I don't have a greenhouse yet, but I am planning on getting one. Does anyone know of any inexpensive pets (such as tarantulas) that don't require extra lighting which are suitable for rainforest greenhouses?
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What animals can I keep in a greenhouse?
- Thread starter George_Adams
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I live in SE England, however I was referring to a heated greenhouse.
I assume you want the animals to be free range in there versus caged in some way ? Many people have had luck with some of the smaller dentrobatids such as Epipedobates tricolor and Oophaga pumilio. They're not exactly cheap though. Cheaper options that I know of people having luck with are the smaller Phelsuma species, Lepidodactylus lugubris, Lygodactylus species, Sphaerodactylus species and Hemidactylus species. You could also try some of the smaller Anolis species like A.carolinensis or A.sagrei. Some small tropical hylids may also work.
Something to keep in mind though.....in a new greenhouse, there is not much in the way of bioload. Small animals are far better suited for large, older greenhouses with established colonies of small invertebrates like springtails, sow bugs, roaches, flies and other small insects to keep them fed.
Something to keep in mind though.....in a new greenhouse, there is not much in the way of bioload. Small animals are far better suited for large, older greenhouses with established colonies of small invertebrates like springtails, sow bugs, roaches, flies and other small insects to keep them fed.
If you plan on keeping animals in screen cages in there, you definitely have more options.
There are few reptile species you can keep with out specialized lighting. However there is a variety of geckos you could keep, such as Tokay geckos and Crested geckos. However they are nocturnal and you won't view them much during the day (reason for not needing special lighting).
DragonsEye
carnivorous plants of the world -- unite!
If you are consider "free range" critters, there are also the issues of:
1) Preventing escapees ... both for their safety and that of the environment.
2) Should you ever need to use any poisons for pest or pathogen control, you will be unlikely to be able to so without poisoning the inhabitants.
1) Preventing escapees ... both for their safety and that of the environment.
2) Should you ever need to use any poisons for pest or pathogen control, you will be unlikely to be able to so without poisoning the inhabitants.
What about scorpions/tarantulas?
Free range or caged ?
Free-range.
I would not recommend any free range scorpions in a greenhouse situation. If they happen to establish themselves, you'll eventually wish you hadn't put them in there. Constant stings every time you move plants around will get mighty old, even from relatively harmless species. Most tarantula species would also be unsuitable with the possible exception of some of the arboreal species like Avicularia. As Dragoness points out, with arachnids in a greenhouse you can never use any pesticides at all if you wish to keep them alive. Have you thought about the fact that these are shy nocturnal animals that you'll almost never see unless you're rummaging around in there ? Escape is also something to consider. The greenhouse will have to have to be sealed with silicone at every possible joint and gap. You'll also want to install a double entryway in order to avoid any creatures from sneaking out. Even with these precautions in place, it's almost 100% that likely that at least a few of these critters will find a way out. How do you plan on feeding these animals in the greenhouse ? You can't just release crickets in there, as they'll cause major damage to the plants. You'll have to have large, established free range colonies of roaches running about in order to keep these animals fed. There's a lot to consider when starting an enclosed ecosystem like this.
What about stick-insects and praying mantids?
As far as stick insects go, I can't think of a worse idea than releasing a bunch of plant eating bugs into a greenhouse. Mantids may be possible but again, you run into the problem of supplying adequate food for these free roaming carnivorous animals.
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Nepenthesis
Formerly known as Pineapple
Frogs! Frogs frogs frogs! My frogs love bathing in the Nepenthes pitchers, it's great. 
I've heard that some people put bunnies in their greenhouses to create heat at night. You'd probably need a couple. You can get them very cheap from the right place, I'm sure. And one upside to bunnies is that they're bunnies as well, so you can pet them and be really happy.
I've heard that some people put bunnies in their greenhouses to create heat at night. You'd probably need a couple. You can get them very cheap from the right place, I'm sure. And one upside to bunnies is that they're bunnies as well, so you can pet them and be really happy.
You don't say how large your greenhouse will be but if its large enough to have a small pool you could keep fish, aquatic amphibians and aquatic Utricularia. Another thought is keeping the Cuban tree frog aka Osteopilus septentrionalis. Its hardy and large enough so that you should see it occasionally.
Depending on the type of stick insect, it could be possible. Most stick insects have rather strict diets and only feed on a small number of plants. They will not bother a majority of plants you may like to grow, however you will need to supply their food plant in abundance. Half your greenhouse may need to be one specific food plant. And you'll have to cull them or they will devour their food plant faster than it can regenerate.
As for mantids, I think that is your best option for an invertebrate. You can easily feed them by ordering blue bottle fly and fruit fly pupae or eggs. You can even raise flies yourself as a constant food source. Mantids can be bought in their egg cases or at any other life stage. You will eventually have many of them but they will keep themselves in check by eating their siblings. You will need a large enough greenhouse or you'll end up with one fat mantis. I would suggest a double door to prevent escapes and a body inspection to prevent them from being mistakenly taken out on your back.
You may be able to find a tiny frog called "The greenhouse frog" (Eleutherodactylus planirostris). They are known for doing very well in greenhouses (thus, the name) but will need an established greenhouse to do well and feed.
And bunnies? How can they create enough heat for a whole greenhouse!?!?! I used to keep bunnies and they need warmth or they get cold.
Also, they will eat plants and with two, they must be fixed or they will also take over the green house . . . they do breed like "rabbits"!Lol that's great! And super easy!
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I knew someone else who believed this to be true. Unfortunately, it's not. A friend threw a bunch of Extatosoma into his greenhouse (along with their preferred plant species, brambles, rose, ivy, eucalyptus etc....). The insects quickly consumed most of his bromeliads and several other species first. The damage done to a large Aechmea over the course of one day was pretty severe. Phasmids all have their preferred food plants but, they will devour many other plant species if made available to them. Phasmid numbers can quickly grow completely out of control by the 2nd generation in a greenhouse environment with no predators to keep their numbers in check. The amount of vegetation just 1 large stick insect can consume in a single day can be surprising. A greenhouse full of them is not something I would want if I cared at all about the plants I was growing in there.