Building my own Vivarium

[Pareeeee]

Hey - new to this. Found some tutorials online and am having great fun building my vivarium by converting an old terrarium. I am still working on the background - I made a styrofoam back and carved it, stuck some branches out of it...bought "GE 100% silicone I" and put it all over and poured not dirt but coconut husk fragments. looks very cool and 'barky'. I realized too late that I bought the bathroom caulking - but found out it's safe, just doesn't bond to glass well - so I will continue to use it for the background but get the window stuff to stick the glass...

What plants should I get? I am putting a crestie in this tank.

Also, how will I go about building a door? Should it be glass or screen? (I know the bottom part has to be glass) thanks.

Also how do I clean a viv, and how do I prevent mold?? (seem to notice all my flowerpots in the house get mold growing in em, so it would probably REALLY grow well in a vivarium.

I am going to create humidity with a basin in the bottom, and by hand misting every day. What is the correct humidity for a Crestie??

Thanks, hope someone can answer my many questions...
I know I had more, I just can't remember them all at the moment.

[Epiphile]

Hey Pareeeee (I have to count the "e"s every time, ha ha),

You'll probably find answers to your questions littered throughout the forum (beckdg has been doing great work lately in compiling some great starter threads), and I'm not a reptile expert by any means, but a quick search indicated that 60% humidity during the day seems fine. This could easily be accomplished by the method you're intending to use.

Mold can come from a variety of things, but cool, damp, stagnant conditions are what it likes best. Your tank will be warmer, but you may want to have a look at options for air movement in your viv if you think it'll be an issue.

If you're diligent in your watering, you may be able to achieve the required humidity with a screen door, but I believe most people use glass and then create a section of screen above that if necessary.

Again, though, have a look around here and elsewhere- you'll get differing opinions from mine, no doubt, and you'll have to just experiment and find what's right for you.

Cheers,

[Pareeeee]

hello
thanks for your quick reply! I will have to go looking through the forums. I'm waiting on my ride to go to work hehe...so if this post ends in mid sentenc-

[beckdg]

Crested Geckos

glass... but with a small ventilation area...