Terrarium vs. Vivarium

So I was talking with a friend of mine, as he recently started getting into plants. I always was under the impression a vivarium was a plant tank but he calls his plant habitats terrariums.

So what exactly is a vivarium and how is it different than a terrarium?

Vivariums have screens on all sides and allow air to flow through the cage freely where as terrariums have glass on most sides and do not allow very much airflow.

csmolins89 said:

Vivariums have screens on all sides and allow air to flow through the cage freely where as terrariums have glass on most sides and do not allow very much airflow.

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This is not true. Often, vivariums are completely glassed in with small screen vents for air flow. Vivariums are, essentially miniature ecosystems complete with microfauna and otherwise to mimic natural processes. Dart frogs are kept, most frequently, in vivariums. They are very humid environments that allow for plant matter to decay and then be eaten by microfauna in order to produce nutrients and sustain the environment.

I am not sure on the exact difference from a terrarium, but I think they are usually much drier than vivaria.

If I am not mistaken, terrariums include pretty much only plants. No microfauna or other inhabitants.

Vivarium literally translates to "place of life". It is a broad term given to an area for raising animals and plants. A terrarium is a type of vivarium more specifically for land animals/plants (terr = land) though I've often heard people in the reptile keeping world using terrarium to describe a glass enclosure specifically. In contrast, an aquarium is a vivarium designed to hold water for aquatic animals/plants.

ChamMan7 said:

If I am not mistaken, terrariums include pretty much only plants. No microfauna or other inhabitants.

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This is correct.
Terrariums include only plants, if you add an animal it becomes a vivarium, if it has a smal waterfeature it's called a paludarium and if it has a large waterfeature it's a riparium.

TKexotics said:

This is correct.
Terrariums include only plants, if you add an animal it becomes a vivarium, if it has a smal waterfeature it's called a paludarium and if it has a large waterfeature it's a riparium.

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My understanding is that terrarium was originally used exclusively for plant enclosures but can now be used for land animal enclosures too. Exo Terra describe their enclosures as terrariums http://www.exo-terra.com/en/products/terrariums.php

Google says...
Viv....
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/vivarium
Ter...
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/terrarium

Loadout said:

My understanding is that terrarium was originally used exclusively for plant enclosures but can now be used for land animal enclosures too. Exo Terra describe their enclosures as terrariums http://www.exo-terra.com/en/products/terrariums.php

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Almost the whole world uses the term terrarium for the enclosure they keep their animals in now, even we do it ourself, but that still doesn't mean it's right.
People just use it in the wrong way, even Exo terra, and google too so it seems.

But on the other hand, as long as we understand eachother and the enclosure provides in everything the animal or plants you keep in it needs, we personaly don't realy care what they are called.

Hmm interesting. Thanks for all the responses!

TKexotics said:

Almost the whole world uses the term terrarium for the enclosure they keep their animals in now, even we do it ourself, but that still doesn't mean it's right.
People just use it in the wrong way, even Exo terra, and google too so it seems.

But on the other hand, as long as we understand eachother and the enclosure provides in everything the animal or plants you keep in it needs, we personaly don't realy care what they are called.

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The definitions of words will quite often change, that doesn't mean the new definitions are wrong, assuming they are changed in dictionaries. Anyways, I think we will have to agree to disagree on this one

Loadout said:

The definitions of words will quite often change, that doesn't mean the new definitions are wrong, assuming they are changed in dictionaries. Anyways, I think we will have to agree to disagree on this one

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I guess we do, but that's okay.

On the other hand, we don't completely disagree and might have been a bit fast with what we said, because you could be right, if it's changed in dictionaries it's correct.
But, i'm pretty sure it used to be "ter" for al plant organisms, and "viv" for animals.

How about this. Either say: my aquarium with animals and/or plants in it. OR my cage with.... in it. that should make things much simpler.