Choosing Safe Décor

Choosing Safe Décor

Many herp lovers have a hard time resisting the urge to constantly add to and beautify their pet's home. If you have a creative streak in you, making a beautiful terrarium is a great outlet. Many herp homes are stunning when they are finished.

If this is your first terrarium or your 21st, there are some things even decorating experts may not know about their pets' decor that may be harmful to their pets' health and safety.

Cedar & Pine Shavings

Although certain woods such as pine or cedar may smell good in a cage, they contain oils that may irritate the skin of some animals. These wood shavings are not appropriate for your pet. You can use a pelleted, mulch-type substrate or calcium sand, depending on the species. If your pet eats the substrate, choose one they won't eat such as paper or cage carpet or an edible substance.

Heat Lamps

As a rule, heat lamps should always be mounted well above the enclosure - far enough away from your pet so there is no risk of him getting burned.

Driftwood & Rocks

Sometimes you will find a perfect addition to your pet's home at the beach, river or just out and about. This is fine as long as you take the proper precautions. Soak anything found or purchased in a light bleach/water solution for a day. Then soak it in clean water for another day to make sure there are no bleach remnants.

Filters

If you haven't changed the filter in your pet's terrarium recently, especially in an aquatic cage, your pet may fall prey to bacteria and other toxins that form in the water or in the filter itself. Make sure you read the label and make a note of when to change the filter. If you have forgotten and the water looks dirty, that is a good sign it's time for a change.

Branches

Never use living wood as a cage decoration: The sap could be irritating or harmful to your pet. The danger is greater in aquatic or semi-aquatic habitats, where the sap can actually contaminate the water.

Metal Objects

Any metal object made of anything but stainless steel is best kept out of terrariums, particularly in aquatic, semi-aquatic, or humid environments. Heavy metals such as copper, zinc and lead are toxic and are often hard to pinpoint as a source of illness, since poisoning is often gradual and brings on a slow deterioration of health.

Plants

It can be hard to find an attractive plant that will grow in your terrarium conditions; finding a non-toxic one is even harder. Many plants are toxic to your pet and can cause anything from minor itching to death.

If any of the following signs appear, take your pet to a vet immediately - his life may be in danger:

Swelling, particularly around the mouth
Breathing problems
Vomiting
Skin irritation

With any decoration or object you want to place in your pet's habitat, ifyou are not sure about its content, play it safe and don't put it into your pet's cage, no matter how nice it looks.