Terrarium Animals That Are Forgiving

A terrarium is a fun and fascinating project for animal lovers of any age. Creating a biosphere and supporting a miniature ecosystem for a pet is educational and rewarding. Choosing a good animal or animal community is key to a successful terrarium experience. For beginners and children, it is most important that the animals in a terrarium are gentle with humans and with each other.

  1. Forgiving Animals

    • Animals in a terrarium can be forgiving in several key ways. They absolutely must be gentle when handled by humans. Forgiving animals must also be friendly and harmless if they should escape the confines of their terrarium tank. An ability to live together peacefully is also important for forgiving terrarium animals, as the different animals must get along with each other and not be natural predators. Keeping these characteristics in mind will help in selecting the right forgiving terrarium animals for any situation.

    Forgiving Frogs

    • Wet terrariums are for animals that require some water in their environment and high humidity. Green tree frogs are a low maintenance, forgiving choice for these terrariums. These little guys grow to a maximum of 3 inches long, although their croak is deceptively loud. They are not the easiest animals to pick up, as they are quite sneaky and dynamic, but they are docile and harmless to human hands. Tree frogs get along well in terrariums with anole lizards, small newts, and snails. They will reproduce if kept for a full season, and overcrowding can become an issue.

    Forgiving Lizards

    • Some lizards are more gentle and forgiving than others. Green anoles are a small, inexpensive lizard with a quick reflex and a pleasant attitude -- for a lizard. Adults grow 6 to 8 inches long, leaving ample room for additional animals in a medium-size terrarium. With adequate warmth, live insects to eat and drops of water to drink, any anole lizard can thrive. They can be handled easily and are not dangerous to humans. Long-tailed grass lizards are another option for easy lizards, although these and other so-called "house geckos" tend to sleep during the day and love to escape their confines. For any lizard haven, a screen lid to the terrarium should keep everyone accounted for.

    Safety and Health

    • Once forgiving animals have been selected and introduced to their terrarium, it is up to the owner to keep the environment clean and healthy. One consideration that terrarium keepers often overlook is the need for a nontoxic environment in the terrarium. This may seem obvious, but many conventional glass cleaners and plant fertilizers contain chemicals that are toxic to small animals. In attempts to keep the terrarium clean, one may unwittingly poison the miniature biosphere. As water evaporates in a terrarium, chemical residue left on glass or plants contaminates the system and taints the water bowls. Use natural solutions such as vinegar and water to clean glass, and avoid plants grown with chemical fertilizers or treated with pesticides.