Buying the Right Terrarium for Your Pet
The last 20 years have seen massive advances in the keeping of reptiles and amphibians, and this has been driven by changes in the way we approach the terrarium. We have moved on from simply setting up spaces that can sustain life, to masterpieces that replicate an animal’s natural habitat. They say there has never been a better time to buy gold, we say buy terrarium!
There are a number of different types of terrarium: rainforest, desert, aquatic, semi-aquatic, woodlands and savanna. Within each of these there are microhabitat variations. You will need to select the type based on your pet’s natural habitat, and tailor it to suit their microhabitat. For example, if you have a rainforest reptile you will select a rainforest terrarium, and then need to consider whether the animal is arboreal (tree-based) or would be better off with a terrarium that provides opportunities for burrowing. Before starting to set up your terrarium, you should thoroughly research your pet’s behavior in the wild.
The terrarium needs to be easy to access for cleaning, and these days there are many purpose built terrariums with doors on the front which can be securely locked. Aquariums can also be adapted, and even shower stalls are suitable for some larger species. Some owners set up special rooms or sheds for large species such as pythons (note: from time to time you will read about pet pythons killing their owners so if you have a snake over ten feet then make sure that the room/terrarium is secure, and never handle it alone).
If you need a terrarium that is very long vertically you will find that these are more expensive than smaller more basic terrariums. You will also notice that terrariums with front-opening doors tend to be more expensive than aquariums. These facts have given rise to some owners adapting aquariums, and stacking multiple tanks. To do this you knock out the bottom glass of aquariums, add horizontal corner braces, and stack the aquariums. You should note that even with the horizontal corner braces these tanks have weakened structures and should be handled with care.
When you have a wild-caught pet, rather than captive-bred, it is a good idea to have vegetation or backing marking the boundaries of the terrarium to save them from running into the glass since wild-caught specimens can be fast, frightened, and unfamiliar with invisible walls! Reptile terrariums with wild-caught lizards are notorious for escapees.
You need to be just as adept as looking after terrarium plants as you do animals in order to have a high quality environment. Good choices of plant include orchids, bromeliads, philodendrons, and anthuriums. The key is to choose plants that do well in low light and high humidity environments. In addition to plants, branches from your local woodland can be used, also rocks in which they can hide under, and bask on top of, are much appreciated by many reptiles. The key in all these choices is to match the animal’s natural habitat as closely as possible.
The substrate (flooring) of your terrarium will vary depending on the species, and there are many options: dead leaves, newspaper, cedar shavings, river rock, paper towels, pine mulch, cypress, aspen etc. Not all these options are suitable for all animals, so again it is important to know the characteristics of your pet’s natural habitat.
A terrarium must provide a range of different temperatures since amphibians and reptiles use external sources to vary their temperatures. This process is known as thermoregulation, with some species cooling themselves by moving from warm objects (thigmothermic) and others capturing heat from the sun (heliothermic). Heat mats, spot lights and flood lights can be used to meet your pet’s needs. You should take the temperature in various parts of your terrarium to ensure that it has the variety that is needed by your pet. The hottest point should be around 100 degrees Fahrenheit, but check the exact needs of the animal you are keeping. As well as a heat-producing light, full-spectrum fluorescent lighting is required to create a healthy environment.
Finally, remember to keep the terrarium clean. A lot of reptiles tend to defecate in their water so this should be changed regularly.
