Suriname clown tree frogs (Hyla leucophyllata) and about a dozen Mourning geckos (L. lugubris). Except for the intermedius, all of these are found in Suriname (lugubris is "non-native" but has spread worldwide due in large to being parthenogenic) and all have similar environmental needs. It is a 40 gal breeder with false bottom (for water reserves) and has a water fall and pool. All of the animals have bred in the tank (except poor old thumbnail, who's a bachelor). I have had this tank set up for four years now and I have had no problems. The morning geckos (I try to only keep three adults at any time) breed like crazy and I cull about a dozen or so babies every two months. I have seen one adult eat a hatchling, but for the most part the babies do fine in-situ. I also assume the clown tree frogs may get a mourning gecko baby here or there, but I still end up wholesaling lots of babies as the tank overcrowds quickly. It is well planted with hardy broadleafs (bought at Home Depot for a few bucks each). They require an occasional pruning but not too bad. Looks like a typical dart frog terrarium, maybe a bit "bushier" in the center for the clowns and lugubris. I have two three inch wide vents at each end of the tank and a solid glass top in between the vents. It is very humid and everyone is happy.

I feed hydei ff for the darts and thumbnail and the baby lugubris eat these as well. I throw in bunches of 1/8 to 1/4 crix for the geckos and tree forgs and the darts take a few of the smaller crix. It is nice as I always have one of the species out and about no matter what time I visit the tank. Of course, lugubris are not cresteds...not good for holding, lol..and watch out when the vents are opened for feeding...fast little buggers. On the other hand a group of lugubris chirp like crazy at feeding time...cresteds are silent.

Regards,
John

[TongueInEye]

Kermit- Your avatar is hilarious

[Emilylovesherps]

I think the idea about keeping animals from the same location is true. At the zoo We keep Emerald Tree Boas and Amazon Tree Boas and Red Eyed tree frogs and Amazon Milk Frogs with our Darts just fine. But in my own collection, I keep Red Eyed Croc Skinks with my Crested Geckos. They are found near New Caledonia and stay under coconut husks in the wild. They leave each other alone. I read in a de Vosjoli book that you can keep them with Pink Toungued Skinks, too.

[Sanskrit]

I was another person who posted on Dendroboard about this topic (I mentioned buildup of feces and urates potentially being an issue). I think that some of the other posters are on the right track in suggesting that you change up the species you intend to use. Maybe you could look into some terrestrial geckos and arboreal frogs? I posted this thread on DB several months back and got some good suggestions for reptiles that would do well on a diet of dart frog feeders: http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/lou...vivariums.html
I wasn't interested in mixing but many of the suggestions fit the parameters that dart frogs are kept in. Personally, I think one thing that you should think about is finding two species that have similarly sized prey items so that you can feed from same cultures, the larger prey of one species won't stress out the smaller species, and they won't "in their wildest dreams" think of one another as food. I have no previous experience with mixed species enclosures but if I were looking to, that would be one important factor in my eyes.