Setting up a “rainforest” terrarium
Materials
10 gallon aquarium with lighted hood cover
pottery bowl or glass ashtray (glue stone chips on the edges with silicon aquarium cement to improve the appearance)
potting soil
vermiculite
peat moss
sand
horticultural charcoal
rocks and woodchips for decoration
plants
2 chameleons
pebbles or coarse gravel
Procedure
1.
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Spread a 1 inch layer of gravel over the aquarium floor, cover this with 1/2 inch layer of charcoal. (The charcoal keeps the soil filtered and “sweet”)
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2.
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Mix the soil in the following proportions; Potting soil-6, vermiculite-2, peat moss-2, sand-1, charcoal-1. Spread a 2 inch layer of soil mix over the gravel/charcoal base, slope uphill toward the back of the aquarium. Decorate with the rocks and wood chips.
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3.
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Set the water dish firmly into the soil, but be sure it can be removed for cleaning.
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4.
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Select moisture-loving plants from a nursery or florist shop and place them in the soil, with the pot or without.
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5.
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Chameleons (American anoles) will be very happy in this damp green world. Crickets or meal worms can be purchased at a pet store for their dinner. If the room you will be keeping this terrarium in will be cool the addition of a heated rock (sold at pet stores) is an important addition for the health of the animals.
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6.
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The plants will need light to grow, special bulbs are available, but do not leave the light on all the time ( the chameleons will suffer) and do not place the terrarium in a sunny window ( everything will overheat). Check the temperature and moisture level daily until you are sure that it is stable.
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Extension activity
If you are able to obtain a good supply of tropical plants you can use the remaining soil to make mini-terrariums in 2 liter soda bottles with the whole class at a very reasonable cost. The children may want to decorate their bottle worlds with small plastic or ceramic animals instead of real ones (which need more room).