How to Create a Tropical Vivarium

Keeping reptiles and amphibians in vivariums has become more popular in the past few years. The best vivarium is one that combines living plants and animals. Although a good vivarium will take a little time to assemble, it is not difficult to sustain once its up and running.

Things You'll Need

• Aquarium with lid
• Full spectrum fluorescent lighting system
• Ceramic heater
• Humidity gauge
• Basking rock
• Internal decorations
• Mist bottle
• Substrate
• Nontoxic plants
• Shallow dish

Instructions

1. Choose a container for the vivarium. Typically this is a large aquarium with a secure lid. Make sure that the vivarium is waterproof.

2. Create a false bottom in the vivarium by laying down an inch of loose gravel topped with 1/2 inch of charcoal and covering it with a nonmetallic piece of screen material.

3. Add the substrate. Typically this should be a mixture of peat, fir bark and black earth that is covered by a layer of spagnum moss and a layer of leaves.

4. Place your plants into the vivarium. Plants that will do well in a tropical vivarium that are also safe for reptiles and amphibians include philodendron, rabbit's foot fern, button fern, cobra fern, resurrection fern, bromeliads earth stars, calathea, ficus, spathiphyllum, java moss, bamboo, and wandering jew.

5. Wet down the soil and the plants thoroughly with dechlorinated water.

6. Add a shallow water dish and fill it with dechlorinated water.

7. Add your basking rock and other decorations. You will want to include bark bends and miniature caves to give your reptile a place to hide and branches or rock formations so he can get closer to the heat source as well as look around. Make sure all decorations are stable and will not be knocked over by your pets.

8. Place a heat lamp on one end of the vivarium. A heat lamp produces radiant heat that warms reptiles and increases air temperature. You will need to have the vivarium set up for several days to establish the proper temperature before adding any live animals. A tropical environment will have daytime temperatures of 75 degrees F to 95 degrees F.

9. Make sure you purchase a full-spectrum light source to provide light for both the lizard and the plants.

10. Maintain a humidity level of 60 to 80 percent by misting the vivarium on a daily basis.

11. Add pet lizards and amphibians that are good for tropical vivariums include green anoles, house geckos, poison arrow frogs or a small iguanas.