Vivariums for beginners

[Stinky1513]

Hello everyone, i just had some basic questions about making my very first Vivarium for a Crocodile Skink.
This will be my very first Vivarium and i already have an idea of how i want to set it up but I have almost no idea how to care for a vivarium or how to keep live animals in one; I have many species of desert dwelling reptiles but I have never made a vivarium.
I will be using a "18x18x18" Exo Terra Vivarium tank for my one crocodile skink.
I have watched lots of videos on how to set up a vivarium but I can't seem to find anything about how to Maintain and care for a vivarium for Crocodile skinks.
I watched this video by LLLREPTILES on youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHZigPbLL7g

This video was very helpful for how to set up a Vivarium for Croc Skinks but it didn't have any information on how to care for the vivarium or how to take care to waste.
All that i am asking is if someone can maybe help me understand all the basics requirements and needs of taking care of my very first vivarum
I want to start this thread so that many people like me who are new to keeping Vivariums can learn how keep one and maintain a living Vivarium.
Thanks for any help and as always have a nice day!

 

[acpart]

I haven't kept crocodile skinks, but I do have planted vivs for a variety of species including: day geckos, cresties, gargs, fat tail geckos, leopard geckos.
In general, I find that the planted tanks, with the addition of isopods and springtails (and in the case of the desert enclosures, dermasted beetles and their larvae) maintain themselves. I've had some planted enclosures going for 8 years without "cleaning". Set up the viv, make sure you have the kind of lighting that will sustain the plants if you have plants, get some isopods/springtails either from the outside or online. The scavengers will eat most or all of the poop, the poop will fertilize the plants and things should work out well.

Aliza

 

[Stinky1513]

Thanks alot for the advice, i had never thought about putting some springtails in my vivarium.
How many Springtails do i need to place in my Vivarium? Also, do you have any suggestions on where i could possibly buy them.
Will misting keep my vivarium well watered enough, and do you have any suggestions on how to keep the humidity level up for my Croc Skinks. THey need a relatively high humidity of around 80-100 percent.
I should be buying my croc skinks within about a month or so and will keep the thread updated about my Vivarium and My Pair of croc skinks that i should be recieving shortly.

 

[acpart]

I would imagine there are croc skink forums where this is discussed. There is a basic viv tutorial at Welcome! You have discovered Black Jungle Terrarium Supply - The Natural Choice!! which explains about drainage layers, etc. As far as springtails go, they just seem to appear in vivs. Google "isopods for sale" and you'll find some sources. I put some orange and white ones in different vivs 3 years ago and I still see them there (they breed easily). I would imagine that you would maintain humidity that high by covering the screen top with glass or plexi, misting twice daily and having plants. Consult with dart frog people for advice about that.

Aliza