How To Create A Mini Ecosystem Terrrarium

For those that want to make their own ecosystem of reptiles, there are a lot of guidelines and rules to go over before actually committing to the process. Reptiles can be a very hardy species, but only in the right conditions. For the health of the reptiles who are to be in the ecosystem, several ground rules should be reviewed before taking part in the process.

The first thing to address is the fact that not all reptiles will be able to live in the same climate. This is best shown by pairing up a reptile that is aquatic, and one that requires warm environments. Obviously the two environments will clash in most cases, either causing outright death from overexposure to the elements or causing premature deaths in reptiles via stress.

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.

Differences in the immune system of two different species of reptiles can also mean all the difference in the overall health of both pets. While one reptile can have a natural immunity to a certain health defect, they may still harbor the threat and spread it to other reptiles that may not have the natural immunity. This has been prevalent in nature for decades- and recreating the effect in a terrarium will be just as unfortunately easy to be done.

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.

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