# Giant future frog viv



## AlexF (Sep 26, 2007)

I have the idea of using my greenhouse to house some dartfrogs. I still haven't released any inside because I'm wating to put in whatever is left behind from the offspring I produce.

The greenhouse is full of orchids, nepenthes and passifloras and I have started attaching bromeliads on the legs of most benches.

I just recently installed a fogging system into the greenhouse and took some pictures of the outcome. There are 13 noozles connected to a high pressure water pump (1,000-2,000 psi). I haven't automized the operation but I'm planning on installing a controller to operate the system 5 or 10 minutes every hour during the day.

The greenhouse already houses a panther chameleon and a local green frog I found inside my house and set loose inside the greenhouse.

Greenhouse









Greenhouse with system just starting









After the system has ran for about 3 minutes


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## mongo77 (Apr 28, 2008)

Looks very nice! I would love to have a small greenhouse one day. Wouldn't you have to worry about stepping on the frogs? Are there any plants growing from the ground or are all of them growing from atop of the table?


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## MeiKVR6 (Sep 16, 2008)

I was thinking of doing the same up here in CT! Too bad our winters get WAAAY too cold. They won't like the dry heat from the heat pumps. 

G/L with the project. It's a VERY VERY cool concept.


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## tkromer (Dec 20, 2007)

Looks fantastic! I bet that one is gonna be tough to fruit fly proof  Let us know how it all works out for you.


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## zBrinks (Jul 16, 2006)

If you search the web, I know there's a journal of a (I think German?) couple doing something very similar. Worth checking it out. 

Cool!


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## AlexRible (Oct 16, 2007)

Very cool, isn't it going to be too hot in the summer tho?


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## valledelcauca (Apr 13, 2004)

zBrinks said:


> If you search the web, I know there's a journal of a (I think German?) couple doing something very similar. Worth checking it out.
> 
> Cool!



Angela&Dr.M.Liebich's Vivarium

Here it is


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## AlexF (Sep 26, 2007)

Thanks, I also think it's a nice project but fear the frogs will get lost in space. The greenhouse measures 6 meters x 5 meters (18ft x 15 ft) and is almost 3m high (9ft).

Most of the plants are located in benches, but there are some at ground level and there are lot's of broms on the legs of every bench.

For some time I have been experimenting with the fruit flies. I always dump my old cultures into the greenhouse compost bin and get zillions of FF, but most are flying type. When I introduce darts to the greenhouse I will probably leave feeding stations scattered all over the gh.

There is a risk of stepping on a frog, but that can be avoided if you look where you are stepping. I guess most frogs are going to live among the plants on the benches though.

I live in Mexico City at 8,600ft so the temperature is very mild year round. Our summers are much cooler than almost any US city and rarely get to the low 90's (I believe the record is 94°F). Our winters are also very mild and rarely get to the high 30's. The coldest the gh gets in the coldest days (witout heating) is in the low 50's.


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## Mywebbedtoes (Jul 2, 2007)

This has been done before with success. As Zbrinks brought out, there was a german couple who turned a whole room of their house into a frog tank/greenhouse with many species. They got breeding and it has been up several years. I also saw another that was an actual greenhouse where they let loose a bunch of frogs, again, they seemed to do well. I was thinking Auratus would be good in here. I would suggect planting something that will spead under the benches. You might even be able to take large plastic tubs and barrie them flush with the ground, fill them with compost of whatever and seed them with lots of stuff. If you had a few of these under each bench and some smaller ones you might do pretty well getting a bio load going. It also gives the frogs a place to hunt. Ypu can also build ff cultures that the flies can escape from as they hatch and place those around. This is a great project for sure! I have always wanted to do something like this.


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## Julio (Oct 8, 2007)

that would be a sweet looking vivarium, you can walk in and explore.


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## kyle1745 (Feb 15, 2004)

Nice greenhouse and a good size. Id like to have one someday, but no room at my current house.


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## valledelcauca (Apr 13, 2004)

History

Here is another link about a dutch greenhouse


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## ian (Dec 25, 2006)

Very nice. I'm so jealous. I wish I could keep something like that up and running. Goodluck and keep us updated.


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## Mywebbedtoes (Jul 2, 2007)

Angela&Dr.M.Liebich's Vivarium

I am not 100% sure that all these frog live in the green house, but it appears by the pots they are sitting on it could be the case with a few. I remembered coming across this a few years ago and thinking how cool it would be. If I ever build a green house like I want to I will do this for sure with some Auratus or Terribilis maybe. What a cool idea.


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## valledelcauca (Apr 13, 2004)

Mywebbedtoes said:


> I am not 100% sure that all these frog live in the green house, but it appears by the pots they are sitting on it could be the case with a few.



All of their frogs live in that greenhouse! And they breed very well 
Mr. and Mrs. Liebich sell the offspring at german frogdays, too.

Greetings
Andreas


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## Mywebbedtoes (Jul 2, 2007)

Wow cool! Thanks Andreas. That makes it even cooler now.


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## AlexF (Sep 26, 2007)

valledelcauca said:


> All of their frogs live in that greenhouse! And they breed very well
> Mr. and Mrs. Liebich sell the offspring at german frogdays, too.
> 
> Greetings
> Andreas


Andreas do you know how he manages not to get any hybrids having all the frogs together?

Alex


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## AlexRible (Oct 16, 2007)

AlexF said:


> Andreas do you know how he manages not to get any hybrids having all the frogs together?
> 
> Alex


Im sure in that large of a space that the frogs will have territories. Sure there is a chance you might find some weird hybrid in you greenhouse, but if you have a even group of each animal it shouldn't be a problem.


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## Mywebbedtoes (Jul 2, 2007)

The journal previously linked to, of the other walk in viv in Germany, got breeding from several species. No hybrids that I can recall. I think given the choice, the frogs may just prefer their own type, but I have to proof of that. It could also be the territory thing.

Personally I would not mix that many kinds, maybe two that would not breed.


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## KEEKEEN (Apr 15, 2008)

Hi Alex!!, thats a great idea, I'd love to see it, looks really really good!!, when are you planing to release some frogs?


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## dendrothusiast (Sep 16, 2010)

I one day have plans for building a greenhouse against the side of my home with a pond inside it viewable through a huge thick window in my living room housing tropical fish and reptiles.....when i win the lottery.

I wouldnt recommend dart froogs in there if you already have a panther chameleon - he'll eat them. your frog, depending on the species will eat them too. frogs are vicious cannibals when the want to be against smaller frogs.


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## Brien (Aug 27, 2009)

What do people do to feed the frogs in the green house setups?


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## BlueRidge (Jun 12, 2010)

brien said:


> What do people do to feed the frogs in the green house setups?


Yeah no kidding... and what about escapees. Not that they would want to in a place like that.


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## BR5 (Dec 7, 2009)

Here's the address of a book that has a section with pictures of what you're talking about. 

Amazon.com: Poison Frogs (Professional Breeders Series) (9783930612925): Wolfgang Schmidt, F Wilhelm Henkel: Books

Brian


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## TDK (Oct 6, 2007)

I saw an article somwhere wher anohter guy turned Dart Frogs loose in his greenhouse. If I can find I'll post.


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## frankpayne32 (Mar 17, 2007)

While it is on a much larger scale, the NAIB has had a sustainable population of E. tricolor in their rainforest for over a decade. Every time I go I spend a lot of time looking on the ground for them. Everyone thinks I'm nuts until I find one and show it to people.


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## frankpayne32 (Mar 17, 2007)

brien said:


> What do people do to feed the frogs in the green house setups?


In both large and small enclosures frogs quickly learn to identify feeding stations. They will also eat the microfauna living in the substrate.


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## BlueRidge (Jun 12, 2010)

frankpayne32 said:


> While it is on a much larger scale, the NAIB has had a sustainable population of E. tricolor in their rainforest for over a decade. Every time I go I spend a lot of time looking on the ground for them. Everyone thinks I'm nuts until I find one and show it to people.


I've seen them while walking around in the greenhouse. They usually hang out around the stream area. I always wanted to try and catch a couple. LOL


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