Maintaining small monsters that normally are very large is, I dare say, a passion of mine. It is certainly more than a casual or occasional hobby. One of my goals with this blog is to share that passion, perhaps spark it in some readers, and to pass along some of the finer bits of wisdom I've acquired over the years on this challenging but fascinating interest. So, I bring you another installment in this irregular series of posts on the subject. To find the others, just search on the category “Magic Monster Care” (category/monstercare/).
After what to feed your tiny beast, your next most pressing concern is likely to be providing a suitable habitat. The typical metal cage or glass enclosure simply won't provide your monster the conditions it needs to thrive, and also won't generally protect you or the other human members of your household from the monster. You need a sturdier construction that can replicate as closely as possible your creature's normal habitat.
This might seem like a daunting challenge at first, since your monster probably originated in a swamp, tundra, desert, deep ocean, magma filled cave, or other inhospitable environment. But don't lose heart. After all, providing for your tiny monster is not nearly as challenging as acquiring it in the first place! And since you obviously have access to some pretty powerful magic, it should be no problem to recreate the conditions your monster is accustomed to. Here is a handy guide.
| Environment | Ways to duplicate it |
| Desert | Maintain heat with a nearby stove. Use smokeless cooking fuel. |
| Swamp | Fog Cloud spell |
| Ocean | Fine adjustment of salinity is required. The Prestidigitation spell can be very useful in this regard. |
| Glacier | Cone of Cold spell |
| Underground | Use a dark enclosure, and a Darkvision or Blindsight spell so you can still see your monster. |
That just leaves construction of your enclosure to contain the monster and its accustomed environment. While I prefer GlassSteel to most other materials, it is often out of reach of all but the most wealthy — or most magically gifted — of monster collectors. And if your creature prefers soft magma to burrow in, even the GlassSteel will probably fail at some point, with catastrophic results. Here are some simpler, more reliable, and more attainable construction materials.
Adamantite. Be careful not to expose it to direct sunlight. Best for nocturnal or underground dwellers.
Wall of Force. The go-to spell for containment, visibility, and panache. Difficult but not impossible to include a bypass to allow for feeding and cleaning up any monster residue.
Regular glass, metal, or wood, but enchanted with a protection spell. Potentially much more economical than other options, easier to work with to create a style that shows off your creature best, and the type of protection can usually be tailored to resist the particular habitat or monster attack style.
Etheric resonators. These are a must for the non-corporeal denizens of your menagerie. The Ether field is completely invisible to normal sight, but effectively restrains anything with an Ethereal component to their existence. Don't get the popular cordless rechargeable kind, though. You could return from a vacation to a haunted house!
Mimics. Supremely adaptable and very hardy, these creatures can assume the shape of any enclosure you like. They have the added advantage of growing along with your captive monster. Feed them well, however, or you might find that they eat the occupant when you aren't looking.
I wish you the most success with your tiny monster collection.