How To Create A Mini Ecosystem Terrrarium
Beginners to the reptile ownership industry often seem to think that having a multitude of lizards, snakes, and other reptiles would be a neat idea. While this does indeed seek to make a wonderful variety of interactions and environments for a terrarium, there are some facts to keep in mind on the subject.
Climate is the first issue in mixing and matching reptiles. Some reptiles may favor hot environments, while others will need cooler environments if they are to survive. Mixing the two will be tough, as most terrariums aren’t large enough to create two different climates. If the terrarium permits, this is possible- but not recommended for fear of the health of the reptiles.
Reptiles can be just as social as humans in some cases- meaning that the way they interact with each other can have effects on their overall health. Different species will have generally different attitudes, and the specific reptile will have a certain personality. Mixing these personalities and attitudes of other species can be dangerous, as it may cause stress. Stress is detrimental to a reptile’s health, and can even cause health problems, so the process of mixing species is generally not recommended.
Reptiles have been known to have different immunities to different diseases. But where one reptile may have an immunity, another reptile may have a weakness to the disease. This is a poor situation for reptiles that harbor a certain disease they are immune to, but still spread it to other reptiles that may not have an immunity. This will certainly cause profound effects on the health of other reptiles.
As with most things in nature, there is a food chain that must be observed. Even among reptiles, there are species that eat other reptiles or even their own kind. This proves that mixing the wrong reptiles can end in one eating the other. This can sometimes be avoided by ample feeding, but the risk is too great when taking into consideration that the life of a reptile is at stake in the process.
Lastly, the terrarium is a matter in itself. Most terrariums are not big enough to accommodate the needs of each individual pet. A spacious area will be required to prevent stress fights, and overcrowding issues that can prove to be quite harmful to all pets that coexist in the terrarium. Thus, it’s best to invest in a medium to large sized terrarium in order to give pets the best chance at a happy and efficient life in a terrarium.
Closing Comments
Overall, it’s generally not a good idea for beginners to take on the task of putting together a mini ecosystem. Only experts in reptiles who can figure out the best interactions and environments to place multiple reptiles in should proceed to accomplish any of the aforementioned tasks. In the end, it’s usually best just to keep same species together in different terrariums to avoid confusion and problems.
