General Reptile Information
No matter what reptile you have, there are 3 main things every reptile enclosure you own should have. These 3 things are a heat source with a thermostat, two proper-sized hides, and a proper-sized water bowl. All of these things are essential to every reptile enclosure to allow that reptile to grow and thrive in their environment.
The first thing you should do with every reptile enclosure should have a hot side and a cold side. This means that one side should have a heat source above and/or below the enclosure that helps that side of the enclosure reach the proper temperature for that species of reptile. It is important to have a thermostat to make sure that you do not overheat your reptile. The temperature will gradually decrease as you move along to the other side, giving the reptile a nice place to cool down.
Secondly, there should be at least two hides, one on each side of the enclosure, for your reptile to retreat into and feel secure. The hides should be big enough for the reptile to easily move around inside and lay down. However, the hides should not be large enough that you could fit 3-4 more of the same size reptile inside it. Hides that are too large may leave the reptile still feeling exposed and not completely safe.
Lastly, the reptile should have a water bowl that is big enough for them to fit inside. While this isn't as much needed for lizards, it is still an important part of their enclosure. This is to ensure that if they feel overheated, have stuck shed, or might have mites they will have somewhere to go that will help them. In addition, proper-sized water bowls will hold the enclosures' humidity where it needs to be. While some reptiles, mainly snakes, love to regularly hang out in their water bowls it is important to make sure they aren't doing it because of the reasons listed above.
