About Snake Terrariums

Purchasing Your Snake Terrarium

• You can find terrariums to purchase at most pet stores and also online at sites such as Glasscages.com. (See the Resources section for the link.) You most likely do not need a tank that will hold water. That would be an aquarium for fish. If you are going to have a snake (or other reptile as a pet), you will need a terrarium. Some large terrariums will come unassembled, and you will have to put them together yourself, especially if you order from an online store. Make sure you pay special attention to the dimensions of the snake terrarium that you are buying. Again, before you purchase your terrarium, you need to do research on how large your tank should be for your type of snake to be comfortable. There's quite a difference between a boa constrictor and a garter snake. If you do not know, talk to an expert--a vet or a pet store owner will often know the answers to these questions.

Set-up

• The No. 1 thing that experts recommend is to ensure your snake terrarium is escape proof. Again, if you do not know how to do this, talk to the person you bought your terrarium from and make sure you assemble your tank correctly. You do not want your pet snake loose in your house. Then you will need a material to line the bottom of your tank. This is called a substrate. Newspapers will work just fine, and they are easy to remove and replace when they get soiled. You can also buy substrate from pet stores. You will need to heat your snake's terrarium. It is important to heat one side more than the other, so your snake has choices of where it wants to be and how warm it wants to be. Your terrarium should also have a thermometer. Your snake will need a water bowl, which should be large enough that your snake can take a dip in it. Your snake also needs a place to hide. This can be simple, such as a plastic dish with a hole cut in the side.

Warnings

• Many people used to put a "hot rock" in their snake terrariums. A hot rock is a fake rock that is heated, and snakes can lie on it or next to it for warmth. Some pet stores and online sites still sell hot rocks. The problem is these hot rocks can actually burn the snake and not really warm the cage at all. Some people also use heating pads. These are also dangerous. Anything that just heats up one small spot of the terrarium can be dangerous for your snake.
  Some people will actually put belts around their tanks to make them escape proof. If your terrarium has a lid, make sure it is secure and closes tightly.

Humidity Levels

• Depending on the type of snake you have will determine whether you need to worry about the moisture in your tank. Again, this is something to investigate with a vet, through a book, or with a pet store owner when you decide what type of snake you are buying. Some snake owners will install a hygrometer in the snake terrarium to monitor humidity. A reptile misting system can be used to moisture the tank from time to time and keep it more humid when necessary. A reptile misting system can be found at the online site, MistKing. (See the Resources section.)

Levels in Your Terrarium

• Some snake terrariums have different levels for your snake to rest on, just as if it were in the wild with tree branches, rocks and bushes. Some owners will have ledges in their terrariums for their snakes. You may also have shelves in your terrarium. Whatever you choose to do, make sure it matches with your type of snake and helps your snake to have a healthy life in its terrarium.