Terrarium & Vivarium Habitats

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Terrarium & Vivarium Habitats

In the keeping of reptiles and amphibians in terrariums, many of us try to create as close to a natural habitat as possible. What then, would be more natural than live plants? Although this type of setup may not be practical for large scale production, even the most advanced "shoe-box breeder" can benefit from having a few naturalistic terrariums in their collection. Terrariums such as these allow us to create a mini environment in which to view our animals as though we were watching them in the wild. Many species simply would not do very well in captivity without such surroundings. The design can be as simple or as elaborate as you would like.

If a soil based terrarium is against your beliefs, live plants are not necessarily out of the question. There are many types of air plants (Tillandsias) that do quite well when mounted on branches and require no soil whatsoever. These can be combined with unique, decorative wood and maybe a few rocks to make a very nice display. Keep in mind, however, that soil substrates are not as bad as some people believe. If common sense is used and good hygiene practices followed, there is no reason that soil based terraria should pose a health risk to it's inhabitants. It is true that soil can harbor pathogens and provide a pathway for parasites to spread, but the same can be said for improperly maintained spartan setups.

Naturalistic housing for herps can even benefit their health and well being. While a simple, newspaper lined cage may be easy to keep spotlessly clean, it seems that the inhabitant would be under much more stress being in such unnatural conditions. It then would need such a sterile home to keep it healthy. A herp maintained in more naturalistic surroundings would feel much more at ease and have an improved level of immunity to fight off an illness naturally.

Another concern some people have is that their pets may hide in densely planted terrariums. This seems not to be the case. In fact, herps maintained in conditions similar to those of their native habitat will feel much more secure and tend to venture out more often than those housed in a sparsely decorated tank with just a simple hidebox. Activity can be encouraged by placing basking areas in the open where they can easily be viewed or by placing feeding dishes (where applicable) clear of any foliage or decor.