Stepping Up Your DIY Projects

When you’re looking for a new DIY project to take on, why not take the challenge to the next level and think outside the box.

Your family deserves a pet. Something low maintenance but that can provide hours of entertainment and fascination. It’s time to create a reptile habitat for the latest addition to your family.

In this blog we take a look at how to build your glass cage and create the perfect habitat for your cold-blooded family member.

How to Build a Terrarium

Creating your pet’s ideal home can be a lot of fun. Start by figuring out exactly what type of residence your reptile needs with some research into the temperature, type of foliage and base they need to thrive.

While it’s possible to buy a glass or wood enclosure, creating your own is a great way to build it to the exact specifications that work for your home. If you are a keen DIY-er and have all the right tools then a plywood and glass case will be relatively straightforward to make. You will just need to plan carefully how to integrate ways to both heat and light up your cage.

Image from Pexels: CC0 licence

Light

A lot of reptiles (with the exception of some snakes) need a light source to survive in a man-made environment. Visit your local Reptile Centre to get some advice on where best to place the light source but in general, you’ll be looking at purchasing special bulbs that give out both UVA and UVB waves that help reptiles to recognise their food and produce enough vitamin D3, essential to their health.

Heat

As cold blooded creatures, reptiles need to keep warm through an outside source and that’s where your heating system will come in. You’ll need to attach either a heat lamp to provide a steady source of warmth or use a specialist mercury vapour bulb that’s a great source of both heat and light.

Floor

Many reptiles will need a desert environment and you can buy reptile sand from specialist shops. You can also use play sand or sand from your nearest beach but you must make sure to carefully sift this sand to make sure there are no sharp objects left in there.

Add a little variety with some larger rocks, avoiding gravel where possible that your reptile might confuse with food.

Other Considerations

If your reptile is a desert dweller then plants aren’t strictly necessary but adding some native species will give your pet a place to hide, some shade and spot to keep damp for hydration purposes. It also helps to create interest in your cage.

Creating a habitat for a new pet is a fun, challenging project and one that requires a little attention to detail, but it’s well worth it.

Do your research and find out what your reptile needs and create a home from home that’s going to be a fascinating talking point for your family members for many years to come.