# 125 Gallon PA Woods Vivarium



## AAronCap (Jan 16, 2018)

This vivarium will house 4-5 American Toads and Wood Frogs each with the total number being 8-10 between both species. This is just the announcement post of the build that will have a variety of documentation of everything from the frogs and toads to the enclosure and the nitty gritty with all the details. The 125 Gallon comes on Monday but the build will be slow but accomplished by the end of the summer. The next post will be about the bio of the enclosure and some interesting information. 

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## AAronCap (Jan 16, 2018)

Bio of the 125 Gallon PA Woods Vivarium
So from the post above as the announcement of 125 Gallons for 4 American Toads and 4 Wood Frogs to be created to replicate the PA Woods where these amphibians were found has many interesting parts to this build. Out of the 8 inhabitants we know the two toads (Ace and Pious) from the 75 Gallon PA Woods Vivarium are going to be the first inhabitants to enter this enclosure. To see these two toads and the current setup also to see this build on video once I start the build you can check it out on the YouTube channel as well in these links below. Make sure to like it on Facebook and subscribe on YouTube to support this build and the vision behind it. 

The Facebook Page
https://www.facebook.com/PAWoodsVivariums/

YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4nG2pYgsr50aiDHpDE_CFg

The Vision:
This enclosure was a long time in the making. I love my native frogs, toads, and lizards so I spent years researching what would be the animals I'd be the most passionate about and I narrowed it down to around 10 native species. My favorite animal is the American Toad so it was automatically in. Then my favorite pond frog the Leopard Frog got the other spot with my first attempt at creating a local setup. As you can see from the earliest videos the mix was successful with a male leopard frog and a pair of toads. There was illness, an escape, among other situations that led to the leopard frog being left out of the next generation of this build as the leopard frog escaped and committed suicide. Next I wanted to create a setup for my favorite lizard which was the five lined skink. This is the current setup with a pair of sexed toads and skinks living in there since August to whenever the 125 Gallon is in commission. This build despite the reptile and amphibian stigma proved to be very successful which I would say is more successful then with the leopard frog. The goal of this through the generations was to reproduce the toads and the other native animal with them that I took from the wild with the hopes of giving back as offspring from the animals that were taken. I was unable to hibernate the toads and the skinks and leopard frog were not from my county so I could not release their offspring into the wild. So I went to my second favorite frog which is the Wood Frog. These are abundant in my area and would be legal for release. They are kept just like the American Toad so this was a no brainier for me. I have heard these are intermediate level frogs and I am embracing the challenge to keep and breed these frogs successfully with being prepared to invest financially in these frogs and toads I have and will have in order to reproduce healthy offspring and to treat my pet frogs and toads the best I can. They are pets first and a reproductive pair after. Should the Wood Frog be a failure due to their level of care then I will invest in Gray Tree Frogs which are also abundant in the wild. So there will be either tree frogs or Wood Frogs in this setup. 
The vision is to replicate the woods of PA and to recreate a native enclosure with the goal of reproduction and long life span for all inhabitants. 

The Plants
So now that the introduction of the animals has been discussed the plants are just as important for this build. Species of native ferns and ground cover will be the bulk of the plants. The Autumn Brilliance Fern, Spleenwort Fern, and the Cinnamon Fern will be in this enclosure. I am aware of the size of the Cinnamon Fern but it's not in the wild so I am anticipating it won't grow as fast. It's not a big deal to me if I need to trim it time from time. The Autumn Brilliance Fern is a success as I have one now that is 2 years old raised in this enclosure through every generation of this tank. English Ivy and Pachysandra will be the ground covers. The Pachysandra is another success as with the Fern I have the Pachysandra living almost a year in captivity. The ivy was a suggestion from a plants expert that will be shouted out after the build is complete. One massive attempt this build will have that the previous generations did not is the introduction of vegetables. Scallions and lettuce will be attempted not just as a plant to observe, but a crop to potentially eat should it pass some health regulations. This tank could reproduce life and grow crops at the same time! The goal with these plants and vegetables is to have a heavy planted native tank so the Wood Frog feels safe as this is a requirement for the species for their success. Other plants will be an iris that is already living in the enclosure now and some Moss. 

Insects
There will be a wide variety of insects introduced to the vivarium in hopes they breed and create colonies to create some stalk in the tank for the frogs and toads to hunt just as they would in the wild. On the first generation of this I watched crickets figure the routine out of the Leopard Frog and Toads so they would not be eaten. They would only leave their home at certain times to avoid the predators. This got the crickets to 3 generations in the enclosure. I have had stone centipedes survive in a previous build as they entered from a plant but were not destructive. I always have Springtail, Earthworms and Woodlice in the enclosure so they by default will remain in the new enclosure. So as far as insect inhabitants the three mentioned will be included and the stone centipedes will be welcomed and not treated as a pest this time. Both Banded Crickets and the common Pet Store Crickets will be encouraged to breed as they bring noise to the enclosure which sounds like a woods. The goal is to have both thrive in this setup to have food for the animals but to have them survive and make the setup more natural. 

The Devices
A Mistking misting system is the designated watering system for the plants and animals in the enclosure. 3 sprayers will be on opposite sides of the enclosure. This will keep it humid, water the plants, moisturize the frogs and toads and simulate rainfall. A temperature control will be used to keep it cool for the wood frogs as a fogger and fans will be plugged in to create a cool breeze of fog that will keep the vivarium from over heating. This can be paired with the Mistking to represent a rainstorm with clouds, rain, and wind. A 6ft T5 Odyssey light will be the light for this build. I have the 4ft build since the first generation in 2014 with original bulbs in and it still works. This will be adequate for growing plants and crops, providing day and night cycles for the insects and animals, and will light the entire tank. These lights are on a timer and can replicate morning, afternoon, evening, and night. The night light will be paired with 2 others that I will have on a timer to come on so the animals will be under the impression the moon is out for a few hours and then when the lights turn off it's darkness. This will be great for video display. For breeding a mini fridge and an area in the enclosure for the animals to go as a small pond to encourage reproduction after hibernation. Speakers will be on top the enclosure to simulate noises of the woods day and night as well as seasonal mating calls to encourage the frogs and toads to call and compete with the recording. Plaxiglass will be used as the lid with custom holes to ensure the enclosure breaths and heat and humidity can escape but also be retained as well. This is more specifics of the upcoming 125 Gallon PA Woods Vivarium with American Toads and Wood Frogs coming soon. If you have any questions or want to know further details comment on this thread or pm me and I'll be happy to answer you. 

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## AAronCap (Jan 16, 2018)

So one thing I want to make a priority is to include those in the forums, on Facebook and comments from viewers on YouTube. I will make videos that you all ask me to make or want to see. A top priority is encouraging my audience to join a forum when keeping animals and to join our PA Woods Community if they are interested in my build so they can feel like they are a part of this! The next post I will discuss about my view on the size of a tank compared to the amount of frogs to keep and the behavior of the Toads and Wood Frogs

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## AAronCap (Jan 16, 2018)

It's here...









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## Zincubus (Sep 6, 2010)

I'm so envious , I'd love that tank for my tropical fish ...

Any chance of PM me with the price ?? No matter if you'd rather not ..


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## AAronCap (Jan 16, 2018)

Zincubus said:


> I'm so envious , I'd love that tank for my tropical fish ...
> 
> Any chance of PM me with the price ?? No matter if you'd rather not ..
> 
> ...


It was around $300 but it was at a local pet store who is supporting this project so I got a bit of a deal. 

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## AAronCap (Jan 16, 2018)

Got it in the room! Building will begin shortly









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## AAronCap (Jan 16, 2018)

I will have the trilogy to the current tank the 75 Gallon PA Woods Vivarium coming out soon as it will be the conclusion video with the Toads and Skinks together and inside the 75 Gallon. The good news is that I will have a reason to post into the Skinks sub forum and I will be able to interact with you all more. I will be posting soon about behavior patterns of the animals and insects soon as well. I just wanted to give everyone a heads up of an update for a conclusion video and me joining the conversation with the Skinks, and to inform everyone that the build of the 125 Gallon is going great and may be done faster than expected. I'll have more updates soon. Thanks everyone on this forum for being so supportive and please interact and let me know what you guys think about everything going on!

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## AAronCap (Jan 16, 2018)

Behavior of the American Toad and Wood Frog

American Toads
I have kept many toads in captivity and I truly believe they are an amazing pet as long as you can provide care and also respect them as an observation animal instead of one that you can handle. These toads are very hardy and very intelligent amphibians. I forget where I read this as I share this with you but American Toads are the most intelligent of the frogs and toads of the eastern US. They are poisonous and that is to be respected. In captivity I have kept these creatures with Leopard Frogs and Southeastern Five Lined Skinks and they have been peaceful without poisoning their tank mates. I recently observed the behavior of my sexed pair Ace and Pious (Female and Male) when I introduced a smaller skink that was an offspring to the parents in the enclosure to the toads. My toads are predators and even though all frogs and toads are they can be lazy or more peaceful but these two are hunters not ambush hunters. This means they are more aggressive in nature. They left the smaller skink alone which was good but also surprising because even though they couldn't eat the adult Skinks they tested them but left the smaller offspring alone. This is about behavior of these toads so addressing some interesting examination of the species I have come to a conclusion that the female toad is more active and usually more dominant when feeding due to larger size. This was observed every single time I kept both sexes alone as well as together. The females seem to have more personality. I have noticed with my toads my male is equally as dominant and will compete with his mate in every aspect. He currently outweighs her which for a male toad to accomplish is very interesting and good for him moving forward. There are some exceptions in males as Pious is the first male toad in over 12 years to compete and almost out compete a female of the same age. So if you have a male or only prefer a male there still may be hope. As for my toads, I only have 2 out of the 4 I want but these two are the most fascinating and exciting toads to observe. I actually invested in them by purchasing a 125 Gallon to attempt to breed these two and another pair hopefully to join them. I have no doubt these two would out compete any Wood Frogs or other Toads. I do not believe that I will have another toad to challenge either of these two. Of all 8-9 toads and frogs going into this build I am the most concerned for the other male toad. The other part of this observation is the dominant behavior that males show one another. As I have kept toads I have always seen a dominant male appear and even starve the other male to death and attempt to out compete one another. So in my current setup I personally could not have two pairs of toads because I had two males in this enclosure and one starved the other. So I'm hoping with a 125 Gallon that 2 males can cohabitate together. I never had a problem of the toads out competing their tank mates. This means the toads will not outcompete the Wood Frogs in this build. The frogs also have speed to get to the prey first. Ace and Pious come out to feed during the day so the Wood Frog will not have the advantage of being active day and night. Final verdict is just because you have a big tank with the same species doesn't mean their won't be problems. 

Wood Frogs
The wood frogs are communal creatures which means they will enjoy having each other instead of like the toads out competing one another the wood frogs will embrace each other. These frogs are more peaceful and are very interesting to observe because they are so rare to see captive. They are nervous frogs but as they live among the toads and see how slow moving and laid back they are, the frogs should settle down. These two species share a habitat as the wood frog enjoys being terrestrial instead of aquatic like it's Rana family members. Because they are a Rana species they have a voracious appetite and will eat anything they can fit into their mouth. To my knowledge nobody as a hobbiest has documented keeping these frogs in such a large enclosure. This could be a big help in keeping the frogs stress level lower then usual having so much space to occupy. I am not sure of which sex is dominant or if they will create a hierarchy among one another or even if it will be a shared hierarchy with the toads meaning that as assumed Ace and Pious will be the dominant amphibians over the wood frogs and toads. Or if a Wood Frog will dominate this enclosure as a surprise. Much documentation will be made and shared on these frogs and the relationship they have with the toads. 

The conclusion

6 feet of space should be enough to house two male toads and it is the largest amount of space either the American Toad and Wood Frog have ever been documented in. The next post will be on the insects and hibernation and seasonal cycle this enclosure will have. Let me know what you think about the information of the toads and frogs below and anything else you want to share with me!

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## AAronCap (Jan 16, 2018)

Insects
Hibernation
Seasonal Cycle


Insects

So as I was messing with my tank a little bit I saw about 20-30 baby crickets jumping around! Somehow I managed to breed crickets with Lizards and Toads constantly hunting the crickets. The insects are an important part to making this enclosure accurate and authentic to the woods. Various cricket species as well as Woodlice, Springtail, Earthworms, Red Wrigglers, Stone Centipedes are going to live inside the enclosure and hopefully breed. The predator and prey relationship is truly amazing to watch. If you have a big vivarium I would encourage you to attempt this because it is very interesting how the crickets have the ability to learn daily patterns and know when it's safe to get food and bring it back to their nest. The frogs and toads can still ambush them if they aren't careful so even though the frogs and toads are your pet you may find yourself rooting for the cricket to make it back to the nest to raise the upcoming baby crickets. Obviously the goal is not to have an infestation of any insects but a healthy number and a continuous stalk of food so if in a mixed species vivarium if a species is more dominant at feeding time the less dominant species will be able to hunt and feed the abundant number of insects at their own pace. The setup of American Toads and Wood Frogs shouldn't have any unbalanced feeding issues. I would love to attempt to keep grasshoppers or locust inside the enclosure if it's possible which I know need to be native because you can't buy locust in America. I think they would make an even more interesting native insect should they be able to adapt and not be hunted to extinction in the enclosure. These insects are an important part for me to have a native enclosure and have proven to make for an even more appealing display. I know the frogs and toads won't mind to keep their dinner in their house. 

Hibernation

So I'll have a 125 Gallon Vivarium and for 4 months or so it won't have any frogs or toads inside it. It will be run by the insects for this time to populate and own the PA Woods. As this sounds a bit funny it is also interesting to me to see what will happen with the insects and how much the plants will grow without being trampled on. The Toads and Frogs are only going to breed if they mate so there are no other options. I will place one by one or by the pair in a separate enclosure and have the animals fast for 2 weeks to clean their guts and then place them in a bin inside a minifridge I'm going to buy to hibernate them. I'll place them in until they are all hibernating and then I will make the soil moist and check on them daily to make sure nothing wild happens. Then one of the most exciting times will be to see the frogs and toads wake up and feed on a large group at this point of insects and hopefully breed. I will keep 1 offspring of the toads and get the opposite sex and I will keep two of the wood frogs opposite sex and release the rest of the tadpoles into areas to increase their numbers and give back to the woods I took them from. So hopefully we can have generations of frogs and toads just like the crickets. 

Seasonal Cycle

This is only possible by accident because the light fixture I used for the 75 Gallon had options to turn on different sets of lights on different times. So I can have one set on in the morning and two on for afternoon and one in the evening and the LED at night. I can also take or give hours of light as the seasons change. This will be important for breeding and to indicate to them it's time to hibernate. The Mistking will also be programmed to come on twice a day for almost 3 minutes for 4 days a week so I water the plants enough but don't soak the enclosure. I will also have a temperature control that will have a fogger and fans to control temperature so the Wood Frogs don't over heat. And the fogger will moisturize the air as the fans blow into the enclosure. So the cycle should help to make the enclosure even more natural with changing light ambience and more or less light depending on the season. 
All in all this enclosure is going to be very interesting in every aspect. So what is the most interesting part to you from this post? Is there something you want me to talk about in more detail? What do you guys want me to talk about next?

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## AAronCap (Jan 16, 2018)

I have been very excited with these two American Toads! The personality they have is great to watch. They have so much energy and are not boring like some toads. I would like the talk about my male Pious. He is truly making a name for himself! I put in large crickets for the toads to eat and he is a medium sized toad meaning he has room to grow but I've noticed him grabbing the large crickets just with his tongue. To most it's probably not very interesting to hear about a toad eating crickets but scientifically it is very interesting. Usually an adult who is much larger catches larger insects with their tongue but this toad is medium size. I am aware you are supposed to feed proper sized insects but these toads are not as small as they look on camera! I have him housed with a female his same size and in the same week a cricket overpowered her and escaped her grip from being eaten! Ace was very shocked the cricket could outmuscle her and this is quite unusual because she eats large crickets and she is very healthy and active. Usually amphibian species the female is always bigger and stronger and it's very rare to find a male amphibian who can even compete with the female let alone outcompete! I have never witnessed a male as strong or as dominant as Pious before and after the 125 gallon is complete I will make a small documentary on Pious about how truly impressive he is. I'm looking at next week to release the video conclusion for the animals of the 75 Gallon! I love my female Ace who is the toad that's a lighter brown in the last picture and she is a dominant hunter and very exciting to watch, but there is something special about Pious as a hunter and I can't wait to see how he adapts in the 125 Gallon. Will he maintain his status as the alpha? Or will an unsuspecting toad or Wood Frog challenge him for the spot? That will be answered soon. Pious doesn't bully Ace they coexist very peaceful and enjoy one another's company so Ace will be no slouch inside the 125 Gallon as well. As she grows larger will it be enough for her to over take Pious? It will be hard to outcompete her as an adult because she is a very good and active hunter. What do you guys think? Is it possible that there can be multiple dominant amphibians inside a large enclosure like this 125 Gallon? I want to hear your input and I will be answering these questions from my perspective in the next post









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## AAronCap (Jan 16, 2018)

I was looking at the direction I am heading and for my interest and passion to rescue and raise local American Toads and Wood Frogs or Leopard Frogs I have decided after the hopefully long lives of the Tree Frogs and Skinks I will keep hopefully a sexed pair of each species of American Toads and Wood Frogs or Leopard Frogs in the 75 Gallon as well as the hopeful two pairs of each animal in the 125 Gallon bringing the total number of frogs and toads to around 12. The reason why is because of cycling the frogs and toads as they get older and pass; I can keep filling the spot with another of the same species and continue my community. This will mean even at catastrophe I would always have another one on hand to fill the place. These frogs and toads will all be treated like pets and will be named and featured heavily on YouTube I just wanted to kill any doubt that these frogs and toads will be just a number. Each one will matter and have an important role at giving back to the environment. They are pets first. 

The idea came to me to just focus on cycling the animals I am the most passionate about and I can use for helping the environment around me when I had similar thoughts on needing 2 enclosures for breeding the banded crickets. Just as the 125 Gallon and the 10 Gallon Banded Crickets Colony will be completed this year; they will be the beginning of a transition period that will cause a chain reaction with my interest to build partnering enclosures that will allow for interchangeable tank mates for the frogs and toads to function as a community, as well as a constant supply of crickets on hand. So A 125 Gallon Pennsylvania Woods Vivarium with a future 75 Gallon Pennsylvania Woods Vivarium and two Banded Cricket Colonies to all coexist with having a hopefully never ending predator and prey relationship. 

After the Tree Frogs and Lizards go I will just be focusing on the frogs and toads of the PA Woods Vivarium and the feeder colony of Banded Crickets. I have been recently intrigued with keeping something else that can interact with the PA Woods and the Cricket Colony. I will explain that in the next big post

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## AAronCap (Jan 16, 2018)

The promised post 

So I said the direction I am going in with keeping animals is with the native species. I will have a community of frogs and toads in my 125 Gallon tank and 75 Gallon tank. The two enclosures will have the same animals, plants, lights, misting, and will be identical builds. This many frogs and toads (around 12 total frogs and toads) will cause me to breed a feeder insect to keep costs down. I am going to do the same things as these two enclosures for the frogs and toads. I am going to have two 10 Gallon tanks for the Cricket Colony that I will be keeping to feed the Pennsylvania Woods Vivarium Community of frogs and toads.

So I'm just keeping one species of feeder insect and I was saying that I had a hard time finding another animal or animals I was as passionate about keeping as much and I wanted to keep something that could be codependent on the Cricket Colony and the PA Woods Vivarium Community so technically 5 tanks would all be intertwined somehow and some way. Needing such a difficult requirement filled I came to the realization it couldn't be a frog or lizard because my frogs and toads don't need them to survive. So I was going to need something the frogs and toads could eat, but also a predator to eat the crickets and thin out their numbers. So it was going to have to be a predator insect. It couldn't be a tarantula or spider because they couldn't thin out the numbers fast enough. Plus I can't feed that to my animals. Any spider was out as well as scorpion for the same reason however I find them very interesting I will leave the door open for them. I could not keep crabs either. I thought in order to thin down the numbers of one colony I would need another colony to equal it out, but also allow the frogs and toads to eat both colonies. Then the idea came to me. 

The Carpenter Ant

I saw YouTube videos of ant keeping years ago and I thought it was very interesting and cool to keep ants in the same way I keep my animals. This ant is eaten by the frogs and toads of my area and have a slow growing colony which can be maintained by feeding off every so often the ants to the frogs and toads. The ants would also take dead crickets and use them as well as live specimens if need be. But I'm not interested in possible ant escapes so I thought of an idea to get a larger enclosure and build an island in the middle to contain the ants. I also ran into a problem. The Carpenter Ants and all the frogs and toads hibernate. The crickets do not. So while I had my island for the ants I could put a fish species in the water that can feed on the crickets. I needed a fish with a voracious appetite so if the ants try to swim off they are eaten as well. So a native species of sunfish was my best option because they are big and eat live food such as Ants and Crickets. The Bluegill was my favorite game fish so I figured why not use a native predator insect species and a native fish species to keep everything but the Cricket Colony native to my area. 

So to connect them all together

The American Toads and either Wood Frogs or Leopard Frogs depending on what happens need a staple insect for a diet so I wanted to use the banded crickets. 12 frogs and toads need a lot to eat so two cricket colonies are needed. A feeder that isn't a staple for the frogs and toads but can be eaten but also an insect that will eat the crickets to thin down the numbers. The ants numbers need to be in check so 12 frogs and toads will eat them. The ants, frogs and toads hibernate and I plan on hibernating my animals anyways so this works out. The ants numbers won't increase as they will be active seasonal like my animals. The Bluegill are needed to eat ants trying to escape but also the crickets that will be increasing in numbers over the winter. 

This is after the Lizards and Tree Frogs so there is no time table for when all of this happens. In order
125 Gallon PA Woods Vivarium 
10 Gallon Banded Cricket Colony
(This Year)

10 Gallon Banded Cricket Colony
(2019)

75 Gallon PA Woods Vivarium
(TBA)

125 Gallon PA Carpenter Ants Bluegill Paludarium
(TBA)

What do you guys think about the future plan to keep carpenter ants and sunfish and how all of these enclosures intertwined? Obviously the last two tanks will be much further away in the making but they are on the agenda. I have a lot to focus on with my tanks this year but just looking ahead to the future so in case anything happens I have a plan for the next project. What do you guys think about two 125 Gallon tanks being dependent on one another? 

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## AAronCap (Jan 16, 2018)

Some updates

So I will be purchasing the expanding foam and some background accessories hoping to start in 2 weeks with everything I need for the background. I am excited for this tank to begin soon!

The video has 50 minutes of footage so I am in the process of deciding how long to make it. The video will be out on Sunday!

I collected a lot of moss and I will be attempting to use it in my tank after a quarantine process. 










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## AAronCap (Jan 16, 2018)

Checkout the new video!
https://youtu.be/yTjswDCQgb4

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## AAronCap (Jan 16, 2018)

Beginning of the process for the build!

So I just purchased a reptile temperature control which will help to keep the temperature and humidity at a constant rate. This was a key device that I felt was essential in order to have this build. This device can have my Mistking and a future Fogger hooked up to it and I don't have to worry about the heat part for these temperate amphibians! I also will hook up my trusty fans to aid the mister and the fogger because the fans will blow the fog and mist all over the tank. The fog will build up at the top of the enclosure and literally look like a rainstorm with the mist coming down beneath the fog! I am going to purchase a small pum that I will connect underneath the substrate to collect the excessive water that the mister will release. So for this week I just purchased the reptile temperature control and will purchase a small pump and stuff for the background. Next week I will look to purchase the light for the enclosure as it is very important to me to get this early in the process. I'm hoping the next 2 weeks I can have all I need for the background and begin to build that in May. I will do product reviews for YouTube as well. Would you guys be interested in me doing product reviews for the devices and accessories I use for the 125 Gallon? I am very excited to begin the process of this build. One of the most exciting times for me is ordering the things I will need for the enclosure. All of the animals are doing great Ace and Pious are healthy and so are the Skinks. It's warm out in my area finally and that means the Wood Frogs must be coming out of hibernation. I have decided to give the Wood Frogs until some time in late May or early June to catch them. If I do not find any by this time I will get Leopard Frogs instead. I will post updates if I catch any wood frogs or toads this week! What device do you think I should consider for my build or what are you most excited to see from some of the devices I've already named?

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## AAronCap (Jan 16, 2018)

Ace devours a Red Wriggler
https://youtu.be/1UvQE3na0Ss

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## AAronCap (Jan 16, 2018)

Aquarium Light Ordered!

For the 125 Gallon I am making a transition from T5 lights to LED which I will explain is a very interesting direction. These two lights T5 and LED are hands down the best two lights for a living Vivariums because they are good for plant growth and distribute light more even and brighter then any other lights on the market. I took advice from an expert on my last light which was a T5 and I was very impressed. The lights have been on a timer and on every day since 2015 and still look just as bright! 

T5 lights also have successfully grown my native plants and my animals have thrived in the lighting so why would I switch now? LED lights reach the deepest in the enclosure that any light can. I wanted to attempt using the LED light to see if I can grow some plants that are full sun plants instead of shade plants. So basically with some of the plants I will be taking a risk to attempt to use and I wanted to have the best chance. So for the first reason is because I want to be able if it works to grow more plants in my enclosure to have more variety of plants for my enclosure. I must say T5 lights have not let me down and I think they are fantastic! My light fixture is still very effective at producing light for the entire enclosure. 

The second reason is for my lizards. The T5 lights in my fixture produce 10-18 degrees more heat which is great for an unofficial basking spot for the lizards. They love this light and I wanted them to have this light. So the second reason is for another setup the T5 is essential for the animals, and it produces more heat. 

Growing more types of plants and needing a fixture that produced less heat is essential for heat sensetive Wood Frogs to survive! So where the Skinks needed the heat the Wood Frogs did not. This is a very important reason. The last reason will surprise you. 

While my T5 lights can simulate morning, afternoon, evening and night it's not as flexible where the new light fixture I can set how much power for the light to truly have different times of the day. This was important for me for my next light regardless what type. I wanted to have a light fixture that I can adjust the light power. This new fixture has a lightning mode where I can have a thunderstorm if I have other devices cooperatively work together such as my Mistking, Fogger and fans. Why is this part important? I can have the night light on to represent the moon and have the light at the same time have the lighting mode turn on. I can have the fogger create fog and the Mistking turn on. If you have a mister and a fogger on at the same time in my experience the fog rises and it looks like it represents a rainstorm. So to piece this together i would have clouds, rain, lightning, and the fans would blow the mist (rain) down like the wind would. This is to hopefully encourage breeding after hibernation for the frogs and toads. I have a speaker I'm going to use to simulate noises so I will have thunder playing with the devices to really create the thunderstorm effect. You can't have a thunderstorm without thunder! I am currently trying to figure out how to raise and drop pressure while I create my thunderstorm and it takes a lot of research. If I can pull it off I may be able to cause the frogs and toads to mate if the conditions are suitable maybe without hibernation. If you are saying that will take a lot of water won't you flood the enclosure? No because I will have a pump below the substrate that will pump the water either to the water dish of the animals or back to the misting system to reuse. The water would never get past the pump so in theory I really can sit there for hours and have a thunderstorm. With this fixture I can have my hopes high. What do you think about creating an artificial thunderstorm in my enclosure? Do you think I could drop the pressure enough to cause the frogs and toads to breed? Let me know what you think! 

I am still holding out for Wood Frogs. It's still too cold where I live for them to mate so I'm waiting...









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## AAronCap (Jan 16, 2018)

Here is a demo for my new light!
https://youtu.be/xeeZ3SCAVKI

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## AAronCap (Jan 16, 2018)

New Fogger, Plants, New Video and More!

I bought the fogger and wanted to test it out on my 75 Gallon. I was very impressed. The Evergreen Pet Supplies Fogger is a very good product. I would recommend it to anyone. There was a small problem. It didn't completely fill the 75 Gallon with fog. I was very impressed with how well the fog comes out but it would probably work best for something around 40 gallons to cover the tank and possibly a 55 gallon it could. But that left a big hole in what I wanted to do with making fog for the entire enclosure for the 125 Gallon! I also had a similar situation with the light! My light fixture I purchased is a little bit smaller then the aquarium so I was wondering how would I light the enclosure entirely? I will explain the answer later on. 

I purchased some plants for my enclosure! I will post pictures of them soon. Maybe around next week. I have two Coral Bells, a Primrose, and a Sedum plant. I am very excited to try these out and I still have a lot of plants to purchase. I also got one plant in the form of a seed. I told you all that I wanted to grow Scallions in this enclosure. So I found some seeds and I will raise them and when I research more I will plant them in the 125 Gallon when it's finished. If the Scallions would die off I would just raise more and plant them. The seeds are so inexpensive it's not a problem to come up with the money for them. I do not want to put the seeds in the enclosure for fear the crickets would dig up the seeds and consume them. I am excited to attempt this idea of growing vegetables in the enclosure. I am not thinking of eating the Scallions rather just to have them for display. I would possibly research to see if the onions are edible. I hope no insects will eat the Scallions when they are in the enclosure together. A small update my ferns I'm growing now and some wild moss I collected are growing and flourishing! They will be ready most likely by the time the 125 Gallon is made. 

I contacted my friend of a friend and I am hopefully going to catch some Wood Frog Tadpoles and possibly adults whichever I see first. I am interested in tadpoles first because I can raise them to not be afraid of me and be comfortable in captivity. This part could be huge. If I find adults I will look for smaller younger specimens. Hopefully this time next week I will have some frog or tadpole pictures to share! 

So to answer the question about the holes created about the light and fogger. I purchased the hanging kit so the light can hopefully reach all the enclosure. I also purchased another fogger but from a different brand that has a connection with 2 nozzles so that means I could potentially have 3 times the fog in the enclosure. Either that or the Skinks just got themselves the fogger from last week if the new fogger will fill the 75 Gallon with the 2 nozzles. I hope I don't need both foggers but if I do that's why I bought them. I still have a few things to get for this build. I need to go to a hardware store and get black expanding foam and more stuff for my background. Once the background is in the enclosure I will be able to start mixing soil and I can catch insects to release inside the enclosure. I will have pictures and videos. I have a new camera the Nikon D3 400 but don't know how to use it yet lol but my videos will get a lot better and my commentary will get more clear. Agenda for enclosure still:
Mistking Nozzles Addition (4 Sprayers)
Zoo Med Repti Temp Temperature Control
Pump (to drain water)
Background accessories
Soil mix
Insects
Wood Frogs
1 American Toad
Possible Timer for night lights
Mini Fridge (For Hibernation)
Possible Cooler (For Fogger)

What do you think about the additional fogger for the enclosure? It comes with two nozzles to release fog. What is one weather condition or something cool you would want to see me try to create in this enclosure?

Breeding
I learned that American Toads are able to recognize their kin during mating season and the females won't mate with their family. So I am still looking for a toad and I am planning on raising the offspring of Ace and Pious to then breed with this other toad I'll get. Then it creates the opportunity for possibly two toads if I keep the offspring of the offspring and I could have a good community of toads that could breed in a healthy way. So I'll probably have 5 toads. I'm not sure if I'll have a third toad this summer or if I will wait until next year when Ace and Pious breed and then whichever toad I keep then look for the opposite sex. This can be hard being patient but if done right will really pay off and be rewarding. Wood Frogs also recognize kin and won't mate with them and they are a communal species. So I would use the same system with the Wood Frogs. I would try to get tadpoles from different parts of the pond if I can. I could get some tadpoles that are not related the frogs just stay together so that is a good thing for me. What do you think about the intelligence of these two amphibians? Does it surprise you they won't mate with their family? What are you most excited from in all these updates? Let me know what you think!

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## AAronCap (Jan 16, 2018)

A completed device list! At least for now...

With these purchases of the devices in the pictures I believe I have everything I need to create my weather and my lighting. My hope is I bought all my devices now. My hope is to have everything that I can for weather conditions in my enclosure. If anyone has other ideas for weather or something unique to attempt I am open for suggestions. Literally if you can think of something I will look into it. I'm not creating hail or snow obviously but if there is something else I would consider it! I am getting ready to create the background soon. I'm looking to get the last accessories such as logs and plants and etc. I am very excited to begin this process on creating my biggest enclosure with more information and more experience and a long time of planning. I caught some tadpoles and I will wait and see what they become. If they are Wood Frogs, Gray Tree Frogs or somehow Northern Leopard Frogs then that is the frog I'll go with. If they are anything else I'll release them and go looking again. 

King III is doing great and seems well adjusted to the PA Woods. He has not interacted with any of the toads. Ace came out but he was nowhere to be found. Pharaoh the male Skink went down to check out the intruder in his territory. He examined King and determined he was okay and let him be. It was interesting to see my skink come see who was in his territory. He accepts the other two toads but he actually examined King and he looked territorial at first. I am excited to see Pious and King III meet. There will be 3 toads in the 125 Gallon to start off the new PA Woods. Hopefully some baby frogs of one of the three species will be joining them. The project is still set to be done hopefully around the end of June. It will depend how fast the background takes to complete. I will discuss more of the building for this enclosure next week. I will have more plants and the soil too and discuss a few things. Of the three species which frog would you prefer to see in the 125 Gallon? Have you ever heard of the Zoo Med Hygrotherm? Let me know and comment what you think!









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## AAronCap (Jan 16, 2018)

The final preparations before a 2 week build

I just got the final device in from delivery which is the Zoo Med Hygrotherm! Having this and my background now means that I have virtually everything I need to build the enclosure. I will get more soil from the local pet store who provided the enclosure and later next week like around this time I will begin the project. Once the project begins I'm the kind of person who wants to finish fast what I started. I believe it will take me about 12 days to build this setup. I am excited to finally begin this project! I have been planning a large enclosure for years and then once the decision was made in December 2016 to make it the PA Woods I have been planning it out since. I knew what I would need generally speaking with some of the devices and soil and plants that I have now. For my soil I have settled on these ingredients

Top Soil
Plantation Soil
Cypress Mulch
Peat Hummus

I think I shared why I wanted mulch. I'm trying to make the top layer where the animals poop more acidic because this helps break down the ammonia levels. The Top Soil is important because it is what my plants need in order to survive. The Peat Hummus and Plantation Soil are going to make the soil very good for plants to grow in. This is very important for me because I'm using plants I've never had before. One thing I did not state is my background soil. As of right now I'm just planning on using plantation soil and possibly cypress mulch. I'm not too worried about how detailed the background soil is because this will not be growing the majority of the plants. 


One thing I'm excited for...

It has to be a three part answer of the living organisms such as animals, insects and plants all in their own ecosystem. I'm extremely excited to see King III and Pious meet in the 125 Gallon. I'm interested to see Ace and Pious explore the new setup and to see how they adapt. I have seen Ace and King sit together but King III does not seem interested in mating with Ace. They have a resemblance and I caught King III a year later exactly where I caught Ace from. So I think they are related. This could be a benefit because it would decrease tension between King and Pious if Ace and King are related. She does seem to enjoy his company since Pious went dormant and doug into the dirt. So I'll have to look for a female toad for King. Maybe raising a baby from the eggs of my mom's pond? Or finding "the one" which would be a drop dead stunning specimen. The odds of the other inhabitant accompanying the toads is
Gray Tree Frog 34%
Wood Frog 33%
Northern Leopard Frog 33%

If I catch some Gray Tree Frogs Sunday night then I will use them. If I do not and my tadpoles currently are Leopard Frog then I'll keep them. If both options fail then it's all the way a Wood Frog. Unless I find them first Sunday. 

I am excited to have various insects living alongside the amphibians and plants in harmony. Yes they are hopefully feeder insects but I do want some to become established in the enclosure and reproduce and live a longer life. It will be cool seeing how the two cricket species interact with each other and how they would treat wild crickets or grasshoppers if they are added. I'm looking forward to hearing the different sounds of the crickets and hopefully it will really sound like a woods with a couple of different noises inside the enclosure. 

I am very excited with the plants. All the plants are brand new so this will be interesting to see how they do inside the enclosure. Growing my own ferns and scallions and some moss has made the process even more rewarding. I am very excited and interested to see how these plants will do with a new type of light actually. I'm also interested in growing crops with my plants. If the scallions work out it will be a doorway to more potential crops like radishes and lettuce and others possibly. 

I will be responding a lot this week before the build and I'll give updates on how it's going when I start. So I have a few questions for you all. 
Would a 3 species enclosure interest you if it were to happen that I have the toads and not just one, but two frog species? Which would you prefer to see together of those listed? 
What thing or things have you most excited to see with this enclosure? 
What weather feature do you want to see first on YouTube when the build is completed? 

A) Thunderstorm
B) Foggy Day
C) Rain Storm
D) Clear Day
E) Full Moon
F) Dusk to Dawn
G) Write in your own 

I will be updating the Facebook Page and YouTube Channel as the build progresses!

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## AAronCap (Jan 16, 2018)

The build has begun! I have the enclosure on it's side and I'm going to use the expanding foam tomorrow but in sections so I am more accurate. I am very excited to begin this process. I am very excited also to announce that I may possibly have found that I have 2 tadpoles that are in early stages of becoming Wood Frogs. I went on my second part of the expedition and I did not get to find any gray tree frogs. But while on the final search through the neighborhood we found a golden toad. It was unbelievable. It was a male and I knew it would put me over the limit but he was too beautiful in color for me to leave him. This toad is all over yellow and I never saw a toad with his color. Now I'm going to have to find 2 female toads. I'm also very certain that Ace and King III are related because she has been staying near him for about 2 weeks now and he has not tried to mate with her. They behave different then a pair of toads do like her and Pious. I can't wait to show you the relationship between Ace and King III in a video later on. I'm also interested to see how the competition between Pious and the Golden Toad Wellsboro will be like. This is two strong dominant males coming together. Hopefully with that much space they will maintain their dominance and occupy different sides of the tank. When they are ready to mate next year it will be very intense with their mating calls. Wellsboro is probably around 3 or 4 years old. He's an adult toad and Pious is not. He's a 2 year old toad and not at full size. He is very big and strong enough to pass for a full size toad but he is not yet. It will be interesting to see Ace and Wellsboro compete at feeding time because Ace is the dominant toad now hands down. There will be 6 toads in this build and it is wide open right now for another species of frog but it's closed between the two tadpoles what they become and the gray tree frog if I go to a friend's house where they have been breeding. I am undecided and not worried. Either species is welcome and will thrive in my setup I'm building. Below is a look at Wellsboro not the best picture it doesn't show his color because the light was off and this was taken with a flash on a phone but it's him and the other pictures are of the enclosure being prepared to be built. What do you think about the discovery of a golden toad? How do you think the interaction between Pious and Wellsboro will go? What do you think about the possible discovery of wood tadpoles and the possibility of gray tree frogs still on the table? Which frog would you prefer to see?









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## AAronCap (Jan 16, 2018)

No progress today on the build but more interesting information!!

I found a yellow jacket "wasp species" in a window today and caught it for Wellsboro. I didn't get to document the battle but I couldn't pass up the epic showdown between the Yellow Jacket Wasp and the Golden Toad. Wellsboro watched the wasp fly around and was calm. He waited for the right moment and struck the wasp with his tongue and conquered the Yellow Jacket. So for the summer it's Yellow Jackets 0 Golden Toad 1. I know many people advise against feeding amphibian and reptiles bees and ants and I agree. No harvester ants or fire ants or Japanese hornets. I only use small species of bees and wasps because the smaller species are easy for the toads to eat and the wasps are pests and I don't want to kill them if I have a more productive way to get rid of them. I also take into account the size of the toad and the wasps. I won't feed one to King III he is too small but Ace and Pious have eaten them last year. 

Moving forward with the interesting information as I saw Wellsboro catch the Wasp I noticed something. He lost 2 toes! It would be like seeing a hand with a thumb and a pinkie! I looked to see if it was just broke but no the toes were gone. He didn't like me softly touching his toes so I stopped after I noticed he was still hurting a little from it. He had this battle wound before I found him. This is not a devastating injury he can still swin and climb and walk. He is the first toad I have kept to have a battle injury. He is very strong and very intelligent and injury or not will challenge Pious for the top male spot. He must have been attacked by a snake or a field mouse. This toad has so much history and I am very happy to have such a wonderful toad. I will get a picture of his wound later. I am still working on getting the tree frogs which will probably happen after the tank is built. 

New plant and ideas! 

So I have been passionate about my native species. My 125 Gallon will house American Toads and Gray Tree Frogs and I have said I will have Carpenter Ants and Sunfish after the exotic tree frogs pass. I will have 2 native enclosures. My upcoming project for next year is not focused on Pennsylvania like the 125 Gallon now and the future Ant Paludarium. I will be focusing on a Maryland setup for my Skinks. They will be joined by North American Millipedes caught on my last expedition as well as a Male Musk Turtle. They will be going on a setup that I will describe once the 125 Gallon is complete. I will also be creating a second Maryland setup around the same time as the Ant Paludarium. This build I can say will have Northern Leopard Frogs. I am very excited to be focusing on another area to gain inspiration from to build 2 enclosures. I will be making a couple more trips in Pennsylvania this summer but will also be visiting Maryland in a few spots to authentically build a setup from Maryland. This is big news that I'm sharing that im making enclosures out of inspiration from another state. I will have another thread on that but just wanted to share that with you. So we have the 125 Gallon now being built and next year another build but the first Maryland build, then down the road 2 more enclosures. 

I have been looking at growing fruit and vegetables in my enclosures. I have found possible candidates for future attempts if the scallions work out. Strawberries, Blueberries, Black Barries, Lettuce, Radishes. One crop that will be attempted is the cranberry. This plant does great in wet soil and is like a spreading ivy so this would be great for my enclosures. 

How do you feel about the announcement that I will be creating some setups from another state? Have you ever considered growing cranberries in a frog or lizard enclosure? Let me know what else you guys think. 

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## AAronCap (Jan 16, 2018)

He was just burrowed. He's a lot bigger then he looked! That Wood Frog "Bandit" is very territorial and he croaks for dominance. Nothing can be louder than him. 

Pious woke up last night! He looks good and very colorful. He was a gentle giant in the enclosure last night. I'm interested to see how Pious will interact with King III. 

Special announcement! 
I was informed about some Gray Tree Frogs and some tadpoles turned into Wood Frogs. So for the first time ever I will now have a 3 species enclosure. 
Eastern American Toads
Wood Frogs
Eastern Gray Tree Frogs









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## AAronCap (Jan 16, 2018)

Another day of progress and more...

We got the back of the tank covered in foam finally! We now have the sides of the tank to complete and then I have to trim the foam and finally start creating the design for the background with the accessories and the dirt and silicone. I will have pictures of the back of the tank covered in foam below. I bought moss and will get more accessories tomorrow. 


3 species update!

I am very excited to have a 3 species vivarium. I think all of the amphibians will make the enclosure work as a real ecosystem. The Gray Tree Frogs will eat the insects that climb the background and try to outsmart the Toads and Wood Frogs. The Tree Frogs will also eat moths and flying insects that I place in the enclosure. The Wood Frogs are split into two groups. The females which get as big as make toads will be able to hunt large and medium size feeders. The male frogs will eat medium to small size feeders just like how the Gray Tree Frogs are split up. The Wood Frogs will inhabit the land near the water areas. I am very proud to have captured my Male Wood Frog Bandit. He escaped being eaten by a Green Frog when I found him and by a Bullfrog when I saved him again. He is incredibly beautiful and territorial but the toads do not care about this. My largest toad "The Golden Toad" Wellsboro lives with him now and he eats like the Wood Frog isn't there and he's very peaceful. I can't speak for the Gray Tree Frogs but I doubt they will get territorial with the Wood Frogs. Bandit may be the only one who is dominant too so We will have to see. 

Total numbers and Feeder Insects...

So I may have a good problem. I might have caught around 100 Wood Frog Tadpoles that are thriving in my care right now. I can't keep many because I will have about 6 max in my tank so it's first come first serve with my tank. I'll have to take the Wood Frogs somewhere else. So it's going to be a total of
6 American Toads
6 Wood Frogs 
4 Gray Tree Frogs

The animals that will go in the vivarium first

Ace, King III, Pious, Wellsboro (Toads)
Bandit, 4 Baby Wood Frogs
2 Unsexed Gray Tree Frogs 

10 Inhabitants to start. Most ever in one tank already. 16 total (hopefully)

So with aquiring the Wood Frog I also needed to begin feeding my crickets more and making them more nutritious then anyone else's because the crickets I am keeping need to eat as close to a wild diet as possible. There isn't much information on how to feed a Wood Frog and keep the frog healthy. They are picky eaters. I've read all over the internet and seen YouTube videos on the frogs but I have not seen the proof these frogs need their feeders to be so nutritious, but these frogs are in fact intermediate for frog keeping so I am looking forward to do whatever it takes. I want Bandit to live a long and happy life. I've never seen it documented any of these 3 frogs and toad species were kept in this big an enclosure.

I have been asked about keeping wild insects with my amphibians and I think it's a complex question that deserves a complex answer. I believe in using the wild insects to the fullest extent for my animals that they would normally eat in the wild. I won't take it away from them. But I will not use large mantises or spiders or anything that could kill or harm my frogs and toads. The Stone Centipede is an exception because it eats various things and stays small for any of my amphibians to eat but can prey on some feeder insects if they wish but also will eat decaying plant matter. I also collect my Woodlice from where I caught most of my toads and Wood Frog from. I may collect some other insects as well.

Surprises with feeder insects and more...

I also wanted to use the ants as a PART of the staple diet of my amphibians to see how it effects the Wood Frog. I learned I'll need to attain mealworms and let them loose in the tank and allow the Mealworm Beetle to form for the amphibians to eat as another PART of the variety for my insects. One insect I learned would be acceptable as a staple diet for all the animals is...the European Earwig. This has pinchers yes but I've seen research that shows these along with the 2 species of crickets would be great as a staple along with the Woodlice, Mealworms, and Waxworm and Earthworm (except for the Wood Frog they can't eat waxworms but I'm seeing if they can eat worms) the Earwig is great at escaping so I'm going to have to take some time before I add them into the staple status for my amphibians. I believe the Earwig and the Carpenter Ant will make for a great staple for my animals. 

What animal or insect are you most interested to see in the 125 Gallon PA Woods Vivarium? 

What are your thoughts on using the Earwig as a staple diet for USA Native Species? 

What would be a cool video like a feeding video or a display of the weather from my enclosure or a comparison of two or all of the animals or feeder insects? Let me know along with anything else in a comment below!









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## AAronCap (Jan 16, 2018)

A large update but no work on the build today

So I laid out an idea of having enclosures that were dependent on each other. I got away from it but some very interesting information was discovered and the idea had resurfaced and actually got a green light. 

Keeping crickets can be very smelly and difficult but there's one way for the smell to go away and that's a natural setup. The diet allows the cricket to deposit eggs and the plants would take away the smell. But I'm not just talking about Crickets. I would like to have Grasshoppers (Locusts) Earwigs, Woodlice, Earthworms and maybe more. These are actually staple insects for a varied diet. I am going to try to use all of these insects and create an Insectarium to house them. I will use a 75 Gallon and with that space all the different insects could spread out and reproduce abundantly. 

This would be dependent on the Maryland and Pennsylvania setups thinning out the numbers so no insect would explode in reproduction and overrun the tank. The other two tanks would be dependent on this tank as well. 

The green light for the Insectarium is two parts. I can start this in a smaller enclosure for a small scale with maybe one or two insects. The other part is I am in talks about having a small garden which would feed the insects during the spring-fall. So I would have a source outside of my enclosures that they would be dependent on. So I would have a garden that would feed the insects of the Insectarium. The Insectarium would need to be thinned out and the 125 Gallon PA Woods, the Maryland Bottomland and in the future the Carpenter Ants would make sure the numbers are thinned down. 

The crickets are chirping louder then I ever heard pet store crickets and the first tadpole that became a Wood Frog ate some small crickets tonight which was a surprise. 

What do you think about my talk of a 75 Gallon native insect enclosure for the insects to breed and thrive all year inside? 

Have you ever thought about having enclosure that would compliment one another?

Have you ever thought of growing crops to feed your feeders? Let me know what else you are thinking!

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## AAronCap (Jan 16, 2018)

The back wall is almost done and I got some pictures of Wellsboro eating and Bandit in the water.









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## AAronCap (Jan 16, 2018)

I have a friend who went on an expedition the same time I went on one to catch me some Gray Tree Frogs and he was successful at catching a pair! The male is on his finger and the female is climbing something. I have fantastic news! I didn't realize how close I was to the boarder of where Gray Tree Frogs were located but it turned out they are found in the same woods as me but in small spots. So when these two hopefully breed I can release their tadpoles to add to the local population!









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## AAronCap (Jan 16, 2018)

So the tank is almost done we are just days away before I can get it set up to put the soil and plants in. I am not Going to put these baby frogs in with the adult frogs and toads. I have a young female toad as well who will join these frogs. I am very excited to be close to finishing this background so I can then be done with talking about the hype and actually have a the finished product!









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## AAronCap (Jan 16, 2018)

An update on when I'll go pickup my Gray Tree Frogs from my friend and a brief description of more on the climate of my enclosure...

So I will be going to get the Tree Frogs at the end of this week and hopefully I'm picking up some isopods from his collection to use in the enclosure. I'll probably save some and attempt a colony so I can have the Isopods throughout the year. I'm not sure if Gray Tree Frogs and Wood Frogs prey on them so the Isopods could be hunted to extinction. I'll be returning to the spot where I caught 3 toads and Bandit to collect some Woodlice which are another species of Isopods. 

I'm hoping that whatever insects are in the enclosure can establish colonies and survive among my frogs and toads. I'll be making care sheets after this tank is completed but I'll share this now. Two of the most important pieces to a Vivarium are Cleaner Crews (Isopods and Springtails) and Earthworms to fertilize the soil by turning it over and the cleaner crew eats the poop of the animals and decaying plant matter, as well as mold. That's why you can never have enough of these 3 insects. Nobody knows how nutritious Isopods are for frogs and toads because they haven't been studied. It's possible they would be a staple food for frogs and toads which would be great if you have Isopods and Earthworms running around to be eaten by your amphibians. They could have a variety in their staple diet which could mean the amphibians live longer and are much healthier. 

The climate of my enclosure will have to be custom made in order to accommodate Wellsboro and the Tree Frogs. Everyone except 3 amphibians were captured in the same town and city and even zip code. So I've looked on Google as well as spent time in all the climates in order to have understanding of what the animals are used to. So from taking a few months to study the climates of 3 spots I found good news for all inhabitants. The low averages and even day to day and week to week are the same with only being a difference of 3 degrees. The highs are very similar too but frogs like to be kept cooler so there's no reason to have the enclosure get to 80°F the Toads and Tree Frogs are very similar with temperature and humidity requirements so they can be kept in the same environment but the Wood Frog needs cooler temperatures. The mid 70's are the max this tank can get for their safety. So I went out to purchase a Zoo Med Hygrotherm to keep the conditions perfect for the Wood Frog. I also wanted to have everything I could for my animals so I went out and got a light that creates lightning, purchased 2 foggers and hope to only use one but have another on standby if need be. I purchased a Mistking which is the premiere misting system to own and I'm attempting more then I will share now, but I figured if I am going to have simulated weather then why not have seasonal fluctuating temperatures? So I've been spending time while building the background to figure out an average temperature over a period of months that I have decided on from observation of my specific area and amphibians. This is what I came up with for my seasonal weather so far. 


PA Woods Vivariums Temperature: *
Spring/Summer
Highs: May-June 73 July-August 76
Lows: May-June 63 July-August 65

Autumn/Fall 
Consistent temperature
65-67°F

Humidity: 
May-September 60-74%
Feeder Days: 3
Fertilize Days 2 Per Month
Hygrotherm: Temperature & Humidity Control


From my experience my Wood Frogs are more tolerable to warmer weather which is a good safety net should something happen. 

Do you agree that Isopods are one of the most important parts to a Vivarium? 

Have you ever heard of seasonal fluctuations for native species enclosures?

Let me know what you found interesting from all the information I shared. 

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## AAronCap (Jan 16, 2018)

The 125 Gallon stands tall









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## AAronCap (Jan 16, 2018)

Big update tomorrow!









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## AAronCap (Jan 16, 2018)

The Update You've Been Waiting For...

They are in.
Ace, Pious, King III, Wellsboro, Bandit, Christian and Meredith (Gray Tree Frogs) are all in their forever home. Some were easy to get pictures of and some were not. So if you've been following the build you would know I said the max number of animals this tank can hold is 8-9 max. I have 13 total between the three species animals. This means some will not enter the lands of the PA Woods. Queen the baby female toad and possibly a female wood frog would be the last inhabitants to enter this setup. I learned that this setup would be best for American Toads and Gray Tree Frogs but the Wood Frog can live in the build as well. 

Toads
All 4 Toads were very interested in the build as they entered last night. Ace was confused she was trying to escape because the tank was so big she thought she could escape. Pious and King III have become friendly and are spending time together. Ace and Pious spend the most time together. Ace stays on the left side of the enclosure and King III and Wellsboro stay on the right side in a hide. Wellsboro stays behind the hide that King III lives in. Pious found a spot I cannot find him in when he goes there but he comes to the left side of the enclosure to stay with Ace. Tomorrow is the first feeding for the enclosure so we will see how the toads share among each other and with the other species. Queen will be a great addition. The toads love the enclosure. 

Wood Frog
Bandit entered the enclosure and looked around and was wondering where he was. He jumped from the ground to the top of the tank and tried to escape but he can't. It's weighed down with pounds of weight. He croaked once and stays on the right side of the tank. He hasn't explored the entire enclosure. He was very peaceful with the other toads. He did not see Wellsboro (Toad that was in the holding tank with him) but was comfortable with the toads from seeing one before. He showed no interest in the Tree Frogs. I'm excited to see how he adjusts. He was starting to explore before I went to work. He was on the same side as Ace and Pious. I wonder if he'd even care if another Wood Frog was put in the setup. 

Gray Tree Frogs
Male Christian from 50 shades of grey and Meredith from Gray's Anatomy (both named by my girlfriend) were very fun to watch. They are smaller then I thought. They are fat and have eaten well. Meredith was adventurous and explored a little bit and tried to escape to learn what Bandit did. There is no escape. She settled down and just climed the glass looking for a place to stay. She made the toads very interested. King III came to the front and just watched her climbing the walls and he looked amazed a frog could do that. Then Meredith climed to the left side of the tank. Ace came out and she too looked amazed. I misted the tank and as Meredith climed she knocked water droplets fell and Ace thought they were food and lunged at the water droplets. It was very funny. She would look up at Meredith and down at the water droplets. She then lost interest after a while and went back to exploring the enclosure. Meredith only ran into Wellsboro in the back of the tank and he didn't care she was there. She settled her territory at the top left corner of the tank. Christian was more shy since he's the smallest frog. He jumped down after Meredith settled in and landed right next to King. The two sat side by side and looked like two friends sitting on a bench together on top of a hide. It was funny. Christian posed for a nice picture and he's very photogenic. I got pictures of Wellsboro, Ace, Bandit, Meredith and 2 of Christian. I'm very excited to see how the tree frogs handle the tank and the other frogs and toads. 

They are doing what I thought and hoped. 
The best thing that can happen did. Everyone was peaceful and they all have their own territory in the enclosure. I didn't see Christian find a spot but I believe he will. Because of the large space there is enough room for everyone to move around and have space. 

The capacity limit
I said 8-9 maximum and I am going to honor it. I will have 8 Frogs and Toads. 5 Toads 2 Gray Tree Frogs and 1 Wood Frog. I may add a female for Bandit to breed in the spring but take her out when done. The Wood Frog can do well in the setup because there are two water bins and it's moist but due to the number of toads I can't have as many terrestrial animals between both species. The tree frogs aren't really held to what the toads and Wood Frogs are so they occupy the tank differently. I have plans for Wood Frogs though. 

Future of the PA Woods and the 3 species
I fell in love with the Wood Frog. It lived up to it's name and I respect it greatly. They have such a wonderful temperment. I enjoy them so much and I have 5 babies I raised this spring so I'm going to keep them in a vivarium by themselves. They are a group and find confidence in each other's presence. I really want to keep and allow the frogs to breed and add to their numbers in the wild so I gave it strong consideration and decided that I will cancel the plans to have a Biopod MD Vivarium. I'll have the MD setup in another enclosure so this way I can have the Wood Frogs in the Biopod. So I'll be able to keep about 4 Wood Frogs in the Biopod. I will make it more of a marsh for them. I also want to include 2-3 Gray Tree Frogs because they occupy the top of the tank and will do great in a moist setup too. I just have more passion for these frogs then a turtle or lizards if they aren't mine currently. So I'll have a Biopod Grand PA Woods Vivarium with Wood Frogs and Gray Tree Frogs. After Bandit I'll plan to have the 5 Toads because I'm expecting from the information on Wood Frogs passing faster then the toads and tree frogs and 4 Tree Frogs. The 125 Gallon is moist but not a marsh land more of what the Wood Frog enjoys and both the toad and tree frog can live in drier areas and the tree frogs can live in a marsh land that's why they'll be in both. The Wood Frog and Toad occupy the same space so they are the anchor for their tank specifically. So the 125 Gallon PA Woods Vivarium will have American Toads and Gray Tree Frogs. In time these 3 will be my whole collection. After the lizards and White's Tree Frogs I'll get the Biopod Grand so if these babies are alive still they will be the future inhabitants. I will have the Skinks in the 75 Gallon the White's Tree Frogs in an Exo Terra LT by the end of the summer, Wood Frogs in an Exo Terra and the 3 species in the 125 Gallon. 4 tanks and I'm hoping to have 3. In the future after my lizards and dumpy tree frogs pass then I'll have 
The 125 Gallon PA Woods Vivarium
Biopod Grand PA Woods Vivarium
Exo Terra LT Insectarium

I plan of loving my lizards and tree frogs and not neglecting them because I love them and enjoy them too. I just want to say that. I'm just looking ahead because the skink pair is older and the one tree frog will be 4. So it can be a long time or if something happens can be next week. I hope they live for a long time. 

What I have to do
I need to program the light and attach it to the lifting kit. 

I need to drill more holes for the foggers to fit in the holes.

I need to see if the hygrotherm is setup right. 

I have more plants to add and accessories. 

I need to add the Insects and all of them. 

I'll have to update the water bins to look better with cover for Bandit to hide. 

In conclusion for now
I have found a good number of animals my tank can take and found what it's made for. I found that I like the Wood Frog a lot and want to build a setup for them. 

What do you think of my observations so far from Day 1 and 2?

How do you feel about a maximum number of animals do you think it's necessary and how do you determine it for your self?

What do you think will be the most challenging things with this tank and what questions do you have for me about this setup? 

Are you excited that I have decided to scrap some ideas and pursue another PA Woods Vivarium but with the Wood Frogs?









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## AAronCap (Jan 16, 2018)

Some progress made and some interesting observation from the first feed you won't believe

So something very interesting about my light is if you think about taking a phone off the charger and the percentage goes down that's how the light takes away the power of the fixture. It's a gradual take. The light will need to still be hung up but I'm pleased with the results today. The night light is very different from the light of a T5 Fixture that I had before. It's much brighter and I was not sold on the light how bright it was but seeing it today changed my perspective. So the light will also gain power from the morning to around midday to 3pm. I will be interested in seeing how my light effects the plants, insects and animals of the 125 Gallon. 

The clash of the Titans!
So as this was the first feed we would see how 3 groups came together to eat. Ace, Pious, and King III then Wellsboro and Bandit and the Tree Frogs Christian and Meredith. Pious and King stayed on the right side of the tank and were spread out. Bandit caught a few which was good but I left early for work so everyone may have eaten more then I saw. The Gray Tree Frogs were very nervous and the male caught one cricket and I urged the female to come out from sleeping because she might not have got any. The tree frogs are highly nocturnal. They come out very late. Now there was a battle that I saw potential for but I'm still surprised. Ace and Wellsboro were in the middle of the tank and that's where I dropped the insects. They both ate the most but I recorded this where they were actually trying to push one another away from getting the food. I wasn't paying attention to who ate more it was so even and not what I wanted but anyways they really pushed one another. Wellsboro showed territorial behavior at Ace but she actually started eating more. Ace, King and Pious are not territorial they do not lunge at other animals and Bandit doesn't either. Apparently Wellsboro is dominant and Ace is an eating machine. If he makes her his rival he won't be mating with her next year lol she will remember his lack of manners. So it made me think about possibly having to feed the Tree Frogs with the baby wood frogs. This would enable them to be in a more even setting to catch food. I'll have to find a way to slow down Wellsboro and Ace from eating so I have some ideas. Until I order the Banded Crickets the Gray Tree Frogs won't be able to eat much. They may be able to eat the waxworms and earthworms but the Crickets would be too big. Luckily the tree frogs are young so they have years to grow and compete with the toads. I do have small crickets that I throw in after the large ones so they can pick those off. 

So my way to keep the toads contained is to do two things. As the toads are out I'll throw earthworms in to them and try to fill them up on the worms or Mealworms or Waxworms and when the Crickets go in they will not have as much room and it'll give the tree frogs and Bandit the opportunity to eat more. Like I said I just saw Bandit and Christian catch one but there were many crickets and other insects left so they could have ate a lot too. I know Bandit can compete and catch food. He has speed and is very aggressive to feeders. I might take the tree frogs out and feed them separately possibly on top of the enclosure or in another bin. It will at first cause nervousness but they can adapt like my White's Tree Frogs and wait for me to take them out and sit and let me hand feed them. Id love to do that for them. 

I may be overreacting since the Gray Tree Frogs were just getting started as I was leaving. 
What do you think I should do to make sure the Tree Frogs get food? 

Are you surprised to hear Ace and Wellsboro clashing for food? 

Are you ready for a video this week? 

This picture is Christian (Male Tree Frog)










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## AAronCap (Jan 16, 2018)

Here are the night noises from the 125 Gallon and listen at 8 seconds to hear from Bandit the Wood Frog. He was claiming his territory. This is the Facebook page for the 125 Gallon PA Woods Vivarium like it for exclusive content and updates on videos and more!

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=471240230003249&id=402141930246413




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## AAronCap (Jan 16, 2018)

My Gray Tree Frog Christian calling in my 125 Gallon PA Woods Vivarium built for American Toads and Gray Tree Frogs

https://youtu.be/XCsaZQqUBHg

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## AAronCap (Jan 16, 2018)

Here are the two male Gray Tree Frogs Christian and Bane sleeping together. Ace still sleeps at the front of the tank that's her territory and Pious hangs out with her still. Those two hang out the most for toads. The picture of the flower is my North American Day Lilly blooming in my tank!









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## AAronCap (Jan 16, 2018)

An update on the video and other information

The video is together but in having a hard time for the narration on it. It will be how I built the enclosure so it will be made up of pictures mostly and the next video will be showing the interactions of the amphibians. I'm very impressed by the camera and you will be too. Some parts I had to shoot with my phone so the quality is not that good compared to the camera. I'm looking forward to starting up some different playlists for you all to see one will be featuring Gray Tree Frogs and American Toads specifically and each species and each animals perspective inside the enclosure. Another playlist will be of the 125 Gallon which will be the feature playlist. It will have updates and mini series including a series called Seasons where I talk about how the animals are doing in the different seasons and I will feature various "weather conditions" that I will create from devices that relate to the specific season in Pennsylvania. Another mini series will be Swarms which will feature various feeder bugs being released and how the Toads and Tree Frogs interact with them. 

Toads
The toads have settled in meaning Ace Pious and Wellsboro. King will be taken back to his home soon and Queen will be added in his place. Wellsboro is still the dominant animal and he will be taken out during feeding. All the toads are peaceful towards the Tree Frogs so all is good. I'll be interested to see how the female Tree Frogs interact with the Toads seeing as how much bigger they will be. 

Gray Tree Frogs
These guys are very nocturnal so I haven't seen them eat but once but they are fat and Christian shed already not to mention both frogs were calling within the first week of being in the enclosure. The Gray Tree Frogs could actually try to escape and I'm not saying they 100% could but I have White's Tree Frogs and they always are curious and try to see if they can get out but these two tree frogs must be very happy and they must feel they have it pretty good. I'm excited to get these guys moving around more in the enclosure. 

Bandit is a very lucky frog. He is going to have the opportunity to move into the 75 Gallon after the other tanks are built. He is doing great and has given up climbing the top of the enclosure. He will be happier with his own species and a bog setup. I'm excited to have his species and to document one of the most abundant frog species of Eastern North America. 

Devices
The Mistking is done at 7 sprayers but I'll need two more so I'll be purchasing the Monsoon Solo because I need the background sprayed more. The light is set where I want it. I'm pleased with some spots being darker for the shade plants. The Repti Temp will control the fan to save the life on it and I'll get a hygrometer to see the humidity to see if I need another fan to take the humidity down. The Fogger is going to be the Evergreen Pet Supplies Fogger. It'll only have one tube shooting fog into the enclosure because I have the other fogger and the 2 piece which creates fog from two tubes for the exotic enclosures so this way they have some cool stuff too. This will not cover the enclosure most likely but it will do a great job. 

The enclosure is not finished but it's really close. I'm excited to share in videos what I have and the progress moving forward. 

What playlist sounds the most interesting? 

What feeder insects would you like to see the Gray Tree Frogs and American Toads take down? 

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## AAronCap (Jan 16, 2018)

The most important updates up to now...

I'll start by ruining the mood with saying I couldn't post the videos yet I'm working on them but in this update I'll explain why...

So I started the week planning on building a bog vivarium with Bandit and the Green Frogs but that changed. I saw these little gnats flying at my light and Bandit was noticing them. He was determined to get them but I didn't think he was that serious I figured he would lose interest and I went downstairs to eat and such which was a few hours. I came back and saw Bandit on my floor and he turned and looked at me. He let me catch him but I put him in the 10 Gallon because I knew he knew how to escape the 125 Gallon. He was lucky my room was dark and the air conditioner was on 66 so he was good probably for a few more hours. I had a tough decision to make. If I kept Bandit he would not be able to return to the 125 Gallon because he knew where to escape again and I was not ready to build his tank I had reasons why there were two tanks ahead of his so it wasn't looking good. A couple days before this I kept hearing a voice saying to do what I do best and for my animals sake I knew I'm very advanced with keeping Tree Frogs, and Toads especially. So it was a tough decision but after 3 days of thinking about it I chose to let all the Green Frogs go. They are at my mom's pond and I will miss Bandit he raised the bar for pond frogs. 

Toads

As I let the frogs go I also let King III go in my Wood Pile where other toads are. He came down to the pond and began singing. It was over for him when he climed the tank to the top to try and get the tree frogs. Ace and Pious stayed together and slept together 4 nights out of this past week and they learned the can dig into my background which will need repaired and to be toad proof now lol. Wellsboro is on the complete other side of the tank and all is peaceful. The toads don't go after the tree frogs and the tree frogs are going to be able to catch more crickets. Now that Bandit and King III are gone it completely changed the territory lines of the tank. All three toads cohabitate peacefully now and Pious and Wellsboro do sit together and are not territorial with one another. Wellsboro did claim a log in the tank he can hide in. Pious spends his time around the Moss Hut and Ace hangs out in the front and back of the tank she's like a nomad. I may introduce Queen now to the tank since everyone is peaceful. She's small but she actually lived with Wellsboro and Bandit in a 10 gallon and had her own territory. 

Tree Frogs

These guys were more active this week. Christian the smaller one is very active. He comes down to the floor of the tank and he sits near Ace or she walks over to him and then they end up sitting together until she leaves and Christian just waits to see if he can find crickets and also to explore. He has claimed the top of the largest plant my Autumn Sedum and he turns green to blend in with the plant. He also got hit with the sprayer for the first time and I turned my air conditioner on because it was 79 in my room. It went from 79-60 really fast and I turned the mister and the newly installed fogger on at the same time. He woke up from a deep sleep and went up to the top and began calling heavy like he was triggered to breed. I think I successfully created a good enough artificial simulation for him to feel the need to mate. Bane the larger male is more shy but he has been eating I've seen him catching crickets this week. He's more hesitant to come down and eat then Christian. He sleeps in a small cave I created which is cool. The way Bandit escaped these frogs could have at any moment but they do not at all try. They seem truly happy I'm actually surprised how at home they are. At least I know they are loyal lol and yes I did patch the hole. 

I went and bought online 500 Banded Crickets from Josh's Frogs and it's my first time with them so I hope everything goes great. Could this potentially be the first Swarm to invade the PA Woods Vivarium? I have to re evaluate the amount of feeders I buy now because I'll have less animals and more of the same kind. I saved a one eye toad and it actually didn't leave my hand when I set it in the grass so I kept it. It will go in a separate tank. I am now planning on having a second PA Woods Vivarium but for the offspring of the toads and tree frogs to live. So I'll have one offspring from each pair of animals. One from Ace and a male, one from Queen and a male, one from Christian and a female and one from Bane and a female. The 4 amphibians will join this unnamed toad in a tank I'll be purchasing later this year after all the construction is done with everything else. This toad will not be as active as the other toads so it's okay to live with the other offspring. The one eye toad can mate with one of the offspring from the 125 Gallon and create another pool of genes for the toads. 

The fogger was installed in the tank as well. The tank is around 75% done. I need the two female tree frogs and queen as well as some plants and some updates to the background. I'm very happy how it turned out! 

I am planning on getting a really cool tank for the offspring tank. 

What was the most exciting or interesting update to you? 

Are you excited for the upcoming videos? I have 2 I'm making and maybe the first Swarms video. 

Have you ever seen a mixed species tank feeding video? How do you think it will go without King and Bandit? 

What tank do you think would be cool for an offspring tank I'm looking for suggestions? You may sway me away from the tank I'm planning on. 

I'm going to make the White's Tree Frog care sheet and American Toad care sheet first. 

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## AAronCap (Jan 16, 2018)

I am trying to decide which picture would be a better cover photo for my 125 gallon enclosure for my tree frogs and toads I have two pictures that could potentially make the cover but I was wondering what your opinion was if you liked picture one better or picture to please comment what you think looks better below









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## AAronCap (Jan 16, 2018)

This week's agenda is to debut on social media and some renovations...

I have had a vote with family friends and you all on here for a cover photo and we had a lot of people vote and it almost was even it's a 1 vote difference. So I'm going to use both photos. If you are familiar with sports games they choose an athlete each year to be the cover of their product that year and for 2018 it's Ace (Female American Toad) and Christian (Male Gray Tree Frog) because of their high activity and tame/interesting behavior. I took both pictures of them today because they kept coming towards the camera. Wellsboro could be the solo star in 2019 or Bane or these two could repeat it's open to whoever earns it. So how it's going to work is on the Facebook Page you can checkout the advertisement that will announce the day and time the video will be posted. It's supposed to be a hype video similar to how ESPN advertises for a primetime game. This is the flagship product of my enclosures so to me it's primetime. Swarms, Seasons and Perspective will be the 3 series on the 125 Gallon playlist. I will have an advertisement and promote it with enough time for you to get excited from the advertisement and space it out so you can watch the feature video and enjoy the build up each time before, during the video and looking forward to the next one. The inspiration for the YouTube and Facebook page come from a few places such as other YouTube Channels KAMP KENAN and ANTS CANADA as well as the Crocodile Hunter and the advertisements are inspired how ESPN advertises for sports such as college football. 

Tomorrow I will be cleaning the glass, cleaning poop since I don't have established colonies of cleaners yet and I'll be fixing spots on the lid that are possible ways for escaping. There was another I found and if those tree frogs were not happy or didn't like my enclosure they could have actually escaped already so I'm very fortunate they love the setup. I mean it it's not a question of if they could have escaped they could have 100% if they wanted. These frogs are very appreciative animals. It's ashame people keep them in smaller enclosures because they use all the room a 6 foot long tank provides. I'm not saying a smaller tank is bad because they would be happy in something small as a 40 gallon but people keep them in 5 gallon aquariums and smaller tanks and that's why they die so fast. I will also be checking the fogger and mister to make sure they are good. I'll do an electronics update so I'll also check the fan and repti temp and the iPod playing the daily cycle of noises. This way everything is good. I'll also keep observing the animals to make sure they are in good health. 

They will all hibernate after January 2nd. This day will be the award ceremony for all my vivariums. Once they wake up they will be individually tested for worms and disease. We will also be searching for the final 2 female tree frogs if we do not find them this summer. Next spring we will search. I will have an offspring enclosure for one specimen from each couple to inhabit. 2 baby toads and 2 baby tree frogs is the goal. The unnamed one eye toad will be in this setup. I am going to get a 72 Gallon Bow Front tank for the second PA Woods Vivarium. 

My Day Lilly has new buds and will bloom more and my Autumn Sedum made a dramatic come back. It's about to bloom now too. I am awaiting the Banded Crickets army to arrive and challenge the ecosystem of the PA Woods. The House Cricket and Earthworms will be the first video of Swarms but will be the 3rd video to be released. My worms actually laid eggs in a bin I keep them in. I was shocked to see it but I'm very happy. 

I tested Christian to see if he would go after earthworms and I was surprised to find out he will so this will be something fun to watch for possibly in the first video of Swarms. 


What is your takeaway from the advertisements and the information about what my agenda is?

Are you surprised to hear a tree frog attempting to eat a worm? 

Do you think I picked the right animals to be the cover animals for the PA Woods this year?

You can view the pictures below and I was wondering if you guys think I should create a new thread of this build now that I have the actual animals and it's built so I can actually give care for the animals and I can maybe make it more clear for others new or just discovering my work? Let me know!











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## AAronCap (Jan 16, 2018)

We are breaking up...the 125 Gallon

I was able to watch the animals after I had the fogger on for a few hours and saw a window of opportunity. See now that I have the animals and I see what I want and what works I am making adjustments. I thought how I will have 2 enclosures for my tree frogs and toads so why not maximize the spaces like in the wild? I found a way to increase the space and have all my animals and add the two female gray tree frogs. 

The two tanks will have pairs of tree frogs and toads. Ace and Pious are staying in the 125 gallon with Christian and his mate Meredith when I get her. Wellsboro and the one eye toad and Bane will go in the second enclosure with his mate when I get her. They will be able to bond and it will give the animals the most space and then I can introduce insects to clean the poop and the plants up for me. 

The Skinks have been showing signs of being disinterested in their 75 gallon so I'm giving them the 30 Gallon. They don't seem to catch food in the 75 gallon as efficient as I thought they would. So I actually am just going to use the 75 gallon for the other tank. Wellsboro and the one eye toad and Bane will be going in there. When each pair mates (hopefully) the opposite pairs offspring will join the opposite enclosure. When those offspring are able to mate I'll separate them so they can make a third group of toads and tree frogs. 

What do you think of my decision to have two toads in a 125 gallon? Do you think this enclosure is too big for 4 animals?

Are you excited to see Wellsboro and Bane get their own setup? They are the biggest of the two species. 

Will this make the videos more interesting to see less animals in the enclosures? 

Small update. 
I'm attempting to breed mealworms and red wrigglers because I saw in their bins the works mated and the mealworms were beetles. I am going to feed them and care for them and maybe something cool will happen. 

Have you ever fed your animal a mealworm beetle?

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## AAronCap (Jan 16, 2018)

Two big updates!

The Banded Crickets are here!

There is a stand still for now as the Banded Crickets have traveled a far distance and need to recover for the battle. While they feast and prepare for the first war of the PA Woods I upgraded their food. They get bird seed, Betta Fish Food, Zoo Med Repti-Vite, Cricket Chow and Pond Fish Food. They get Flukers Water Gel with calcium added. So they are having a good feast. 

Meanwhile in the PA Woods some hungry Toads await. The Banded Crickets army is much larger in size which makes the Gray Tree Frogs useless in defending the woods. It falls on the toads. While they await this battle I got the tree frogs and toads Rep-Cal the two bottles. Multivitamins and Calcium with D3 as well as a parasite medicine Para Zap. The parasite medicine is because it will help with anything these amphibians have and could slowly take away the parasites before they get checked. So we will have some healthy amphibians!

Last night Pious climbed up the Autumn Sedum and put his head on Christian. An American Toad put his head on a Gray Tree Frog. I got pictures on my camera but don't have them yet. It was nice to see. Then Christian moved over and sat next to Pious. I bet a tree frog never thought it would have to sit on top of a plant and have to make room for a toad while up there lol Ace and Pious have done this all the time. They did it with the Lizards also. 

So I'll have to upload some videos post some pictures and update you all. There may be one more device we are planning to install in the PA Woods.









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## AAronCap (Jan 16, 2018)

The first two videos are being worked on and might be out before July 15!

Other news too...


The American Toads are doing well and are hungry! Pious stole the week for the toads because of how friendly he was. While the toads are the biggest animal it doesn't mean it's just their home. They share it with the Tree Frogs and it was nice seeing both species cohabitate the way they have. I can say all of the toads are hungry and ready for the showdown with the Banded Crickets. The first battle starts tomorrow in the PA Woods. Tomorrow's update will be big. 

The tree frogs have good and bad news. The tree frogs had a good week and Christian was more active as always. I know these two are hungry for some crickets also. There may be an alliance of the two species of crickets to invade the PA Woods. Good thing the Gray Tree Frogs will stand by on look out and will aid the toads in the first Swarm invasion. 

While I was excited for everything to have worked out the green frogs were given a pond and King III was given a wood pile I came across a small problem. Christian is 100% a Gray Tree Frog. His personality and call matches. Bane however is a Copes Gray Tree Frog. I came across the discovery with help from my girlfriend. Bane has a much deeper call and he is very different from Christian. Bane only comes to the ground to get food and water. Christian is always moving on the ground and seems to use the entire tank. I have a tough decision to make now with what I'm going to do with him. He's mine I'm not giving him up and he eats and looks healthy. I was going to split up Bane and Christian but now I have even more reason. Now I have to decide if I'll have to keep Copes Gray Tree Frogs too or what I'll do. His discovery comes at a good time because I will be building another setup for him and Wellsboro. I am going to make the enclosure more arboreal for him. The plus is the Copes Gray Tree Frog is bigger and highly arboreal so these frogs actually won't come into contact with Wellsboro as much. The Gray Tree Frogs when I get all my specimens will be moved into the 125 Gallon now so the Copes can live in the 75 Gallon. This sets the number for the 125 Gallon to 2 Toads and 4 Tree Frogs. The tree frogs are much much smaller then the toads so the added 2 tree frogs will not effect the toads. I have a lot of thinking to do now with what I'm going to do. 

So we have the Ace, Pious and the Gray Tree Frogs in the 125 Gallon then we have Wellsboro and Belmont (One Eyed Toad) and the Copes Gray Tree Frogs with the 75 Gallon and an Exo Terra 18x24 Vivarium available. The goal of offspring is also real which is planned for with another 2 toads and 2 Gray Tree Frogs but maybe not Copes Gray Tree Frogs. Looks like just when I have things figured out I end up needing to figure out something else. 

What do you think would be a good decision to do with the newly discovered Copes Gray Tree Frogs? Should I keep a group of them and keep them with Wellsboro and Belmont? Or should I just get Bane a mate and release their tadpoles where I get the mate from? 

Do you want to see Belmont in the upcoming Swarms video? 

Should we have a second part to the swarms video with the Mealworm Beetle vs Gray Tree Frogs? 

What would be a cool idea to add to an Arboreal part to a 75 Gallon?

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## AAronCap (Jan 16, 2018)

The most spectacular observation of nature inside my enclosure


When I released the banded crickets I wasn't sure what to expect. I was very surprised with the first day of the swarm!



First Swarms Battle Round 1

One thing I quickly learned from the Banded Crickets is that they are intelligent. I released them into the enclosure in my large plant and they all stayed in the plant. Not one left to explore. I hadn't seen Pious in a while, Ace was sleeping in the back of a hide and Wellsboro was sleeping in a hide. The toads didn't know the crickets were even in their enclosure. But the Gray Tree Frogs knew immediately something was in their territory. Christian was on the far left of the tank and Bane was on the right. And idk if my frogs are different or if this was their natural behavior but they watched the crickets move around in the plant. They were very patient and just when I thought the Banded Crickets were too big the smallest frog in the enclosure Christian jumped at one and was the first to eat a banded cricket. Bane was watching on the other side and once Christian caught one he grabbed one. Both tree frogs came to the ground watching to see a vulnerable cricket and just then from behind the hide out comes Ace. She was very interested in the crickets. She was in the back of the plant with Christian on the left and Bane on the right they had a stand still for about 15 minutes nobody moved. All three amphibians were stalking the crickets but no crickets were dumb enough to come out of the plant. Just then Bane climbed to a nozzle above the plant actually where he slept and I thought he was done eating but he actually used the nozzle for better position on the crickets. They didn't notice him. He looked more like Batman swooping down and grabbing a cricket and he caused a sudden panic then Christian lunged at a cricket on the bottom of the plant and Ace grabbed two then another stand still. Then the only one who caught crickets was Bane. The Banded Crickets climbed down noticing the front of the tank was not occupied. They ran in zigzags and hid under the leaf litter and began mating. Ace and Christian just were waiting to ambush a cricket that came out of the leaf litter. Bane still continued his strategy as some crickets climbed the background he would jump on top of them and go back to his perch. He sheded before I put the crickets in and he looks healthy. The winners from today were hands down the Gray Tree Frogs. They were the reason Ace got any. I never saw frogs and toads work together but the tree frogs looked like they actually worked together as one caused a distraction the other grabbed some and then Ace grabbed the crickets that tried to run in the back. They all were smart enough to all work together. All this happened in an hour. 


When I saw Bane shed idk what he is. I don't want to miss identify him so I'm going to wait to get any Copes Tree Frogs. One thing is Bane will be able to compete in an enclosure with Wellsboro. I'm very happy how exciting these little frogs are and to see them hunting with the toads was incredible. Bane was the spectacular hunter. Tomorrow I'll add Belmont and she just ate some small crickets but is always hungry. She is actually a very good hunter. 

So the possible over population of tree frogs seems to have been averted as of now. 

Are you surprised with how proficient the Gray Tree Frogs were today? I sure was they were very interesting and intelligent. 

Have you seen my new video yet?
https://youtu.be/oKJB0DhQlnc

The next video will be the Banded Crickets, European Crickets and Mealworm Beetles Swarms. The videos will continue to get better I didn't want to give you everything in an introduction to the enclosure. You'll see a lot more in the Swarms video. Let me know if you like the new video!



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## AAronCap (Jan 16, 2018)

Some updates!

The Swarms episode is coming along. Belmont is in the 125 Gallon and doing great. I have found another Gray Tree Frog and I think it's a female. If it is I'll see which male she bonds with and that's the enclosure she will go in. 

I'm really excited to have a Northern PA Vivarium and a Western PA Vivarium. There will be a difference because I have a large UTH on the back of the 75 Gallon which will be the Northern Setup. This may give the enclosure a 5 degree difference and I may use a T5 Fixture to give more heat. My inspiration for this comes from Pine Creek which was the trail I walked on when up north. Since people go to this spot up north to fish I felt it was necessary to have a waterfall that has a small stream that will keep the mosquito fish I have currently. This is a native species of fish and the most durable fish. This will be the first time I included fish in a pa setup that was planned. The goal is to create more humidity and heat in the northern setup and because I've been looking at the weather I see it's colder at night and warmer in the day. I can't make it cooler then the other tank at night but I can increase heat. If I go with a T5 Fixture then I can't have as accurate day night cycle it would be 4 types. Morning, afternoon, evening and night. I may be able to make some tweaks adding another fixture with a T5 one but it won't be like the 125 gallon light. This project will be on going as this year goes on. 


The western woods is about done. I have some plants to add to the water, the background and to add crops. The devices are set and I just need a female tree frog and I may have just found one. One enclosure will have it's inhabitants with a pair of toads and tree frogs and one will need one more tree frog. The western woods will also need it's background updated because the toads climb it and dig into it so when I hibernate them I'll fix it. They eat the Banded Crickets tomorrow and I'll attempt the Mealworm Beetle as well. I have an army of mealworm beetles now so it'll be interesting to see if the toads and tree frogs eat them. 

Some of my playlists will not have as many episodes this year since the tank hasn't really been up for that long but I will have a lot of content. I'll explain some tweaks I am making tomorrow. I'll have more news on the Swarms video and have more information on how Belmont does. 

Have you ever heard of a rain wall or seen it in an enclosure?

Which enclosure has you more interested the Western enclosure or the Northern?

What devices should I add to the northern setup? 

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## AAronCap (Jan 16, 2018)

Banded and European Crickets Round 2 for first Swarms video!

So I had a lot more deaths this week right before I was able to feed the big tank. I will have to feed the Mealworm beetles and earthworms until the Banded Crickets get to my house. I ordered a size down and half the amount I ordered this time to try to use them all. Tonight was doing great I got an amazing shot of Ace hunting a banded cricket and after she ate one the lights went out for the day. Tonight was just not my night and these guys at least got around 15 crickets so some of the amphibians ate at least 1 or 2. 

I am still trying to balance the cycle of insects I'll need between the enclosures. 2 types of crickets, earthworms, waxworms, mealworms, wax moths, mealworm beetles, Woodlice and some surprises for video. I am going to allow the crickets to lay eggs this time while they wait to invade the different enclosures. Maybe I'll have some extra Crickets laying around. My mealworm beetles are beginning to breed. I saw how many there are and how big they are. They seem really happy lol no care in the world and earthworms too they are breeding. 

I am going to buy a powdered substance that will increase color in amphibians and reptiles. Reds and yellows are what stand out and get more colorful and the toads have red and yellow pigments and I'm interested to see what it does to the gray tree frogs. This is a substance that has fungus and other materials that most wild insects would eat and how wild amphibians would use the fungus and such as an antioxidant. This alone is big for me and my wild animals but it helps their eyes. This substance protects the eyes limiting the harmful intake the lights have on the eyes of the frogs. Gray tree frogs in old age suffer vision problems so this could prolong the vision of these frogs. 

Some of the devices like the rain wall would be crucial to a live background because it could keep the background moist and the water would be siphoned by the moss. This is actually the most authentic way to make rain if you use a rain wall then any mister. This will be added as well as a background to make the background look as if it's getting runoff from a mountain and the water would meet at the bottom and be where my little stream is. Would I have room for fish in a 75 Gallon with 2 terrestrial toads? The answer is it depends on how it's built. The whole enclosure will not be moist and damp just the piece of the background so the toads can stay out of the water. Remember the humidity up north where this tank was inspired by is higher and it's more consistent as higher. Toads are found in various places and there will be enough room for the two to navigate. The Gray Tree Frog likes moist climates it can possibly induce breeding faster and easier since they would be around a veneral pool. There would have to be a spot where there is water and no fish. That will be a challenge. Some devices I'm considering a fogger, mister and either a T5 or LED fixture. I'm also thinking about some cool pond or aquarium devices to use for my water feature. A bubbler would be cool. Maybe a moon light to display the animals. 

Let me know what devices that you think would be coolest. 

Have you ever created a background with water running down it? 

Have you ever used the horn worm before?

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## AAronCap (Jan 16, 2018)

That's a good idea about the wall and yeah I'd probably have it over flow. 


The first Swarms Battle coming soon!
More updates too...


I got the little tree frog and I was not aware how small the frog is. Its so small it's crazy. I'm raising an infant tree frog now lol I'm praying it's a female. I thought it was. Anyways I had a big feeding day today. I gave them 3 rounds of crickets tonight and I was surprised what I saw. Ace seems to have become the leader again. She was moving all around and she seems to hunt the Banded Crickets the best along with Bane the larger male Gray Tree Frog. Wellsboro and Pious were pretty even. Wellsboro dug some holes in the substrate and the crickets hid in them. When I was home the tree frogs didn't eat but I found a lot of poop from them last week. I saw Belmont was as active as Ace so maybe it's just the female toads are more active but she was too small so she couldn't compete with Ace and the toads. The good thing about Belmont is she is tame and trusts me so when I grab her in the tank she lets me. I put her in the small holding tank with some crickets and she hunted down some of the banded crickets and got her fill. I put Christian in there too because he's the second smallest but he didn't eat any crickets. He is like Ace they won't eat unless in their enclosure. That's honorable but not good if they need to be separated from the others. 

I think it will be great when there's only two toads because then the toads and tree frogs will get their fill and I won't have to worry about taking someone out. I think if it's just Belmont and another toad she will get some. Even Bane being a top hunter is small and has to take a break after eating one at a time. She would get a good opportunity to catch some Crickets. 

I'm interested to see how the dynamics of each tank will change once the amphibians are split up. It will be interesting to see how Bane and Belmont and Wellsboro interact and how they will hunt and coexist. I'm excited to see how the fish will bring more life to the tank. If the baby frog is a female it will be nice to have all the inhabitants for the 125 gallon and will be cool to see how things change without Wellsboro and Bane. If I had to rank them in their hunting ability
Ace
Wellsboro/Pious
Bane
Christian/Belmont (Tied)

Christian can hunt very good but he's just so much smaller he doesn't catch food as easily as Bane. With 2 of the top 3 hunters being moved that should give Pious the opportunity to gain weight and for Christian to eat more because Meredith would take months to get big enough to go in. She won't hibernate unless she gets to 1 inch. I'll have to thin out the amount of crickets so they don't over run the enclosures. The Swarms Battles should be very fun because it would be like two sides at war and having different battles in different territories. We will get to see how a specific ecosystem handles the flow in and out of the crickets. I'll be able to add the Woodlice when the animals are split up. 

The first Swarms Battle will be just the Banded Crickets because they are such a crucial part to the diet of these animals. I think I may use the Banded Crickets more then the European ones because the tree frogs and toads seem to like them and they dont escape. I think I got good shots of both species so I'll be putting the video together this week and next week. 

I have been getting the most important supplements for my amphibians that I feel they need and it will help keep them healthier and happier. I believe these supplements are a necessity and for anyone who keeps toads and tree frogs separate or together the supplements on Josh's Frogs is the same. They will be posted below. 

What do you think about Wellsboro and Bane being in the same enclosure with how dominant they are as hunters? 

Are you excited to see Belmont the female one eyed toad and the baby tree frog? 

How much do you think the dynamics of the 125 gallon will change for Ace Pious and Christian? 

Did you know!
This may be the first time documented on YouTube the American Toad and Gray Tree Frog have hunted and eaten the Banded Cricket? 

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## AAronCap (Jan 16, 2018)

We got some issues and I used the underground pump today and this is the end...


Today I drained the water at the bottom of my tank and was very happy because it worked as I had hoped. It got the water out fast. I'm considering getting water plants and plants for the background. The progress is 80% and if I have a female tree frog and she bonds with Christian it goes to 85%. 

This will be the last post on this thread as I will create a new thread and begin a new chapter. This thread was all about the speculation on how I would build the enclosure and what would go into it. We have our answer on everything from the animals to plants to the background to temperature. I will be excited to share from a finished product how this epic journey will go. How will the PA Woods Vivariums move forward and how different will these adapt from the original ideas? It will be interesting to have two similar climates but tailored different due to different parts of the state. I'm very happy I have the animals I do. I will have to hibernate them in different enclosures too so there's no confusion and so the amphibians can be placed into their right enclosure. Thanks to everyone who supported this idea and helped me as I went along with the build. I have 3 other builds to make and a lot to do but I got through the most important part with the help of everyone. I hope you will all follow the next thread and the continued journey of these amphibians. The next thread will cover both enclosures and it will have care sheets, links to videos and links to the Facebook page. You will see a lot of Woodlice and Banded Crickets in the next thread. I'll be bringing the Woodlice to the enclosure and populating my enclosures with them. The upcoming journey of breeding and raising the young and recreating weather and natural parts of the PA climate will be fun to document. 

So this leads to the problem. I saw the toads looking like they were itching their legs and idk what it could be. I checked to see if their was anything I could see and I got a bright flashlight and saw two things. I saw a red looking mite I believe as a spider mite and fungus gnats. I think one of these is pestering the toads. It's only on the ground and I never saw Ace irritated but the two males were. I'm not sure if it's the gnats or red mites but I'm still researching and I'll have to see if I can get a sample of feces to take to the vet of Pious. If it's nemetodes or a parasite I'll be able to do something. If mites are making the toads irritated I'll have to buy predator mites. If gnats I'll have to figure something out. It's not a fatal problem right now I see every so often they get irritated but they don't have any marks or don't show any irritation on third skin. 

Have your frogs ever kicked their legs together or used one leg to scratch another one? 

What is one thing you are looking forward to seeing in the next thread? 

Which enclosure do you think will be more interesting for you to see the 125 gallon with Ace and Christian the most active two amphibians I have or the 75 gallon with Wellsboro and Bane two of the most fierce predators I have? 

Did you know!
Woodlice can out compete harmful mites by eating their food source? 

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## AAronCap (Jan 16, 2018)

I think I found my problem. No toad was doing this in their previous setup. I believe it's the mulch in with the toads. I'll have to take it out and mix the soil another way without mulch. I think it's irritating their skin. 

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