Zoo Med Naturalistic Terrarium

Customize your reptile's terrarium with the all-natural eco-friendly Forest Tile Background. This 1/2" thick cork board withstands water damage and looks like real tree bark to help your reptile feel like he's in his natural living environment. Six power cord or airline tubing exit slots let you easily customize your terrarium with foggers, waterfalls, or other habitat accessories. The dependable Repti Lock easily attaches to the front door of this terrarium to further ensure your pet's safety and security.

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Door: Your new terrarium features a single, full front glass door for optimum viewing pleasure. To open the door, press down on the latch and pull on the plastic door frame just above the latch. To close the door, press down on the latch, push the door closed, and release the latch.

Locking the Door: terrarium may be locked by installing a small lock through the holes just above the door latch. Zoo Med's Naturalistic Terrarium Repti Lock (#71657) is easy to use and allows you to choose your own 3-digit combination.

Power Cord/Airline Tubing Exit Slots: There are six exit locations (three per side) for power cords and airline tubing on the back of the upper frame of the terrarium. Hold-down clips in the screen cover create a tight seal at this location to prevent insects from escaping. To run power cords or airline tubing out of the terrarium, insert into one of the slots and pull to remove unwanted slack. When the screen cover is reinstalled, the hold-down clips will press against the power cords or tubing and hold them in place.

Using Under Tank Heaters: Special care has been taken in the design of your terrarium to easily accommodate under tank heaters like Zoo Med's Repti Therm U.T.H. Under Tank Heaters(231092). There are two power cord exit slots on the back side of the base of the terrarium (one on each side). In addition, the back and sides of the base of the terrarium are elevated to allow excess heat to escape. When using Zoo Med's Repti Therm U.T.H. Under Tank Heater with Zoo Med's Naturalistic Terrarium, you do not need to apply the rubber feet to the base of the terrarium. NOTE: DO NOT use under tank heaters when filling the base of your terrarium with water.

Ventilation: Traditional terrariums have poor ventilation with only a screen cover on top. Your terrarium has "flow-through" ventilation to allow for greater air exchange. Just below the door there is a grill with small ventilation holes that allow air to enter the terrarium. A temperature gradient in your terrarium will cause a natural flow of air into the front grill, up to the top of the terrarium, and out through the screen cover. This is beneficial for both plants and animals in your terrarium.

Water Features in your Terrarium: The bottom portion of your terrarium is designed to hold water, allowing you to fill the terrarium with water up to the plastic vent below the door. You can create a natural paludarium with land and water areas, or fill the bottom with water and gravel only. You can also add a pump and a background to create a waterfall!

How to Create a Naturalistic Terrarium: The following example illustrates one method of setting up a naturalistic terrarium. You can follow this example, or design your own unique habitat. With the proper tools, materials, and animals, setting up your terrarium will be fun and rewarding. Be sure that your set up will provide the correct habitat for your particular species of reptiles, amphibians, and plants. Consult a good book to learn about the requirements of a particular species.

Live Plants and Additional Features: To complete your terrarium, add branches, jungle vines, or other accessories as desired. Add live or synthetic plants, like Bromeliads, to your terrarium (figure 9). Add a water dish or water feature as needed by your reptiles and amphibians. Be sure to consult a good book to learn about the requirements of the species you will be keeping. Finally, place reptiles and/or amphibians in their completed naturalistic terrarium!