There are lots of
products available to make a cage look like a
natural forest, a desert, a wetland, etc. Most of
these products will work fine, and what you choose
depends on what you like and what kind of reptile
you have.
Some of the best
cage furniture, especially for humidity-loving
reptiles, are real plants. They help keep the
humidity up, provide hiding and basking places,
and look very nice. Make sure you choose a
non-toxic plant. Remember that plant eating
species will nibble on plants, so you may need to
have several on hand to rotate out of the cage, so
they don’t get killed by a hungry reptile. When
you bring a plant home, you will need to re-pot it
in plain top soil, with no additives like perlite
or chemical fertilizer.
Try to wash off as
much of the old soil as possible. Also wash the
leaves in soapy water to remove any pesticides
used on the plant. If you can leave the plant out
of the cage for a month or so, it will be even
better. This will allow any chemicals the plant
has absorbed to dissipate.
In addition to
plants, there are lots of other good things to use
in cages. Driftwood, rocks, fake plants, plastic
hide boxes, cork bark, PVC pipe and even flower
pots are great. With some small PVC pipe and some
fittings, you can make a great climbing structure
for arboreal animals. Avoid anything made out of
cedar, or any wood that has an odor. These can be
toxic.
If you get anything
from outside, you will need to disinfect it to
remove any bugs or germs. If it is small enough,
you can bake it at a low temperature in your oven.
Just keep an eye on any wood to make sure it does
not scorch. Larger pieces can be soaked in bleach
water, rinsed very thoroughly, and allowed to dry.
You can be creative, and set up a very elaborate
cage, or you can have a very simple set up.
Keep in mind that
the more elaborate, the more items you will have
to clean. It will be more work, but many people
find it is worth it.
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