reptile for this beast?

[dmopar74]

ok lets get on track here. please suggest some REPS that would fit into this tank. let me worry about getting in to clean it. i guess i would need a rep i could handle so that i can remove it during cleaning.

this tank does not hold water currently, and its condition(small cracks, etc..) would make it somewhat pricey to repair correctly. the tank was free to me so im not loosing out using it for a reptile. fish are cool, yes, but i have enough of them and want to try something different.

perhaps i'll remove a panel or put it on hinges so it can swing open to clean it. flip it on its back so the footprint is 5'x4' and add mesh for the front, who knows. i just need a little guidance as to what reps a noob could keep in this big ass tank.

thanks.

 

[swede]

HI! I'M BILLY MAYS, AND THIS IS THE 400 GALLON ANT FARM! ARE YOU TIRED OF LAME-ASS 4 OUNCE ANT FARMS? WE'VE SOLVED THAT PROBLEM BY CREATING THE MOTHERSHIP OF ALL ANT FARMS!!!!!! CALL WITHIN THE NEXT 20 MINUTES, AND WE'LL THROW IN A FREE SLUG SLUM, YOUR FREE GIFT!

iguanas are an easy one. You could also get a whole colony of house geckos! I have one that lives just outside my frornt door

 

[coura]

I normally don't respond negatively when someone is stating their opinion, but this post is chock full of inaccuracies that I had to comment on.

1. Dwarf caiman = No Way!
100% agreed That doesant give a dwarf caiman the kind of space it needs to trive in its life time, including a large land area to roam a bit. Females may be smaller but they also need a place to lay their eggs wich they form with or without the presence of a male. That means a larger out the water area, substrate like dead leafs, dirt,etc Not a good idea!
2. It is not a rule that reptiles are inactive. Sure, some are notoriously lazy...but please don't stereotype.
Rigth on the point In fact most lizards and turtles are very active animals. Tipical aquatic turtles like RES are the most active reptiles of all when they are in the water, they are allways searching for something to eat, digging ,etc.
3. Reptiles do not smell bad.....bad husbandry smells bad. Most reptiles have no odor, with the exception of some that have musks.
And thouse musks are only realesed when they are under stress and are held wich means they dont smell bad in the terrarium
4. Not all reptiles "eat once a week tops". My bearded dragon eats every day. Besides, who cares if you do have a reptile that only eats once a week? It is not the only interesting facet in herpetology.
All turtles, toises,lizards and young crocs need way more then once a week meals That only apllys to adult snakes, adult big carnivor lizards and big cros
5. Reptiles bite out of fear and stress....not to eat people.
There is gazillion reasons reptiles bite for, every bite has its reason and porpouse. Can be ofencive, defensive, esploratory,etc.
Just my 2 cents....

2 cents very well putted my friend

 

[Lepisosteus platyrhincus]

Hey...c'mon....I criticized nicely.

yeah you did. but when i do it never comes across nicely

 

[coura]

ok lets get on track here. please suggest some REPS that would fit into this tank. let me worry about getting in to clean it. i guess i would need a rep i could handle so that i can remove it during cleaning.

this tank does not hold water currently, and its condition(small cracks, etc..) would make it somewhat pricey to repair correctly. the tank was free to me so im not loosing out using it for a reptile. fish are cool, yes, but i have enough of them and want to try something different.

perhaps i'll remove a panel or put it on hinges so it can swing open to clean it. flip it on its back so the footprint is 5'x4' and add mesh for the front, who knows. i just need a little guidance as to what reps a noob could keep in this big ass tank.

thanks.

That is one hell of a cage You could house some pretty nice herps in there. What would you like first? As previouly putted no crocs but here is a really nice alternative: a caiman lizard Dracaena guinensis They are semiaquatic and very active under water. But they are also tropical lizards with very especific dietary needs, they only eat snails and crustaceans like crayfish. Maybe a lilte hard to start with
Here some really nice herps:
Turtles (male to avoid egg laying trobble) sliders, cooters, painteds, comon snappers, softshells,etc.
Lizards: basilisks, water dragons,cone head lizards, new caledonia giant geckos,etc
Snakes: chondros pythons, carpet pythons, blood pythons, annuleted tree boas.
Make shure you reserch deeply before making any purchase

 

[dmopar74]

i would have no problem adding some water into it, so a semi aquatic would be cool, but filling this beast up would be damn scary.

 

[coura]

Here's a chart on Dwarf Caiman growth rates-- with a females especially, it would be 2-3 years before you'd need another tank. Just a thought... Females essentially stop growing at about 2.5' and then grow very gradually for the rest of their lives.

Growth rate:
3 mths: 30cm, 95g.
6 mths: 35cm, 150g.
12mths: 42cm, 250g.
2 yrs: 53cm, 570g.
4 yrs: 77cm, 4 kg.
8 yrs: 94cm, 3.6 kg.
12 yrs: 90cm, 6.1 kg. (I think this is for a female - so it is smaller).
20 yrs: 118cm, 11.5 kg.

Not saying you should, just saying you could-- for a couple years-- keep a Dwarf Caiman in your tank. I still recommend building a different enclosure for a climbing reptile-- maybe doing it in a sun room to save on heating.

Why dont you go feed your fancy goldfishys or something and leave scaly stuff for us

 

[coura]

i would have no problem adding some water into it, so a semi aquatic would be cool, but filling this beast up would be damn scary.

None of the semiaquatics would need such volume of water, all need basking areas that are dry

 

[dmopar74]

None of the semiaquatics would need such volume of water, all need basking areas that are dry

oh i know, i think i worded my response wrong. i was just stating no more fish, but it would be fine placing an area for water in the tank.

 

[Lepisosteus platyrhincus]

I still say it would make one hell of a dart frog tank.