Now for the fun part- decorating your new pet's habitat! This is a part of the process where you definitely can cut costs as long as your decorations are still safe to use with your animal and they meet their needs. You can go as naturalistic or unnatural as you want. But remember that personal aesthetics are always secondary to what is best for your animal.
Cover and Clutter
Cover and clutter go hand-in-hand when it comes to making your animal feel secure. They both entail ways in which you can allow your animal to hide and be out of sight.
Complete hides- completely enclosed spaces with one entry point
These are readily available to buy, but also easy to make yourself. I personally use both professionally made PVC hides as well as hides I made by simply using a soldering iron to make a hole into old plastic containers.
These hides cannot be made out of see-through material. The point of them is to be fully enclosed as a dark space for your animal to hide in. If you can see the animal through the sides then it cannot act as a complete hide.
Your enclosure should have AT LEASE two complete hides: one on the warm end and one on the cool end. The more you have, the easier it is for your animal to thermoregulate on its own by choosing where in the enclosure it wants to be.
Partial hides- spaces with more than one entrance or that are not completely enclosed
These are readily available to buy, you may have even seen them in the form of half-logs in pet stores. Partial hides can also be home made, and quite easily! It can be any kind of decoration that the animal could hide behind, just not be fully closed on al sides.
Partial hides can also be areas between decor items. Snakes especially have a knack for wedging themselves in random crevices rather than using an intended hide. If you notice them exclusively doing this and not using an intended hide then you should try a smaller hide, they may feel too exposed in larger spaces.
Foliage- leaves and plantlike materials that can obscure viewing of the animal
You can use live or fake plants, it makes no difference to your animal. This is moreso up to your preference and what you are willing to do maintenance on. Live plants can die and may need to be removed, and fake plants can get soiled and ugly. It's up to you!
Fake plants with closed plastics and no particulate or sharp part are best. Always wash any fake plants you get before putting them in an enclosure.
Before adding live plants make sure they are not toxic and are species-appropriate. That way they can co-exist with the animals and still thrive.
Climbing and Exploration
Any decoration that allows for climbing or exploratory behavior is a great thing to add! Just remember that everything needs to be safe, that includes making sure it isn't possible to get stuck on or in anything.
Branches- parts from trees that have been dried and treated for pests
When adding branches you can either buy them or collect your own. Just remember you should always wash and bake/boil them so you don't end up with an accidental stowaway in your enclosure.
NEVER use soft woods you collect yourself unless you seal them or know how to treat them accordingly. Pine, fir, and other such trees create sap and when they are unsealed they can cause health problems for your animal.
Always sand down any sharp points on any piece you get. If it is sharp enough to hurt you then you can assume it could hurt your animal too.
Ledges and Cliffs- outcrops and elevated spaces within the enclosure
There are many ways to create and install ledges and inclines within the enclosure. Always make sure they are secure and you install them correctly to prevent any falls or collapses.
It is always best to use lightweight material so that even if it does fall it would not harm your animal.
Surfaces and Textures
Interacting with the same materials and surfaces over and over again can be boring, it is good to give variety. And if most of your decor is smooth, you MUST add a rough surface that allows your animal to shed with.
Tile or Rocks- stone or other mineral slabs with either smooth or rough surfaces
If you want to use rocks in your enclosure, make sure they are never elevated unless they are appropriately secured with something. Real rocks are heavy and can crush an animal if they fall onto it. I believe it is best practice to leave stones on ground level.
I personally like to have tile in most of my enclosures because tile and stone adjacent materials absorb heat. It can provide a natural place in the enclosure that stays warm even after my heat lamps shut off for the night if an animal wants to be warm into the night. That and a flat tile on the substrate allows burrowing animals to dig under it to create a den.
This is the last of my tips and pointers when it comes to creating enclosures for animals. I hope it helps somewhat. Remember that if you have any questions you can contact me via email!
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