As I was looking and filming what was supposed to be the finished article I saw ... things I would like to ... alter and others I would like to add.
Well .. I did not find my Button Fern at any rate and might not be for a couple of months yet so was never really going to be finished quite so soon anyway.
So what I have done thus far to .. almost .. finish the terrarium off is ..
- Add a one metre long moss covered log to the back at the top, tied with cable ties onto a support
- Add a Mentha alpine plant to the right hand side in front of the boggy area near front glass
- Add a Thymus alpine plant to the left side on the right of the cork cave entrance
- Add a semi-aquatic/aquatic plant, Hemianthus or Baby Tears, to the boggy area itself
- Add a few Lichen covered branches and couple ore Moss covered logs
- Spun the Rabbit Tracks Prayer Plant around to get more light to other areas and show the leaves off better
So it is .. mostly done.
As well as wanting to add the Button Fern ... that ... Prayer Plant being tropical is bugging me. So I might replace it with a bigger Fern ... or something else? We will see what turns up on y radar.
I am also looking at some types of aquatic moss, like Versicularia ferrieii or the one called Christmas Moss, cannot remember Latin. I have Versicularia dubyana in my metre long aquarium that grows quite well and may have some in the garden, I may use that? It can grow out of water too and changes to look like a normal Moss. Might use it to cover the last bits of plastic.
Also I am not too happy with some of the cork tiles showing either ... a little too much in places. I might attach a plant, or plants, that will sort of drape down the back. Weeping Fig or similar?
Doing this caused me some hassle with my ... afflictions, lol. But that is to be expected when something you do not see for years that you want suddenly becomes available!
I might have had to wait another couple of years or travel to a show in Europe to acquire these Pyrenean Fire Salamanders myself. Provided they were the right form that is. The other forms are nice ... but these are just so much bigger and better looking and have more yellow.
Trust me when I say I got the runts of the pack as many had been offered what was available before I got mine.
Maybe a year from now I might have many youngsters to grow on and periodic updates ... or more correctly 'uploads' of films to YouTube to show this will be taking place?
I do not know if I will add any other species to this terrarium ... it is possible but to have something I find interesting enough to buy that likes this environment will be ... rare. Young European Tree Frogs or better Stripeless Tree Frogs, Hyla meridionalis, is the only real possibility.
I do like some of the Ensatina's from North America and the Painted one, escholtzii, would be damned nice!
Hmm and another cage set up for Atelopus? Damn it! No, no, no! Not yet anyway, lol. God knows where I would get a hold of Atelopus! Had some years ago, love the things.
It is a bad time of year to find anything else.
However I would like to go to Europe in the Spring, 2016, and meet a few people and bring back a few select species. Need a bigger house, though!
Remember water, or rather where you get it, is vital to keeping the plants, or at least many of them, growing and healthy. Rain water collected into a large container using a device that costs around £6 to £8 and attaches to your drain pipes, if they are plastic that is. Then add a little liquefied Seaweed plant feed.
If I can use Seaweed on Orchids with great effect then you can use it on anything. I also use the Seaweed and the Orchid food in my aquarium, much to one brother's shock. No chemicals you see.
Anyway here is the video of the almost finished article ..
