WHAT’S NEW IN
HERP HABITATS
Recent product releases in the herp habitat category reflect the growing trend of a
more natural environment for these pets.
“We’re very excited about a unique
new habitat we’ve been developing for the
last year or so called the Aqua Terrium,”
said Michael Acerra, digital marketing
manager for Penn-Plax Inc. in Hauppauge,
N. Y. “It’s essentially two habitats in one
enclosure. The rear section features an
aquarium, while the front section serves
as a tide pool of sorts and is perfect for
other types of aquatic life such as shrimp,
crabs, crayfish and more.”
Penn-Plax has developed four
different models of the Aqua Terrium, the
largest of which has a section specifically
designed for turtles.
Rolf C. Hagen (USA) Corp. in Mansfield, Mass., has conducted research on
reptiles and amphibians in their native
environments in order to develop habitats
that resemble the animals’ natural
surroundings.
“Our latest terrariums, the Small
and Large Bamboo Forest Habitat Kits,
use the research we gathered from our
expeditions to Madagascar,” said Steve
Sotelo, Exo Terra division manager and
reptile expert. “We’ve found that reptiles
and amphibians interact more naturally
with their environment when they are
kept as naturalistically as possible. Exo
Terra recently launched the Small X-Tall
( 18 inches by 18 inches by 36 inches)
Rainforest Natural Terrarium, with a
custom mangrove-root background. It
complements our other X-Tall terrariums
launched about three years ago.”
At Zoo Med Laboratories in San Louis
Obispo, Calif., the most recent addition
to the herp habitat product line is The
Skyscraper, a 36-inch tall terrarium for
housing arboreal species.
“This terrarium allows keepers to uti-
lize a relatively small footprint ( 18 inches
by 18 inches) but provides a large habitat
with lots of vertical space,” said Ashley
Rademacher, animal care and education
coordinator. “This habitat is ideal for
many different arboreal species of geckos,
lizards, frogs and snakes.”
Zoo Med also introduced the Low Boy
tank, a 50-gallon, low-profile, breeder-style
terrarium. The tank measures 18 inches
long by 24 inches wide and 10 inches tall,
and is designed for growing a variety of
hatchling turtles, tortoises, lizards and other
reptiles and amphibians, Rademacher said.
S
HU
TT
ERSTO
CK
ZOO MED LABORATORIES’ Nano lamps and fixtures are perfect for small or
nano terrariums. The line includes the Nano Dome fixture, the Nano Combo
Dome fixture, a 5-watt LED, a 35-watt Nano Halogen Heat Lamp, Nano Ceramic
Heat Emitters, Nano Infrared Heat Lamps, and Nano Basking Spot Lamps that
are each available in 25- and 40-watt sizes. The small lamps and fixtures are
ideal for use with small geckos, amphibians, invertebrates and hatchling reptiles. zoomed.com
CAITEC’S
Featherland Jungle Millet
and Treat Holder is
made of high-quality
stainless steel that
provides superior
durability. Birds will
love the large variety
of treats and fruit
snacks it is able to
hold. The product
keeps birds busy and
helps curb unwanted
behaviors such as
feather plucking
and other destructive activities. It is
dishwasher safe for
easier cleanup, and it
conveniently fits any
cage. caitec.com
GOING NATIVE
IS NECESSARY
Herps are among the pets closest to
nature, and they need an environment
that mimics what they would experience
in the wild. Several manufacturers agreed
that natural materials are crucial in the
herp habitat.
“Natural materials in the habitat are
very important,” said Michael Acerra,
digital marketing manager for Penn-Plax
Inc. in Hauppauge, N. Y. “First and fore-
most, they’re important for the animals
themselves. You want to create the most
comfortable environment possible for
them, and in order to achieve this, you
want to mirror their habitat in the wild as
closely as possible.”
This means using as many natural
materials as possible, he said.
“This goes hand in hand with the
aesthetic aspect of the hobby,” he said.
“The more natural materials you’re using,
the more opportunities you have to create
a beautiful, natural, eye-catching display
that’s good for your herp and also great
to look at.”
Including natural materials in the
environment is important to the health of
the animal, said Steve Sotelo, Exo Terra
division manager and reptile expert for
Rolf C. Hagen
(USA) Corp.
in Mansfield,
Mass.
“Having natural materials in herp habitats is extremely important in establishing
a calm and naturally functioning reptile or
amphibian,” he said.
“Remember, they’ve evolved and
adapted to specific environments—so, for
example, adding a mossy branch or leaf
litter to a terrarium will benefit mossy leaf
tail geckos or Malaysian leaf frogs.”
“Having natural
materials in
herp habitats
is extremely
important in
establishing a
calm and
naturally
functioning
reptile or
amphibian.”
—Steve Sotelo, Exo Terra division manager and
reptile expert for Rolf C.
Hagen (USA) Corp. in
Mansfield, Mass.
