In the modern world, reptiles are not only cold-blooded vertebrates; people have now started to keep them as pets. As of now, 3.5 to 6 million households in the United States keep reptiles as their pets. This is also true for many other countries across the world. Hence, this demonstrates the increasing demand for custom PVC reptile enclosures worldwide. Considering this, let’s now understand what a reptile terrarium is, how it is beneficial, and how you can set up a premium reptile enclosure by yourself.
What is a Reptile Terrarium?
It’s a climate-controlled glass or screen enclosure that can accommodate your pet reptiles, amphibians, or invertebrates. A terrarium mimics the natural outdoor environment (such as woodland, tropical rainforest, or a desert) by regulating ventilation, lighting, humidity, and temperature.
Different Types of Premium Reptile Enclosure You Must Know About
A premium reptile enclosure comes in various sizes, shapes, and formats that are suitable for different reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates. But here are the top ones you need to know about:
Glass Terrarium
Glass Terrarium is a great choice for humidity retention & proper visibility, and is ideal for various tropical reptiles, such as frigs, chameleons, and geckos. You can clean this enclosure and track your pet inside it. But it works best when you pair it with a proper lighting & heating setup.
Wooden Vivariums
Wooden Vivariums provide excellent insulation to your heat-loving pets, such as ball pythons, corn snakes, and bearded dragons. However, it’s not an ideal vivarium for species that love high humidity, unless you seal it.
Plastic & PVC Enclosures
Plastic and PVC Enclosures are robust and lightweight. They are also ideal for minimalist configurations and stacking. Most reptile pet owners use Plastic and PVC enclosures to create breeding tanks.
How to Choose The Right Custom PVC Reptile Enclosures?
There are many ways to choose the right PVC reptile enclosures for your pet. So, here are some core ideas that will help you choose the best one as per your pet's requirements:
Consider Your Reptile’s Natural Habitat
You should first study the natural habitat of your reptile. For instance, uromastryx or the leopard geckos (arid animals) require warmth and dry air, while chameleons and tree boas (tropical species) need places to climb and warm, humid environments. This will further help you know what type of housing your pet needs.
Enclosure Size Matters A Lot
Baby reptiles are smaller, but they get larger as they grow up. When they grow up, they shouldn’t become too thin or too fat. But they should maintain a healthy body weight with the right fat percentage. For this reason, you must buy the right enclosure that is big enough for your pet to move, dig, or sit under direct sunlight. Even smaller reptiles might need a larger space to stay stress-free.
Choose The Right Material
Different enclosures are made from different materials. Glass ones maintain humidity inside, which makes them perfect for tropical reptiles. ABS & PVC ones are strong, lightweight, and maintain the heat level, which makes them great for tropical environments as well.
Wooden ones hold heat as well, but you must seal them so that moisture doesn’t escape. A screen enclosure lets in fresh air (ideal for pets such as chameleons). However, you might face challenges in keeping them humid & warm enough.
Note: Not all reptiles can maintain their body temperature, so you must choose a material that helps them with this process.
Proper Ventilation & Pet Security
Buying well-ventilated enclosures will reduce the risks of airborne infections and mold development. But the enclosure should be secure enough at the same time so that your pet doesn’t escape and create chaos.
You should also choose a strong terrarium or vivarium because some lizards & snakes might try to break out. Therefore, buying a secure & well-built enclosure will keep your reptile safe and prevent any possible damage.
Design of Internal Decor
You should set the enclosure and use a suitable floor material that is safe for your pet and is easy to clean. Also, you could include items such as basking rocks & hiding places to reduce your reptile’s stress and help it feel at ease. Many reptiles also need a proper lighting environment. This helps them use calcium and keep their bones strong & healthy.
Things Required to Set Up a Reptile Terrarium
Now that you know about the different types of premium reptile enclosure and how to choose the right one, the time has come for you to know about the things you'll need to set up a reptile terrarium:
1 Cage: To keep your pet safe & comfortable.
2 Locking Screen Top: To stop your pet from escaping.
3 Basking Light: To provide warmth to your pet.
4 UV Light: To maintain a healthy environment.
5 Heat Mat: To provide extra heat (only if necessary).
6 Substrate: It acts as the bed layer of the enclosure.
7 Hiding Area: Where your pet will feel safe.
8 Water Dish: For your pet to drink water and soak itself.
9 Food for Your Specific Pet: The right type & amount of food to nourish your reptile.
10 Feeding Tong: To feed your pet (completely optional).
11 Scooper: To clean your pet waste.
12 Thermometer: To check if the temperature is right for your pet.
13 Hygrometer: To measure the humidity in the enclosure.
14 Automatic Light Timer: For automatic control of day and night lighting.
You should gather all this equipment before buying a reptile as a pet.
How to Set Up a Premium Reptile Enclosure?
Congratulations on reaching the crux. Now that you have all the necessary things, let’s start setting up a premium reptile enclosure right away:
Step 1: Preparation
Gather all the materials in front of you, ensure they are clean & usable, and think about the design of the enclosure you want to achieve. However, you should spend less time thinking about the exact plants & gears. This is because getting stressed won’t go quite as smoothly as you had thought initially.
Step 2: Drainage System
You need to add a 1-inch thick drainage layer at the bottom of the enclosure using LECA, Gravel, or Sand. One thing you need to consider is that you must wash/clean the draining material before placing it in the container.
Step 3: Substrate
You can also add a small layer of activated charcoal on top of the drainage layer before adding a 1 to 3 inches thick layer of substrate (soil). The soil should be lower at the front and higher at the back. This will give more space for the decoration & plants, along with better design & depth in your terrarium.
Step 4: Decoration
Now you must place decorative items (such as rocks, plants, and branches) and plan where the plants will be. When planting a plant, you can use an entire plant (a small one), split a plant at the roots, or use a plant cutting.
For rooted cuttings, you need to make a small hole in the soil, place the roots in that hole, and push the soil around it. But for unrooted cuttings, you’ll need to place the stem into the soil or moss, and the roots will grow later.
During this step, you shouldn’t add any wooden piece (unless you are adding a helpful bug, like microfauna) as it can mould. Moreover, you should choose the plant size according to how big your enclosure is.
Step 5: Water
Now the terrarium is complete. So, use a mister to spray some water inside the terrarium until the plants & soil are wet. For this step, you can use distilled water, rainwater, and reverse osmosis water. During this step, you shouldn’t spray a lot of water as it will kill the terrarium. Remember, you shouldn’t pour water inside, as you may pour too much water inside.
Core Benefits of Setting Up Custom PVC Reptile Enclosures
Last but not least, you also need to understand the benefits of setting up custom PVC reptile enclosures for your pet. So, here are the benefits you must know about:
1. Durability: PVC provides remarkable durability and is perfect for a long-lasting investment. PVC is a resilient & durable material that can bear the test of time.
2. Insulation: Custom PVC reptile enclosures inherit insulation properties and provide a controlled & stable environment. PVC’s insulation properties help keep heat out and reduce energy consumption while heating the environment.
3. Maintenance: A PVC enclosure provides a significant benefit when it comes to cleanliness & maintenance. PVC’s smooth surfaces will make it easy for you to wipe clean the enclosure and prevent the accumulation of dirt & bacteria.
4. Portability: Custom PVC reptile enclosures are lighter in weight than their alternatives, such as wooden or glass enclosures. Hence, you will be able to transport & handle PVC in a convenient way.
Conclusion
Now you understand the fundamentals of setting up a premium reptile enclosure and how it works. But remember, you should ask your reptile pet expert more about this topic to clarify your doubts and buy the right enclosure for your pet. Let’s hope this article will guide you towards being a reptile owner. Remember, this article only provides a general overview of setting up a premium reptile enclosure. Moreover, you should complete your choice only after consulting a professional.
Frequently Asked Questions
Question: What is the easiest reptile to own for beginners?
Answer: The easiest reptile to own for beginners includes the leopard gecko, bearded dragon, crested gecko, turtles, corn snakes, water dragons, and tortoise.
Question: What do I need for a terrarium for beginners?
Answer: Creating a terrarium is a low-maintenance beginner project. Hence, the best approach for beginners is to set up a Closed Tropical Terrarium using a glass jar that has a wide opening.
Question: What are common terrarium mistakes to avoid?
Answer: Some common mistakes you should avoid include overwatering the terrarium ecosystem, poor plant selection, lack of ventilation, too much sunlight, and skipping the charcoal layer.
Question: Can I use tap water in a terrarium?
Answer: Well, you should use rain or filtered water because tap water usually contains chlorine. It won’t harm your plants or pets, but it might leave white stains on the glass after some time, which will not look good.