When you see these innovative vivariums you wonder why no one has done it before.

Simply buy the first unit and then add on to whatever size you want in 3’ sections which easily connect together.

This means that you no longer have to start with one vivarium and after a year buy a bigger one, then later on another etc., etc.

Now you can start with the starter unit which is available from ValueAquatics in two sizes the MODX24 which is 3’ x 2’ x 2’ (LWH) and the MODX36 which is 3’ x 3’ x 3’ (LWH). Then as your reptile grows simply add on the 3’ extensions to whatever length you require, very simple and easy.

The MODX vivariums and Extension packs all come in three colours Ellmau Beech, Winchester Oak and Tobacco Walnut to suit your décor.

This great idea now solves that problem of the big guys your African Rock or your Tegu that needs to be given a new vivarium every year now, it saves you time and importantly money.

John

ValueAquatrics offer these excellent water dispensers by Exo Terra are an excellent idea for giving your animal water. In a vivarium water evaporates quickly due to the surface area of the water bowl and water bowls can be easily tipped over not to mention being fouled. The Exo Terra Water Well gives your snake, lizard or tarantula access to fresh clean water. Inside the resin rock there is a reservoir that holds the water and supplies the well at the front with a supply of fresh water. The small well at the front prevents animals from fouling the water and a screen stops insects or very small reptiles getting into the reservoir. The exo Terra Water Well is made of very strong resin and is a natural rock finish making it very natural looking in any vivarium or terrarium setup.

Excellent source of clean water
Less likely to be knocked over
No fouling of the water
Naturalistic look
Very easy to clean and fill

John

ValueAquatics are pleased to announce the NEW AX Vivariums and CAX Cabinet range from Aquapac.

Aquapac have redesigned the AX Vivariums for arboreal reptiles which like to climb rather than being at ground level. The AX range is available in three sizes AX24, AX36 and the AX48 all are 2’ deep by 4’ high.

Because of the size of these vivariums a central rail that divides the glass pains giving two glass sliding doors at the top and bottom section. This offers better access to the bottom for cleaning etc.

A divider will be available shortly so that you can turn the vivarium into two the top section into an arboreal vivarium and the bottom into a standard type vivarium.

The CX cabinets have also been re designed and are an open shelved unit with no doors for ample storage and measure 465mm (18.6”) wide

All the AX Vivariums and CAX Cabinets are available in three colours; Winchester Oak, Ellmau Beech and Tobacco Walnut.

John

These canopies are designed to fit on top of the Exo Terra Glass Terrariums, they are a combination lighting system for both Fluorescent tubes and Halogen Spots. The canopies are extremely well made from Anodized Aluminium, they can take two fluorescent tubes and up to two 35w Exo Terra Sun Glo Halogen Basking spots. There are two switched power cords so that the fluorescents and or the Halogens can be used together or separately. 

With the two bulb system you can tailor the lighting to suit the animal the Halogens will raise the ambient temperature of the air temperature whilst the fluorescents can be used to give the correct level of UV creating a perfect UV, visual and heat combination for your reptile.

Here at ValueAquatics we carry in stock the three sizes to fit the Exo Terra Glass Terrariums.

Gives the most favourable levels of heat and ligh
Holds two fluorescent tubes and one or two Halogen basking spots
Two switched cables for independent control
Made of strong rigid anodized aluminium
Halogen GU-10 fitting
Can be mounted on the back or the front of the Terrarium screen

To fit the following Exo Terra Glass Terrariums

John

At ValueAquatics we are often asked for a bearded dragon set up and normally we tailor the set up to the individual’s preferences. Most people are buying a baby or juvenile Dragon and are told to start with a small 24” vivarium as it causes stress in babies if they are kept in too large a vivarium.

Show me in the wild where they are restricted to a small area? I have been keeping reptiles for more than 30 years including Bearded dragons (Pogona Vitticeps) and have always kept them in a large vivarium from the start with no ill effects. Youngsters can hide for a day or two when they are first introduced to their new environment, this is normal behaviour weather the vivarium is large or small. Beardies being very inquisitive by nature will soon be out and about exploring their new home and smells.

So for a single baby Beardy to adult I would go with ValueAquatics VX48 vivarium they are extremely robust and well made.

The next thing to consider is lighting as Dragons come from areas of high intensity light they require high UV output lighting for 10/14 hours a day. The best lighting is a Mercury Vapour lamp these lamps give out heat and UV at as close to natural sunlight as you can get. Exo Terra Solar Glow bulbs are excellent and come in two wattages 125w and 160w. I have used the 125w in a 48” vivarium and the heat levels were in the correct ranges. These bulbs also bring out the animals colours much more than conventional UV fluorescents. Mercury vapour lamps do not work on a thermostat you regulate the basking temperature by raisin or lowering the lamp. If you cannot get the correct basking temperature then either upgrade to the 160w Solar Glo or add an Exo terra sun glo spot lamp. If you go the spot lamp rout remember it will need a dimming thermostat. Both the solar glo and the spot lamp will need safety guards to stop the beardy from getting burnt as both lamps get hot. The best guard for the solar glo and the spot lamp is the Komodo Black Dome Ceramic lamp holder 21cm with the Zoo Med 20cm safety covers.

The Décor is of personal choice some people add artificial plants but I have found that Beardies will try to eat them; If you want to try artificial plants go with the plastic plants rather than the silk ones as they are much more robust and less likely to be chewed.

Even though Beardies do not take water from a bowl as they cannot see still water a water bowl like the Exo Terra water bowls should be included in case they do require water, I have had Beardies that learnt to drink from a bowl. When they are babies place them Into the water bowl and gently push their nose into the water do this for four days and if they have not learnt by then stop. As long as they have plenty of vegetables and greens in their diet and you spray them once a day they will get their required water intake. Feeding bowl to keep the salad in place is a good idea they can be messy eaters.

A hide is a good idea something similar to the Exo Terra caves/hides get one to suit your dragons size, Rocks especially under the basking spot is a good idea as it will heat up and radiate the heat and the dragon will enjoy laying on it. Some stout branches should be included as the love climbing especially babies to get as close to the UV light as possible. Most branches are excellent especially from fruit trees like apple, plumb or pear. Do not use pine, conifer or cherry as the resin in these is harmful to reptiles.

Simply wash the branches in hot water with a tablespoon of bleach to a washing up bowl and rinse well and leave outside in the sun to dry, if you can smell the bleach rinse again and dry out.

The substrate for a baby should be paper kitchen towel or newspaper for the first year or 18 months then use a mixture of play pen or Calci sand and either peat or Coir mixed 1:1. The babies can ingest the substrate when feeding which can cause impaction of the gut and can kill them, when they are older they can usually cope with small amounts.

An excellent video on setting up a dragon’s home and the care of Click Here.  Note: There is an advert at the start of the video.

List of Equipment

Vivexotics VX48
Light/heat       Exo Terra Solar Glo
Exo Terra Sun Glo tight beam spot bulb
Dimming Thermostat for the spot bulb
Komodo 21cm Black dome ceramic lamp holder or the Exo Terra 21cm Glow Light ceramic lamp holder
Zoo Med safety covers
Water bowl
Feeding dish
Cave/Hide

John

There is a lot of talk about which substrate is the best as some have a bad name for causing impaction of the gut or intestine.

We must look at the pro’s and con’s as there is no perfect substrate, if you look at the natural habitats they have all sorts of health and safety issues and impaction occurs even in the wild. The difference is we care for our animals and try to give them the best.

For snakes in general I have found that Aspen is the best type of substrate to use for Rat snakes, Corn snakes, Milk snakes, Gopher, Pine, Bull snakes and most Pythons and Boas to mention a few. It can also be used for many lizards especially the burrowing ones like Blue Tongue Skinks and also as bedding for rodents and other small animals.

Aspen is clean, non toxic and almost dust free. It completely absorbs odours and moisture quickly, it is also very easy to spot clean.

For very young snakes and lizards I would recommend keeping them on newspaper or kitchen towelling for the first year as this is when they are most at risk from impaction.

ValueAquatics have Aspen available in two sizes 1kg or multiples of and a bulk buy 14kg sack

John

I have found the Exo Tera Snake Caves excellent for Corn snakes, Milk Snakes, Californian King Snakes or any of the slim snakes that do not get bigger than 4’–5’.  Creating a stress free hide or nesting box for various species of Snake, lizard or even amphibians.

They are made of resin and finished to look like a stone, so they are easily cleaned inside and out, and looking very natural in a desert or forest floor set up.

They come with some natural moss which makes them ideal as a moist nesting or shedding box for many species of snakes, lizards and amphibians.

Includes Moss
Excellent for snakes, Lizards and Amphibians
Looks natural in most set ups
Easy to Clean
A secure hide or nesting box
Helps prevent stress
Stable and not easily tipped over

ValueAquatics can offer you The Exo Terra Snake Caves in three sizes at great prices.

John

Here at ValueAquatics we are always trying increase our stock for our customers, and we have just got in stock some Heater Guards for the Exo Terra Ceramic Heat Emitters. They come in two sizes medium and large so they can be used for spot bulbs and Infra Red bulbs as well.

I can not state too highly the need to use guards especially for Ceramic Heat Emitters, Infra red heat bulbs and incandescent spot bulbs. All these get very hot and will burn badly anything that can touch them. I know it is an extra cost but put that against the cost of vet bills not to mention the animals well being the extra is worth it.

The guards are simple to fit there are various ways the easiest is to just screw it in place in the vivarium (screws not included).

Available in any colour as long as it’s BLACK.
Large 23.5cm x 12cm x 12cm (9.4” x 4.8” X 4.8)
Medium 16cm x 11cm x 11cm (6.4” x 4.4” x 4.4”)

John

All heat sources in a vivarium should be guarded with one exception heat mats which should be on a thermostat as a safety precaution.

ValueAquatics offer the Exo Terra Wire Light which is designed for their Ceramic Heat Emitters, Mercury vapour Lamps and incandescent spot bulbs. These wire lamps do not allow heat build up as in reflector type holders but the heat is lost sideways.

These holders should not be confused with bulb safety cages and should not be used with snakes and small lizards which might get through the wire to the heat source. Ideal for tortoise and larger lizards like iguanas and monitors. 

Comes with a ceramic Edison screw fitting
Two sizes up to 150watts & up to 250watts
6 foot of cable
Manual on/off switch

Mark…………

This is the time of year that your Mediterranean tortoise should be coming out of hibernation, but it is too cold for them to go outside and vivariums are very bad for them. Vivariums do not give the correct temperature gradient nor enough ventilation, this causes lots of long term health problems that will not show for many years and then it is generally too late for anything to be done. The main problem are lung (breathing) problems, congestion etc.

The answer is a Tortoise table this gives the Tortoise the correct temperature gradient form 32°c at the basking spot end and 20°c at the cold end.

ValueAquatics offer the Royce Tortoise table which comes in a Beech finish and measures 1220mm x 600mm x 255mm (48”x24”x10” L.W.H).

This allows for the correct control of the temperature gradient and UV source through a mercury vapour lamp such as the Exo Terra sun glow lamp available in both 125w and 160w.

The tortoise table does not come with the light etc., and will need a light fitting like the Komodo BLACK DOME 21cm ø reflector which comes with all fittings and a 3 pin fitted plug. You will also need a mercury vapour lamp as in the Exo Terra Sun Glo both of which ValueAquatics has in stock.

We recommend the tortoise Trust Forum. It is a very friendly group always willing to help with all aspects of tortoise husbandry.

John