# "contemporary", unconventional terrariums



## Guest (Apr 16, 2006)

So lately i've been entertaining this idea that i've had for the past few weeks... i've seen some incredibly artistic terrarium setups built here at dendroboard.com... but all of them attempt to recreate natural settings for our frogs. And of course everyone does a great job of that.

What I wonder is whether anyone's ever created something purposely 'unnnatural'. For instance, has anyone created a terrarium with geometric shapes, or something that you'd never see in the rainforest? 

I know to many this is sacrilege, but you have to admit it's kind of a fun idea... who says terrariums have to be miniatures of nature for them to be successful for our frogs? I haven't the nerve to pull this off just yet, but it's an idea that I think would be pretty cool. Something I'd imagine would actually be interesting at a contemporary art gallery actually... An interesting juxtaposition for the frogs, while not sacrificing their needs.

Has anyone done anything unconventional with their terrariums? If so, let's see those weird tanks!!! 

sam


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## Guest (Apr 16, 2006)

Here's a website where the owners build vivs that are 'unordinary' for animals like pyramids for geckos and stuff. It's a Belgian site, in English. Most of the ones they build are regular, but some have some strange shapes and designs. It's not contemporary art, but rather scenes of ruins, pyramids, and statues. 

http://www.animaldreamdesign.be/frames.html?/gallery/albums.php~main


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## Guest (Apr 16, 2006)

that is awesome. Love that "roman" style building. I never really thought of that, i guess i just thought i would rather a rainforest in my basement than something like those in the pics. Now, i have seen some things that are weird and are a little "unnatural", like that guy that has a plaster of his face in his viv, but I have never seen a building with fish in it!  

I guess it is ok, but would havin frogs in something like that disturb them in anyway? I know that if they were raised from tadpole stage they wouldnt know any better, but if I bought a sub-adult frog that was in a naturalistic viv, then put it in an unnaturalistic one, would anything happen to them?


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## Guest (Apr 16, 2006)

I guess someone could try to create a Tropical Garden in a viv. With geometric shapes often found in gardens, and the plants planted in geometric designs. Or give the tank a Feng Shuei look (did I spell that right?), with a geometric stream, zig zag and straight lines, and plants. But can this design still give the density required to make the frogs happpy?
very interesting though. Hmmmmm.


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## vignolo (Mar 9, 2005)

Hi

It's funny that you talk about that, because I have an idea now but not sure about the viability of the project. I would be interrested in building a viv in a empty tree trunk with just a glass for the front doors. Does anyone made it yet? It's something I've never seen but quite sure that the look would impress.
Any suggestions?

Thanks 
PL


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## Guest (Apr 16, 2006)

What would be happy living inside a tree trunk? But now that I think of it, with so many vivs out there with cork backgrounds on three sides of 4 sided tanks, I guess its not that different. And with real wood you might get a cool mushroom or two. But with real wood you might get a fungal infestation. Forget about feeding termites.
Sounds nice, when are you gonna do it?


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## vignolo (Mar 9, 2005)

Khamul1of9

The front door is gonna take the half of the circonference. I'm doing it for the outside look and I don't want my frogs to feel like prisoners in it. I guess I'm gonna start this project in two weeks as the session ends friday. I found one of my friends to hollow the trunk. I'll have to find the coating for it.

I'll post some pics as I get in!
It's bad that I'll sell this viv after because I won't have the place to keep it!

PL!


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## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

i think this guy was talking about the inside being "unnatural". Such as made of legos or something


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## Jordan B (Oct 8, 2004)

Dave, you have just come up with something that outdoes Greg and his leca tanks. Lego's here we come! :wink:


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## vignolo (Mar 9, 2005)

Dendro Dave said:


> i think this guy was talking about the inside being "unnatural". Such as made of legos or something


This his what I thought too, but I guess we should let this type of viv to reptiles. So I took the idea on the other side and took the chance to place my plans for my next viv.

THanks
PL!


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## Iheartdarts (Mar 3, 2005)

Well this isn't exactly what you're talking about but the waterfall I made for my tank is somewhat unnatural. In the picture it's just sitting in my unfinished tank but It's done now and I'm ordering my plants tomorrow (woot!)










I guess it's no so unnatural though....it's made of slate with two geode slices.



-DT


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## dustin_grey (Mar 8, 2006)

Itd be cool to have a cityscape with buildings and tiny cars and stuff. And the "rain" goes down the street drains and stuff like that. The frogs could play Godzilla or something, or maybe Im just immature.


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## bluedart (Sep 5, 2005)

I'm going to make a lego city for one of my geckos. SWEET.


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## back2eight (Dec 19, 2005)

I have wondered about this, too. I have thought about doing one for my daughter and instead of the typical background, maybe using the great stuff and then put colored sand over some clear silicone for the background. Maybe pink or yellow, or even a rainbow of colors. They sell colored aquarium sand. It may even be possible to do some blue with a yellow circle for a sun and then a colored rainbow arcing across the background. Then maybe a stream with lots of pretty blooming flowers growing. It would still have lots of hiding places and things like they need, and could be kept the right temp and humidity, it would just use girly pretty colors instead of natualistic ones. Maybe littel tiny doll houses or doll furniture could take the place of coco huts. I saw a pic of someone's terrarium where they put together a Little Tykes tree house in their tank for a tree frog. It was different, and neat looking.


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## Guest (Apr 17, 2006)

dustin_grey said:


> Itd be cool to have a cityscape with buildings and tiny cars and stuff. And the "rain" goes down the street drains and stuff like that. The frogs could play Godzilla or something, or maybe Im just immature.


ANd the fruit flies are the people. 
Here come the Frogs!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LOLOLOLOLOL. Too much fun. Yea its imature, but I can't help it either.


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## bluedart (Sep 5, 2005)

back2eight said:


> I have wondered about this, too. I have thought about doing one for my daughter and instead of the typical background, maybe using the great stuff and then put colored sand over some clear silicone for the background. Maybe pink or yellow, or even a rainbow of colors. They sell colored aquarium sand. It may even be possible to do some blue with a yellow circle for a sun and then a colored rainbow arcing across the background. Then maybe a stream with lots of pretty blooming flowers growing. It would still have lots of hiding places and things like they need, and could be kept the right temp and humidity, it would just use girly pretty colors instead of natualistic ones. Maybe littel tiny doll houses or doll furniture could take the place of coco huts. I saw a pic of someone's terrarium where they put together a Little Tykes tree house in their tank for a tree frog. It was different, and neat looking.


I'd be weary about using darts with sand... the sand could--probably would--be very abrasive to their skin. I'd just be really weary about that one. But, it does sound like an interesting idea. Maybe try it with some sort of geckos.


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## fon (Mar 5, 2007)

*funny u should mention it.*

just yesterday i got the idea tht my next vivarium will be a dollhouse (that i make out of cypress and non-toxic materials) with a grass yard and a sidewalk(made of clay and granite spraypaint) with mini flowers growing along it. and a bonsai and a tiled pool in the back. basically a vivarium of what every little girl draws as the perfect home. (this isn't for a frog, its for my baby snake) he is happy as long as he has a hiding spot(the dollhouse) and a place to soak(the pool) I thought it would be cute, and i have never seen it done. i will post the finished project in a few months.  I am excited to see what people say. first i made a viv for my snake (a full on viv not just some branches) which isn't done often, and then i will make the dollhouse viv which i personally havent seen. and ill post pics of my pretty snakes.(sorry i dont have any frogs, but my boyfriend has a azerus sp? and 5 vents i think it evens out)


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## Dendrobait (May 29, 2005)

I can see frogs being happy in an unnatural looking tank as long as their basic needs of hiding, humidity etc. are being met. I bet their are at least a few ancient civilization jungle ruins terrariums with plants all over them.


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## Dendro (Apr 8, 2007)

This is a weird setup......


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## SLEDDER23 (Mar 17, 2005)

I recall seeing an aquarium once that was set up to look like an apartment. It brought to mind the set of the TV show the Honeymooners.

I wonder if this would stress the frogs out visually, or if the required hardness of some of the objects versus moss, dirt, leaves, etc would be an issue. This might be a concept more applicable to a lizard viv, but it has merit.

Worst case, it's pure folly, but causes us to think outside the vivarium.


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## porkchop48 (May 16, 2006)

I have a couple that are almost liek you are talking about but still kinda natural. I have one that had a sbaer tooth tiger skull and another dino skull in it( made for fish tanks) I have an easter island one and them I have a heavily planted on the has GI joes in it ( guns an all) Looks like a mini battle going on in the jungle. Ill try and get some pics up. Next I think im going to try to mayan temple or the hanging gardens look.


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## lessthantito (Nov 6, 2006)

Dendro said:


> This is a weird setup......


where did you find that pic ? those are awesome looking tanks


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## housevibe7 (Sep 24, 2006)

When you enlarge a picture it usually gives you the web address :wink: 
http://www.artmakers.com/index.html
Go to Terrarium Museum, then click on Milennium Terrarium.


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## melissa68 (Feb 16, 2004)

http://www.artmakers.com/terrarium/millennium/millpics.html


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## pl259 (Feb 27, 2006)

Food for thought...

I had a similar idea a while back. The idea grew toward designing a viv to make a statement about habitat destruction and deforestation. Even though I didn't go through with it, some thoughts were to have things like sawed off tree stumps, dripping rusty looking drain pipe, modern day trash(i.e. soda can, barbie doll, ect.), and a background that looked like the rusty yellow wheels and tread of a bulldozer. The bulldozer tread was going to be resting on the broken head of an Aztec or Mayan statue. I also wanted to a have a lot of plants and overgrowth, implying the forest's recovery. 

It was a bit ambitious and I eventually chose to stay with conventional viv designs. Some day? Maybe!!

EricG.NH


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## melissa68 (Feb 16, 2004)

Ya - someday. 

I would be worried about putting rusting metals in such a small enclosure. A better idea might be painting items to look like what you mention than to actually use metal ones.

Melis


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## pl259 (Feb 27, 2006)

> I would be worried about putting rusting metals in such a small enclosure. A better idea might be painting items to look like what you mention than to actually use metal ones.


Absolutely! That's why I used words like "looking" and "looks like". 
Thanks for stating it more clearly for those who may have thought otherwise.
EricG.NH


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