I know what you're thinking, why do we need to waterproof an arid setup? Well all will become apparent soon! Wooden vivariums can become damaged by excessive amounts of moisture, and also leak as the joins are not sealed like those on a glass tank, so we have to waterproof them before we can do anymore. There are 2 simple methods you could use to do this: firstly, using an aquarium silicone and reptile safe varnish, which you can use to coat the entire sides and base of your vivarium. When I built my setup, I needed a quick solution, so opted to use damp- proof membrane, which I cut with scissors and secured in place with a staple gun. You could also use pond liner, or any other safe, similarly waterproof material. With the second method you should try to staple as close to the top level to prevent any moisture going through the small holes created by the staples. For the same reason, avoid stapling the base!

Even plants tolerent of hotter, harsher conditions still need to be watered! In order to give the plants the best shot at survival in the vivarium, I decided to create a damp layer separate from the main substrate layer which my lizard, Cairo, wouldn't be able to get access to. In order to keep this layer moist, I needed to have a system to water the plants directly at their roots. I used 2 short lengths of hose to run from just above where my substrate would come to into the area in which my plant's roots would grow. I simply cut the hose using a pair of garden cutters and secured it in place with heavy duty tape.

Now we have a waterproof base and a method in place to water our plants, we can begin the next step.

Next, I added in the planting medium: organic, peat-free top soil.

Previous to doing this, I had a rough idea how I wated my setup to look and where the plants would be. The raised areas are where I later added my plants and created my main basking spot. Not only did this top soil provide the perfect substrate to plant into, but it also cut the costs of the more expensive reptile substrate I used later in the build as I required much less. In this vivarium, which is just under 4ft in length and 18 inches deep, I used about 1 1/2 20 litre bags of top soil. This is one of the only images I took throughout the build that really shows how much the levels change across the setup.

Additionally, it is important to compact the soil as tight as possible. This will stop heavy items like rocks sinking into it later, and means there is less likely to be movement in the soil when water is added through the irrigation pipes.

I was concerned that with damp soil sat at the base of the setup, it would stagnate and possibly begin to smell and cause other issues. In an attempt to prevent this, I added a number of mealworms, which I hoped would aerate the top soil layer. Before adding them I had compacted the soil, so gave them time to get into the substrate before I continued with the next step.

My hope is that these will thrive in the conditions and overtime, as they become Darkling Beetles, reproduce keeping a steady population in the damp layer.

After creating the damp layer, I needed to make certain that Cairo could not access it due to it being more humid than the rest of the setup needed to be. Therefore, I went on to add a second layer of damp- proof membrane over the surface of the top soil, doing my best to follow the contours. I trimmed the excess using a pair of scissors, although a sharp cutting knife would also work brilliantly. Once again I used a staple gun to fix this in place.

To eradicate any chance of Cairo getting between the vivarium wall and the membrane, I used the heavy duty tape to tape the seam all the way around the edge. You could skip the staples and go straight tape if desired, however this would be more difficult and an extra pair of hands would probably come in handy!

Finally, I added the substrate that we would see and that Cairo would use to burrow and explore. I used my favourite arid substrate, ProRep BioLife Desert, which includes a variety of different textures, colours, materials and sizes giving a far more naturalistic look than any of the other substrates I have used.

Below are images of the finished setup, which I hope will inspire far more naturalistic arid setups and prove that arid reptiles can have, and deserve, far more than some sand, a hide and a rock or two before they can truly have that natural setup. If you've tried your hand at your own arid setup following this guide, I'd love to see! Contact or tag me through Instagram @alis_menagerie, where you'll also be more than welcome to ask any questions you still have when it comes to natural setups!