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Reptiles
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|   | Reptiles for PetsOne
of the key differences about keeping reptiles as pets is that a great
amount of thought must be given to their housing, as unlike many other
types of pets, they will be spending their entire lives in their
captive environment. In general, the closer their captive environment
approximates their wild habitat, the healthier and happier the reptile
will be. Thus, you need to think about how the reptile would get its
food and water, how it would behave in the wild, how active it normally
is and how large it is likely to grow.
Types of Habitats:
Aquatic
The
most obvious requirement for an enclosure containing aquatic reptiles
is water-proofing. In addition, it should be easy to clean and
disinfect regularly and have filtration systems fitted for cleaning on
a daily basis. Any submersible heaters used in the water should be
shielded so that the reptiles cannot come into direct contact with
them. Don’t forget that while aquatic reptiles will need large bodies
of water to swim in, they will also need some land or rocks on which to
haul themselves out and bask on.
Semi-aquatic
The key
requirement for semi-aquatic reptiles is lots of space as not only will
they need a large body of water but they will also spend a considerable
amount of time on land so these enclosures need to have both an aquatic
and terrestrial set-up.
Terrestrial
Terrestrial
environments must not be too uniform as its inhabitants need a variety
of different microclimates to thrive and for adequate thermoregulation.
Thus, make sure that there are plenty of irregularities in their
environment, such as hiding spots, caves, rocks, branches, areas of
high humidity and plants or shelves for climbing and sunning.
Arboreal
Arboreal
reptiles spend most of their lives in trees in the wild and therefore
enclosures for these reptiles need to be tall enough and wide enough to
accommodate several strong branches or even shelves, particularly if
housing large snakes and lizards. Make sure all features and fixtures
are securely fastened and that any lighting and heating elements are
properly shielded, particularly if they are within easy reach of
climbing reptiles. If using live plants, make sure they are non-toxic
and harmless and that you check them regularly for damage from chewing
and climbing and replace them if necessary.
Fossorial
These
are reptiles that like to spend most of their time covered by substrate
or in a burrow, often to sleep and digest their food. Thus the key
requirement here is that the substrate is several inches deep for
burrowing and that the enclosure is strong enough to hold this amount
of substrate. Enough height and width is also crucial and the needs
here match that of terrestrial reptiles.
Scansorial
Scansocial
reptiles, usually lizards, like to hide in rocky crevices and also to
bask or hunt for food on rocky walls and outcroppings. Thus, providing
lots of rocks – cleaned and disinfected – is important. You can even
cement some together using non-toxic silicone cement to provide
attractive arrangements. These can also provide caves and crevices for
hiding and sleeping. Make sure all rocky features are secure and cannot
be toppled by an active reptile. Make sure also that the enclosure is
deep enough and tall enough to not only accommodate these rocky
features but still provide enough distance to keep reptiles safe from
overhead lighting and heating.
Creating the right habitat
for your reptile may take time, work and money but it is well worth the
effort and will give you the enjoyment of watching your reptile thrive.
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