Terrarium

Characteristics of a terrarium

A terrarium can be of varied form and size, and must adapt to the needs for the animals or plants which will live there. The various characteristics and constraints thus will depend on what is brought to live inside.

Materials

The great majority of terrariums is out of glass, on the model of the aquariums. One meets however terrariums out of metal, wooden or plastic (with share the front, transparent frontage).

The choice of materials is related on the weight, resistance to moisture, the cost or with quality of desired completion (decorative or strictly functional terrarium for example).

Dimensions

Surface on the ground must be adapted to the number of the species present, their adult size and with their requirement in space.

The height can also be important for the large plants, the climbing plants and them animal species Arboricolous S.

Lighting

A lighting is necessary for the plants and the animals. According to the needs for the species, lighting will be more or less powerful and more or less heating (for example certain reptiles need to heat itself by the “sun”).

In the case of certain plants or of animals Diurne S a contribution in UV (ultraviolet) is necessary (synthesis Vitamin D for example). UV are provided by Néon S emitting in the spectrum of UVA and UVB, or by one lamp with Sodium.

A regulator day/night makes it possible to automate the alternation of periods of lighting and extinction. The duration of the day and the night will depend on the conditions of origin of the species, as well as the Season.

Temperature control

The Température is an important parameter, in particular for the strongly pledged animals with their biotope of origin.

The heating can be provided by several moyens :

of the heating lamps or lamps Infrarouge S (in Ceramic) provides a directional heating and often localisé ;
of the hotplates, placed under or behind terrarium, provides a base of temperature to the terrarium ;
of the heating cords, placed in the ground, provides a heating by the sol ;
of the heatings by air which send hot air in terrarium make it possible to control the total temperature (rare equipment because expensive).

As for lighting, a fall of the temperatures the night is often necessary to wellbeing of the species maintained in captivity. These temperature variations must be coherent with those met in the biotope of origin of the species.

The majority of the animals appreciate differences in temperature to the center terrarium during the day, which enables them to find them-even to them ideal temperature while moving (important for the Reptile S, very dependant on the temperature).

Regulation of the hygroscopy

Many plants (foams, Lichen S, Fern S…) and of very many reptiles have tolerances limited with respect to the variations of moisture.

The regulation of the Hygrométrie is done thanks to several techniques :

regular pulverization of water tiède ;
evaporation of water in the terrarium (basin, circulation of water) ;
automated systems of pulverization.

According to the species, the requirements in moisture vary the very dry one (species resulting from desert mediums) with very wet (near to 100% for certain biotopes).
Certain animal species require variations of hygroscopy during the day, even a hygroscopy different according to the places from terrarium.

Substrate

The Substrat is the matter composing the ground.

In the most utility cases, paperboard or absorbing paper is used (for the animals).
The other substrates used are the ground, the Tourbe, the Sable, the chips various trees, vegetable fibers (of coconut in particular).

The choice of the substrate will depend on the needs for the plants (type of ground) or for the animals (need to dig galleries for example), moisture (resistance to the Mould and conservation of water), the dangerosity (risk of absorption by an animal) and esthetic aspect.

Openings, ventilations

An access inside terrarium is necessary for maintenance, the care with plants and with the animals, the addition and withdrawal of food…
In the case of animal, a frontal opening is preferable because the access by the top recall to many species the arrival of a predator, and generates a stress.

Ventilations are important for the renewal of the air but too to avoid the stagnation of humid air and vitiated, favourable with the development of Mould S and of Bacterium S (especially in wet and hot terrariums). The traditional diagram consist in placing a low ventilation and a high ventilation of the other with dimensions of terrarium, thus allowing the air circulation by convection.

See too

Internal bonds

Terrariophilie

External bonds

Examples and construction of a terrarium

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