TERRARIA AND AQUA-TERRARIA 



Various forms of terraria have been devised to fulfill special purposes. 

 These may be classed as Dry terraria for reptiles and for plants which 

 best thrive in a dry atmosphere; Moist terraria for amphibia and for plants 

 which require a moist atmosphere; Heated dry terraria for tropical rep- 

 tiles and for plants requiring a warm, dry atmosphere; Heated moist 

 terraria for tropical amphibia and for plants which thrive best in a warm 

 and moist atmosphere; and the Aqua-terraria which combine many of the 

 features of both the terrarium and aquarium. These will be treated of 

 separately, as their respective purposes must be kept in mind in their con- 

 struction, arrangement and maintenance. 



Dry Terraria. The simplest form consists of a box with a glass 

 front, the right hand side either a hinged frame or one fitted into grooves, and 

 covered with cotton gauze, Brussell's netting or fine wire screening. The 

 left hand side is also a frame covered with netting and having a central 

 sliding door. The back is of wood covered with cork slabs; and the top 

 a wooden frame fitted with glass, for the observation of the contents and 

 with netting, and arranged for ready removal. The bottom is furnished 

 with a neatly fitting zinc tray having a 3 or 4 inch raised edge to contain 

 soil. The most approved form has a zinc or iron frame with the sides 

 hinged to facilitate planting and cleaning. The uprights are tee irons 

 with angle iron upper and lower frames. The sides may have either 

 wooden or angle iron frames to fasten into the uprights -by turn-buckles 

 or other simple device. The top may be made with slanting sides either 

 as a mansard or gable roof. A shallow water basin for the inmates must 

 also be provided either of metal or made in cement of irregular outline 

 with a mirror to form the bottom of the pool. 



Moist Terraria. The construction of the moist terraria may be 

 similar to the above, but control of the ventilation must be kept in mind 

 so as to maintain a moist atmosphere necessary to the animals and plants. 

 The approved form consists of either a wooden or metal-framed box, two 

 or three of the sides of which are of glass in grooved or hinged frames, 

 and one of glass with a netting ventilator below, provided with a sliding 

 door. The top may be of netting, over which a glass plate is arranged 

 to be raised or lowered as required for ventilation. The zinc tray should 

 have a small outlet pipe through the sides of the terrarium to permit of 

 drainage of the excess of water. As the animals in this form of terrarium 

 are usually amphibious a larger water basin is required. 



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