Setting up a Vivarium

A Vivarium is an enclosed area made to resemble a natural habitat of some other specific region. It is an indoor enclosure for keeping, raising and observing living animals and plants under natural conditions.

How to go about setting up a Vivarium
Thanks to modern technological advances, now there are computer programs that offer interactive learning capsules to persons wanting to learn about Vivarium and the inhabitants that go into the makings of a successful one. The Vivarium program is one such interactive computer-learning program that introduces the learner to a simulation of the evolution of behavior. It uses computer-aided and designed artificial life forms that live and adapt on the computer screen, under the user’s influence.

  • The size of a Vivarium may be large or small, depending on the user’s space issues and personal choices. Small Vivarium can be placed on a desk or table and popular small versions include the terrarium or an aquarium that many persons like to own.
  • Larger vivariums have a greater space structure and house organisms capable of flight. These usually come fitted with a dual-door mechanism, like a sally port for entry and exit. This sort of mechanism allows for the outer door to be closed preventing escape before the inner door is opened.
Vivarium types: choices for setting up a Vivarium
Some popular forms include:
  • An Aquarium that simulates a water habitat like a river, lake or sea, extending only to the submerged area of these natural habitats. Such vivariums may have an abundance of plants in the water, which work to supply oxygen for the organisms living together with it, usually fish.
  • Insectariums are vivariums that containing insects. Popular choices are beetles and ladybirds.
  • A Formicarium holds certain species of ants and learning about an ant farm is necessary before venturing into this form of a Vivarium.
  • A Riparium is a vivarium that simulates a river and is represented by an aquarium interconnected with a terrarium, having both the underwater area as well as the shore. This type of vivarium is usually reserved for the habitat of aquatic lizards.
  • A Terrarium is a type of vivarium that simulates dry habitat like that of the desert or savannah. Plants suitable for these habitats include bromeliads, African Violets and Crassulaceae. Animals commonly held for observation in such vivariums include reptiles, amphibians, insects, spiders and scorpions.
Size and material choices for setting up a vivarium
  • Clear plastic or glass is a good choice for a vivarium and since it need not withstand water-pressure, even wood or metal can be used, with one transparent side to the structure. The shape can be cubical, spherical, rectangular or any other depending on the weight of the vivarium material.
  • A good vivarium must have sufficient resistance to high humidity, have good lighting for temperature control and allow optimum display of inhabitants while simulating natural habitat. Common soil, small pebbles, sand, peat, bits and barks of different trees, vegetable fibers are good add-ons for a vivarium.