Terrarium Information
A terrarium is a biotope for plants, reptiles, amphibians, and insects. Each individual life-support system must be equipped with light, ventilation, heat, and a system that regulates humidity. Household heat and direct sunlight can be harmful to some species.
It is best to keep tree-climbing species in tall terrariums and land-dwelling species in shallow-type aquariums. Combining reptiles or amphibian life with plant life in one ecosystem can be a challenge. The terrarium must be escape-proof and it must provide ideal conditions for everything that lives within the support system. Before buying a pet to place in your terrarium, investigate its habits to see if it is compatible with your lifestyle.
For example, lizards range from a few inches to a few feet long, and smaller lizards can be more active and demanding of space. Lizards hate to be held, and since they are nocturnal, they can be rambunctious at night and unexciting during the day. Those that need tropical or subtropical conditions require regular maintenance and costly equipment. A lizard's diet can be restricted to daily portions of fruits, vegetables, and flowers, or three feedings a week of insects and mice.
Terrarium Set-Up
Making your own terrarium can be as rewarding as having one pre-built in your household. Here, you'll find the appropriate terrarium supplies to create a perfect, nourishing home for your plants.
Terrariums 101
Ever wonder how the modern day terrarium evolved? Or, how to make a simple one out of everyday items? Read more about these questions and more in our Terrariums 101 article designed to give you more information on your terrarium.
How To Make a Terrarium
Terrariums were used in the Victorian era when travelers brought home exotic plants protected in special cases made of glass. Complete with their own heating systems, these terrariums were adorned with decorations. Today terrariums still grow plants in a controlled environment, but they are also ecosystems for small pets.
Terrarium Sizing
In the early 1800s, Dr. Nathaniel Ward placed dirt in a sealable glass jar and buried the cocoon of a sphinx moth. Within time, plants began to grow in the container, thriving without watering. Dr. Ward planted ferns in containers with the same results; those first terrariums were called Wardian Cases. Today terrariums come in various sizes, creating balanced housing for plants and animals.
