Building a U. guentheri tank

[BonnieLorraine]

I've got an adult pair of cb guentheri coming in the next couple of weeks, and want to get a head start on their tank. I've been looking online for tank advice, and not finding very much available info, other than they're lower humidity compared to other species, and they like smaller branches to climb on.

I'm ordering a 24"x18"x24" Exo Terra (I know taller is better, but our rack will only fit the 2' tall tanks) and three cork background panels from my friends store tomorrow, and also thinking of getting some of the smaller Zoo Med twisty vines and cork tubes. For plants, I ordered a Ficus salicifolia from Tropiflora, and also a Sansevieria 'Fernwood' (16"x12" mature size, and narrow almost cylindrical looking leaves). For the rest of the plants, I'll probably just go into the greenhouse and take cuttings of whatever looks good to fill in the empty spots. The soil will be my usual modified ABG mix, and drainage will be hydroton. Lighting will be a dual high output t5 fixture, with one uvb bulb and one 6500k bulb.

Does anyone have any recommendations or corrections to my plan? It's always better to figure out mistakes before constructing a vivarium

 

[uroplatus99]

I have found that the guentheri love less plants... I have some small umbrella plants and some pothos (low lying), but what they love the most is small diameter twigs to clime on... I have a couple on fake rock looking backgrounds, some on bark looking backgrounds, and some on no backgrounds. I find the exotera rock looking background is prefered. The bark doesn't get used as much... I even have a cork bark tube, and to much of my surprise the male with it doesn't like it at all. These guys typically stay high for me during the day, but are seen crawling on the floor during the night. So I think you should be ok with the size tank you have. They may use more of the floor then any other species of uroplatus. Plus will give you the chance to see them run or ball and roll!

I have a WC male that didn't have anything to do with a live dracena, but once it died (the plant), he is all over it all the time! What I started looking at was there color... they don't look like live foliage, but more like rock and dead foliage... so I started coping that. Seems to work for them...

Hope this helps... And one real good piece of breeding advice.... Keep the female fed and pumped full of calcium. THey will breed themselves to death, so be prepaired to assist with that, and sperate if needed.

 

[BonnieLorraine]

Thanks!! I've now been on the search online for "dead" looking tropical plants, and have found a few promising options. The Sansevieria should be good for climbing, it has narrow, long, cylindrical leaves, but alas, it's green. I was going to put some small diameter bamboo in there too. I ordered the cage decor stuff yesterday, and it all was delivered today except the cork tubes, apparently those are back ordered. The cage itself should be coming in on Friday. I'm so excited!!!