Reptile habitats provide shelter, security and a stimulating environment for pet reptiles. When designed properly, they can also encourage natural hunting and foraging behaviours.
A habitat should replicate the reptile’s native environment as closely as possible. This includes varying ambient temperatures, optimum humidity levels and proper lighting and heating.
Size
Reptiles have evolved to live in a wide range of habitats from deserts to rainforests and from underground burrows to the tops of trees. They are found in freshwater and saltwater. Some are solitary, while others form colonies and even live in zoos. They are cold-blooded, meaning they need to move from warmer areas to cool ones to control their internal body temperatures.
A pet reptile’s home, or vivarium, should be as similar to its natural environment as possible in order for it to thrive. It must provide a water area large enough for the reptile to swim in and hunt, and a land area that offers both basking sites and cooler areas. It must also provide a suitable bottom covering such as newspaper, sand, wood/bark chips, clay pebbles or a synthetic turf.
Most reptiles require basking and cooling sources that mimic the sun’s rays. These may be overhead light bulbs, infrared devices or mercury vapor lamps. The cage should be designed in such a way that your reptile cannot come into direct contact with these heat sources, which are hot and can burn it. It should also be large enough for your reptile to move to a different location within the vivarium as it warms and cools to control its internal body temperature.
Many lizards are territorial and need to be able to hide when they feel threatened. This can be accomplished by providing the right “cage furniture” and hiding places for your pet. Terrestrial and fossorial (those that dig or live in burrows) species need more room than arboreal lizards to allow them to stretch their legs and to be able to dig or find a low hiding place without being seen by other animals.
Lighting and Heating
Reptiles need to have ample room to move around, thermoregulate and access the microclimates that they use to feed. Many people set up very naturalistic habitats with layered substrate, a variety of plants and branches, molded back and side walls and “ponds,” all in an attempt to make the enclosure as attractive and appealing as possible. However, this often results in the reptile having insufficient space to properly move around and to have access to all of the microorganisms that would normally be busy breaking down animal wastes and plant materials.
In order to create a more natural environment, it’s important to be familiar with the reptile’s needs and the environmental conditions found in its native habitat. This means looking at photos and, if possible, going out into the wild and taking note of the different textures, temperatures, light levels and other details that make up the habitat.
For the lighting requirement, the ideal is full spectrum light – a fluorescent bulb that provides the same qualities of daylight and UVA and UVB as sunlight. This is best combined with a specialized basking light that creates a warm spot.
Most terrariums also require a night light. There are a variety of night lights on the market, some of which emit only red light and others that emit a blend of red and blue. They all essentially do the same thing but the key is to be careful that they are not too high in wattage as they will heat up the enclosure and cook your pet. A rheostat is recommended in order to control the heat output of the night light.
Humidity
Reptiles require a certain amount of humidity to maintain healthy skin and respiratory systems. Humidity should be monitored with a hygrometer and adjusted as necessary.
A wide variety of natural habitats provide ideal conditions for many reptile species. Some reptiles spend most of their time basking to raise and regulate body temperature, while others forage and breed in upland microhabitats that include grassy areas, brush piles, animal burrows, rock crevices and sheltered areas under tree branches. Amphibians occupy a mix of aquatic and terrestrial habitats, including temporary wetlands and riparian areas, and may move to higher upland sites during breeding and egg laying periods.
The daily cycle of light and darkness, called photoperiod, is critical for some reptiles and influences their behavior and physical functions. Many lizards and snakes are diurnal and must have adequate daytime light levels, while other species that live in seasonal climates must have proper dark cycles to ensure normal reproductive and activity cycles.
The substrate in a reptile enclosure should be a suitable material that enables the reptile to dig and burrow. Reptile carpets and a variety of bedding materials, such as aspen/cypress mulch, coconut fiber, peat moss and sphagnum moss, provide good support for many species, but some require more specialized substrates. For example, some tortoises need a cypress mulch, while Chinese water dragons prefer a mixture of sand, peat moss and sphagnum, which holds moisture well without encouraging mold.
Maintenance
Reptiles need clean environments to thrive. Hobbyists and herpetoculturists often set up beautiful habitats, complete with layered substrates, plants, rocks and even a pond or waterfall. However, they forget that a habitat should also be able to be easily accessed for cleaning and disinfecting. The more complex an enclosure is, the harder it may be to get in and out of. That may not be a problem for most pet reptiles, but it could be a problem for some species with a very long neck, or for a large lizard that might have difficulty reaching food and water containers.
In a natural habitat, microorganisms are busy breaking down animal and plant wastes to help maintain the soil. In captivity, a hygrometer should be used to monitor relative humidity, and the enclosures should be misted or sprinkled with moist substrate to keep it humid.
Many aquatic and terrestrial reptiles require a substrate that is good for burrowing. Shredded newspaper, sand, garden soil, peat moss, aspen or cypress shavings and coconut fiber are common choices. Ask a PetSmart associate which one is best for your reptile’s environment.
Some reptiles are solitary and prefer to live alone; others need to live in groups to hunt for food, thermoregulate and socialize. Group housing should be done only with animals of the same species; males of some reptiles can be aggressive toward other members of their own species. Mixed species living together can also stress the animals and expose them to diseases that they do not have natural immunity to.