A Tropical Rainforest Vivarium for an Emerald Tree Boa

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is a large, vertically-oriented tropical rainforest vivarium built into a bookcase wall in a home office.  The office décor is traditional, with finely crafted bookcases, cabinets and a coffered ceiling all of mahogany and floor and fireplace mantle of imported Italian marble.  Floor to ceiling windows offer a spectacular view of the surrounding oak woodlands. The primary resident of the vivarium will be a choice captive-bred emerald tree boa, selected for exceptional color and pattern.  The vivarium will also house a small collection of colorful dart frogs.

The landscape includes a simulated artesian spring emptying into a small stream, which meanders along the forest floor and flows into a small forest pool.  The rock used in the water feature and landscape is a rugged volcanic variety for an authentic jungle look.  The stream/pool water is circulated and cleaned by an under-tank filtration system.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The centerpiece plant is a bonsaied weeping fig.  Trained for years for use in a vivarium, it simulates the look of an ancient tropical forest tree, with an exposed, gnarled root system and picturesque branch structure.  It supports an array of epiphytic plants, including orchids, bromeliads, tillandsias and mosses.  It will provide an appropriate environment for the emerald tree boa, which is arboreal.  The forest floor features a lush carpet of moss, punctuated with terrestrial orchids, bromeliads, ferns, club mosses and a variety of other small, tropical plants.  The stream and pool contain various tropical bog and aquatic plants.

The tank is about 6½’ tall.  The front is about 3⅓’ across.   It is fabricated entirely of crystal-clear Starfire glass.  The entire face of the vivarium is a hinged cabinet style door.  This facilitates a clean, unobstructed view into the vivarium, and the door swings open for full front access to the vivarium.

The lighting system simulates natural tropical sunlight in spectrum, intensity and photoperiod, including the simulation of dawn and dusk.  At night, the light of a full moon is simulated.  An exhaust fan in the space above the tank removes air heated by the lights, venting it outside the house.

A fogging system waters epiphytic plants and maintains substrate moisture and tropical air humidity.  A reverse osmosis/deionization unit, fed from the household water system, produces purified water for the fogging system and water feature refill system, which automatically maintains the water level in the forest pool.  A high-pressure pump runs the foggers at frequent intervals.  A drainage system connected to the household drain system removes excess substrate moistur

This is a juvenile emerald tree boa. As it grows to adulthood, it will become bright emerald green with a striking white pattern down the back.

Look for an article on this vivarium in Reptiles Magazine in the fall of 2008.