(Part 2) Reddit mentions: The best reptile terrariums

Snarkinturtle you don't seem to have any idea about the reptile hobby in general, there is absolutely nothing wrong with keeping Reptiles as pet, they may not be as cute or cuddly as a cat or dog but, that does not regard them as any less worthy of being a pet. Just because you don't think they make good pets doesn't mean that someone else might find them fascinating and enjoyable. The turtles that he would be looking at getting would be captive born and breed not wild caught in most cases, by fellow hobbiests such as myself. The hobby has done more for conservation and establishment of captive breeding of endangered animals that you'd have any idea about. Albeit, neither of those species would be ones that I would suggest as a starter for him if he's new to keeping turtles. So I really don't think your response is warrented, go spend more time in /r/Awww.

In response to yesitwas, if your interested in getting a pet turtle, I have had a lot of experience in keeping many species of turtles including the two that you mentioned. 1.) I would highly suggest first doing research in what the requirements would be in keeping one, you'll find that turtles are aquatic and will require an aquarium or tub and a large thorough form of filtration like a canister filter to keep up with the mess that they create. 2.) Next would come the species, the two that you mention get rather large and depending on where you live are illegal to keep in some states, so you would have to check on your state laws. 3.) I would urge you to start out with something that isn't as demanding or difficult in care, and space. Make sure that you are committed before you go bigger. 4.) Consider the costs, those species are not cheep nor is the appropriate set up, and that price will only go up as they get bigger. http://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Turtle-Tub-Complete/dp/B002DZG2DE That is a great start off for any species of turtle and covers all your needs right off the bat. 5.) Research, there are plenty of good online reptile forums and information on lots of turtles, have a good look around. Once your ready, if adoption is the way you want to go, there is an excess of common aquatic turtles that people get when they are tiny and cute and sooner or later mom and dad get sick of taking care of them and they have to find new homes, so if you want to go the adoption route just look around I'm sure you could find a little one in need of a good home.

Personally, if you want a pet that you can interact with instead of sit and watch I would go with a Box turtle or Tortoise of some kind they aren't quite as demanding in cleaning and water needs, they are much more social and you can interact with them. Aquatic turtles are more of a watch and enjoy kind of pet, not a handling one. Look into Russian Tortoises, Red Foot Tortoises, or Box Turtles. I think you'll find them much more enjoyable.

Cresties are a great starter pet! They are quite easy to keep. They are arboreal and do require a vertical enclosure with plenty of vines/ branches/ plants to climb on. They thrive in temps from 78F-65F. Don't allow the enclosure to go over 80 or under 65 though. Start with an enclosure this size and move up to something like this once the gecko reaches about 15-20 grams.

Cresties do very well on a powdered diet (mixed with water of course) such as Pangea or Repashy. My 3 year old girl really prefers the Pangea though. I definitely recommend it!

Cresties come in a variety of colors and patterns. If you want something basic you could buy one at your local pet store, but reptile expos are a much better place to buy live animals. Better colors, better breeding, and better prices! So do your research, and visit the next expo in your area.

Cresties should generally be house individually. Females can live together on occasion, but fighting can be a common occurrence. Please do not breed unless you have done lots of research, have high quality breeding stock, and feel that you can better the crested community with your offspring.

Snake cost: Balls can be US $50.00 to into the tens of thousands. Depends on the morph if it's male or female etc.

Tank you can buy an aquarium from petsmart or petco (can't remember whivh) for a dollar a gallon while on sale so a 40 gallon is 40 plus tax. On the other hand you can use rubber maid containers with holes, Exo terra tanks which are nice but are more expensive usually around a 100 to 200.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008N9LJ5K/ref=cm_sw_r_an_am_ap_am_us?ie=UTF8

Setup: substrate- cheap side is paper towels and and newspaper. More expensive is aspen mulch which is 10 to 20 a bag. My local pet store sells me a shopping bag for 5 bucks which fills my 40 gallon. You spot clean this daily and change it once a month.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009KJ0A2/ref=cm_sw_r_an_am_ap_am_us?ie=UTF8

Hides: I recommend at least two hides you can make them with come plastic bowls cutting an entrance or buy nice ones make sure they are snug around the snake. Cost a few bucks to 20 is the most I have seen.

Water bowl: again you can use a cheap ceramic bowl or an expensive reptile one. It should be big enough so the snake can soak but not where it must swim. Cost nothing if you have one to 30 for a large one from a pet store.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006L14C6/ref=cm_sw_r_an_am_ap_am_us?ie=UTF8
(just a reference)

Under the tank heater: go on amazon get one for the size of your tank zoomed is what I use. On amazon they are 12 to 30 dollars in store they are much more 20 to 50.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002AQCL4/ref=cm_sw_r_an_am_ap_am_us?ie=UTF8

Thermostat and hydrometer. About 10 to 20 bucks for both or a combined unit.

I would suggest a temp monitor for the uth plug it into the wall and can set it for 90 so it can nev r burn your snake. They are around 30 or so on amazon. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000NZZG3S/ref=cm_sw_r_an_am_ap_am_us?ie=UTF8

Then any decorations you choose. Driftwood you can find and heat in an over or buy I have seen it got for 7 a lb. Vines etc range in price.


Food:
Frozen/thawed range in price. I pay 2.35 for a small rat freshly killed at my pet store, but I have seen them go close to 8 at petco and petsmart. Feed once a week.

BPs normally get 4 to 5 feet females larger than males. I believe females can get 6 feet or so, but that is normal. They are thick bodied like all pythons.

Look for a local pet store to buy or a good breeder like bhb. They also have a YouTube channel that is good. Snakevytes.tv I believe.

Also, get locks for your screen top if you get a aquarium style tank.
So cost is hard to say it can be anywhere from 50 bucks to 10k plus.

To give you an example I spent about about 135.00-150.00 on my set up and 300.00 for my Spider Ball Python.
http://imgur.com/DTTy2RD

40 gallon tank I got on sale for 43 brand new.

UTH 23 bucks http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002AQCLO/ref=cm_sw_r_an_am_ap_am_us?ie=UTF8

Two hides the exact same. 12 a piece.

Water bowl was 15 to 20

Tree thing was around 20.

Leafs and Vines about 25 to 30


Also, remember you can reuse decorations in larger tanks if you change tanks.

All links are jus reference make sure you buy something that is appropriate for the size of your Terrarium and snake.

Everything else I had. Hope this helps.

what type of gecko are you getting? if it's a crested gecko, consider getting something like this https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00P2PBIDG/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_ANg6Bb1KEBZKV

the image you showed would work for a juvenile crested gecko, but you'd need to upgrade within a month or two. so you might as well get something bigger to save you the money.

It may be more helpful to post this in the sub of what gecko you are getting. for example, r/crestedgeckos

look up local reptile stores near you and call, ask if they have the gecko you are looking for then ask for price. Please do proper research before getting the gecko! :)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004HC2SHU/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1485985009&sr=8-1&keywords=terrarium+kit+snake&dpPl=1&dpID=51zteC2wfZL&ref=plSrch

This is the kit in question. I don't know terribly much about ball pythons specifically. Just that they are easy to care for, and like to be handled (relative to other snakes).

Ball pythons specifically because they seem like a good 'starter' snake. They are popular, docile, and grow pretty big.

I would recommend a 20 gal tank. A ten gallon would probably be fine while they are baby’s, but you’ll have to upgrade eventually so I would recommend just starting with the 20. If money really is no object then you may want to look into one of these: https://www.amazon.com/Exo-Terra-Glass-Terrarium-18-Inch/dp/B000I1QYLK or https://www.amazon.com/Exo-Terra-Glass-Terrarium-18-Inch/dp/B000OAYXTK?th=1&psc=1
This will give you more options for decorations, easier access to your frogs, an area designed for the water absorbing part of your substrate, and a tank that’ll be big enough for them as adults. If done right, all you’ll have to do is drain the water occasionally. I highly recommend watching https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUlxEsBwkrS02wkRMVheyyQ this guys channel. He’s a bit dry, but will give you all the info you need for setting up a tank for the first time. Hope it helps and enjoy your darts = D

This is the one I personally use and love. The doors are sturdy unlike some and it's strong enough for all the substrate and things used in my bioactive setup.

If that's a bit too expensive you can build a pretty nice crossfire enclosure for around $150

Well, here's hoping you find it before your cat does.

As for the enclosure thing: I understand, stuff happens. I've made the same mistake myself. But if you do re-find your spider you should probably look into a smaller temporary enclosure. Partially because having a ceiling height that's too high can kill your spider if they attempt to climb and fall. Terrestrial spiders like B. smithi are not made for climbing and they definitely aren't made for falling. On top of that, it makes it much easier for you to keep track of them and makes it a hell of a lot easier for your spider to find its food. I use enclosures like this one for my medium sized spiders. It's wide, attractive, low height, and it gives them room to grow and move around without being too big.

Plus, it's only $10 with Prime shipping so it's something that just about anybody could easily afford. And when you end up getting new spiders - which you will because it's addicting - these enclosures stack to save space without compromising attractiveness/utility. B. smithi is a relatively slow-growing spider so it'd make good use of the smaller enclosure. And on top of that, it'd give you an excuse to buy another tarantula for the now empty bigger enclosure!

Very cool. I will warn you that this tank is long and heavy. It took two people to cary it into the house. Also water is heavy so this setup will weigh around a thousand pounds when filled with water. Our house is on a concrete slab so weight is not an issue for us.

My turtles are smaller than your slider so I have not tried to build my own basking area. I use large Zoo Med floating docs for my map and painted turtles.

These are what I use:
https://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Turtle-Gallon-Tanks/dp/B00178LI50

They also make an extra large floating doc for larger turtles but I have not tried it out:
https://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-78098-Turtle-X-Large/dp/B01AYBRVN8

I do not have a sump on the tank. I just run the FX6 and a UV sterilizer. Also the FX6 and power strip barely fit in the center compartment of that stand.

I used to use a syphon kit that I bought from the pet store to drain the water but that was expensive and a bit slow so I bought a cheap pump on Amazon and purchased a pipe to hose adapter at the hardware store. I start up the pump and let it run for a few minutes and then detach the hose so I can get the hose into the hard to reach corners of the tank.

Pump I use (it has a lot of different adapters for various tubing but no hose adapter):
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0018X2XT4/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The adapter I have looks similar to this one except the one I have is male hose thread to 3/4" female pipe adapter (you can find these adapters in the irrigation section at Lowes and Home Depot):
http://www.homedepot.com/p/DIG-3-4-in-Female-Hose-Thread-x-3-4-in-Male-Pipe-Thread-Swivel-Adapter-50007/100186564

I clean out the tank about once a month and clean reusable media and swap out filter floss and polishing pads. Even after a month my water is still clear and my ammonia and nitrites are at 0 but my nitrates are in the 40-60ppm range.

Older pics (pump I use with the adapter is in the second to last image in the gallery): https://imgur.com/a/2c4d0

Even older pics: https://imgur.com/a/xOieq

Thank you so much for the Gold! (I don't sign-in every day, so I only saw the notification today.)

I would contact Boaphile and ask them what features would be required to convert the cage between a 13.5 gallon (for a hatchling) into a full-sized tank (for an adult). The main issue I can imagine is heating - The heating system for a full-sized tank may not be adequate to provide enough heat and/or enough of a gradient when the tank is separated. Boaphile may recommend that you pay extra for a special type of heating (which may or may not be worth it for you).

Honestly, I find it easier to house young snakes in separate, smaller containers until at least their first year of life (depending on the rate the snake grows and its temperament). You can set-up a shoebox-sized container fairly cheaply. If aesthetics are truly a concern, you can purchase a plastic container like this: http://www.amazon.com/Reptile-Ranch-Large-Rectangle-Colors/dp/B0002APZPS If humidity becomes a problem, tape-up some of the ventilation holes. Placing wet sphagnum moss under the snakes's hides when it's in shed (blue) will also help prevent bad sheds.

I will definitely check that site out. I my 40 gallon is an Exo Terra so it has ventillation, is this one good?
Thanks for the feedback it sounds like you have alot of fun with yours!!

Thanks for the reply and compliment.

I happen to really like turtles so there's a part of this I find appealing. But like Ron Swanson, I don't like to half-ass anything, and the Firebelly Landing habitat my sister-in-law ordered for these turtles just proved how ill informed she really was.

Hopefully we'll be able to move into a larger space in the next 1-2 years so I can consider a more permanent setup for them. I've seen a number of 120-200 gallon tanks on CL so I'll keep my ear to the ground as these guys grow so I can stay a few steps ahead.

​

For now, I'm just rolling with the punches and all I can think of is this Penny Arcade strip that stuck with me the day it was released.

I've got a bioactive one in carolina custom cages, which I like quite a bit.

https://www.amazon.com/Carolina-Custom-Cages-Terrarium-36Lx18Dx18H/dp/B01N5FJ3E4 for an example one. It's got a sealed bottom which helps for bioactive stuff. The only complaint I have is that the screen on the top is not capable of standing up to the weight of a fat cat sitting on it...had to add a tougher cover over it. Other than that, works great.

good choice with the redfoot! mine, in particular, enjoys climbing over obstacles and i can only give her bananas sparingly bc the first time i did she didn't want to eat anything else for a week.

also they like to soak. mine right now has a "groovy jacuzzi" http://www.amazon.com/Flukers-Groovy-Lagoon-Reptile-Desert/dp/B0027J2Q5E
but she will need a bigger one soon. it is nice because you can put in the substrate and it is level with the tortoise.

https://www.amazon.com/G-Q-F-Manufacturing-1602N-Hova-Bator-Incubator/dp/B0145O6C0S/

OMEM makes good reptile egg trays if you still need those.

Definitely get a hygrometer/thermometer combo so you can monitor inside it. You can also optionally change out their thermostat for your own proportional one but that would be pricey. Safer for steady temps though.

http://www.amazon.com/Terra-Explorarium-Reptiles-12-Inches-18-Inches/dp/B0009YD8RO

This is a good one!! She's thinking of Reptibreeze probably, but the exo terra Explorarium is easier to assemble/disassemble than the Reptibreeze is.

For tanks what is recomended

Would something like this be ok for shrimp Exo Terra Breeding Box, Large https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002JLWNAS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_litiybESBMEBX

or what woukd be good

Buy any sort of animal cage/terrarium and hook up a humidifier. r/vivariums and r/terrariums have tons of stuff like this with a bunch or resources as well.

Fast edit: Amazon sells tank foggers specifially for this Link to Amazon

It does look a little small, unfortunately. Syrians need a ton of space! I got this from PetCo and it has been awesome! I couldn't find that actual item on PetCo's website, but it was much less expensive than the Amazon link.

https://www.amazon.com/Exo-Terra-Glass-Terrarium-12-Inch/dp/B000OAVN0W/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1537359443&sr=1-2-spons&keywords=exo+terra+terrarium&psc=1

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12 inches is 30cm save you the google.

I own a gargoyle and a crested, and 20 gal is roughly the biggest I'd need for each of them. That said, it's better if the tank is taller so I have this for my bigger gargoyle gecko and this for my younger, smaller crested.

I can answer any questions you have about these two species via DM if need be but I don't have much experience with other species.

http://www.Amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001B5ATYK?cache=60f3fe958af9820a70de7aea3937d0fb&pi=SX200_QL40&qid=1406173657&sr=8-1#ref=mp_s_a_1_1. There you go, it's nice but a bit pricey, git it in sale at petsmart $150

Ummm. You shouldn’t keep a leopard gecko in a bin. You can buy a faunarium. Please don’t use a bin. It’s considered almost abuse (besides breeders.) if you decide to override and use a bin. Use paper towels and drill a hole every inch on the side and about 40-50 on the top. I would recommend getting a 20-50 gallon tank and using eco earth or slate tiles. Never use sand.

Here it is on Amazon: http://amzn.com/B001B5ATYK

And if you want to read more from the mfr: http://www.exo-terra.com/en/products/natural_terrarium_large.php

At Petsmart it retails for $199, but we got it on sale for $159.

We actually went by tonight to pick up some other stuff and they're still running the sale, so if that's in your price range, maybe run by yours and see if they have any?

I cant find the exact one but it is very similar to this one Zoo Med Laboratories SZMNTS21 Reptihabitat 20 Long Snake Starter Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004HC2SHU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_cpVyCbW1REWJW

Mine has a small latch opening in the middle so you can feed without taking the entire top off. The part of the mesh she broke through was the small latch on top, i think it was just secured slightly weaker than the rest of the mesh on the tank.

Sorry for the late reply

Exo Terra Glass Terrarium, 36 by 18 by 18-Inch https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001B5ATYK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_KzntDb50RNJR9

This is the terrarium I got http://www.amazon.com/Exo-Terra-Glass-Terrarium-18-Inch/dp/B001B5ATYK
Left brown rock is a cool hide, top right corner is the hot hide with a heat matt buried undeneath the substrate (aspen). Two logs and some fake foliage with a water bowl on the bottom right. I'm thinking about getting a low watt heat lamp but not sure if it's necessary.

I already picked up a bottle of pre-hatched/hatching fruit flies from Petco to try and feed him -- they are flightless ones, and I dumped a bunch of them into his water bowl -- which is a 1 quart Tupperware filled with water and a large rock. I added coconut fiber to fill the 10 gallon tank to the edge of the Tupperware. If he is eating/doing well, we will upgrade to
http://www.amazon.com/Exo-Terra-Glass-Terrarium-18-Inch/dp/B000OQW98Q/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1405302178&sr=8-2&keywords=exo+terra+12+x+12

Planning on leaving the bottom filled with water/small heater/filter/ hamburg filter wall/waterfall for the moisture -- according to http://www.amphibiancare.com/frogs/caresheets/graytreefrog.html this is ok/ideal as it will avoid substrate problems.

I'm a little concerned about his ability to find/eat the fruit flies. Tomorrow I will try and get some pinhead crickets to leave in a butter container, and maybe a small wax worm.

If he is not eating by tomorrow we will let him go.