# 8×8×8 or 8×8×12 Inhabitants?



## Animallover8 (Jul 17, 2019)

Is there any animal that can live in either a 8×8×8 or 8×8×12 sized enclosure? I do not wish to keep any bugs. I'm doubting you can keep anything in there but it's worth asking. Thanks!


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## bssknox (Apr 24, 2017)

Beyond "bugs" like spiders or scorpions, I'm not really sure what that would be a good size for sorry. Certainly not PDF's.


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## Eruantien (Dec 23, 2014)

You might be able to put a single, small newt or salamander in there.

Even a male fire belly newt (smaller than females typically at about 3 1/2 inches) would already be a little less than half the length of the tank though. Females can get over 5 inches, and there are larger species as well.

I kept fire bellied newts as a kid, they are pretty cool. I always kept pairs in 10 gallons and up to 4 in a standard 20 gallon tank. They don’t need much water and actually spend more time on land than most people expect. Their husbandry requirements are also pretty tame compared to other animals and can be pretty hardy.

Maybe a single mourning gecko or anole? I think minimum recommended enclosure size for a single specimen of either is still a 10 gallon aquarium though.

Other than that, you might be limited to bugs... within that realm however, you could definitely put some smaller mantids or a single large mantis in there. The Orchid Mantis or Ghost Mantis come to mind as smaller species and you would be able to probably house a couple.. keep in mind they are cannibalistic though so one might eat the other unless plenty of other food items are provided. I have also kept mantises before, they are definitely fun to watch and seem to be surprisingly intelligent and aware. They also don’t require much work. Just feed them every once in a while.



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## Eruantien (Dec 23, 2014)

Forgot to mention Pygmy Chameleon as well. Minimum enclosure requirement for a single Pygmy Chameleon is 5 gallons.


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## Socratic Monologue (Apr 7, 2018)

That is *way* too small for an anole, and single mourning geckos tend to do poorly -- they're social. Even the smallest of commonly available newts, such as an Eastern, would appreciate much more floorspace.

If you have some animal in mind that you want to keep, please research their needs and then acquire an appropriate enclosure. Simply filling cages that you happen to have has little value, especially to the animals in question.


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## Eruantien (Dec 23, 2014)

I’m happy someone commented on the anole and mourning gecko comment. I haven’t had much experience with them, therefore shouldn’t have brought them up in the first place.. was just offering animals to look up.

As Socratic Monologue mentioned, we should be designing enclosures around animals to fit their needs after doing research and learning their needs and proper husbandry, not picking and choosing animals to fit what we have on hand.

Like has been mentioned, even smaller species of newts and salamanders are going to be crammed in something this small (what I was hinting toward when specifying size).

Personally, I think and would really only, truly recommend this sized enclosure to bugs, based off of my experience, specifically mantids. Obviously some tarantulas and/or scorpions would work as well but.. they don’t seem to be of interest to you.

We are sorry to burst your bubble but, you are extremely limited by a tank this small.


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## DPfarr (Nov 24, 2017)

Does it have to be alive? A realistic model could be dope. Even repositioning it and taking pictures could be fun.


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## Animallover8 (Jul 17, 2019)

Thank you all for clarifying. I saw this terrarium at the store and I really liked the small size. I then began researching to see what you could house in it. I saw people saying that animals such as Green Tree Frogs and Anoles could live in it. It seemed very small for those animals to me but I wanted to check. Things like Mantises don't interest me sadly. Someone commented that a Pygmy Chameleon could work. Is that true? What is their minimum tank size?


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## Eruantien (Dec 23, 2014)

According to chameleon forums a 5 gallon enclosure is the absolute minimum for 1 pygmy chameleon. It would obviously enjoy more space and should probably be given more space but 5 gallons is listed as the minimum.

If this interests you, I would suggest reading up on them until you know their care sheets backwards as they have some specific requirements.


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## Socratic Monologue (Apr 7, 2018)

Animallover8 said:


> what you *could* house in it.





Animallover8 said:


> Green Tree Frogs and Anoles *could live* in it?





Animallover8 said:


> t a Pygmy Chameleon *could work*.





Animallover8 said:


> *minimum* tank size?


A young Dachshund *could* live in there. Not very long, though, and it would be cruel until it died.

Why the attempt to cram something into the minimum tolerable housing possible? Why not try to provide* ideal* conditions? Keeping something in minimum housing is substantially more difficult than in ideal housing, since your knowledge and _experience in caring for these animals in ideal conditions_ has to fill the gaps left by the subpar equipment. 

Even more, all the animals you're talking about are wild collected. Leave them in the wild unless you're going to do the best job you can taking care of them. Don't stuff them into some box you think is cute so they can die there. Half of them already died on their way to your Petsmart. 


An 8 x 8 x 12 Exo Terra has a volume of *three* gallons. by the way.


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## salvz (Nov 3, 2014)

How about a betta? I personally would not house any amphibian or reptile in there, beyond doing so temporarily for quarantine or tadpole-rearing purposes. In any event, I agree with Socratic Monologue that its best to first identify the animal that "interests" you and then pick an enclosure suitable for that animal.


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## DTB (Apr 29, 2018)

Why not design this one as a purely planted tank? Miniature orchids would love it in there and these small tanks really hone your landscaping skills as anything out of balance is amplified in the small space.
Then next purchase, just buy the biggest thing you can find 



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## astrophora (Jun 30, 2019)

I know you said no bugs but... Isopods. Look up rubber ducky isopods. 

There are plenty of unique and interesting isopods that would gladly call home to a tank that small. I wouldn't put anything else in it, other than springtails and isopods. It's just too small. Consider upgrading to a 12x12x18. I was going to get the nano, but then I actually saw how small it was. There's literally no room inside that thing. I went to the mini, 12x12x18, and I couldn't be happier. 

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## ashdavisa (Oct 27, 2018)

salvz said:


> How about a betta?





Socratic Monologue said:


> An 8 x 8 x 12 Exo Terra has a volume of *three* gallons. by the way.


I wouldn't keep a betta in something that small. Pet stores will tell you a betta only needs a 2.5 gal but by the time you add in decor & substrate, you're really impeding on the betta's room to swim. Plus, maintaining water quality in something that small is a nightmare. (I imagine the tanks they're looking at are the front-opening kind, anyway).

I think a plants-only terrarium would be the way to go for that small of a terrarium. It'd be perfect for small orchids or carnivorous plants


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## Animallover8 (Jul 17, 2019)

I would never put an animal in an enclosure that is unsuitable for them. That is the reason I'm asking. I really like the idea of a planted tank. I also do like the rubber ducky isopods. I'll be looking more into that. As for the betta, I own fish and will be setting up a 5 or 10 gallon betta tank and trying some African Dwarf Frogs in there as well. They will have to be moved to another tank if the betta shows any aggression towards them. I personally like bettas to be in a 5 gallon or more but I think that you can make a 2.5 gallon work. You just have to be wise with how you decorate so you don't take away to much space but also make it comfortable for the fish. Thanks everyone for all the input.


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## hp192 (Feb 28, 2016)

I never had much interest in mantids either until one accidentally came under my care. They're pretty interesting and their relatively short lifespan allows for a shift in species, if desired. I've had a number of mantids over the years..they're quite the crowd-pleaser and incredibly voracious. They're basically a small version of the creature in Aliens. If 7' tall mantids existed, it would be the most terrifying thing you could imagine.


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## highvoltagerob (Apr 14, 2012)

Animallover8 said:


> As for the betta, I own fish and will be setting up a 5 or 10 gallon betta tank and trying some African Dwarf Frogs in there as well.



If you are planning on getting the dwarf frogs you should be warned they are a known carrier of chytrid. If I had other amphibians I wouldn’t risk the spread of the fungus to them. Also care needs to be taken with the water from water changes to not spread it into your local watershed. Wild amphibians are already in enough trouble.


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## Animallover8 (Jul 17, 2019)

hp192 said:


> I never had much interest in mantids either until one accidentally came under my care. They're pretty interesting and their relatively short lifespan allows for a shift in species, if desired. I've had a number of mantids over the years..they're quite the crowd-pleaser and incredibly voracious. They're basically a small version of the creature in Aliens. If 7' tall mantids existed, it would be the most terrifying thing you could imagine.


I was actually looking at different care sheets for mantids. I will consider them if I find a species that I really like. I will also have to do a lot of research because I know little about them. Thank you for your suggestion!


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## Animallover8 (Jul 17, 2019)

highvoltagerob said:


> Animallover8 said:
> 
> 
> > As for the betta, I own fish and will be setting up a 5 or 10 gallon betta tank and trying some African Dwarf Frogs in there as well.
> ...


I have had an African Dwarf Frog in the past, but I do not any longer. I also do not have any other amphibians. Additionally, I am always careful about things like that. Making sure that I do not introduce anything my from aquarium into my local waterways. Thank you for sharing. 🙂


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## Pubfiction (Feb 3, 2013)

An 8x8xx12 would be fine for a single mourning gecko, mourning geckos can also live off of powdered fruit diet which means you do not need insects.


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## Kmc (Jul 26, 2019)

Containing an animal and providing it an environment are not similar.

Every organism we make a choice to hold captive should have the opportunity to change station and experience some scope of repose and activity and surfaces, temp, light, cover, favor. 

The more restricted the space the swifter a wrong condition can impact its inhabitant negatively, as well.


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