Whether it is a desert, jungle or swamp landscape: you bring an exotic little habitat into your home with a terrarium. Terraristics is undoubtedly a fascinating and versatile hobby, but one that involves a great deal of responsibility and considerable amount of care for the animals.
Terrariums have a huge variety of inhabitants. Lizards, iguanas, geckos, bearded dragons, frogs, snakes, spiders and many other animals can be kept in terrariums. However, they all have very different habitat requirements. Before you buy a terrarium, you should therefore think about the animals you would like to keep and find out about their needs for a species-appropriate life. With this knowledge, you can responsibly decide on the right terrarium, furniture and technology.

Terrariums come in many shapes, colours and types. The setup should depend entirely on the requirements of the species kept. A desert terrarium is a good choice for beginners in terraristics, because it is relatively easy to set up and maintain. If you buy such a terrarium, typical desert dwellers such as bearded dragons and some snake and iguana species can move in with you. A wooden or glass terrarium is suitable for setting up a desert terrarium, which you can decorate with stones, sand and some plants. It is important that the plants you choose are able to withstand high temperatures and are robust enough for the animals to climb over. Many succulents are very suitable for adding greenery to a desert terrarium. However, cacti are unsuitable because of their thorns. Since some terrarium inhabitants unfortunately have an appetite for fresh greenery, artificial plants can also be a good solution.
Heat and light sources are also important for terrarium animals. Heating mats or special heating stones, for example, can provide the necessary warmth. Desert dwellers in particular usually need very high UV-B radiation and a lot of light. So-called HQI lamps are suitable for this purpose. Please always inform yourself in advance about suitable terrarium lamps, in particular for the animals you want to keep.

Besides the desert terrarium, the tropical terrarium is another well-known and very popular option. However, a tropical terrarium is not really suitable for beginners in terraristics. But if you already have some experience as a terrarium owner and have green fingers, or if you are prepared to get to grips intensively with the requirements, you can of course also buy this type of terrarium. Some special requirements for a tropical terrarium and its inhabitants are:

• A tropical terrarium must constantly have high humidity. This requires the appropriate technology, including a sprinkler system and a hygrometer that displays the humidity. In principle, a digital hygrometer and thermometer should be present in every terrarium.
• The terrarium must be able to withstand high humidity – a glass terrarium is therefore best suited for the purpose. In addition, good ventilation must be ensured to prevent the growth of mould.
• Plants play a major role in a tropical terrarium, as they also provide the right climate. Among other things, the denser planting makes this type of terrarium much more time-consuming to maintain, for example, in comparison to a desert terrarium.
• The substrate depends on the specific type of inhabitants. Special coconut substrate, moss or bark are common for a tropical terrarium.

Typical inhabitants of a tropical terrarium are frogs, tarantulas, anoles, snakes and certain gecko species. By setting up a tropical terrarium, you are creating a small rainforest world in which a variety of plants, roots, bark and branches are part of the basic furnishings.

Other types of terrariums include, for example, the forest terrarium and the aqua terrarium. The forest terrarium, also called semi-dry or semi-humid terrarium, is suitable for lizards, insects, spiders and ground dwellers such as corn snakes and some skinks. The substrate in a forest terrarium often consists of bark mulch, which can be combined with terrarium soil. This is because some forest dwellers like to dig. Branches and roots as well as a back wall made of cork or similar natural material enable the inhabitants to fulfil their natural climbing instinct. Planting a forest terrarium is comparatively unproblematic and flexible, as there are no extreme climatic conditions.
Light, thermometers and hygrometers are generally standard equipment in a forest terrarium, as in any other terrarium. Heating is not absolutely necessary – it depends on the specific inhabitants as well as the exact location of the terrarium and the prevailing room temperature.
An aqua terrarium has a portion of water in the tank in addition to a portion of land. Such a terrarium is ideal for some aquatic turtle species, water-loving lizards, crabs and various amphibians. If there is a really small marshland, it is called a paludarium. But a terrarium with a stream, a so-called riparium, is also an option. The distribution of land and water in an aqua terrarium can vary greatly. As always, the exact design depends on the needs of your small pets.
No matter what kind of terrarium you want to buy, the decoration and furnishings would depend on how the terrarium inhabitants behave in their natural habitat. Some like to burrow and dig, some to climb and others to swim. You should take all this into account when setting up the terrarium.

As a beginner, only choose animals that do not have any special requirements. Find out in advance about their needs, for example, how large the terrarium should be, in order to offer them a species appropriate habitat.
In the Maxi Zoo online shop, you can choose between different terrariums from well-known manufacturers such as Exo Terra, Hagen or ZooMed. You will also find accessories and the right furnishings for your terrarium. Buy everything conveniently online and have it delivered directly to your home, without having to lift a finger.