Recently, I have gotten into designing small realistic terrariums, and I decided that I would try to make some for my pets. Since my resources are limited during the winter, I decided to ask you guys what kind of setups I should make per colony/ animal. Here are the possible choices:
NOTE: Every one of my terrariums are based off of specific spots in my yard/ near my yard (sort of like NY's Natural History Museum dioramas)
1. Tupperware terrarium with mossy terrain, sandy soil, and a chunk of rotting wood (with lid) (Near the Farmington River, next to a rotting log)
2. Tupperware terrarium with very little moss, leaf litter, peat soil, tiny broken bits of rotting wood, and wood sorrel (with lid) (peat soil is a substitute, based off of a backyard spot)
3. Tupperware terrarium with no moss, leaf litter, lots of detritus, large chunks of rotting wood, wood sorrel, and random tree seedlings (with lid) (based off of a backyard spot)
4. Glass terrarium (5 gal) with mossy terrain, wood sorrel, small chunks of rotting wood, a pine tree seedling, acorns, and lichen (barrier) (based off of a backyard spot)
5. Glass terrarium (5 gal) with very little moss, wood sorrel, no rotting wood, acorns, lots of lichen, and a large rock (barrier) (based off of a backyard spot)
6. Glass terrarium (5 gal) with gravel, a mix of sandy soil & detritus-filled soil, rotting wood, gravel, acorns, and several rocks (larger than the gravel) (barrier) (Farmington Riverside)
7. Glass terrarium (5 gal) with detritus-filled soil, leaf litter, rotting wood, and lichen (Backyard spot)
8. Glass terrarium (5 gal) with sand, minimal leaf litter, driftwood, lichen, and a large water dish/pool (Farmington Riverside)
I can only make one glass terrarium and two tupperware terrariums.
Possible tankmates include:
Parcoblatta pennsylvanica
Terrestrial Isopods
Millipedes (maybe)
Click beetles (adults, hopefully in the spring)
Camel cricket (large adult male, native species)
Bess beetles (hopefully)
And here are the centerpiece animals:
Camponotus chromaiodes (more than 30 workers) (can only fit in the glass terrarium)
Camponotus pennsylvanicus (more than 30 workers) (can only fit in the glass terrarium)
Camponotus chromaiodes (6 workers)
Camponotus pennsylvanicus (12 workers (?) )
Reticulitermes flavipes (6 workers)
Formica subseriscea (1 queen)
Bufo americanus (for this spring)
Prenolepis imparis (for this spring)
Alaus sp. (for this spring)
NOTE: The ants will most likely be in test tubes placed within the terrarium.
Edited by Connectimyrmex, January 2 2018 - 10:07 AM.