There are over 7,900 species of lizards and snakes, 23 species of crocodiles, and 300 species of tortoises. That is an extremely vast array of reptile species from which to choose a pet. Many of them are fairly simple to care for by keeping one or more of them in a reptile vivarium that mimics the natural habitat of that certain reptile. Not only does this vivarium act as an enclosure for your pet, but it also can be a magnificent work of art…right in your own home!
Reptile Vivariums
A vivarium isn’t only the tank or cage that you keep your reptile in, but it is the tank plus the things a person puts into it to simulate a natural environment. Truthfully, a vivarium is easy to assemble; start with a basic reptile tank with a removable or sliding top. The size of tank you should buy depends on the number of reptiles you wish to house within it. A group of around 8 small reptiles can easily fit in a 12 to 15 gallon tank. The type of tank is determined by the species of reptile. A tortoise is usually houses in a wet tank, whereas bearded dragons are typically kept in a dry tank. Keep in mind that if you wish to keep terrestrial reptiles like toads, ground frogs, salamanders, and/or lizards you should buy a shallow tank (20 in. long x 10 in. wide x 10 in. tall). If you want to house arboreal reptiles like tree frogs, green snakes, and/or geckos who typically enjoy a tree or tall sticks to climb up onto, then you should buy a reptile tank that is much taller (20 in. long x 10 in. wide x 18 in. tall).
Lighting
Every reptile vivarium must have special lighting in order to keep its animals and plants alive and healthy. You will need compact florescent lights and more specifically you should get full-spectrum daylight compact fluorescent lights with a 48 watts. Since this dual light bulb is U-shaped, each rod will have 24 watts. If you wish to make your pets even happier, then get a quality grounded timer to automatically turn your lights on and off according to the time of day. Depending on your pet reptile’s species, adjust the timer according to how much light your reptile is supposed to be exposed to; some species sleep much more than others and therefore receive much less light than those who sleep less and are exposed to more light.
Remember that anyone can make a reptile vivarium but it takes a whole lot of commitment to make it perfectly suitable for your reptile. Be sure to do your research on exactly what type of habitat your reptile naturally comes from.
Reptile Vivarium 