EXO-TERRA TERRARIUMS

Front-opening tanks are important to me. Moving light fixtures every time you want to get inside a tank is a hassle and the vibrations are bad for the lights. Hands reaching into a tank from above tends to frighten animals. It also makes it hard to get the correct angle when dangling food. And most of all, the easier it is to access our pets the more we will do it and the better care they will get.

Exo-Terra Terrariums are the most common front-opening tanks and I have a ton of them. I use them for leopard geckos, crested geckos, mourning geckos, snakes, tarantulas, bearded dragons, hamsters, mice, hissers, isopods, and plants. Right now I have 20 (now 21!) Exo-Terras: 8x8x8 Nano/Wide, 8x8x12 Nano/Tall, 12x12x12 Mini/Wide, (3) 12x12x18 Mini/Tall, (3) 18x18x24 Small/Tall, (6) 24x18x12 Medium/Low, (3) 24x18x18 Medium/Wide, 36x18x12 - Large/Low, 36x18x18 - Large/Wide, and a 36x18x36 Large/X-Tall. And I'm always on the lookout for more.

That should make it pretty clear how I feel about these tanks.

They are sturdy, come in a ton of different sizes (though not the size I want the most & keep hoping they'll come up with, a 48x24x24), have vents on the front and back to make for great airflow, and have both a raised floor and cord holes in the lids for accessories. They are very secure. The doors cannot be pushed open and even have a spot for a lock. There are also several Exo-Terra brand accessories that are designed to work well with the terrariums, including light fixtures, thermometer, hygrometer, and lock.

Exo-Terra terrariums do have some downsides. All that airflow prevents mold and stagnant air, but can make it hard to keep humidity up, so sometimes the tops have to be covered in clingfilm or plexiglass depending on which animal is going inside.

The tops of the tanks are actually the number one problem. The wire screen tops are made a lot like window screens. They are made with wire mesh to prevent chewing, but it can rust. The spline can also be pushed out of place. The plastic frame can melt if it touches a heat light. Some people replace the tops with plexiglass, especially for tarantulas who cannot have wire topped cages.

Sometimes I also do a little DIY on the vents and cord holes as very small creatures like mourning geckos can get out of them. All it takes to fix them though are some silicone earplugs and/or some cheesecloth hot glued into place.

So overall Exo-Terra terrariums are my favorite front-opening tanks and I'm switching all my tanks over to them, but they do have a few problems, especially if you buy them used like I often do. New ones will of course be in better shape.

C-CLIPS

You may have seen these little plastic links sold for hanging kids' toys, but they also work great to hang pet toys too. These c-shaped plastic links easily hook together, making it simple to form a chain. The chains can be draped from one side of the cage to another, creating a pathway for agile mice to creep along and parakeets to swing. The c-clips can be looped through the corners of fabric to make ferret hammocks and hang rat tunnels. You can do similar things with shower curtain hooks, but these come in smaller sizes and are oval instead of round making them lay flatter. They're also easier to put in and take out.

C-clips are commonly available as most bird owners use them as well as rat owners and several other pet owners. They are not the sturdiest though, so look for good ones for larger birds that tear things apart. You can find them in lots of colors. I tend to like rainbows and solid black c-clips, but usually get a variety pack too so I can match them to whatever I want to hang.

THERMOSTAT

Thermostats are one of the most important and most neglected items when keeping reptiles. Without them your reptiles are at risk of overheating and getting burned. Thermostats regulate the temperature of heating pads and heat lights to prevent injuries. You simply plug whatever you want to regulate into the thermostat, then the thermostat cord plugs into the wall and a temperature probe goes wherever you want to measure the temperature (such as inside a hide). Set the temperature you want to keep the unit at, then it will automatically turn off the heater whenever it gets too hot.

Many people use thermostats to start seeds and those are often the thermostats I buy because they work better and are cheaper. The ones I buy also have the temperature very visible in a digital readout so they're easy to glance at from across the room to make sure they're working. It's not uncommon to have a heating pad stop working without notice, and how often do you place your hand in the area that's supposed to be warm to make sure it still working? With the light-up thermostat you'll see right away if the temperature isn't where it should be.

GRUBBY GRUB HEDGEHOG FOOD 

Nearly every available hedgehog food is junk. It is so difficult to find good hedgehog food that most vets actually recommend feeding good-quality cat food instead, not that that is a great choice either. Hedgehogs need good food full of insects and vegetables, while most pet food is primarily corn and byproducts.

Grubby Grub Hedgehog Food is actually made of good ingredients. The first ingredient is actually chicken, with rice and barley up there too. It's a nice mixture too of small kibble with dried superworms, crickets, and other insects. Hedgehogs should have 30-35% protein, 10-14% fat, and 6-7% fiber. Grubby Grub's protein is 29.5% with fat at 12.5% and fiber at 7%, so it is right where it should be. The bag is a good size for a single hedgehog as well. It last for several months, but not so long that it gets stale. Be aware that I have found live bugs in it, so it's best to stick it in the freezer for a few days before using it. Other than that, Grubby Grub is the best food I've found for my hedgehog.

SMALL ANIMAL CRITTER LITTER

Kaytee's Small Animal Critter Litter is a super handy litter to use for small pets. It is made of small white bits that are lighter, safer, and overall better than cat litter for small pets. Supposedly it also contains an attractant to encourage animals to use it. Not sure about that, but they do tend to use it well without much effort. As soon as I put it in with my rats they used it and so did my hamsters. The ferrets tend to dig in it, but it does work better than any other litter for them. My hedgehog uses it perfectly, though I had to cover her litterbox with a paper towel as she also wanted to nibble on it.

While I could use it for the rabbit I choose to use wood pellets instead. The critter litter is a bit light and when she jumps in her litterbox she would often knock some out. Also, my guinea pigs either use fleece or wood chips because they go everywhere.

It's the only litter I use for all the other small pets though.

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