my crabitat build photo journal!!

curious_kitty · Post by **curious_kitty** » Sat Apr 24, 2010 4:53 pm

Doglips IS fast~ Tillandsia?? air plants? would you recommend any easy ones? I was thinking about it, but there are tooo many choices.. one of each? would they be ok glued to the tree and getting misted only for water? I heard they had to be soaked?
Pleopeltis polypodioides is the one i got... I thought they'd look really cool once they start growing on bark trees. Hopefully hermies aren't too agile to get to them- but I will be keeping plants by themselves to settle in before moving any hermies into the enclosure- and also to monitor humidity levels, and any possible pest issues with live plants. I am ISOing ferns right now after a good soak.
are you any familiar with resurrection ferns? They are on oak barks, but how do i cut them out to mount it on to my cork bark? they don't seem to have any roots...

limeslide · Post by **limeslide** » Sat Apr 24, 2010 7:08 pm

Glue it with the oak bark.
Most Tillandsia need at least 60F at night, which is also suitable for crabs, and the bromeliads.
T. recurvata grows in Florida, so you could possible keep it with the temperatures being a little big warmer.
Live Tillandsia usneoides could also be grown in the tat, just make sure it doesn't have pesticides.
This site sales easy Tillies, they also have great service.
California Carnivores Tillandsia Page

curious_kitty · Post by **curious_kitty** » Sat Apr 24, 2010 7:13 pm

60F? hmmmm, maybe by the window side, possibly then,, its slightly cooler near the window. Ionatha? the pine cone looking ones?? do I glue those too?
how about pings? (those bug eating plants?)

here is some picture of broms~ I glued few pieces, and rest are just plugged into a small hole.

limeslide · Post by **limeslide** » Sat Apr 24, 2010 7:17 pm

I edited the post. :p
Oooh~ Pinguicula.
Mexican Pings need a period of dormancy(dry season), not crab-friendly.
Temperate Pings need a period of dormancy, too(winter). They need really waterlogged soil, also.
I'd also worry about a crab getting enzymes on itself.

Yes, you glue Tillies.

curious_kitty · Post by **curious_kitty** » Sat Apr 24, 2010 7:20 pm

limeslide wrote:I edited the post. :p
Oooh~ Pinguicula.
Mexican Pings need a period of dormancy(dry season), not crab-friendly.
Temperate Pings need a period of dormancy, too(winter). They need really waterlogged soil, too.
I'd also worry about a crab getting enzymes on itself.

Yes, you glue Tillies.

oo, sucks,, I heard something about tropical pings that doesn't require dormancy? I was thinking, it might be a good additive plant for bug eaters(I could possibly put the plant in a small container, where hermies cannot get to, but bugs can? How about fly traps? I heard these bug eating plants are good for any bugs in the tat !

I just realized how 'empty' my enclosure looks.. hahah i think I need a lot more plants. I am looking into the site you gave me for air plants!Oo, they also have bug eating plants!

limeslide · Post by **limeslide** » Sat Apr 24, 2010 7:30 pm

You might be able to keep a Venus Fly Trap, as they are easier to take care of than Pings. They need dormancy and waterlogged soil too, but with a container that could be managed

A subtropical Drosera would be efficient, and they don't need dormancy.

Dog Lips · Post by **Dog Lips** » Sat Apr 24, 2010 7:31 pm

This is just my opinion, but save the money and get some fake plants and vines?

curious_kitty · Post by **curious_kitty** » Sat Apr 24, 2010 7:39 pm

Dog Lips wrote:This is just my opinion, but save the money and get some fake plants and vines?

I know.. but my husband hates plastic plants. He said I should try to get real plants that will work in the tat, but if all else fails(say my hermies destroyed all the plants), I might have to get some realistic looking ones... but I think brom are pretty safe, and if I can grow them large enough before moving the hermies, I think they should be able to handle the traffic, and nibbling. I think I will keep the enclosure hermies free for couple months- I do have 55g and 40g running at the moment.........

curious_kitty · Post by **curious_kitty** » Sat Apr 24, 2010 7:40 pm

limeslide wrote:You might be able to keep a Venus Fly Trap, as they are easier to take care of than Pings. They need dormancy and waterlogged soil too, but with a container that could be managed

A subtropical Drosera would be efficient, and they don't need dormancy.

I do hope these will help any fruit flies, or other bugs keep at bay- it probably wont hurt to have few of those plants hanging out in the tat, that's my guess. Worst comes worst, I will just keep the tat plant only! JK!!

SebbyCrab · Post by **SebbyCrab** » Sat Apr 24, 2010 7:51 pm

From my experience with the venus fly traps, they can only catch like 3 insects per "mouth" before that mouth dies off. So depending on the size of your traps you're not going to get a lot of insect help between the dying off and the crabs breaking them.

limeslide · Post by **limeslide** » Sat Apr 24, 2010 8:08 pm

SebbyCrab wrote:From my experience with the venus fly traps, they can only catch like 3 insects per "mouth" before that mouth dies off. So depending on the size of your traps you're not going to get a lot of insect help between the dying off and the crabs breaking them.

Cool, I'm too lazy to go outside everyday and write about my Venus Fly Traps.
Why not a Drosera, as I said above.
D. capensis is extremely hardy,

curious_kitty · Post by **curious_kitty** » Sat Apr 24, 2010 8:19 pm

D. capensis it is~ I will get couple plants and keep it inside small container in the corner of the tat. I really like the look!

limeslide · Post by **limeslide** » Sat Apr 24, 2010 8:24 pm

Keep them like crabs, moist soil, high humidity, temperature.
They also need light!

curious_kitty · Post by **curious_kitty** » Sat Apr 24, 2010 9:13 pm

I must say though, I really like the look of Pings!

Mr.Krabs · Post by **Mr.Krabs** » Sat Apr 24, 2010 9:38 pm

WOW. looks great so far. can't wait to see the finished pictures!! I have a suggestion,

you know the tube weird white things that are in your most updated pics of the tat? im not sure if there for anything, but if there just there for the crabs to be in cool areas, you could put moss inside of each tube. thats just a thought.

anyway,

good luck with the tank.