I have always been fascinated by reptiles – large and small, and I love the notion that you can create a miniature habitat (for the smaller ones, at least) in a reptile terrarium. I do have to confess that it also appeals to the botanist in me – very much so.
I like to think about setting up a reptile terrarium as recreating a tiny lost world that can be populated by the bold, the secretive and the beautiful – a tiny eco-system that you are in charge of. That’s some challenge, and some responsibility too.
Technically, a terrarium designed to house animals is a vivarium, which is a much more interesting, more demanding and ultimately more rewarding.
While there are ample opportunities to be creative, you must not neglect the basics. The environment you build must be specifically designed to support the needs and habits of your chosen animals. Get this right and you will have a thriving biosphere to be proud of.
The sort of reptiles that you can consider housing are lizards, such as chameleons and geckos, turtles and snakes. You may choose either a dry terrarium or a wet terrarium. Obviously, the latter requires a much higher level of care because it involves cleaning and maintenance of the water. By the way, we are looking at maybe a couple of inches of water or so, covering anything from half to all the terrarium.
Anyway, I intend to explore all the possibilities for a reptile terrarium, ranging from terrarium supplies: the types of container, dry and wet habitats, the plants, the reptile food, the lighting, the reptile heat, fountains and water pumps and not forgeting, of course, the creatures themselves.