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Where to get help with a terrarium for my grandson

My grandson, age 6, is fascinated with critters. They recently moved to a semi-rural area and have several acres of land. He caught a few grasshoppers, which he kept in a Kerr Mason jar for awhile before letting them go. Last week, he caught a small frog. We told him not to keep the frog in that jar because it needs to be near water.

I would like to get him a good terrarium and some books on frogs and other wildlife so he can keep them appropriately. But is "terrarium" even the right word? I did a little research and found that there are also vivariums and other -ariums.

So where is the best place here to talk about what sort of equipment would be best for an energetic 6-year-old who is pretty serious about doing it right?

Thanks
 
You probably want a paludarium many people have built them and shown how step by step on youtube videos... worth a search, perhaps?
 
My grandson, age 6, is fascinated with critters. They recently moved to a semi-rural area and have several acres of land. He caught a few grasshoppers, which he kept in a Kerr Mason jar for awhile before letting them go. Last week, he caught a small frog. We told him not to keep the frog in that jar because it needs to be near water.

I would like to get him a good terrarium and some books on frogs and other wildlife so he can keep them appropriately. But is "terrarium" even the right word? I did a little research and found that there are also vivariums and other -ariums.

So where is the best place here to talk about what sort of equipment would be best for an energetic 6-year-old who is pretty serious about doing it right?

Thanks
Try the YouTube channel SerpaDesign for good information on terrariums, and paludariums.
 
You probably want a paludarium many people have built them and shown how step by step on youtube videos... worth a search, perhaps?
I did that, but there are so many types and options. I'd really like a recommendation from someone who knows what they are doing for a specific model and all of the necessary components.

Thanks
 
Try the YouTube channel SerpaDesign for good information on terrariums, and paludariums.
I checked out a few SerpaDesign videos. Here is one really good one:

Ultimate Fire-bellied Toad Paludarium

They are excellent, but I am afraid they are a little too advanced for us. I think for his first paludarium, we need a kit that comes with all components provided and clear instructions. He is very good at fairly complex Lego projects. If that goes well and he is still interested, I would get him something more complicated.

Thanks
 
They are excellent, but I am afraid they are a little too advanced for us.
Yeah, I was worried that that might be the case. Great youtube channel nonetheless. But, a bit much for a first project.

While a few of us have terrariums, I don't really keep anything other than plants in mine so I cannot give recommendations for the things that you would need to keep animals alive. The name of this forum may be a bit misleading as this is a forum for carnivorous plant enthusiasts. But, there are lots of friendly people here. So, you haven't come to entirely the wrong place. :) And there are some people on this forum who keep animals as well.

Anyway, the requirements will likely depend based on the animal that your grandson plans on keeping. Assuming that your grandson wants to keep a frog, terrestrial frogs have substantially different requirements than aquatic frogs. A picture of the frog and a description of its habitat would certainly help in narrowing down the type of frog (and therefore its needs). You may have better luck on dendroboard, a forum specifically for people who keep dart frogs. While your grandson likely won't stumble across any of those in the backyard, the needs of the animals will probably be similar to other types of frogs. And if not, they'll be able to tell you.

I was able to find several kits for keeping frogs here. The have a kit specifically for native frogs, as well. That being said, I want to highlight a quote from that website:
While these kits will provide the basic tools needed to provide care for a wide variety of native frogs and toads, care needs will vary widely depending on the species, and these kits should only be used as a starting point - do your research!
A small amount of knowledge about the animal and its natural habitat will go a long way in creating a long lasting home for the frog (and hopefully a long lasting hobby for your grandson). Hopefully you can find something that your grandson is excited about.
 
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