Do you know what is one of the most important questions you should ask yourself before buying a certain pet lizard?
One of the most important factors for getting a specific type of lizard is your ability to take care for it for many years to come. Each type of lizard has its own requirements and you should be prepared to set everything up for its comfort and needs. Requirements include temperature, moisture levels, lighting etc. You only want the best for you reptile, don’t you?
Every aspect of our setup should mimic living conditions of a lizard in the wild.
So, let’s start learning about terrarium setups. I will guide you through the setup of gecko’s, bearded dragon’s, iguana’s, chameleon’s, sailfin’s and savannah monitor’s terrariums. I will also share design ideas and other useful advice.
Make sure to bookmark this article if you need to come back to it, as building a terrarium takes time!
Terrariums – types, sizes and materials
Types of terrariums
Let me start this article by answering one of the popular questions. What is the difference between a terrarium and vivarium?
Many people use these words while referring to the housing of their reptiles. There is no much difference in a terrarium and vivarium – both are used to house your reptile.
Terrariums are often glass or plastic tanks that enable your reptile to have contact with water and land and are waterproof. Vivarium can also be made of plastic, glass and wood – with the same purpose of housing your lizard. So essentially, a terrarium is also a vivarium. I will be using the word ‘terrarium’ throughout this article.
There are many types of different terrariums. They can vary in shapes and be cubic, vertical and horizontal. And each type of lizard needs a certain shape of a terrarium.
For example, lizards which live on trees (tree lizards) and those which inhabit mountains need a vertical shape terrarium. Lizards, which live in open spaces and on the ground, are well suited for horizontal terrariums. Cubic terrariums are good for many lizard types, including those which often dig holes and go under the ground in the wild.
Sizes of terrariums
After you have decided with the terrarium shape, start thinking about the terrarium length. I will give you a guide to calculate an approximate required terrarium size.
One important tip here would be to get a terrarium which will fit your lizard when it grows older. As you will most probably get a baby lizard, you need to know how big it will be as a grown up, so you can get the right sized terrarium.
The most important factor for the comfort for your pet lizard is to be able to have enough space to move around.
- For lizards that need a vertical terrarium (see the first paragraph): The terrarium height should be at least two times of a size of a grown lizard. So, terrarium’s height should be twice greater than its length. For example, an ideal terrarium size for a 1meter (3.3 feet) chameleon would be at least 2 meters (6.5 feet) in height, 2 meters in width and 1.5 meter in length. In the wild, chameleons love spending their time in trees, so you need a high terrarium for it.
- For lizards that need a horizontal terrarium: Here terrarium needs to be greater in length and less in width. The terrarium length should be at least twice the size of a grown lizard. Width should be approximately equal to the size of a grown lizard. I would also recommend keeping the length value close to the height.
Here I will also include approximate sizes of various adult lizards:
- Sizes of an adult veiled chameleon: maximum 2 feet (1.5 feet for females)
- Size of a green adult iguana: 6-7 feet (around 5 for females)
- Size of an adult anole: 5-8 inches
- Size of an adult monitor lizard: greatly depends on species, often from 1 feet to 7 feet!
- Size of an adult bearded dragon: 11 to 24 inches
- Size of an adult crested and leopard gecko: 8 to 10 inches
- Size of an adult agama lizard: varies, from 6 to 18 inches
- Size of an adult sailfin lizard: up to 3-4 feet (less for females).
As you can see, these lizards have completely different sizes! Iguanas and most monitor lizards tend to get extremely big as adults, so you will need to plan a spacious enclosure for them!
There is one controversy… There will be a problem If you get a baby lizard and put it in a big terrarium tank. Small lizards will get stressed in a big tank and will not be able to navigate around to get food etc. Make sure to create an enclosure from a smaller aquarium until they grow up and become ready for a large terrarium.
You can pick a pre-made terrarium for you lizard. They come in different shapes and sizes.
You can also get a small open-air cage terrarium for a growing lizard (anole, iguanas, chameleons, geckos and anoles) before they outgrow it.
If you don’t feel like setting up everything yourself, you can get a starter kit. There are two types – one for desert inhabitants and one for tropical lizards:
Setting up a terrarium/vivarium– lighting, heating and many other steps
Terrarium lighting and temperature setups
Terrarium lighting is very important for lizards and their well-being. Lizards are very sensitive to lighting and different species have different needs. Let’s review this question.
Lizards need around 9-14 hours of light in one day. This is a lot, right? It is very likely that you won’t be able to provide your lizard with so many hours of natural light, every day, especially in winter. Your lizard will also not be under the sun, so it won’t get any UV light. That’s why there are lights for terrariums.
So, there are two different types of lighting that you lizard will need: regular natural daylight and UV light. Please note that not all lizards need UV lights – we will discuss it below.
Why is UV light important to lizards? Lizards need UV light to stay healthy. There are few divisions of UV light – UVA and UVB. UVB light penetrates your skin less than UVA, but both help promote production of vitamin D in the skin. UVA light accounts for most of UV light exposure, and UVB wavelengths cause sunburn and tanning.
Without UV light you lizard’s health will deteriorate. Lack of UV light will cause weak bones, because vitamin D is not produced, and it is required to metabolize calcium.
It will also affect your pet’s mood, digestion and interest to eat, as well as ability to navigate their environment, and can even cause fragile baby egg shells! Of course, you will occasionally give your lizard supplements, but a natural source of light is much better!
Never count only on natural light form your room reaching the lizard, as they are used to different living conditions/times and might need light at different times. UVB light, for example, becomes 70% weaker before it reaches a lizard behind the glass.
The big problem that many owners face is burning out light bulbs, so try avoiding very cheap options.
Also I recommend investing in a timer like this, which comes very handy to turn different lights on and off automatically, so you don’t have to think about it all the time.
Please do not get any compact ‘coiled’ light bulbs, as they are of poor quality and stop providing your lizard with needed UVA and UVB without you noticing. It can lead to health issues.
Use light fixtures for your bulbs and make sure to place them at the top or outside the tank, as some lizards may climb the wall and burn themselves with a hot bulb.
Remove any plastic packaging before using a fixture. A good solution here would be getting a screen cover. Screen cover goes on top of the terrarium, letting fresh air through. And you can install a lamp on top of it, so your climbing lizard doesn’t have any contact with bulbs.
Also, remember to switch from summer to winter temperatures gradually, by 2-3 degrees over a month or so.
Temperature control setup: I would recommend getting two small thermometers and putting them on both sides of a terrarium – one in cooler spot and one in basking or warmer spot. Don’t forget to get batteries for them.
So how much light do different lizard species need? Let’s answer this question.
How much light do geckos need? Gecko light and temperature setup guide
Geckos are naturally nocturnal lizards, which means that they get more active at night. They generally need 13 and 12 hours of light and darkness.
Leopard and crested geckos don’t typically need any UVB light and I would highly recommend giving them multivitamin and vitamin D supplements. 
There is a calcium plus vitamin D3 powder supplement, which you can sprinkle on your lizard’s crickets, around 2-3 times a week. You can put a low 2-3% UVB light in their enclosure, but this is not essential.
I would highly recommend getting a full-spectrum fluorescent light. 2.0 lights have only 2% UVB light and this light can be used during the day and night.
I would also recommend getting a ceramic heat emitting bulb, which will emit heat and help you observe your gecko being active at night. This is not recommended unless the temperatures drop significantly.
Fluorescent light during the day, red night light and heating pads at night should do it for geckos. If your tank is large, you will probably need 2-3 light bulbs. Geckos don’t really need heating lamps if room temperatures are optimal. But this will differ for crested, leopard and other geckos.
What temperature do geckos need? An ideal tank temperature for leopard geckos at night is 70 to 75 F. During the day it should be around 90 F in basking spot and 80 F in cool area.
For crested gecko it is around 80-82F and 70F degrees at night. In winter, you can lower the temperature at night by around 10 degrees (do it gradually).
Read everything about setting up lights and temperature for crested geckos here.
Read everything about setting up lights and temperature for leopard geckos here.
How much light do bearded dragons need? Bearded dragon light and temperature setup guide
Bearded dragons are different to geckos. In the wild, bearded dragons live in deserts, which means that they need UV (UVA and UVB) spectrum lights. Make sure you provide them with 15 hours of light and 9 hours of darkness in summer, and 11 hrs of light and 13 hrs of darkness in winter. You can use a timer for an easier control.
For light:
For bearded dragon’s terrarium you will need to get a high output full spectrum light tube that covers at least 50% of the tank’s length. One of the best options is getting a a T5 HO UVB tube light, which will emit both UVA and UVB light.
The bulb on the link is 18 inches, but you should get the size depending on the size of enclosure. I would recommend leaving this bright light for 12 hours a day. Make sure to replace them every 6-12 months.
The bulb should cover around 80-85% of the terrarium length to give lizards enough light. You will need to place the light bulb fixture in a hood. I wouldn’t recommend getting ‘coiled’ compact fluorescent UVB lights, due to safety concerns.
Light bulbs for light and heat:
There are few options for heat light bulbs.
For heat you can use household bulbs, halogen flood lights or a ceramic heat emitting bulb like this. Don’t use any colored bulbs. Ceramic heat emitters are also great for night time heat if you need it.
What temperature do bearded dragons need? Basking area should be around 95-110 degrees in the basking spot, 85-90 degrees in cool area. Temperature at night should be around 70 degrees. You can slightly decrease the temperature for a juvenile bearded dragon.
Read everything about setting up lights and temperature in a bearded dragon’s vivarium in this post.
Iguana lighting and temperature setup guide
As iguanas are large lizards and love being under the sun, you should make sure its enclosure has a light source everywhere. One of the solutions here would be to take out your iguana outside for few hours, for basking. You can do this in summer and even more often in warmer states. Don’t count on UVB light reaching your iguana though the glass, as only 30% of rays will reach it.
UVB light is also very important for your iguana. I recommend using the high UVB bulb. Install it around 5 inches from the top to the bottom in its basking area.
Make sure to replace UVB bulbs every 6 months. Another great option is mercury vapor bulbs, which give out both UV light and heat. They cost bit more than traditional fluorescent bulbs. 
They emit lots of heat, so make sure you use it in larger enclosures.
Use light domes or a hood to mount your small light bulbs and make sure they support the voltage of your light bulb. You should also get one or few normal incandescent or fluorescent light bulbs to install around the enclosure.
Okay, what about night time light for iguanas? I would recommend having 12:12 hours of light and darkness. Installing a ceramic heat emitting light for night time should help keep your iguana warm during the night.
It will only produce heat, not light. Please do not use any heating rocks because there have been many cases of lizards getting extreme burns from them.
What temperature do iguanas need? Basking spot for iguana should be approximately 95-105 Fahrenheit. Tank temperature during the day should be around 85-90 Fahrenheit and during the night – 75-80 degrees.
Read everything about setting up lights and temperature in iguana’s vivarium in this post.
How much light do chameleons need? Chameleon light and temperature setup guide
Chameleons also need UVB light to stay healthy and happy. For chameleon light setup, I would recommend using a fluorescent UVB fixture with high UVB light exposure (5.0 or 10). Make sure to buy the size depending on chameleon’s enclosure. This UVB bulb will provide your chameleon with UVB light. I would suggest you do 12:12 hours of light and darkness for maximum comfort.
Then, you must also create a basking spot for your chameleon. Full-spectrum fluorescent lights or mercury vapor lights are best to provide both UV light and heat for your chameleon. You can also get a blue incandescent daylight for heat. Make sure to place lights 6-10 inches from the top of the terrarium.
Daytime temperature for chameleon should be around 75-80 degrees and basking spot – around 86-95 F.
Ideal temperature for chameleons at night is around 65-70 degrees.
Another option is taking your chameleon outside for basking, but do it only if temperature is 70 degrees or more. Also, if it’s more than 75-80 degrees, don’t just leave chameleon under the sun, but put it in the partly shaded area, so it doesn’t get extremely hot. Having an outdoor cage for summer basking is also very convenient.
If the temperature is stable at night (should be dropped by 10 degrees), you don’t need to worry about lamps. 65 to 70 degrees is a usual temperature in most houses.
Light and temperature setup for white and black tegu
White and black tegus require high ambient temperatures in a terrarium. Temperature in tegu’s tank should be around 80-90 F during the day and around 75-80 at night. Temperature in a hot spot should be around 95 degrees.
For lighting, I would recommend getting is mercury vapor bulbs, for both heat and light during the day. For basking area, get a fluorescent bulb for UVA and UVB exposure. If you decide to get a normal light bulb, make sure to use fixtures to prevent burns. 
You can supplement heating with heating pads or an under tank heater. At night, you can use ceramic heat emitting bulbs, which will provide with additional heat source, with no light.
Light and temperature setup for sailfin lizards
Sailfin lizards are tropical reptiles. This means that you will need to get mercury vapor bulbs or fluorescent bulbs for creating a basking area for them. Also, make sure to get a high UVB bulb, a 5.0 or 10.0. This will provide them with required high UVB source, so install it above a branch where they can lay and soak up the light.
General temperature in a tank during the day should be around 85-90F, and around 78-80 degrees at night. Basking area temperature should be around 110 F – which is very high! You can increase temperature in a tank by adding under tank heater or a ceramic heat emitting bulb like this at night.
Light and temperature setup for Savannah monitor lizards
You need to create basking spot for your Savannah monitor, with a temperature around 110-115F. Make sure not to use rocks as they can get very hot (around 140 degrees) and burn your lizard. The soil can be heated up to 135 degrees.
Ambient temperature should be around 85 degrees and 75 at night. Provide them with 12:14 hours of light and darkness.
Make sure to also create different temperatures in a terrarium so your monitor can move from a hot area to a cooler area. This is very important.
Setup of substrate/bedding or flooring of terrariums
Substrate is a must have part of a terrarium. There are different types of substrate which you can use and those which you must not use due to safety issues. Bedding is required for hygienic reasons to absorb liquid feces and help control humidity levels. Let’s review types of substrates.
Lines and carpets
These options are highly recommended for terrariums. They absorb moisture and odors well, you just need to cut it to the right size and cover the flooring. Some lizards, for example bearded dragons, like to lick the bedding, so liners will be safe for your pet.
Liner is also easy to wash with water or in a washing machine. One of the best liners is the one that is washable, so you can use it many times. I would avoid drying it in a dryer as it might shrink in size.
They come in a green and brown color, and green color costs bit cheaper than a brown one. One piece of advice here would be getting a liner that has no threads sticking out, as lizards’ claws can get stuck in them.
Liners are suitable as a substrate for all young and adult lizards, including bearded dragons, geckos, chameleons, iguanas, monitors, leopard geckos, skinks etc. Don’t use the liner with crested geckos, as it will get wet and won’t dry in the vivarium. This will cause bacterial buildup and smell. Crested geckos need bioactive soil for digging, and you can read how to make it in this post.
Newspaper and other papers
You can use newspapers as a cheaper option. Newspaper can’t cause gut impaction and can be safely used as a bedding. But note that you will have to replace it much more often.
Newspaper, however, looks quite unattractive as a flooring. Newspaper can be used for all types of lizards, including geckos, chameleons, beardies, iguanas, monitors etc.
Tiles
You can also use tiles for a terrarium flooring. Ceramic tiles will not be ingested by your lizard and can be easily cleaned. Tiles also looks attractive. How to lay the tiles on the bottom of the terrarium? Make sure you put towels under the tiles so that they don’t break terrariums glass.
Tiles can be used mainly for geckos and bearded dragons. You can use slate or ceramic tiles.
You need to measure the terrarium and cut the tiles with a tile cutter and then just lay them on the flooring. Don’t glue them to the bottom as you will need to remove them for cleaning.
Sand and pebble as a terrarium substrate
This is very the debate begins. Many owners have different opinions on using sand as a terrarium substrate. There are different types of sand and most of them can cause gut impaction.
This means that your lizard is very likely to ingest the sand which will cause intestinal obstruction. This can lead to death in most cases. So, do you need to use sand for terrarium’s flooring?
The classic sand for terrarium is one of the most popular sand choices. The other type is non-silica sand. Pebbles are small stones can be digested and cause obstruction, so only use pebbles that are larger than lizard’s head.
There is sand by Zoo Med, which is a calcium carbonate sand, fortified with vitamins. No matter the vitamins or calcium, it can still cause obstruction. You should supplement lizard’s food with supplements and have a pure calcium source in the tank.
The best idea is not to use any sand or pebbles as substrate. Always monitor your lizard if using loose substrate and remove it if any ingestion occurs. You will be able to see sand in the feces if it has passed safely. Otherwise, constipation is a big sign of obstruction.
- Wood chips and crushed walnuts
Please don’t use wood chips or crushed walnuts as terrarium substrate for your lizard. The problem with them is that they are quite sharp and can kill your lizard by causing injury to their organs.
Alfalfa bedding
Alfalfa bedding can be amazing for many lizard owners. This substrate is rather cheap, does a good job with hiding reptile smells and is also well digested. One warning here: be careful as alfalfa bedding can get smelly and moldy, so always make sure that water and food bowls are clean underneath.
Best suited lizards for alfalfa bedding are bearded dragons, iguanas, desert geckos and monitor lizards. I would recommend using alfalfa bedding.
- Fir bark
Fir bark is a very good substrate for chameleons, rainforest geckos and be used for iguanas, green anoles, desert geckos and skinks. It is a natural substrate and your lizard will mostly love digging it. It also holds moisture well and is generally good for tropical lizards and those which like moisture.
For chameleons and rainforest geckos, you can also mix it with coconut husk, which is also natural and looks much like soil. If you get any bugs in these substrates, don’t worry unless they get on your lizard. Bark and husk can still pose a risk of your lizard ingesting the substrate.
Sand + soil
Some lizard species, for example Savannah monitors and white and black Tegus require burrows for digging and hiding. A good substrate for this would be sand and soil, mixed together. You should make a moist substrate to minimize any chances of your lizard swallowing it.
Moisture and humidity levels setup for terrariums
Humidity levels are important for lizards. Right moisture levels help their skin shedding. It also regulates hydration levels.
So, what are right humidity levels for different lizards and how to regulate these levels?
If you need to increase humidity levels in a terrarium:
- Use large water bowls and place them near hot basking spot of a terrarium to increase water evaporation.
- Some types of substrates can help increase moisture levels – such as fir bark and moss.
- Use a humidifier. If your lizard lives in humid areas in the wild, you may use this to increase moisture levels inside a terrarium. You can adjust the intensity of humidifier, ranging from misting to creating a fog. It works by vaporizing the water through a long tube to release the fog on the other side. It also works as a reptile dripper, as water drops may sometimes accumulate from the device and drip to the enclosure. You lizard can then lick these water drops and drink them.
If you need to decrease humidity levels in a terrarium:
- Use a screen cover with a hinged hood to allow fresh air to come in.
- If you have a damp or humid room, for example if you live in colder humid areas, you need to remove excess humidity from the air. For this purpose, use a room dehumidifier and place it your pet’s room.
You can use moss, such as sphagnum moss, for lizards that need higher humidity levels. Create a hide spot for them, with moisturized moss.
Alright, now let’s discuss what humidity levels different lizards need. For checking humidity levels in a terrarium use hydrometer gauge. A good choice is to get a hygrometer and thermometer, both installed in one piece of equipment.
Bearded dragons and humidity levels
Bearded dragons need dry air and low humidity. As bearded dragons can survive both dry and semi-dry conditions, make sure to avoid high humidity in its room and enclosure.
Humidity levels should range from 25 to 40 percent. You should mist your beardie and use heat bulbs to prevent any excess moisture level increase.
Geckos and humidity levels
Leopard geckos require 20 to 40 percent humidity levels. You must regulate right moisture levels to help them with shedding.
You can use sphagnum moss or any other moisture holding substrate in their hide boxes to help them with molting. Crested geckos require 50-85% humidity in the tank.
Humidity levels for iguanas
As most iguanas live in rain forests, they need high humidity levels of around 75-80%. To support these levels of humidity you will need to mist your iguana and even give it a bath.
Also use some of the tips above, on how to increase the humidity. Be cautious about leaving the humidifier on at night, as there is no much heat that can evaporate the moisture. Too much moisture can also lead to mold formation.
Humidity levels for chameleons
Chameleons are quite adaptive to humidity levels in the house. I would recommend keeping the humidity levels for veiled or panther chameleon at about 45-60%. You can also mist it to help with shedding.
- Humidity levels for monitor lizards
Monitor lizards, such as ackies, are also adaptive to moisture levels. Make sure to use a required substrate such as alfalfa to keep moisture levels right. You can also mist it and keep your eye on how your monitor is feeling. General number here would be 35 to 70 percent, but it always varies.
Humidity levels for white or black tegu
Tegu lizard require rather high humidity levels – from 65-80%. Like with other lizards, you can mist your tegu and use moisture holding substrate, such as sphagnum moss. Create a hide box for your tegu with damp moss to help it get moisture whenever your lizard needs it.
Plants, hide boxes, rocks and decorations for terrariums
Plants and decorations in a terrarium will depend on species of lizards. If you have a tropical, desert inhabitant you will need different decorations from rainforest lizards. Let’s review this.
Lizard hides:
Lizards need hide places where they can go and hide when they feel stressed or scared. They can also go there to relax. Make sure you get a hideout so that you lizard can fully fit inside for maximum comfort.
Hide boxes for bearded dragons:
I would recommend getting a resin hide box that mimics the rocks. Juvenile bearded dragons should fit in a medium or large hideout, and adult beardies – in a large to extra-large. Bearded dragons can also use hideouts with a platform for basking.
Hideouts for geckos:
Geckos are generally smaller in size. You can get a small rock hideout, and use if for creating both a basking spot on top and hideout underneath. It has an approximate height of 4 inches, which should be right for your gecko. Or you can just get a cave where it can fully hide.
Read our accessories guide to find ideal hideouts for your crested or leopard geckos.
Hideouts for other lizards:
If you need a hide box for any other large adult lizard, you can use the plastic hideout. Make sure the opening is not too small before you get it. If you have a large lizard, for example an iguana or monitor lizard, I would recommend making a hideout yourself.
You can use wood or plastic box to craft a hideout. Some other lizards such as chameleon or sailfin lizard need foliage setup, which they will climb and use to hide in.
You can also put two hide boxes in different parts of a terrarium, so your lizard can use any of them.
You can make one hideout with a heating underneath, so they can get warm up there, and one with no heating. As cold-blooded lizards are known for thermoregulation, your lizard is likely to use these hideouts according to its needs.
Other additions and decorations for a lizard tank
Firstly, you need to get food and water bowls. You can choose the size according to your lizard’s needs.
You will need to put various plants and branches in your lizard’s terrarium. As discussed above, lizards use plants and branches for climbing, hiding and relaxing.
Plants will also add to controlling moisture levels and general décor. Sometimes your lizards will be drinking water drops from plants and branches when you are misting the terrarium.
For plants, you can surely use non-toxic plastic or live plants. Try introducing them to fake plants (if this is your option) from an early age, so that they get used to them.
I would recommend getting fake plants, as they are easy to care for and are non-toxic if ingested. You can use plants such as Ficus, Croton, Mandarin, Ruscus and others. For live plants, try using Dracaena, Jasmine, Pilea, Lavender or Marigold.
Many plants can be toxic to your lizard, for example daffodils, sage, tulips, azalea and many others.
Then, you need to get branches for your lizard. You need to provide your lizard with branches so that they can climb them and relax on them. Make sure to get a branch that is the right size for your lizard.
You can use Mopani wood branches, forest branches, Grapewood vine branch. If you have a large lizard like iguana, you must get wide solid branches that they can climb and lay on. Make sure your lizard can climb the branch – try placing something under branches so the lizard can step on it.
For a basking and laying area you need to get a ramp or a platform. For larger lizards, such as iguanas and monitors, create a shelf or a board where they can comfortably lay and relax. Cover its basking area with a reptile carpet, to make it more comfortable and to provide a good grip.
You can also get a hammock like this that you lizard will love. Make sure that sizing is right, and your lizard can fit on the hammock. If the suction cups on the sides get weak and don’t hold on the sides of a terrarium, you can replace them with command adhesive hooks. The lizard ladder will help with climbing.
Thank you for reading this article! As this is a large article and building a terrarium takes time, you might bookmark this page and come back to read it later. Also comment if you have any questions so that I can answer them.
If you need more information of specific lizard species, check out care sheets articles!