The Exo Terra Desert Habitat Kit is a complete 45 x 45 x 45 cm setup for a keeper starting out — glass terrarium, lighting canopy, substrate, decor and a care guide in one box.

Why a Kit Makes Sense First Time

The commonest way a first reptile setup goes wrong is not buying the wrong enclosure. It is buying the enclosure and then discovering, piece by piece, that it needs a canopy that fits, a substrate that suits the species, a bulb of a particular type, a water dish, a hide, a thermometer — and ending up with parts that do not work together.

A kit removes that. The canopy is made for this terrarium, the decor matches the background, and the manual walks you through installation, decoration and maintenance in order.

Key Features

• Full glass terrarium with dual front doors for escape-free access
• Unique front window ventilation
• Full metal screen top — lets UVB from the lighting system reach deep into the terrarium
• Natural-looking rock background
• Compact Top lighting canopy with reflector, designed for this terrarium
• Designed by European herpetologists

What Is Included

• Exo Terra Glass Terrarium, 45 x 45 x 45 cm
• Exo Terra Compact Top lighting canopy with reflector
• Substrate
• Water dish
• Rock outcrop
• Plant
• Hiding cave
• Reptile care guide and instruction manual

What You Still Need

Worth knowing before you order: bulbs are not included with the canopy in every market, and a desert species will need both a UVB bulb (the UVB 150 Desert is the usual choice) and a basking lamp for heat. A thermometer is essential too — desert reptiles need a specific basking temperature, and it must be measured rather than estimated.

Suitable For

Small to medium desert-dwelling snakes, lizards and geckos, and as temporary housing for juveniles of larger species. Check the adult size of your species before buying — a bearded dragon will outgrow a 45 cm enclosure well before it is fully grown.

Setting Up

• Assemble and run the enclosure for several days, confirming basking and cool-end temperatures, before the animal goes in.
• Place out of direct sunlight.
• Set up a genuine hot end and cool end — a reptile regulates its temperature by moving between them.