# New brookesia vivarium



## AQUAMAC (Jul 27, 2004)

I just finished 2 of my new vivarium for our brookesia and thought I would share. The first one has 2 pairs of brookesia thieli, one brookesia ebenaui, and several mantellas. It has a stream bed on the bottom with several pools. The vivarium measures 36" x 24" x 24"










Henry our b. ebenaui hanging on the underside of a root:










stream bed:









gravid b. thieli:










Our second new vivarium houses 2.2 superciliaris and one satanic leaf gecko. Both vivs have dripwalls on the backs.










b. superciliaris:










male and female hangin out:


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## Guest (Aug 30, 2006)

That's insane :!:


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## Fishinfl321 (Aug 10, 2006)

Looks awesome. Great Work. 

Troy


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## thong_monster (May 6, 2006)

Great job Mike! Talk about lush, nice selection of plants and placement. I love the pic of upside down Henry.


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## Frank H (Nov 3, 2005)

Those both look amazing!


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## stchupa (Apr 25, 2006)

Very well done. Absolutely gorgeous chameleons and tank.

How long have you had these?


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## Guest (Aug 30, 2006)

What types of Mantellas?


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## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

:shock: The vivs look great. Whats size are they? Also, do you have to worry about hyridization with mixing Brookesia?


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## c'est ma (Sep 11, 2004)

Gorgeous vivs, wonderful animals! I look forward to following these.


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## AQUAMAC (Jul 27, 2004)

Thanks everyone for the compliments...to answer a few questions.

1. I have been working with brookesia on and off for the past 12 years now. I got involved with them and Cameroon rainforest chameleon species a long time ago and enjoy working with them. They are not a beginner species and can be rather difficult to breed and keep alive (the key is airflow and humidity). Each tank is equipped with a large 5" fan. he drip wall and misting system take care of the humidity. 

2. No these brookesia will not interbreed and their habitats do overlap. The ebenaui is territorial but the vivarium is large enough that the thieli can get away. 

3. The mantellas I keep with them are Mantella expectata.

Thanks again,

Mike


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## doncoyote (Apr 20, 2005)

Fantastic post - thanks. Do you cycle the vivs? If so, how cool/dry for how long? Someday soon, I want to go the Malagasy route - I think I can give them what they need in a 'cool room' in the basement.


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## Guest (Aug 30, 2006)

very nice. can we see a pic of them from a little further away? im interested in the over all view of these tanks. they look very nice. the malagasy theme is one of my favs and i definatly want to do a large biotope one of these days.....


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## Guest (Aug 30, 2006)

Bueatiful tanks!!!! :shock:

I really really really like your stream. Is it running water, or does it stay still?
I like the way it hides from view unless you are looking at it from above.


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## c'est ma (Sep 11, 2004)

What kind of substrate is showing under the gravid thieli?


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## AQUAMAC (Jul 27, 2004)

Thanks again for the compliments. I'll try to get you a few more pics form far away as soon as I have some free time. Yes I do cycle the tanks for the brookesia. Lighting, humidity, and food availability are key for mating to occur in some species. I will have to get you info on that a bit later. If you have never dealt with brookesia I would try rhampholeon first. They are, for the most part, less touchy and much less $$ and great to start with. The brookesia often come in very bad shape and have high parasite loads, dehydrated, etc. Unless you have access to a great herp vet or can purchase cb offspring, I would try the rhampholeon first. Fewer of these guys are coming in and I hope to see some of the leaf chameleon enthusiasts work at establishing these guys in captivity (unlike the dart frogs they breed 1-2 times a year and only have 2-5 eggs in a clutch on average so it will take a lot of work). The stream does run and spills into 3 pools. The 3rd pool is right in the front so it looks like the water is flowing towards you. (I got the idea from a vivarium in the Baltimore Aquarium). I would love to find Henry a mate so if anyone has any info on any ebenaui available I would be very thankful. 

Oh the female thieli is climbing on the side of the vivarium. I mount tree fern panel on all sides..I like it a lot better than the foam and it seems to grow plants a heck of a lot faster when coupled with a drip system.
All the best,

Mike


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## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

AQUAMAC said:


> ...Oh the female thieli is climbing on the side of the vivarium. *I mount tree fern panel on all sides..I like it a lot better than the foam and it seems to grow plants a heck of a lot faster when coupled with a drip system.*
> All the best,
> 
> Mike


I've noticed this same thing. Its b/c the roots can go through the tree fern whereas the roots have to go around and over the GS or cork bark backgrounds.


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## themann42 (Apr 12, 2005)

wow awesome tanks! i've always wanted a pair of brookesia or rieppeleon brevicaudatus. i think my favorite looking one is brookesia peramata. thanks for sharing! i know want to go out and spend more money i don't have!


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## dragonfrog (Feb 16, 2006)

If you can, post some pics of the stream and pons so we can see the principal concept you refer to, please.


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## Guest (Sep 1, 2006)

that bark looks suprisingly good


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## JJuchems (Feb 16, 2004)

I still hate you for having for having Brookesia. :lol: I want them again so bad.
Later and Happy Herping,
Jason Juchems


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## maxmlax (Aug 13, 2006)

I really like that plant that is in the middle left of the first pic....it is large and tall and has green leaves alternating down the stem, what plant is that?


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## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

maxmlax said:


> I really like that plant that is in the middle left of the first pic....it is large and tall and has green leaves alternating down the stem, what plant is that?


I think you're talking about the Lemon Button Fern.


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## themann42 (Apr 12, 2005)

how/what do you feed them?


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## AQUAMAC (Jul 27, 2004)

Yep thats a lemon buttom fern. I'll try to get more pics this week. I just lost a family member and have not been home to take pics. The brookesia eat hydei, small crickets, baby mantids, small grasshoppers etc. A varied diet is really important for these guys.

-Mike


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## bluetip (May 18, 2004)

Hi Mike,

Can you share construction how tos on your tank? Size? What lights you use? and where the fans are mounted? It sure does look great! Great Job!

Bing


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## trow (Aug 25, 2005)

A word of caution although you have them in a large setup keeping more than one male theili within a group can have disastrous results wether or not you witness it the dominant male will prevail and cauz the subdominant to find seclusion which as you know will lead to problems .Split them up they are not communal breeders all that is needed is the opposite sex.Reproduction in my groups have come to a stand still with any distractions example other species or frogs for that matter.They will conceive any fast quick movement as a threat and this has effects on there overall health.Just a word of caution take it as you want but I have witnessed very healthy brookesia die within weeks due to stress from these kinda setups.I would recomend keeping the mantella's and uro's together if this is something you cant live without or space limitations.
cya


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## AQUAMAC (Jul 27, 2004)

Sorry but I'll politely disagree with you. Myself and several other chamelen breeders have been working with thieli for the past 10 years with no ill effects to housing them in groups. I would not do this in a 10 gallon aquarium, or anything smaller than a 40 gallon but I have had them together for the past year with no ill effects. If you have visited Madagascar you would be surprised to see several thieli occupying a small space together. Though aggression through males is not uncommon it is very mild (not like ebenaui). I also have hatched out 3 clutches of thieli this year from a similar set up. Mantellas have not ever proven problematic in past setups (I know of several other breeders both in the States and Europe that keep the two together with no ill effects). I would not recommend a mixed species tank with brookesia in a small setup by any means, nor do I have a mixed species setup with them because "I can't live without the mantellas and the satanic leaf geckos from space limitations." This is a large vivarium with many visual barriers to reduce stress and I have housed both mantellas and thieli together in the past with success. The key with the brookesia is isolation upon importation to reduce stress and heavy rehydration. After about 6 months the group was introduced to a 40 gallon breeder and about 6 months after that they were moved to these vivariums. The key that I have noticed with them is providing isolation barriers and season changes. Females must be stimulated with heavy rains and warmer conditions so produce a hormone that will attract the male for reproduction (perhaps this is why you had problems with production?) Another key for these guys is air flow (they are subject to upper respiratory infections very easily). Thank you for your concern.

Take care,

Mike


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## markpulawski (Nov 19, 2004)

As in darts there is more than one right way!


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## zBrinks (Jul 16, 2006)

Details on the water feature please! That looks incredible!


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## AQUAMAC (Jul 27, 2004)

Sorry

Ill do my best to get some pics up this or next week. My grandma just passed away from cancer so my mind has been with other things this week. The tank is 36" high x 24" wide x 24" deep. My door is designed much like the european vivariums. The fan is mounted on the top of the vivarium and blows fresh air in the tank. Plumbing for the tanks is a bit complicated but it is a drip wall and mounted on the back of the vivarium. All pumps etc are external of the tank so if the pump gets jammed it can be removed and cleaned.

Take care,

Mike


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## zBrinks (Jul 16, 2006)

Sorry about your grandma, take your time. Some things are much more important then vivariums.


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## Anoleo2 (Feb 1, 2006)

Awesome vivs!
I especially like the river in that one.

Just a question...I noticed you used sycamore bark in there and I recently picked some up, so I was wondering how you prepared it for a viv? Like sterilization, cleaning and so on?

Thanks!


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## joker555 (Jan 8, 2005)

Hi Mike, what's you're opinion on using a fogger in a brookesia tank- do you think it might effect their respiratory systems or have any other negative side effects on them?

Thanks,
Dustin


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## Ontariofrogger1973 (Oct 18, 2008)

ive always wanted to do mantellas/brooks together
thats awsome!


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## lokshin55 (Apr 22, 2016)

AQUAMAC said:


> Thanks again for the compliments. I'll try to get you a few more pics form far away as soon as I have some free time. Yes I do cycle the tanks for the brookesia. Lighting, humidity, and food availability are key for mating to occur in some species. I will have to get you info on that a bit later. If you have never dealt with brookesia I would try rhampholeon first. They are, for the most part, less touchy and much less $$ and great to start with. The brookesia often come in very bad shape and have high parasite loads, dehydrated, etc. Unless you have access to a great herp vet or can purchase cb offspring, I would try the rhampholeon first. Fewer of these guys are coming in and I hope to see some of the leaf chameleon enthusiasts work at establishing these guys in captivity (unlike the dart frogs they breed 1-2 times a year and only have 2-5 eggs in a clutch on average so it will take a lot of work). The stream does run and spills into 3 pools. The 3rd pool is right in the front so it looks like the water is flowing towards you. (I got the idea from a vivarium in the Baltimore Aquarium). I would love to find Henry a mate so if anyone has any info on any ebenaui available I would be very thankful.
> 
> Oh the female thieli is climbing on the side of the vivarium. I mount tree fern panel on all sides..I like it a lot better than the foam and it seems to grow plants a heck of a lot faster when coupled with a drip system.
> All the best,
> ...


How did you build the river? I am confused with 3 pools. Please kindly explain if you have time. Thank you very much.


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## Scott (Feb 17, 2004)

16 years old. OP is long gone from here. Closing.


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