The Exo Terra Advanced Paludarium is a semi-aquatic habitat — part water, part land — that recreates a rainforest, swamp or stream in a single 60 x 45 x 90 cm enclosure.

What a Paludarium Actually Is

A paludarium holds three zones at once, and that is the point of it:

• The aquatic zone — a stream, pond or pool for aquatic amphibians, fish or shrimp
• The riparian zone — the margin where land meets water, where semi-aquatic reptiles and amphibians actually spend most of their time
• The terrestrial zone — planted land for reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates

Most enclosures force you to pick one. This gives you all three, which is far closer to how these animals live in the wild. The water section also does real work: it stabilises temperature and humidity and gives live plants a permanent reservoir.

At 90 cm tall this one is well suited to arboreal species above a water feature.

Key Features

• Extra-deep waterproof bottom for a substantial aquatic section
• Front window ventilation and dual lockable doors for escape-free access
• High-quality stainless steel mesh — good ventilation and UVB penetration
• Four screen cover locks
• Raised bottom frame, designed to work with the Exo Terra Heat Mat
• Closable inlets for filter, pump and heater cables and tubing
• Root background included with a cut-out for wires and tubing — simulates banyan tree roots and adds climbing surface

Specifications

Suitable For

Tree boas and pythons, day geckos, leaf-tailed geckos, tokay geckos and tree frogs, with fish, shrimp or aquatic amphibians in the water section.

Setting Up

• Check what your floor and stand can carry. Water weighs a kilogram per litre and this fills out very heavy. Use a cabinet rated for it.
• Build a false bottom to support the land section — it also hides filters, pumps and heaters and doubles as biological filtration media.
• Cycle the water section before adding fish or aquatic animals, and carry out regular partial water changes.
• Use dechlorinated water throughout.