# Frogs & Toads > Frogs >  PA Woods and Forests Native Species

## AAron

This is an update thread on the Gray Army, the Western PA Woods and Wellsboro the Golden Toad. I will use this for now to share with you all what is happening. 

If you are unfamiliar with the concept of the Western PA Woods refer to the spoilers on the the link. 
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1563...9677685871602/

So to sum up the Western PA Woods it's featuring 2 American Toads (male and female) and 3 Wood Frogs (2 Males and 1 Female). There are surprise organisms but not yet released to the public. These animals are all in my care now and if you've been following the older posts you know who Ace and Pious are. The infamous duo of American Toads that are the reason we have a Western PA Woods. Ace and Pious are good to go and they were once sick of parasites that nearly killed every animal in my care. Ace and Pious have rebounded and are working together and staying together like old times. No aggressive behavior and they seem happy together. I do believe they remembered each other when put back together after separate quarantine. 

As for the Wood Frogs they have yet to be treated. Wellsboro (who we will get to later) was very sick and needed to be seen first. So he's being finished up. The Wood Frogs are doing well and they are led right now by a bold leader named Titus. He is the largest Wood Frog and I believe would be left alone by Ace and Pious. I do not believe Ace would attempt to eat Titus but we will test her first so no fatality occurs. You haven't seen much of Titus or any Wood Frogs other then some photos but that's because I'm working on getting their trust and also getting them used to me. Titus is around 2-3 years old and looks to be eating the majority of the crickets. I will explain later of the tragedy that is going to happen where Titus is from. 

As for Azrael he was a message from God. hence the name because he is the first reported and documented Wood Frog in my woods next to my house. He just popped up one day on an abandoned road and it was a sign that I had chosen the right frog to work with for my project (refer to the link above). He's smaller and younger and starting to get a little bit more comfortable with me. Still jumpy but that's why it's a process. He looks very different from Titus and is at risk of being small enough to be potentially eaten by Ace. So I'm trying to fatten him up and give him a lot of prey to grow. 

Queen the female I am starting from a tadpole. She has yet to become a frog yet so we are awaiting the arrival of the Queen to metamorphosis into a frog. 


The Wood Frogs are scheduled to hopefully be checked before Frog Week. I need samples of poop and my other animals to stay healthy! If all goes well then Ace, Pious and Titus will all go in the 125 Gallon when it is built and Titus is cleared. Azrael and Queen will wait and hibernate alone so Ace doesn't attempt to eat them. We will hope they will grow over hibernation and will be ready next year. 

As for the process of the enclosure I got three plants and 2/3 of the lid. So we are starting to move forward with the process! It will take a while but I hope late summer to be done. 


Wellsboro"The Golden Toad" is the lone toad who is a large dominant older male. He doesn't get along with Ace and Pious so I am building an enclosure around him. I am not explaining how or if he is connected to the project yet but he will have the next project after the completion of the Western PA Woods. His home will be next because it's much cheaper then that of the Gray Army! So he was once sick from parasites also and he has been dewormed almost completely. He has one last round to go. He will patiently await his home to be built over the fall and winter. 


The Gray Army is interesting. Bane is overweight and Christian is being slightly treated for the parasites right now. We are in search of female Gray Tree Frogs to accompany Bane and Christian. Both are doing well and may soon in a month or two be reunited like Ace and Pious were. They will live in a lush utopian ecosystem of a new and innovative habitat. The Biopod Grand. A large "self sufficient" enclosure. They will be joined by Mosquito Fish and another guest in these lands. The Gray Army is getting healthy and are on pace for a reunion. There are massive surprises with the Gray Army but it will be much much later. Their enclosure might be a spring or summer build 2020. $1k is a lot to spend all at once so I'm going to have to budget. But they are third on the list so they will have to wait. Soon the Gray Army will be united and will reappear on my YouTube Channel again. 


So what are your thoughts on the plans for the 125 gallon Western PA Woods Vivarium?

Should we have the PA Woods Community vote on a name for the home Wellsboro will live in? What's your suggestion?

Do you want to see a video on the reunion of the Gray Army? 

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## AAron

We have a lot to talk about...

Good news all around for Frog Week and the native animals of the PA Woods Community. I have been very busy talking with Josh's Frogs and some other supporters of Frog Week and have been purchasing stuff for the update to the 125 gallon"Western PA Woods" with plants, plexiglass and a UVB light. 

Everything is good with Frog Week as the support is rolling in and I've been very very busy with adventures to record for you all at the release of the project. I am unsure if the 125 gallon is going to appear in Frog Week this year. The stand will be built and I should have the materials but it's still not a guarantee. That's the only bad part I have for you all in this update. 

Ace and Pious are doing very well and I honestly have nothing really to talk about. They are eating and living life healthy and care free. 

The Wood Frogs are starting to feed and I notice more of personality. Titus the largest frog eats the most and he just escaped when I went to feed him and he caused a long chase to get him back. He is safe and not hurt from the escape. He is more bold then the others. Azrael is timid but eating and doing good. He's thinner then Titus but not unhealthy. I've seen him hunting. The third frog seems okay but very shy so not much to report on for him. Soon the AC will go in and I'm bringing the frogs up here to my room to try and get them more used to me if that is possible with this species. 

Wellsboro looks impressive and his color and markings are so gorgeous. He is healthy I can't wait to give him a bigger home. Also he has a small amount of worms so he has to be treated for them one last time this year. He's doing well other then that. 

The Gray Army is doing well. Bane looks sooo big! He's the size of Titus the largest Wood Frog! He seems to be calm and content in captivity. Christian is being treated for the rash Pious, Bane, and Wellsboro had. The medicine is working and he soon will be treated and join Bane in the temporary home for a while. 

Everyone is okay and I'm compiling footage like I said. I'm getting them healthy and getting material to build the 125 gallon. Once that's done we will talk about more in detail designing Wellsboro's home.

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## AAron

We are getting close to the rebuild!!

So as the above statement says the parts are coming in more and more. Almost all of the plants are in my possession. I'm waiting for some ferns that I ordered and the company hasn't really responded as to why it's taking over 3 weeks. I have just one plant to get which is the mystery plant. Then we will have all that we need to plant! I have the money for the misting system so that will be available on day 1 when the toads and wood frogs go in. The fogger has never stopped working and it's kept the plants alive from last year. I have a plan for them so they aren't getting wasted. 

Next on the agenda is accessories like bark on the ground and soil and branches. The stuff that makes the enclosure look cool! I'm thinking this might be where I spend the most money this time around. Since I'm not making a back I'm going to be able to spend and focus more on the ground. This means it's going to be very fun and well done on my part. I have all of the moss that I need pretty much. I even have different kinds I just need sphagnum moss. I will have to get more water dishes because they will be rotating in and out for different seasons. All of this counts as accessories for the tank. I have the stand we actually made one and I saved $275 with the decision. 

As for the animals there's some interesting things going on. Nothing new for the toads though. Ace, Pious and Wellsboro are all doing well and I think Wellsboro is finally dewormed. Ace and Pious are waiting patiently as their home is soon to be created. 

As for their peers the wood frogs we have some slight changes of plans for one individual. So as I have been exploring many places for the upcoming project focusing on the frogs and toads of Pennsylvania I have seen some places where homes are being destroyed to people using the land for growing timber. I looked at two of the wood frogs I have and realized that they don't have a home anymore. It's gone. Most of the forest around it will be too. Machines have come in and driven through the pools of water where these animals breed and their offspring have been killed. So there is no going back for Titus and the unconfirmed sex wood frog. They are staying with me. 

Then I looked at Azrael and saw his home. It's not going to go anywhere. I thought that it would be unfair to keep him if he can go home and the others actually can't. So I've decided soon to release him back to his home. I have some tadpoles from the places where Titus is from and they can't go back so I figure why not give a frog in need a home and let the one who has on go back to it. 

So Azrael will go but I'm excited to see if we can have a female from these tadpoles and one male. They will have a new home. 

As for the Gray Army they have an interesting situation. As some wood frogs are going, some gray tree frogs are coming. There are two members to the Gray Army and are awaiting to be cleared after Christian. One we believe to be a female. So the goal is going to be to get the gray tree frogs cleared at the same time as the wood frogs for taking to the vet.

Christian is top priority for the vet and then the two new members of the Gray Army. I would like to get everyone together in one enclosure as they wait. They will really look like an army with now having the most number of specimens in my care. It's debatable what enclosure I will work on after the 125 gallon because of more and more inhabitants waiting for a home to be built. Wellsboro and maybe a wood frog will be waiting on one hand, and on the other the members of the Gray Army and the Mosquito Fish will be waiting. So the numbers may become the priority to get them together. 

What's more exciting the 125 gallon close to being back in commission or more members to the Gray Army?

What's your thoughts on releasing Azrael back home?

Who do you think should be next for their home to be built? The Gray Army and Mosquito Fish or Wellsboro and possibly the young wood frogs?

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## AAron

How things have changed...

I just wanted to give a small update on the animals and on Frog Week. 

Frog Week is going well! I have started incorporating sponsors into the episodes so you will get a chance to see some of the groups that made Frog Week possible! It will have about 15 episodes for a 7 day period. All is going well. I'm getting close to halfway done with it!

Now onto the more interesting matter...

The Gray Army is doing great. Christian is getting a stool sample checked and he may be able to reunite with Bane. Dante and Meredith are to be checked in early July so we might have every member of the Gray Army together before the end of July! They all are doing well and I learned even more about them. 

So onto the toads...
Wellsboro just got a hopefully final round of dewormer and can be healthy. He has gotten back to his big and mighty size that the Golden Toad is supposed to look like!

Pious seems to be doing good. So he's not the issue either. It's actually Ace. She once again had a prolapse but we caught it early and think it's a combination of problems even in the quarantine. We are awaiting the results of the stool sample. Ace and Pious will stay together and be treated together because they are going to live together anyways and if she had a problem he may as well. So I've been treating him as well. There seems to be an upside and I'm glad we caught this before the finished 125 gallon update is done so nothing is contaminated by them. 

That's all that I am going to share for this update just something to inform everyone of what's been happening!

Ace (left) and Pious (right) pictured

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## AAron

The Gray Army's Ascension...

I have 10 videos finished for Frog Week currently so we are sitting pretty for a while. Only a few more to go!

I've already talked about Ace and Pious. Ace is doing good and she has been eating well and is normal. Everything is good with her and Pious as they await the 125 gallon rebuild that is set to start in July. 

This post is mostly about the Gray Army's Ascension to my project for breeding and replenishment of their numbers. I've got two females now so at least 2 egg clutches will be put back if we have successful breeding seasons next spring. They have the biggest number of the same species I own and are hopefully soon to all unite in the same enclosure. So the Gray Army will be one and then will hibernate together. Then will awaken in hopefully the Biopod Grand to breed. Then we can begin giving back to do this process. I'm really looking forward to doing this. I'm hoping for a good turnout for next spring for the Gray Army. Hopefully you will see a video featuring them soon this summer. 

As for now it's about uniting the Gray Army, rebuild of the 125 gallon and Ace and Pious returning home, building an artificial veneral pool, Frog Week, hibernation and saving for the home of the Gray Army. [ATTACH=full]103587[/ATTACH]


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## AAron

A small check in 19 days before Frog Week...

There is all around good news for the animals of the native setups. Good news about Frog Week and more...

Ace and Pious seem to be doing better. I'm happy that Ace has been getting back to normal. I'm hoping to have them moved in this month if possible to the 125 gallon. There's not much news on them but you will see them soon in Frog Week. 

Wellsboro might be dewormed but since he's done better and Ace had a prolapse his finishing touches had been overlooked. He might still have some worms but he's got a voracious appetite and looks to be much healthier. 

The Gray Army is doing the best. Bane and Christian are back! They are together for the first time in 7 months! July 11 I am working on how to get the new members of the Gray Army into the enclosure with them. They are in quarantine next to each other so it is actually good because they know each other. I'm excited to see this actual army of frogs come together and it will make for a fun time showing videos on YouTube for you all. 

Frog Week has been going as planned. I have a few videos to finish and majority of them are finished. After it's done I will be more active on the forum again and will be focused on beginning to write up more care articles. 

There are some things that haven't been shared with you all just yet and things left out with many of the big topics I've talked about. Frog Week might not give you so e answers on them either so you will have to stay tuned in to hear more from what is coming next. 

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## AAron

Frog Week is next Week!!
Guys, this update should get you excited for next week, and for the future!

So I'll end with Frog Week to add suspense...

The update for the Gray Army is that they are very soon to all be united! All 5 Gray Tree Frogs will be dewormed and clean to live with each other. Bane and Christian are together and the three new tree frogs are together. So it will be really fun seeing them together and I will be able to include them in future videos for a little bit until they hibernate in the fall. I'm so excited to build the 20 gallon high even though a temporary quarantine for them it will be made so the frogs can have space and I'll be able to invest in plants again for them! Everyone has had it rough recovering from the nematodes but they will soon be an afterthought. Then we will be talking about the Biopod Grand made to accommodate Gray Tree Frogs. 90 gallons to one of my favorite animals! I will be so happy for them and for the mosquito fish who haven't had a home for years waiting in a 10 gallon for the day they would once again live in a large setup. Next year both the Gray Army and Mosquito Fish will be happy. 

Wellsboro is finally adding weight and oh my! He is the biggest male toad I've ever seen. Period. He's enormous! He's even grown since being recorded for Frog Week! No news except he's rebounded and will next year be given a large home. I'm thinking slightly larger then the Gray Army, but not by much. My goal is to have every enclosure above 65 gallons for every animal. I have 3/5 enclosures already there. 

Ace and Pious have made big progress! Ace seems to be okay from the prolapse and the warmer temperatures suit her well. She's doing much better and in my opinion is the most active and photogenic toad ever. I am very proud of her because she came through so much adversity and still is the same personality and toad that I love. Pious has been recovering from the dewormer it seems he doesn't handle it like Ace and I'm assuming it's because he's not as heavy as Ace so it's harder on him. Pious is doing good and he's still laid back like the toad we all love. He's very calm and is the opposite of Ace. But that's why he's necessary because we see that even toads have different personalities. Ace and Pious have gained massive and healthy weight! Ace was 34 grams in December and Isa whopping 76! Pious was I believe in the 30s as well and is 50 grams! Some plump toads! You will finally get to see Ace and Pious in Frog Week as I have not shown them on camera for a long time for a reason. I wanted it to be a special occasion and for the world to know that these two toads are a story of triumph through trials. As are Wellsboro, Bane and Christian who have had the nematodes as well. The only thing standing in these animals way is hibernation which I will be researching for them and for school. It will be done with the advice from experts and if it is not successful then it will really be rough, but for myself and what I'm trying to accomplish with allowing these toads to do is necessary. 

Frog Week is July 21!
It feels like lot g ago when I announced the project last winter! I didn't know how to start or the direction it would take but I do now and I believe you will all enjoy the week of videos each day. There will be 15 videos and they will all be featuring The frogs and toads of Pennsylvania! I hope you will watch Frog Week! 

Some big news coming after Frog Week so check back soon!

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## AAron

The Woods is being constructed little by little...

The Woods will shock you guys with the future plans for this enclosure and the ecosystem that will live inside of it. 

Ace and Pious are patiently awaiting the 125 gallon to be completed so they can get out of quarantine! Both toads are doing great and there is a lot to be excited about for them. 

I will explain more of the specs of the enclosure. At least what I want to reveal so far. This is a prototype "Smart" Enclosure with some neat tricks being attempted. Amazon's Alexa will control many features from the wifi. I will have smart devices and smart plugs to accomplish this incredible feat. Alexa will control the fogger whenever it turns on every day. She will control a small secondary UVB and UVA light to help the inhabitants get D3 if they sit under this specific light. Alexa will control the sounds of the room! Birds chirping, thunderstorms, mating calls, etc Alexa will control it all! This is to help stimulate the amphibians because sound can be very important for amphibians. The sound will be from speakers and one of my devices that will play either the night, day, or weather that is desired. One more thing she will control is a digital picture frame. This will show pictures of the tank, the name, what's in it and will shuffle through a few pictures. This also plays sounds so it will rotate with the device controlling the speakers. So I can have one device for the day noises and one for the night and Alexa will control all of it!

Other notable mentions are other smart devices not controlled by Alexa. A humidifier will be running for stability and I will be able to see from my phone and even adjust the humidity if I need to. Next year I will be purchasing a smart air conditioning unit to control as well from my phone the temperature for day and night cycles. This is all leading up to how I'm going to be able to see these devices and see if Alexa is doing her job. A security camera will be in front of the 125 gallon stall times and will monitor the enclosure and the various hygrometers that will be displayed for me to see the reading in the room and in the tank. That is not the only reason why I purchased a security camera. This camera will go inside the enclosure for action shots and will directly record footage of the animals eating from inside of the 125 gallon! So Ace or Pious could come right up and jump on the security camera. It will bring an added dimension of angles for me to shoot from. I'm very excited for the camera! It's called The Woods Action Cam!

Other devices include the MicMol Aqua Air LED Light Fixture making a return to light the enclosure primarily. The Monsoon returns as the Exo Terra Monsoon Multi will mist the enclosure on its own. It will be setup to run on its built in timer. I decided to go with the monsoon multi because it seems to work better with power outages and my area has too many power outages to use the mistking. I'm happy with the Monsoon Multi or else I wouldn't have chosen it! This is a great misting system and I'm very excited to have it. I have experience with the exo terra misters. I owned the monsoon rs400 when I was first starting out and that lasted me many years. Another device and most importantly is the mini fridge. The mini fridge will have all of the Native species inside of it come this winter and will hibernate all of them into the next spring with the attempt and hope of breeding them. Along with breeding them it creates a longer lifespan for the animals in hibernation. So this is actually very essential to do if you want to keep your amphibians around as long as possible. 

I will be getting better technology to film this enclosure so probably around the time I'm ready to release the first episode I will already have the technology needed. There are so many things I could go over but for now I'm happy with leaving you with the specs of the tank. You will have to check back to learn more about the future of the 125 gallon. 

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## AAron

The ecosystem of the upcoming project "The Woods"

In this update I'll talk about plant life, soil, feeders and the climate. 

First up the plant life...
This is going to be very interesting. I have my go to plants back, some risky attempts, and some hopefuls as well. The main plants are the Autumn Brilliance Fern and Pachysandra. Pachysandra is a ground cover like an ivy. It gets tall and spreads with runners. Both work very well in vivariums. Those are my favorite go to plants. As for the hopeful plants it's I believe an Asparagus Fern more like ivy and Black Eye Susan. I'm hoping both will work out and will add more variety to the enclosure. One risky plant are actually scallions. They aren't toxic if feeders eat the scallions and the toads eat the feeders. I am not overwhelming the tank with them because it could cause a very strong smell. The smell right now is not very strong it's very manageable but if there are any problems I will definitely remove the scallions. There is one more plant that I am taking a risk on but I will not reveal that at this time you will have to wait for this spoiler to be revealed unless it dies beforehand.

The soil and important parts...
I am using ABG mix and Zoo med repti soil for my base and primary soils. They contain things like sand, sphagnum peat moss and coco husk as well as charcoal. I have heard wonderful things about ABG mix and I have been very successful raising perennials in the Zoo med repti soil. In this year's update I am going to add a layer of moss to cover the majority of the enclosure and then add leaf litter over top of sections of the enclosure. The moss can create humidity and the leaf litter will break down and feed my clean up crew and make the soil more bioactive. I have sand and Exo Terra bio drain before my soil I'm hoping to create a barrier to keep my soil dry. The moss will help to hydrate the animals and plants. It will create a very interesting look for the enclosure.

Feeders...
This is one of the most interesting parts of this enclosure. I want to make sure that I create an artificial seasonal changing feeder menu for my toads. Accomplishing this can be difficult but I have around 12 feeders that I'm hoping to incorporate during different seasons that I will be creating. I will include all of the feeders whenever the enclosure is finished and I can create the actual thread for it. I will explain one of the most ambitious ideas that I am going to try. 

I am going to attempt to capture wild crickets and grasshoppers and potentially a species of wild isopod, and then culture them and hopefully breed generations to remove any parasites or problems the original insects had. While there can be serious issues collecting wild insects with parasites and pesticides and other things the wild feeder program for my animals will not be included for a very long time many generations after the wild caught insects pass. 

I would really like to incorporate different insects to use and not only would this put my project over the edge but it would also give me a chance to show the importance of native insects and their rule in the wild. As I said this is a very ambitious idea and I could do the same thing with different captive crickets but I am hoping to accomplish something very unique. Nobody has grasshoppers and nobody can sell grasshoppers so the only way to use them is to catch them yourself in the states. 

I think that the addition of grasshoppers and hopefully some wild insects will increase the diet of my animals. I have many other reasons for what I want to attempt reading these three specific insects. 

Climate...
the climate is something I'm very very excited about and I have high hopes to accomplish something that may not have ever been done publicly. My goal is to in the winter have hibernation and then after the hibernation process I want to attempt to recreate the nearly exact environment of the area in Pennsylvania these animals were found in. I want to have as close to the proper temperature, humidity, dew point and possibly the UVB exposure for these animals. I want to have highs and lows just like a regular day and night cycle would. 

That means having shorter days to longer days back to shorter days right before hibernation. I will be trying to recreate rain storms (especially in the spring) to hopefully induce breeding from inside the 125 gallon. I also want to have foggy days, thunderstorms and even droughts! All of these things happen in the wild and I don't want to cause any harm to the animals I just want to give a safe artificial representation of the most that I can to help my animals understand what time of the year it is.

With rotating feeder insects and having changing seasons with more or less lighting and having weather conditions I'm really hoping for a breakthrough keeping my animals this way. Whenever the enclosure is done I will have even more specifics on the climate the feeders and much more. This is just to get you excited about this project. Hopefully it will have real life ecological success as well as captive care and education hopefully raising the bar for keeping these native animals in a newer and innovative way.

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## AAron

Ace and Pious finally went home...

This is an update on the 125 gallon"The Woods" Vivarium inspired by Western PA. The tank isn't finished but it's enough to have inhabitants at least toads. So I figured Ace and Pious have been through so much that before hibernation they deserve a chance to go home. They are officially out of quarantine. Since December and January Ace and Pious haven't been home and after a near death battle with nematodes they appear well enough to go home. Most of the devices aren't up yet but that's okay. They don't need them to survive. The plants have been settled in and the water feature settled in so it was time for the toads to as well. They aren't going to be alone, but I'm not going to ruin the surprise for anyone. 

One thing that's working is the security cam. Or I should say "The Woods Action Cam" which is the name of the camera. Ace wasn't sure what to make of the camera so she lunged at the lens. Pious tried digging to hide under it. I'm very happy to get different shots from the action Cam for future videos. One great feature is the night vision. Can you spot Ace in pics below?

Some bad news for the Gray Army though. So tonight Babe the Gray Tree Frog had another prolapse. This could be from too many crickets or the nematodes again. I got the prolapse to go back in but now a plan of action needs to be taken. Hopefully we can figure this out and get the problem fixed. If the nematodes are back and attacking the Grays then they all have to be dewormed again and soonish because October or November they will be hibernating. Same for the toads. Ace, Pious and Wellsboro who I have no update on because he's doing well all have to make it to the finish line. If they can hibernate without getting the nematodes I can focus on the grays and once they are done hibernate them and then finish the parasites off that are after the exotic animals. 

It might be a difficult road ahead but hopefully the toads can remain healthy until hibernation. Hopefully the grays can be dealt with and fixed ASAP. 

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## AAron

Tonight is light up night and introducing the inhabitants of "The Woods"

Tonight is light up night! The Monsoon Multi, Evergreen Pet Supplies Fogger and Mini Fridge were all turned on. When I say light up night I mean for the mini fridge specifically but hey I also got two other devices up too!

Now the plants over the winter will have what they need to flourish! Ace and Pious will also have rain and fog now!

I'm not even going to keep you waiting because everyone has been waiting all summer to find out who will live in the 125 gallon. Obviously Ace and Pious are already living inside so you know of two. They are not alone however...

I want to make clear that I did not have intentions of keeping this animal with the toads but I was convinced when I heard zoos had been doing this with success I was considering it. Then it's up to the toads if this will work or not. So I was surprised to know that 0 toads ate this animal but it's an intermediate at least setup to keep these two together. Humidity isn't necessarily a problem with a big water area and mist and fog. Temperature isn't necessarily either because I have highs and lows. Toxins being mixed were a worry but I was told from two herpetologists that it's only if the animal is threatened meaning any amphibian secretes toxins meaning if stressed, but not through sharing the same water. Plus water changes are a necessity. Like I said I had to test my toads to see what would be their reaction to the other animals. Ace more so than Pious. Ace struck the animal to taste and see what it was, then she looked like she got a nasty taste and left it alone. So Ace would not attack because toads and frogs learn from toxin and pain not to eat something so one attempt is all it takes and the toads learn. So all is well. So to clear that out of the way I can now tell you who will be living with Ace and Pious this and next year. 

The original plan was wood frogs but I opted out for many reasons. They have a higher probability to have diseases the toads don't and they need cooler temps my toads did. My toads were caught in a valley just below the mountain so they actually do like upper 70s for highs like 73-77 will be good. This is suitable for another. 

A pair of Gray Tree Frogs. Bane who lived with them last year will join them again and a new face the female Melania. Melania doesn't have many pictures but she's fierce and will challenge Ace and Pious to become the alpha in the ecosystem. Female grays get to a very decent size and Melania and Bane are the largest two grays I own. But it's mainly because of the tolerance the toads have for them this can work. 

For instance this won't work with Wellsboro because he is too aggressive he might not taste the gray tree frog he might try to grab and eat. So he will not live with anything else except the offspring of Ace and Pious that will be his mate. 

So it is set that Ace, Pious, Bane and Melania will live in The Woods. This enclosure is different from any other. You see a dominant animal in all the others, but in the 125 gallon all the animals will be competing and it will be a wild journey to show all four of them as they endure the artificial climate that the 125 gallon The Woods will replicate. 

No videos this year will be of The Woods because it needs to be 100% finished with healthy animals and all devices and plants. So only pictures until spring. Bane is in quarantine recovering. 

As I said it's an intermediate project and not able to be accomplished with every toad and tree frog but because of the size and accessories of this enclosure as well as the vet and my experience and knowledge of both, it can be done. I never thought both could be kept together and I persuaded others from it and I admit I was wrong with thinking it could not happen but after being educated more on the pairing I feel pretty confident about this. It will be the only tank featuring both species. 

I kept them together last year but I was not aware of what I am now so things should be much smoother. 

What do you think of The Woods?

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## AAron

Melania enters The Woods...

Tonight Melania the female Gray Tree Frog was  placed in her home. She joined Ace and Pious inside the large 125 gallon. I turned the fogger on a little bit for her, turned the misting system on and let her get settled in. She was confused because all she had ever known was being in a small quarantine enclosure, and now she probably can't believe the room she has! She had to come face to face with the top predator in The Woods, Ace! It set up for almost a scary moment because Ace came out and immediately stared at Melania to see if I put more food in. Melania was still for a minute and then Ace lost interest and Melania looked around on the floor. Then Pious came out from the other side of the enclosure. He watched her too but did not associate her as food. Neither toad lunged at her. 

Ace looked confused because she only knows I put food in for them (for her) and she didn't see any food so she thought something was up. She hopped around a good bit looked at Melania a little bit followed her then ignored her and hasn't looked at her since. So far so good. Ace is hungry so to anyone reading saying it's only a matter of time don't be so sure. She is putting on weight for hibernation and she will snap at Pious the male toad if he gets too close. So for Ace to be reserved while being a bottomless pit for a stomach may indeed prove what I was educated on to be true. Melania tastes noxious!

Ace was tested a while ago with Bane and she went to him snapped out her tongue then tried wiping it off. She made a disgusted face and she basically got to taste his toxin. Toads and frogs store pain and toxic and other experiences so Ace must have remembered that the Grays are toxic. Nothing else that entered The Woods lasted more then 20 seconds. I actually know this because I have a camera I played back and she was deviating the prey. So something would definitely be up. Let's hope Ace know Melania is not prey and peace continues. We will see how feeding goes tomorrow if Melania will even come out. I suspect she will come out in a few days after she settles in. 

This was a huge step forward and now Melania can begin the hibernation protocol! These pictures will be up on on my animals Facebook page later on in albums but I'll share them here so you see some of the best pictures and scenes from tonight!

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## AAron

Some good and bad news...

I got Bane's stool sample back and he was positive with the parasites again. It's frustrating to know they are still alive and trying to kill the animals of the PA Woods Community. The inhabitants of The Woods have gotten it the worst for some time now and the nematodes aren't going to give up it appears. Neither am I. The worst part of finding them is that it could mean Bane passed it to all the other grays. Guess where Melania is now. She's with the toads. In the 125 gallon. So this might mean some bad news. Do I think Melania has the parasite? I do. I'm not 100% sure and even if I am at this point it's just going to mean she has to move out and join Bane and Christian in the quarantine enclosure. 

It's going to sound backwards but the Gray Army will actually be 100% dewormed and safer in the quarantine enclosure then the 125 gallon. So they will be hibernating after Wellsboro a member of the Frog Forests. I want to ensure everyone who hibernates is clean and parasite free so I am able to wipe it out in the other animals once they sleep. Finally Ace and Pious will move into the quarantine enclosure when it's their turn to prepare to hibernate. Even though they are in the blast zone of the parasite right now they might be the most protected being the last to be dewormed and then hibernate. 

While this is a difficult battle my strategy as unorthodox as it is may be the only way to ensure victory. I will make sure to give an update on the status of Ace and Pious and the Gray Army soon. 

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## AAron

Some coming and some going...

If you just checked out my other thread or if you have been following me on various places you would know that I have been talkin about my gray tree frogs and now how they are going to live in their own setup. due to the reason of these tree frogs having the parasites still and also the 125 gallon looks more terrestrial than it does welcoming for an arboreal species it just makes sense that the two would be separated. The 125 gallon animals are going to be joined together with Wellsboro and the unnamed female toad. This will be the first time all four of the toads will live together. It is going to make for a very interesting set up watching how Ace and Wellsboro or going to interact. The last time they were together they were battling to figure out who was going to be the alpha. with them both completely healthy we could be seeing a very interesting battle of the toads. 

I'm not going to give away all the details of what I'm going to do with the toads but I just felt it was a very important comment to make about the separation between the toads and the Gray Army. 

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