# what to put in outside tank?



## Imported_tuatara (Dec 3, 2017)

so i have recently gotten(though unexpectedly) a 6 foot tank, and i've been told i've had to put it outside with no power, what do you guys think?(personally don't think it's a good idea.) live in ballarat victoria, so gets below 0 at times and up to 50 at other times, though rare.


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## dragonlover1 (Dec 3, 2017)

send it to me ,I have many ideas


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## Wally (Dec 3, 2017)

Turn it into a terrium and put some plants in it.


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## Imported_tuatara (Dec 3, 2017)

not into plants, lol. was thinking some frogs or garden skink, only problem is there's basically no one with them so i'd have to catch a few wild ones and start breeding them, sad not many people are breeding the smaller skinks, some of the most beautiful and unique reptiles we have imo.


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## dragonlover1 (Dec 3, 2017)

Imported_tuatara said:


> not into plants, lol. was thinking some frogs or garden skink, only problem is there's basically no one with them so i'd have to catch a few wild ones and start breeding them, sad not many people are breeding the smaller skinks, some of the most beautiful and unique reptiles we have imo.


Yeah I have to agree with you,I think most people see them everywhere and are just oblivious to them.


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## Imported_tuatara (Dec 3, 2017)

so has anyone got any suggestions other than plants?


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## pinefamily (Dec 4, 2017)

Breed your own crickets or woodies. Woodies would be the easiest, and you could sell extras to local keepers.


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## Scutellatus (Dec 4, 2017)

Imported_tuatara said:


> so i have recently gotten(though unexpectedly) a 6 foot tank, and i've been told i've had to put it outside with no power, what do you guys think?(personally don't think it's a good idea.) live in ballarat victoria, so gets below 0 at times and up to 50 at other times, though rare.


50 degrees! Which Ballarat are we talking about here, is there another one in the Simpson desert or something? The highest ever recorded temperature that I can find for Ballarat is 44 degrees.


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## Imported_tuatara (Dec 4, 2017)

thorny devils are awesome, and illegal...


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## Pauls_Pythons (Dec 4, 2017)

Imported_tuatara said:


> thorny devils are awesome, and illegal...



Not everywhere they're not


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## SpottedPythons (Dec 5, 2017)

Pauls_Pythons said:


> Not everywhere they're not


I'd really like one... but don't know any breeders.


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## Pauls_Pythons (Dec 5, 2017)

SpottedPythons said:


> I'd really like one... but don't know any breeders.



I would love one too but without having the right environment and adequate food supply there is little point in me even thinking about it. My understanding is that they don't do well in captivity at the best of times and they eat a phenomenal amount of black ants every day.


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## pinefamily (Dec 5, 2017)

Rick Walker was breeding them a while back.


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## dragonlover1 (Dec 5, 2017)

Pauls_Pythons said:


> they eat a phenomenal amount of black ants every day.


apparently they only eat a certain type of ant which is a big problem trying to find food


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## Pauls_Pythons (Dec 5, 2017)

dragonlover1 said:


> apparently they only eat a certain type of ant which is a big problem trying to find food


Not that I'm an expert but that is my understanding. Its 1 species of black ant, (No idea how many species of black ant there are).
I have seen a successful colony established in Alice, it was wonderful to see but would be very difficult to replicate in many places in Oz, particularly in winter. (Can't see me having any success in Melbourne)


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## pinefamily (Dec 5, 2017)

The species of ant is native to where Rick Walker is/was living, so it was easier for him to keep and breed them.


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## Scutellatus (Dec 5, 2017)

Pauls_Pythons said:


> I would love one too but without having the right environment and adequate food supply there is little point in me even thinking about it. My understanding is that they don't do well in captivity at the best of times and they eat a phenomenal amount of black ants every day.


Up to 5000 ants a day I believe.


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## Pauls_Pythons (Dec 5, 2017)

Scutellatus said:


> Up to 5000 ants a day I believe.



A bit more like 10k I was told


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## SpottedPythons (Dec 5, 2017)

I'd never keep one without the right foods, but it'd still be high up on my wish list. 

By the way, they don't eat just one species of ant, but rather black ants from two seperate genera.


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## Scutellatus (Dec 5, 2017)

I wonder if started straight from the egg whether they could be converted to termites?


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## Imported_tuatara (Dec 5, 2017)

nah, alredy tested, they were given termites, roaches etc for a year as an experiment, all died.


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## Bluetongue1 (Dec 5, 2017)

Getting back to the original question...

If you put it where it can get some morning (preferably) or afternoon sunlight only, and light shade for the rest of the day, you could set it up as an outdoor pond with aquatic and emergent plants. If you have plenty of water depth you could add some small hardy fish, local tadpoles, native shrimp or the like. 

If the reason it has to go out is because it would take up too much room, perhaps you might be allowed to stand it on one end in a corner somewhere, with the top facing outwards. Fit the top with some flyscreen covers and a door and use it as a home for home for stick insects or climbing frogs or arboreal geckos or anything else small and arboreal that you fancy.


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