East facing full window terrarium

[electrobawz]

I'm thinking about making a very technical full window terrarium for geckos and possibly other reptiles/frogs. I want to get advice on building materials and plants. I want to include a water feature that would also allow the watering of the plants with the turn of a flow switch. The window is 5ft x5ft with a 1.5ft instep. Heat pads will be used in winter and will be between the window and the lower part of the terrarium. I will need some kind of mesh for the upper windows so they could still open (a box to access the handles will be built into the terrarium). Any improvements to the idea would be greatfully received.

 

[JoulesBurn]

It sounds like a gorgeous idea. Just make sure to take a few things into consideration as you do so.

If the enclosure is glass on the other side, it could heat up quite a lot if the sun hits that window. I would imagine the effect could be similar to when sun shines for several hours on an aquarium enclosure. It can cause a lot of temperature fluctuation which can be stressful for animals. So do a lot of testing before going 'live' if you do it.

It sounds like you'd be doing a live biome enclosure rather than individual enclosures within such a set up? Just pay close attention to all species. This is the Leopard Gecko section, so I'm thinking about them, but I can't see their care matching any frog's and mixing reptiles in an enclosure, even a large one, can lead to disastrous interactions between the individuals.