General

A vivarium is a self contained micro-habitat for plants and animals. The difference between a terrarium and a vivarium is the addition of animals in a vivarium. As such they need lids. These animals can be anything from hermit crabs, to reptiles or amphibians, to insects. Every animal will have different needs, some require hot drier conditions, others require cooler and moist conditions, the later are referred to as Tropical Vivariums, which is what I am going to discuss in this article.

Getting Started

When setting up a decent Vivarium, size is somewhat important, You need to consider what is the adequate size needed for the animal you are going to house in it. Shape is another consideration, some animals, such as Northern Walking Stick insects, tree frogs, and Geckos, prefer tall spaces, while others, such as Anole lizards, or Pac Man frogs, require more ground space.

When setting up your tropical vivarium you should start by purchasing egg crate panel (the kind that is use in ceiling lighting) and a bag or air conditioning filter fabric. Cut a piece of the egg crate, lighting panel to fit the bottom of the vivarium.

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After this you can use small pieces of Styrofoam or pvc fittings to raise the panel a half inch to inch to create a false bottom for your vivarium. (Note: if you are using a leaky aquarium run a bead of aquarium sealant around the inside base of your aquarium.). Place the air conditioning filter medium over the egg crate panel and then add a substrate mixture over it. You can purchase various substrates at pet supply stores or make your own using potting soil that has been microwaved for 30 seconds mixed then mixed with composed leaf matter. Different animals have different needs, generally indicated on the substrate bag.

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Planting and Decorating

Now you are ready to design your critters new home. Some hobbiests prefer “real” ornamentation, but in recent years some companies have come out with very realistic looking plants and accessories. The advantages of using faux items is they require less maintenance,for example plants don’t need regular care and won’t outgrow your tanks. The advantages to using real, is that they are environmentally friendly. For a beginner, I suggest starting with some of these reproductions of real plants.
You can gather sticks, pebbles, and rocks from your yard. Wash the rocks and pebbles thoroughly. If you select to use live plants, you will need to give them a good wash before you place them in the vivarium. Remember some animals, such as walking stick insects, and iguanas, will eat your live plants.

To keep your tank moist, you can purchase “drip systems” from your local pet supply store, these are simple containers that leak a small amount of water into the tank. An alternate idea is to clear the dirt away from the filter medium, in one corner, and place some small pebbles to provide an area that you can add water into your false bottom. After this is done, you can place the plants, rocks, vines, and wooden sticks you’ve purchased or collected so that it is pleasing to your eye. For added appeal, I suggest some mosses on the vivarium floor. Remember to meet your pets needs for climbing, hiding, and space.

Other suggestions for your Vivariums are faux 3D rock backgrounds, or the backdrop posters you can purchase. This all depends on how much you want to spend and how cool you want your Vivarium to look.

You will also need a water dish, and possibly a feeding area.

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Lighting

Depending on what kind of pet that is going to occupy the tank you will require specific lighting. Your local pet supply store can help you with this, I suggest talking to a specialist to make sure you are meeting your animals requirements. Some animals need UV lights, there are lights for heat, and even special lights to view your nocturnal pets under, which simulate moonlight.