What - Why - How? Setting up a terrarium Useful tips for beginners
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What – Why – How? Setting up a terrarium Useful tips for beginners
Contents Page
1 INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
2 FIRST THINGS FIRST: WHERE DO ANIMALS COME FROM? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
3 THE TERRARIUM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
3.1 THE SIZE AND SHAPE OF THE TERRARIUM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
3.2 THE LOCATION OF THE TERRARIUM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
3.3 THE CLIMATE OF THE TERRARIUM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
4 TYPES OF TERRARIUM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
4.1 THE DESERT TERRARIUM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
4.2 THE RAINFOREST TERRARIUM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
4.3 THE ACQUA-TERRARIUM OR PALUDARIUM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
SUITABLE FLOOR-COVERING MATERIAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
5 TECHNICAL EQUIPMENT FOR THE TERRARIUM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
5.1 LIGHTENING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
5.1.1 THE DESERT TERRARIUM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
5.1.2 THE RAINFOREST TERRARIUM AND THE AQUA-TERRARIUM . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
5.2 HEATING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
5.2.1 HEATING IN A DESERT TERRARIUM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
5.2.2 HEATING IN A RAINFOREST TERRARIUM AND A DESERT TERRARIUM . . . . . . . 18
5.3 PROVIDING HUMIDITY AND WATER CARE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
5.4 VENTILATION IN A TERRARIUM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
6 FEEDING THE TERRARIUM ANIMALS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
6.1 HOW OFTEN TO FEED? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
6.2 FOOD FOR “ANIMAL EATERS” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
6.3 FOOD FOR TURTLES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
6.4 FOOD FOR VEGETARIANS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
6.5 VITAMINS AND MINERALS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
7 TERRARIUM CARE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
7.1 CLEANING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
7.2 USEFUL TOOLS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
8 HEALTH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
8.1 SELECTING THE ANIMALS . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
8.2 QUARANTINE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
9 PRODUCT OVERVIEW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
Published by 1st edition 2004
JBL GmbH & Co. KG Text: produced on the basis of copy from Uwe Dost
D-67141 Neuhofen Foto’s: Uwe Dost, Heiko Blessin, Dr. Rainer Keppler
www.JBL.de1 INTRODUCTION
In our increasingly hectic world, a little up and caring for a terrarium.
bit of nature in the home gives many Particularly when keeping a terrarium,
people the opportunity of relaxing as it is vital to know the exact require-
they observe their pets in peace at the ments of the animals you intend to
end of a day's work. For example, by keep in order to avoid unpleasant sur-
losing themselves in a richly planted prises later. Your local specialist pet
indoor jungle with a waterfall and var- shop keeper will be an important
ious inhabitants such as anolis,
Madagascar geckos and small, color-
ful frogs. Observing the fascinating
behavior of all these animals gives
great pleasure. This is made possible
by the enormously wide range of high-
quality technical equipment and
diverse accessories and types of food
as well as a wealth of information on
the needs of these pets which is all
available in well-stocked pet shops. source of information and support.
Information gathered from books and
This small information brochure is not the exchange of experiences with
intended as a comprehensive guide to other terrarium enthusiasts are also
terrarium-keeping, but provides infor- important.
We at JBL are also con-
stantly expanding our
experience and under-
standing of the habitats of
these terrarium animals.
The knowledge of the nat-
ural environments of the
animals which we gain in
special JBL research
expeditions is taken as a
basis for the development
of useful products on our
return. After test phases
conducted by experts in
mation and help for people toying with the laboratories, the products are later
the idea of taking up this hobby. It to be found on the JBL shelves of
should point people in the right direc- specialist retailers.
tion and describe how the numerous
JBL products provide help in setting2 FIRST THINGS FIRST:
WHERE DO THE ANIMALS COME FROM?
It is worth learning as much as possi- live in hot conditions. Anyone who
ble about the natural habitat of the has been to the desert knows how
animals. The more detailed the infor- extremely cold it can get at night there
mation, the closer the conditions in and would also try to apply this expe-
the terrarium can resemble the natural rience to terrarium-keeping. In con-
environment. As almost all terrarium trast, the situation in tropical rain-
animals are cold-blooded (poikilother- forests is quite different. Relatively
mic) animals, their body temperature constant temperatures, high humidity
depends on the temperature of their and no harsh light are the environmen-
surroundings and the sun's rays, in tal conditions under which the animals
contrast to warm-blooded creatures. in the jungle live. However, many tree-
The animals control their body tem- dwelling species have the opportunity
perature through certain behavior, of spending time in sunlit places.
such as sun-bathing or seeking out In the following chapters we would
Dry rock biotope with wide local Agama sunning themselves in their habitat A shady stream in the rainforest
temperature variations
cooler zones, adjusting it to the opti- like to present two types of terrariums
mum range for them. Only then can as examples to illustrate setting up a
digestion and the metabolic process- terrarium, the equipment used and
es work effectively and the animals subsequent care. One type is a desert
display the range of behavior specific terrarium and the other a rain-forest
to their species. environment, representing the "jungle
behind glass". As a variation on the
This behavior must be taken into rainforest terrarium, the paludarium or
account when keeping reptiles. Desert aqua-terrarium is mentioned, which
creatures only appear at first sight to can be more or less close in design to
an aquarium.3 THE TERRARIUM
Nowadays specialist retailers offer a 3.1 The size and shape of
wide range of terrariums, mostly the terrarium
made of glass panes with sil-
icon adhesive. These usually The shape, size and equip-
have sliding doors at the ment used depends on the
front. There are also small ter- specific requirements of
rariums ones for invertebrates the species, the size of the
with folding doors at the front animals and the range of
instead of sliding. It is only movement required. As a
worth building your general rule, the larger the
own terrari- terrarium, the better. The
um nowa- equipment should always
days if you be based exactly on the
have a cheap volume of the pool, so that in
supply of the event that the temperature con-
glass panes or trol system becomes faulty, there are
you need a particularly large no immediate losses due to over-
terrarium which is not commercially heating. Suitable decoration should
available. As a construction material, be used in the living environment to
wood is only really suitable for dry provide the animals with seclude
terrariums. Since plastic panes are places to hide, whilst maintaining a
usually just as expensive as glass and good overview for the owner and the
often become opaque quickly or are best possible hygiene conditions.
easily scratched, glass remains the For ground-dwellers, the floor surfa-
ideal building material for terrariums. ce is of course the most important
area, whilst for tree-dwellers the
height of the terrarium is a crucial
factor. Due to the many different
requirements and adaptations of the
animals, strictly separating terrari-
ums into a few standard types ofterrarium makes little sense particu- temperatures), the light (duration,
larly as the transition between terra- intensity and light quality), the relative
rium types is often very fluid. humidity as well as the ventilation. As
in the wild, the individual climatic ele-
ments interact in the terrarium too,
3.2 The location of the and are subject to fluctuations
throughout the day. The relative
terrarium
humidity will, as a rule, decrease the
longer the lighting and heating are in
Actually, any location within a house is operation. This should be taken into
suitable, with few exceptions. consideration when selecting the ter-
However, the position should be cho- rarium. In small volume containers,
sen so that the animals can be
observed in comfort from your
favourite chair. It is also important that
regular care work can be carried out
without resorting to physical contor-
tions!
Care should also be taken that there is
no risk of overheating through direct
sunlight, such as next to a window.
Attic apartments, which scarcely cool
down at night in summer, are not suit-
able for keeping heat-sensitive ani-
mals. And finally, in the case of large
terrariums, the weight-bearing capac-
ity of the location should be taken into
consideration.
the individual climate levels will fluctu-
ate rapidly. These must then be
3.3 The climate of the adjusted using sophisticated control
terrarium systems or constant adjustments in
order to be able to provide the best
The climate in the terrarium is the conditions once again. On the other
most important factor for the well- hand, in large volume containers the
being of the animals. Only if the equip- climatic factors are significantly slow-
ment is carefully chosen to reproduce er to fluctuate and, furthermore, zones
the typical climate for the direct envi- with differing micro-climates can be
ronment of the animals as closely as easily created (zones with varying
possible, will they display their full temperatures and humidity), enabling
repertoire of behaviour and can live the pets to seek out places which pro-
healthily. The most important climatic vide the climatic conditions they
factors in the terrarium are the tem- require at any particular time.
perature (air and ground temperature
as well as localised spots with higher4 TYPES OF TERRARIUM
In the following we would like to pre- air temperature and wind movement.
sent two types of terrariums in detail, In spring, with cool air temperatures
the desert terrarium and a rainforest and strong winds, they need to sun
terrarium, as examples of the wide themselves for long periods in order to
range of types of terrarium which are reach the preferred temperature. In
possible. As an interesting variation on contrast, in summer, with 38°C air
the rainforest terrarium, the paludari- temperature and no wind, they avoid
um or aqua-terrarium is also mentio- direct sunshine in order not to overhe-
ned. There are, of course, a whole at above their optimum temperature
range of conceivable combinations of (for many desert animals this is bet-
climate types, which cannot be dealt ween 35 - 42°C). An important factor
with in the space available here. Tips in the heating of a terrarium is therefo-
are given on sources of appropriate re the variation in heat levels throug-
information. hout the terrarium. The animals should
always have the opportunity of finding
cooler places when they have warmed
4.1 The desert terrarium up sufficiently. By careful choice of
technical equipment and its use (e.g.
never covering the entire floor of a ter-
The habitat of the desert is generally rarium with a heating system), the ter-
understood to be a really hot one. rarium keeper should ensure that diffe-
However, when you look closely, you rent climate gradients are created in
learn that the environment of reptiles the terrarium rather than a uniform
in the desert is characterised by extre- sauna climate. The most important
mes of temperature, depending on point is the creation of a drop in tem-
where the animals are. At night the perature in the terrarium. No reptile
temperatures plunge dramatically. In can survive core temperatures of over
order to reach and maintain the tem- 48°C.
peratures required for metabolic pro-
cesses and typical behaviour (display, A desert terrarium can be set up as
defending territory etc.) desert animals follows: any type of sand is suitable as
deliberately move between warm, a floor covering. JBL offers red, yellow
sunny areas and cooler, shady ones. and white sand under the name
TerraSand. Red TerraSand is sup-
It should be noted that desert animals plied damp and can be shaped when
in particular need localised (!!) spots spread. It hardens slightly as it dries,
where the temperatures should easily giving burrowing animals the possibili-
reach 50 - 60°C, but they do not ty to dig caves. According to the requi-
spend all day there. In the natural envi- rements of the animals, the terrarium
ronment, the length of time spent at can be designed with stone construc-
the source of heat is influenced by the tions or with caves.Corn snake on JBL TerraBark Leopard lizard on red TerraSand
For the safety of the animals, stone A summary of the technical equip-
constructions should be glued toget- ment for a desert terrarium (more
her using aquarium silicon, for exam- details in the chapter "Equipment").
ple, such as JBL AquaSil. In large Heating mat: JBL TerraTemp
aquariums, the weight of stone con- Temperature and humidity
structions may be a problem. Imitation regulator: JBL TerraControl
stone made of plastic is available from Heating stone: JBL ReptilTemp
specialist retailers and is to be recom- Fluorescent tube: JBL SOLAR
mended here. Dry wood is also suit- REPTIL Sun
able as decoration in desert terrari- Heater: JBL ReptilHeat
ums. Appropriate plants, such as suc- Special mounting for heater:
culents, round off the picture. Cacti JBL TempSet
should only be used in the plastic imi- Heat lamp: JBL ReptilRed
tation form, to avoid the danger of
injury from the spikes of real cacti. If
large, active animals are kept, plants
usually have little chance of surviving
long. Many suitable imitation plants
are available from specialist pet sup-
pliers.
Collared lizard (female) on red Star tortoise on JBL TerraBark
JBL TerraSand
A terrarium for sun-loving tortoises
can be set up, in principle, in the same
way as a desert terrarium. However,
sand should not be used a floor-cove-
ring material. JBL TerraBark is ideal in
this case. Further details can be found
in specialist literature or by consulting
your specialist retailer.4.2 The rainforest terrarium JBL TerraBasis or JBL TerraBark is
excellently suited for use as ground-
covering material in rainforest terrari-
When they hear the term "rainforest ums. Plants play a key role when set-
terrarium" most people think of a ting up a rainforest terrarium. A wide
jungle behind glass and automatically variety of suitable plants are available
associate this with high humidity and from specialist pet shops or well-stok-
more or less constant "tropical" tem- ked garden centers. In principle, any
peratures. This is not as far from reali- plant which is suitable for a window-
ty as for desert terrariums. It is a fact sill can be used in a rainforest terrari-
that the characteristic climatic factors um. The size should, of course, be
for rainforest terrariums are relative governed by the space available.
constant temperatures of around 25 - Plants with large, smooth leaves are
30°C with slight cooling during the suitable for reptiles with adhesive fin-
night and relatively high humidity. The gers, e.g. geckos, as they would
temperature and humidity levels requi- otherwise spend their most of their
red vary according to the species of time on the panes.
animals. Appropriate information is
vital for successful care.All kinds of damp-resistant branches And finally plastic plants have to be
or cork bark are suitable as structural mentioned as a design element.
elements in a rainforest terrarium. These are always used when relative-
Roots of wood available for use in ly heavy animals, such as tree
aquariums are excellent as they have pythons, are kept as these will flatten
no humidity problems. Many artificial most living plants in time. JBL offers a
branches or liana-type decorations wide range of such plants under the
made of non-rotting materials are name TerraPlanta.
offered for sale. Branches decorated
with plants such as
bromeliads provide a
focal point in any
rainforest terrarium.
The side and rear
walls can also be
incorporated into the
design of the land-
scape, whether by
attaching flat stones
to them, or plant ele-
ments made of coir,
or painted polystyre-
ne shapes with a
sturdy covering layer.
There are almost no
boundaries to the
Waterfall in rainforest Juvenile tree python changing colour
design ideas for rain
forest terrariums.
However, the needs of the animals
and the limitations posed by cleaning A summary of the technical equip-
must always be taken into considera- ment for a rainforest terrarium (more
tion. details in the chapter "Technical
Equipment").
Moving water in the form of waterfalls Heating mat: JBL TerraTemp
in conjunction with more or less large Temperature and humidity
water containers are a further inter- regulator: JBL TerraControl
esting design element. Many animals, Ultrasound mist generator:
such as chameleons, prefer drinking JBL Foggy
from water which is moving. When Fluorescent tube: JBL SOLAR
installing water containers or water- REPTIL Jungle
falls it is important to remember to Heater: JBL ReptilRed
provide a way for any animal to climb Water pump for waterfall:
out of the water if it falls in, either deli- JBL ProFlow mini
berately or inadvertently. Inner filter for water:
JBL Pro Cristal4.2 The aqua-terrarium or A summary of the technical equip-
paludarium ment for an aqua-terrarium (more
details in the chapter " Technical
Equipment"): in addition to the points
The aqua-terrarium or paludarium listed for rainforest terrariums:
(Latin palus = marsh) is in principle a
rainforest terrarium combined with an Aquarium heater: JBL ProTemp
aquarium. Breath-taking tropical land- External filter for the aquarium:
scapes with waterfalls and streams or JBL CristalProfi
lakes can be designed in large aqua-
Turtles sunbathing at a pond
Turtles in an aqua-terrarium
10
terrariums. The typical care routine of imals
aquariums apply to the water section,
including the same decorations and
technical equipment. More details can
be found in the JBL "What - Why-
How?" series of advice brochures.
Aqua-terrariums with particularly large
waterfalls or even an island as the
land element are best suited for the
care of turtles. Many of these creatu-
res can also be kept in garden ponds
in summer. A suitably secure enclosu-
re is vital as these animals are real
escape artists.Suitable floor-covering material
for terrarium animals
TerraBasis
Indian python/regal python, corn snake, pilot black
snake, Arizona king snake, water agama, mountain
dragon, anolis, common iguana, garter snake, tortoise,
tree frog, toad, dart frog, red-bellied toad, hairy
mygalomorph, emperor scorpion, Madagascar gecko,
chameleon
TerraCoco compact
Dry as for TerraCoco,
wet as for TerraBasis
TerraCoco humus
Indian python/regal python, corn snake, pilot black
snake, Arizona king snake, water agama, mountain
dragon, anolis, common iguana, garter snake, tortoise,
tree frog, toad, dart frog, red-bellied toad, hairy
mygalomorph, emperor scorpion, Madagascar gecko,
chameleon
TerraCoco
Extra-giant boa and python species, large monitor
species, large water agama, large common iguana
TerraWood
Extra-giant boa and python species, large monitor
species, large teju, large water agama, large common
iguanaTerraSand white
Bearded dragon, leopard lizard, rubber
snake and turkish sand boa, horned toad,
common agama, desert iguana, spiny lizard,
ridge-tailed monitor, mastigure, rainbow
curly-tailed lizard, desert scorpion
TerraSand yellow; red
Bearded dragon, leopard lizard, rubber snake and
turkish sand boa, horned toad, common agama,
desert iguana, spiny lizard, ridge-tailed monitor,
mastigure, rainbow curly-tailed lizard, desert
scorpion
TerraBark 0-5 mm
Indian python/regal python, corn snake, pilot black snake, Arizona
king snake, water agama, mountain dragon, anolis, common i
guana, garter snake, tortoise, tree frog, toad, dart frog, red-bellied
toad, hairy mygalomorph, emperor scorpion, Madagascar gecko,
chameleon
TerraBark 5-10 mm
Indian python/regal python, corn snake, pilot black snake,
Arizona king snake, water agama, mountain dragon,
anolis, common iguana, garter snake, tortoise, tree frog,
toad, dart frog, red-bellied toad, hairy mygalomorph,
emperor scorpion, Madagascar gecko, chameleon
TerraBark 10-25 mm
As for TerraBasis, but only for large animals such as
boas, pythons, water agamas, monitors, common
iguanas and large tortoises5 TECHNICAL EQUIPMENT FOR THE TERRARIUM
5.1 Lighting the energy taken up to warmth and
only a small portion to light.
As cold-blooded animals, terrarium The question of which light quality is
animals are far more dependent on most suitable for a terrarium is easy to
light, i.e. its quality and intensity, than answer if you look at nature: in a long
warm-blooded or homiothermic ver- process of evolution over millions of
tebrates. Activity, taking in nourish- years, plants and animals have adap-
ment, digestion and resting phases ted to what the sun sends to earth.
are all influenced by the change from Looking at the spectrum of sunlight
day to night and above all by the (meaning the part of the sun's rays
intensity of the light. Added to this is which are visible to us), you recognise
the fact that many terrarium animals a very even distribution of all the
also associate light with warmth and spectral colours. For this reason,
seek out light places in the terrarium lighting for the terrarium should have
to "sunbathe". This should be taken as balanced a spectrum as possible
into account, particularly in the hea- without gaps. At the same time, all
ting of desert terrariums. Depending plants and animals appear in their full
on the source of light used, there are naturally glorious colours. In the case
differences in the yield and quality of of fluorescent tubes, these are the
the light. Fluorescent tubes, for exam- full-spectrum tubes which JBL offers
ple provide a lot of light with little heat, in two versions for terrariums: JBL
whereas bulbs convert the majority of SOLAR Reptile Sun and JBL SOLAR
Reptile Jungle. HQI lamps also sup-
Daylight spectrum ply a very balanced spectrum and
provide excellent lighting for larger
terrariums. Bulbs have a very strong
red element in the spectrum which
can, however, be more or less com-
pensated for by colouring the glass
bulb.
A significant factor in the lighting of
terrariums is UV light, in the UV-A and
UV-B ranges. Depending on their ori-
gins, terrarium animals need more or
less UV light for their well-being. UV-B
stimulates vitamin D3 synthesis from
the pre-stage of vitamin D2. UV-A sti-
mulates pigmentation.Spectrum JBL SOLAR Reptil Sun Spectrum JBL SOLAR Reptil Jungle
Tip: The use of high-quality reflectors,
such as JBL SOLAR Reflect, can
significantly increase the light yield of
all the lighting recommended here.
For example, the JBL SOLAR Reflect
shield made of robust, non-corroding,
mirror-finish aluminium can be simply
attached to all commercially available
26 mm fluorescent tubes by means of
clips.
The animals show the full brilliance of their colours under full-spectrum lamps e.g. JBL SOLAR Reptile Jungle5.1.1 The desert terrarium Reptile Sun tubes and 2-3 JBL
SOLAR Reptile Jungle tubes.
Characteristic of the desert environ-
ment is its extreme brightness. The
3 x JBL SOLAR Reptil Jungle
UV light of the sun can shine on the
ground unhindered. Therefore desert
animals need very bright lighting with
a high proportion of UV light. The JBL
2 x JBL SOLAR Reptil Sun with reflector
SOLAR Reptile Sun fluorescent
tubes with 36% UV-A and 8% UV-B
provide the right intensity of light for a
desert terrarium. Since fluorescent
In order that the animals can also use
the UV light, it is important that the
JBL SOLAR Reptil Sun tubes are
positioned inside the terrarium, wit-
hout any glass pane between the ani-
mals and the tubes. Protective wire
mesh may be used to prevent the ani-
mals coming into contact with the
tubes.
Note that invertebrates, such as spi-
ders and scorpions, do not need UV
light - it may even be harmful to them.
Invertebrate animals, e.g. bird spiders (hairy mygalomorph),
do not need UV light
tubes with high UV section give off
relatively little light in the visible range,
a combination with full spectrum
tubes with a high proportion of visible
light is strongly recommended. The
JBL SOLAR Reptil Sun is the best
choice here, providing ample light in
full-spectrum quality in the visible
range with a low section of UV, i.e. 2%
UV-A and 0.5% UV-B. A desert terra-
rium with a depth of about 50 cm can
be easily lit with 1-2 JBL SOLAR5.1.2 The rainforest For animals which live in more open
terrarium and the areas of the rainforest or by the water,
for example turtles, or tree-dwellers
aqua-terrarium which actively seek sunlight when
required, we recommend the additio-
nal use of JBL SOLAR Reptil Sun.
Sufficient light, particularly full-spec-
trum quality, is necessary for the
many plants in a rain-
forest terrarium to 1 x JBL SOLAR Reptil Sun
flourish. This can be 3 x JBL SOLAR Reptil Jungle
ideally created using
the corresponding
number of JBL
SOLAR Reptil Jungle
tubes. Animals from
the rainforest, howe-
ver, particularly am-
phibians, need relati-
vely little UV-light as
they are shaded from
the sun's rays by the
lush vegetation in their
natural habitat. The
1 x JBL SOLAR Reptil Sun
low UV-sector of JBL
SOLAR Reptil Jungle
is ideally suited for
this.
The lighting in a rainforest
terrarium5.2 Heating ting mat is used. If an external floor
heating mat is used, the instructions
with the mat should be carefully
Heating in a terrarium should always observed to ensure adequate ventila-
be planned such that, if the control tion of the heating mat.
system should fail, the animals will not
5.2.1. Heating in a desert
terrarium
Insulating material As already mentioned, desert animals
against heat loss
combine heat with light and automati-
Insulatingmaterial cally seek out light areas to warm
against heat loss themselves. At the same time, cooler
places should be provided in the ter-
rarium in order to offer the animals
places to withdraw to when they have
warmed up sufficiently. This is easier
to achieve in larger terrariums than in
small ones, which are relatively quick
to warm up completely. A heater can
Spotlight
be "cooked", i.e. a small terrarium
should not be equipped with an over-
sized 100 W heating cable with regu-
lator, but with a small floor heater with
only 15 or 7.5 W, for example.
In addition, the heating effect of the
lighting should be taken into account.
When the heating is turned off at
night, the temperature will also drop.
Tip: In order to reduce the heat loss Floor heating (heating mat)
from the terrarium and save energy
costs, the side panes may be insula- be set up in a desert terrarium as fol-
ted on the outside with insulating lows: one half of the floor is fitted with
material. Foam underlays, such as a JBL TerraTemp heating mat.
JBL AquaPad, reduce heat loss from
the floor of the terrarium and prevent
the floor pane cracking due to une-
venness of the supporting surface in
the event that no external floor hea-The heating mat should never be fitted rected glass also provide a very natu-
in the middle of the terrarium floor in ral-looking light with good colour-
order that the animals can still retreat reproduction properties (JBL product
in development). Using this method, a
range of temperature zones can be
created, from hot, to temperate, to
unheated floor space. This allows the
pets to seek out different temperature
zones according to need, as they
would in the wild.
Twilight or night-active species, such
as leopard lizards, should be provided
with warm areas using the JBL
ReptiTemp heating stone made of a
special material which ensures even
heat distribution in the stone. The sur-
Agama sunbathing in their habitat
face of the stone warms up to a
moderate 30 - 45 °C. The JBL
to the other half of the floor when ReptiHeat, in the appropriate watta-
necessary. Sun-worshippers which ge, is an excellent source of radiant
heat and can be safely installed using
the JBL TempSet (ceramic fitting with
cable and switch). The red lamps, JBL
ReptilRed, provide moderate heating
and, at the same time, lighting for
night observation. Smaller terrariums
can be lit and heated during the day
using JBL ReptilBlue, a bulb with
colour-corrected spectrum. The glass
bulbs of ReptiBlue and ReptiRed are
not painted, but made of coloured
glass and therefore do not fade
Bearded dragons sunbathing under a spotlight in the terrarium
after long use.
like to burrow are still able to avoid the
heat by burrowing.
A spotlight (bulb with reflector) is fitted
as a heat source on the side with the
heating mat, towards the side pane,
rather than in the middle. A spotlight
provides the brightness which the ani-
mals need. Spotlights with colour-cor5.2.2 Heating in a rainforest 5.3 Providing humidity and
terrarium and a desert terra- water care
rium
In addition to light and warmth, a sup-
The relatively even temperatures in a ply of drinking water, relative air humi-
rainforest terrarium can be ideally dity and the right dampness of the
created using "gentle" floor heating, substrate are important factors in the
such as JBL TerraTemp. The tropical care of these pets. Not only reptiles,
plants then have "warm feet" which but also to a far greater extent the
encourages growth. The lighting also thin-skinned amphibians constantly
contributes to the heating of the rain- lose water during respiration and
forest terrarium from above. above all through their skin.
Amphibians, in particular, absorb
water almost exclusively through the
skin and, in contrast to other terrarium
animals, hardly drink at all. Therefore
the terrarium should be misted regu-
larly, preferably at least once every
Heating mat morning, even desert terrariums. In
regions with high daytime temperatu-
res and drastic cooling at night, fog or
Aquarium heater dew often occurs in the early morning.
For many animals, this moisture on
Floor heating (heating mat)
In larger terrariums, heating mats can
also be fitted to the outside surfaces
of the sides, providing these are not
covered with decorations. This provi-
des additional heating to bring the ter-
rarium up to the required temperature.
If larger areas of water are integrated,
with or without a waterfall, an aquari- their bodies or condensed moisture
um heating rod in the water is recom- Water droplets on a tree python
mended. If terrapins or other tropical
sun-worshippers are kept, a spotlight
should also be installed as a bright on objects is sufficient to meet their
source of heat for "sun-bathing" on daily need for water.
the land section. Some species of animal, e.g. chame-
leons, prefer moving water. The drops
of water which collect on leaves or
decorative objects after misting aresufficient for young animals, but often ple. They should be washed and re-
not enough for fully-grown animals. filled daily. Larger areas of water in the
We recommend installing a drip terrarium, also those connected to a
system which provides water over a
longer period of time. The
animals then have the possi-
bility to take as much water
as they need and vitamins
can be added to the water
from time to time (e.g. JBL
TerraVit fluid). Installing a
waterfall (JBL product in
development) or indoor foun-
tain driven by JBL ProFlow
Mini water pumps or instal-
ling a larger waterfall on the
back wall, driven by JBL ProFlow
Maxi water pumps, complete with
water reservoir is another option to waterfall, require similar
provide moving water for the animals. treatment to an aquari-
Finally, ultra- um. More details on
sound mist gene- water care in the aquari-
rators e.g. um are given in the JBL brochure
"What - Why -How", books 1 and 2.
The following steps should be briefly
mentioned: after the water area has
been filled with tap water, a water con-
ditioner should be added (e.g.
JBL Biotopol T), which renders
any chlorine harmless and binds
pollutants such as heavy metals.
JBL Foggy An appliance should be installed
can be used to filter the water. For smaller
to increase volumes of up to approx. 50 l, an
humidity. By the way, the operating life internal filter for aquariums such
of a mist generator can be significant- as JBL ProCristal is sufficient.
ly prolonged by using soft water For larger volumes, an external fil-
(lower lime content). ter for aquariums should be con-
sidered. Professional external fil-
ters in the JBL CristalProfi range
Certain care measures must be follo-
are available in specialist pet
wed when providing water in a terrari-
shops.
um to prevent it turning into a cloudy,
germ-laden soup, which is harmful to
the health of your pets. In the case of
drinking containers, care is fairly sim-Regular changes of about 30% of the Fitting a ventilation grid under the
water every 2 weeks should also be front pane has the advantage that the
carried out, as for aquariums, and the view remains "unclouded". The air in a
fresh water conditioned with JBL terrarium heats up from the heating in
Biotopol T. the floor, the lighting and the heat
radiators and subsequently
When keeping terrapins rises. Some of the warm air
and turtles, the installati- escapes through the ventilati-
on of an efficient exter- on grids, usually in the top of
nal filter is recommen- the terrarium, causing fresh
ded (JBL CristalProfi) air to flow in through the grid
on account of the enor- fitted under the front pane.
mous metabolic rate of The air circulation helps to dry
these animals. When the glass panes and the
selecting the model, a objects in the terrarium.
size larger than that Without any ventilation in the
recommended for a cor- bottom third of a terrarium,
responding aquarium moisture-saturated air
should be chosen. JBL´s quickly builds up in a
EasyTurtle is a humid
product which effectively acce- terrarium,
lerates the breakdown of the leading to
large quantities of excreta pro- steamed up
duced by turtles, and therefore side glass
prevents unpleasant odours. panes. This is
This contains specially bred the reason why
cleansing bacteria which are aquariums are
absorbed in a mineral granula- not suitable for
te. The granulate is simply keeping terrari-
strewn on the floor of the area um animals.
of water or mixed into the
ground-covering material.
5.4 Ventilation in a terrarium
Ventilating a terrarium
The amount of fresh air needed The optimum humidity can be created
depends, like all other climatic requi- in a terrarium by increasing or decrea-
rements, on the natural habitat of the sing the size of the ventilation gaps
animals and varies widely from spe- and the heat does not escape as fast
cies to species. Ventilation of a terrari- as from an open aquarium.
um is usually provided by 2 ventilation
grids on different sides of the terrari-
um, which prevent stuffy air collecting.6 FEEDING THE
TERRARIUM ANIMALS
In order to keep terrarium pets healthy the animals their favourite food, (he
it is vital that they are fed the correct just loves to eat it), just for conveni-
food for the particular species. This is ence or out of excessive care is the
the only way to avoid deficiencies e.g. wrong way.
rickets or illnesses caused by nutrition
(fatty liver, renal gout). It is important
to know the natural eating habits of 6.1 How often to feed?
the animals in order to provide a
balanced diet. In a terrarium, many
animals eat types of food which they There is not just one simple answer to
would rarely find in the wild, or only at this question. The amount of food to
certain times of the year. Some herbi- give per meal and the intervals bet-
vores will also eat live food insects. If ween feeds vary widely according to
terrarium pets are given completely the species. Of course, in the first few
untypical food, for example, bread weeks, young animals usually need
soaked in milk, cooked pasta, minced feeding daily, whereas adults only
meat or cat food, a surprising number have to be fed 2-3 times a week.
will greedily devour this. Depending on their age, snakes only
need food at long intervals, whereas
the small, colourful tree-climbing frogs
(Dendrobatiden) develop serious pro-
blems after only a few days without
food. The amount of food given
should also be suitable for the pet.
Many animals eat reserves of food
due to the annual dry season in their
natural habitat when little food is avai-
lable. Of course, they do not know
that there is no danger of a food shor-
These types of food are
unsuitable for terrarium animals. tage in the terrarium and therefore do
not stop eating reserves of food when
However, not everything which the their owner continually gives them
terrarium animals voluntarily eat is over-rich food. This is why desert ani-
good for their health. The reason why mals are far more likely to suffer from
large common iguana do not eat cat excess fat than rainforest animals.
food in the rainforest is not that the Overfed animals become sluggish,
tins are hard to open, but simply their sex organs may become fatty
because there is none there. Giving leading to sterility, or they die from
organ failure, e.g. when their liverstops functioning because too much In order to avoid deficiency sym-
fat has been stored. ptoms, the type of food should be
changed frequently, for example, not
always crickets. Finally the live food
6.2 Food for "animal eaters" animals should be further refined by
fed high-quality food themselves. To
this end they are fed a special mixture
Most terrarium animals are "animal
eaters", so-called because they eat
whole, live animals. As they are "pro-
grammed" to particular stimuli, such
as the movement of the prey or, in the
case of snakes, the warmth of the
small mammal or bird which is the vic-
tim, they can rarely be trained to
accept substitute food, with few
exceptions. Snakes can often be suc-
cessfully trained to accept dead prey
if these are warmed to 37 - 40 °C
before being offered as food.
Green tree python eating a rat
of food for about two weeks e.g. JBL
TerraCrick, clover, herbs, fruit, vege-
tables and minerals, to "feed them up"
Egg snake eating a quail egg
Nowadays specialist pet shops offer a
wide range of live food e.g. grasshop-
pers, cockroaches, crickets, house
crickets, flies, fruit flies, springtails, Bearded dragon eating meadow herbs
worms, mosquito larvae, wax worms
or crustacea. Nevertheless, compared and significantly improve
with the vast range available in the their nutrient value.
wild, this is still a moderate selection.The herbs, minerals and roughage fore be easily fed on industrially pro-
which a cricket eats shortly before duced food. The fact that they seem
being devoured itself, are then indi- to stuff themselves with any food offe-
rectly eaten in the form of the "stuf- red should not be seen as a reason to
fed" insect by an "animal eater" which feed them on cat-food, as sometimes
would normally not give vegetable recommended.
food a second glance.
JBL has a wide range of food for turt-
In summer, the menu offered to insect les, all carefully balanced to meet their
eaters can be improved and broad- nutritional needs. The main ingre-
ened to include meadow plankton dients are fish, crustacea and algae.
which you can gather yourself. Of The classic amongst
course, these should not be picked the food pro-
from areas cultivated under intensive ducts
farming methods using herbicides or
similar. Protected species should also
not be caught. Getting permission
from the owner of the meadow may
be advisable.
Tip: If, despite careful
handling, a food crik-
ket should escape,
any free-roaming
"creepy crawlies" can
be simply caught in a
non-toxic trap (JBL
LimCollect).
6.3 Food for offered by JBL is
turtles JBL Turtle Food, a mixture
of dried water fleas, other
crustacea and insects. JBL
Most turtles are omnivorous, usually Agil, a food in the form of
with a preference for anything "ani- floating sticks and JBL Tortil,
mal". The favourite prey are fish and food tablets which sink in
any kind of aquatic creature. Now and water, add variety to the diet.
again a dead fish is devoured. Turtles JBL Energil was specially
also like to eat some aquatic plants developed for large, fully-
and other "greenery". In contrast to grown turtles. This food
most other terrarium animals, turtles encourages natural move-
also eat "dead food" and can there- ments in the animals, as itcontains whole, shelves. As a rule, animals which
dried fish and are distinctly plant eating need low-
crustacea, which protein, fibre-rich, high-roughage
the animals are food to remain healthy.
unable to swal-
low in one piece.
And finally for 6.5
smaller turtles
Vitamins
and baby turtles,
there is JBL and
Rugil and minerals
JBL ProBaby.
Due to their
6.4 Food for often one-
sided diet
vegeta- during bree-
rians ding, animals
bought as food usu-
ally contain insufficient
Pets in a terrarium which are vitamins and minerals.
solely or primarily vegetari- TerraVit P, a vitamin
an, e.g. common iguana, preparation in powder
chuckwalla or European tor- form with trace ele-
toises, can be fed with mea- ments and MicroCalcium, a pure cal-
dow plants (such as dande- cium preparation, are two products
lion, clover, ribwort), various salad from JBL which give owners the pos-
plants and sprouting seeds, chopped sibility to supplement the vitamin and
vegetables or dried herbs, straw and calcium content of the food with extra
lucern pellets. JBL offers two ready- doses. The differing calcium require-
made foods for vegetarian terrarium ments of meat-eaters and vegetarians
pets, IGUVERT for iguana and AGI- can be catered for. The JBL Feeding
VERT for tortoises. These foods spe- Rock is an interesting method of fee-
cifically contain ding which is designed to suit the
only vegetable natural behaviour of reptiles. The rock
ingredients is a "feeding rock"
with a high which can be opened at
fibre content the top to place live
and little pro- food inside it. The food
tein. Mastigure animals are first
may also be "coated" with JBL
o f f e r e d TerraVit P and / or JBL
various Micro-Calcium in the
seeds, JBL CrickBox.
e.g. from
the bird foodFinally the food rock is rock, where the terrarium inhabitants
turned upside down are soon greedily waiting.
and placed on top of The liquid vitamin preparation, JBL
the CrickBox, so that TerraVit fluid, can be used to add vit-
the two openings meet amins to drinking water as required. If
exactly. Then invert the some animals, e.g. snakes, are fed
food rock with the only on thawed food animals, we
CrickBox, the animals fall into the recommend supplementing the vit-
food rock, remove the CrickBox, put amin content of the food with vitamin
the lid on the food rock and place it in drops (JBL TerraVit fluid), as vitamins
the terrarium. When the small "plug" are destroyed when food is kept at
on the side is removed, the food ani- low temperatures for a long period of
mals make for the only opening in the time. With Tortoise Terra and
Tortoise Sun, JBL also offers a vit-
amin preparation which is specially
designed to meet the needs of tortoi-
ses and turtles.
When giving any vitamin supplement,
it is important that the dosage instruc-
tions are carefully followed, as over-
dosing (hypervitaminosis) leads to
organ damage.7 TERRARIUM CARE
7.1Cleaning guarantee clean, hygienic conditions
for your pets. If cleaning is put off too
long, the terrarium may have to be
The time needed to clean a terrarium emptied completely and re-filled,
each day depends mainly on the type and pets may even die unneces-
and number of animals kept. Snakes sarily.
which are only fed every two to three
weeks or single animals usually pro- The usual cleaning procedure
duce far less dirt than animals which for aquariums (see JBL brochu-
have to be fed every day, or large res "What - Why -How 1 and 2")
groups of animals such as the hun- should be followed for larger
dreds of young frogs which are reared containers of water, both with
when breeding frogs. and without a waterfall, in a
In order to be able to keep a terrarium rainforest terrarium.
clean, it is important that it is not over-
loaded with decorative objects and
that all the fittings and decorations are 7.2 Useful tools
removable. In dry terrariums, the dried
food remains and excrement can be Pincers, such as JBL AquaTerra Tool
collected easily e.g. with pincers such P1 and P2 or tongs such as JBL
as JBL AquaTerra Tool P or tongs CombiFix can be used to remove
(JBL CombiFix). In humid terrariums, excrement, dead prey or other things
the waste usually has to be "shovel- which you do not wish to touch with
led" out with some of the surrounding your bare hands.
substrate. Any excrement sticking to Nets, such as the JBL Fishing Net,
decorative objects can be cleaned off are useful to catch agile inhabitants of
under hot water using a brush. The the aquarium, both in the water (aqua-
glass panes should not be cleaned tile) and on land as well as escapees
with aggressive chemicals, as in the room without causing the ani-
the residues may be poiso- mals any harm.
nous. A brush, sponge, Escaped prey can be easily
blade cleaner (JBL Aqua-T re-captured with the JBL
Handy or JBL Aqua-T LimCollect slug trap.
Triumph) and luke-warm
water are sufficient to
remove any suborn dirt. Unsightly
limescale rings should be removed
with gentle "biological" cleaners
such as JBL BioClean T glass
cleaner. Only a few minutes
cleaning each day are adequate toObjects can be disinfected using 70 Terrarium locks, i.e. JBL TerraSafe,
% alcohol. The object to be cleaned can be positioned between the sliding
should be completely immersed in the panes to prevent any unauthorised
alcohol for at least 5 minutes. Nets persons, such as small children or
can also be soaked in a bucket con- even animals, gaining access to the
taining JBL Desinfect. terrarium.
8 HEALTH
Terrarium pets can also become ill.
Newly acquired pets may carry germs
or parasites. Diseases often only
break out some time after the animals
have been purchased, as a change of
habitat is stressful for the animals. If
climatic conditions in a new terrarium
are not optimum, this may also wea-
ken the immune system and cause a
shift in balance between the host and
the germs, leading to an outbreak of
disease. If the pets show any external
signs of change, or any noticeable
changes in behaviour, a vet with expe- Leopard lizard shedding its skin
rience in herpetology should be con-
sulted without delay. Clear diagnosis
of the cause of the disease can only
be made after precise tests have been
carried out, different germs or parasi- 8.1 Selecting the animals
tes can produce similar symptoms.
Tests also indicate the resistance of
the germs, so that the most effective Pets should be carefully examined
medicine can be prescribed for the before purchase, in order to keep the
treatment. In general, the sooner risk of disease to an absolute mini-
treatment is started, the better the mum. The following points should be
chances of a cure. If a pet's reserves kept in mind:
have been exhausted or its physical Checking the mouth: the mouth
decline has reached an advanced should be closed and free of foam or
stage, even major efforts to build up slimy coatings.
the strength of the animal will no lon- Checking the eyes: skin should
ger help. be cleanly shed, the eyes should not
be too deep in the sockets.
Checking the skin: look forwounds, bumps and any other not 8.2 Quarantine
ce-able irregularities.
Checking the feet: check the
toes and feet of saurians for unshed New pets should first be kept in a qua-
skin which can cause constrictions. rantine terrarium and carefully obser-
Checking the shell of turtles: ved, whilst maintaining the best possi-
soft shells should only be found on ble nutritional and climatic conditions.
young turtles. During this quarantine period, sam-
Nutritional condition: the skin ples of excrement should be taken (at
should not have too many folds and intervals of several days). The sam-
the ribs and spine not be too promi- ples should be submitted to a vet or a
nent. veterinary institute for examination, as
Spider check: all 8 legs should it is better to take precautions than to
be in place. Any white, fungus-like treat sick animals, particularly if seve-
areas on the body are suspicious, ral terrarium pets are kept. If germs or
whereas a "bald patch" on the rear parasites are found in the excrement,
presents no problems. the doses prescribed by the vet and
the duration of the treatment should
be exactly followed. The motto "more
is better" often leads to the loss of the
pets as a result of organ failure, whe-
reas under-dosing and breaking off
the treatment prematurely causes the
germs to become resistant.
9 PRODUCT OVERVIEW
Turtle range
JBL ProBaby special food for young turtles
JBL Rugil food sticks for small turtles
JBL Turtle Food for turtles
JBL Gammarus clean Gammarus crustaceans
JBL Gammarus Refill Pack for the 1000 ml tub
JBL Tortil food tablets for turtles
JBL Energil treats containing fish and shrimp
JBL Agil food sticks for tortoises
JBL Calcil mineral food sticks for turtles
JBL Mampfi pellets for tortoises
JBL Agivert pure vegetable food sticks for tortoises
JBL Tortoise Sun Aqua multivitamin preparation for turtles
JBL Tortoise Sun Terra multivitamin preparation for tortoises
JBL Tortoise Shine for the care of tortoise shellReptile care
JBL TerraVit fluid liquid multivitamins for terrarium animals
JBL TerraVit powder multivitamins and trace elements in powder form for
terrarium animals
JBL MicroCalcium calcium powder for dusting food insects
JBL CrickBox shaker for dusting food insects
JBL LimCollect trap for crickets
JBL Biotopol T water conditioner for the terrarium
JBL Easy Turtle removes unpleasant odours in turtle terrariums
JBL BioClean T biological glass cleaner for terrarium panes
JBL Iguvert staple food for iguana and other plant-eating reptiles
JBL Ant Eggs
JBL TerraCrick food for crickets and other food insects
Terrarium accessories
JBL AquaTerra Tool S scissors
JBL AquaTerra Tool P1 straight pincers
JBL AquaTerra Tool P2 angled pincers
JBL AquaTerra Tool SP gravel trowel and decoration tool
JBL CombiFix plant tongs
Terrarium technical equipment
JBL Repti-Temp heat stone for the terrarium
JBL TerraTemp heater mat for the terrarium
JBL Premium Thermometer slim precision thermometer exact to 0.5 °C
JBL Digital Thermometer
JBL Foggy mini-ultrasound mister in cave
JBL Foggy Spare Parts Set replacement membrane and special key
JBL TerraSafe lock for terrarium panes
Terrarium lighting
JBL SOLAR Reptile Jungle special terrarium fluorescent tube for rainforest animals
JBL SOLAR Reptile Sun special terrarium fluorescent tube for desert animals
JBL SOLAR REFLECT reflector for fluorescent tubes
JBL ReptiBlue daylight bulb for the terrarium
JBL ReptiRed heat lamp / night lighting for the terrarium
JBL ReptiHeat ceramic heater (dim heater) for the terrarium
JBL TempSet special fitting for ceramic heaters
Terrarium floor covering
JBL TerrraBasis substrate
JBL TerrraCoco coconut chippings, natural floor-covering material for
the terrarium
JBL TerraCoco Compact natural coconut chippings, compressed
JBL TerraWood beech chippings, natural floor-covering material
JBL TerraSand floor-covering material for desert terrariums
JBL TerraBark pine bark floor-covering material
JBL TerraCocoHumus natural coconut humus, compressed
Terrarium decoration
JBL stocks a wide range of different decorative articles for your terrarium, from caves made
from coconut shells to mangrove roots, to deceptively real-looking artificial decorative plants
of various types.
More information on terrarium products can be obtained from your specialist terrarium retailer
or at http:/www.JBL.de on the Internet:
m supplier
st aquariu
our speciali
JBL and y
Your specialist supplier
isors
expert adv
Ver.00
a team of
GB 96226 10
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