Cage furnishings are used to make an enclosure more interesting for both keeper and animal. A variety of furnishings can be used, and they will be discussed here in a rough order of importance for the animal.

Substrate
Firstly, most enclosures should have a substrate. Because this is such a large topic and source of disagreement amongst keepers, it has its own page - the substrate information page.

Water Bowl
Very important, as all animals require water, but you need to ensure that the water bowl is suitable for the animal, as well as the enclosure. When choosing a water bowl, you need to take into consideration the size of the animal, as a number of species will immerse themselves to soak fully within the bowl. You need to consider this also when filling the bowl, as the animal will displace water when it gets in (just like you do in a bath!). For this reason, it is best not to fill your water bowls to the very top.
It is also important to ensure that the animal can get out of the bowl, so you don't end up with your animal drowning. This is more of a problem for juvenile animals, especially lizards. This can be overcome by using a smaller water bowl, or placing rocks in the water bowl to act as stepping stones for the animal to get out. You also need to make sure that the bowl can't be tipped over to flood the enclosure! The best way to check this is to push down on the sides of the bowl, to ensure you can't knock it over.
The placement of the water bowl is also a consideration, because if the water is under a heat source, the water will evaporate quickly and the enclosure will be humid. This can be a good thing for some species that require high humidity all the time, or just during the shedding process. However, some animals (such as those that come from arid environments) must have a dry environment, so you need to position the water bowl as far away from the heat source as possible.
Finally, water should be changed regularly, every 3 - 5 days is best. Make sure you wash the bowl out carefully - see the hygiene page for more information.

Hide box

Next on the list is the hide box. Hide boxes are very important, as reptiles are generally solitary, cryptic animals, which spend most of their time hidden. If you place this type of animal in plain view with no means of escape, most, if not all animals, will eventually end up getting stressed, and which can result in many illnesses, such as parasitic infection, food refusal, inactivity, respiratory infections, etc. Juvenile animals are especially prone to becoming stressed in the manner. Hide boxes are easy to make, and can be as simple or as fancy as you like. For juvenile animals, a small box such as a light bulb box, ornament box, or our personal favourite, a computer mouse box (for snakes of course!) with a hole cut in the side serves the purpose well. These have the advantage that they are just tossed out as soon as they are soiled. Larger animals require a larger hide box, and obviously a larger hole in the front! The simplest type is just a wooden box (similar to a bird breeding box) which has a large hole cut in the front, and an easily-removed lid. Remember to have an easy to remove lid - otherwise you will find it hard to get to your animal when you want/have to. More complex (and some would say better looking) are fake hide rocks. These can be made from a standard wooden hide box, and then covered with fiberglass, plaster or mortar mix, and painted in rock colours. These can look quite good, and serve a double purpose of both a hide box and a basking platform. If you don't want to make this type of thing yourself, you can buy moulded fiberglass hide rocks from some reptile supply companies (such as Ultimate Reptile Supplies). These look great, are lightweight and easy to clean, and are available in a range of sizes, but can be on the costly side. The final option is a fake floor or shelf in your enclosure, with a hole to allow the animal in. This doesn't take up much space, and effectively doubles the floor space available to the animal while also giving it somewhere to hide. The downside is to get to this hiding spot, often the enclosure will have to be dismantled partly to remove the floor/shelf so the animal can be accessed. Whatever option you choose, be sure to allow a large enough space for the animal (or animals!) to get into, and ensure that the opening is large enough for the animal to get in and out. If there are two or more animals kept in the same enclosure, the opening needs to be able to cope with multiple animals trying to enter/exit at the same time without a blockage occurring. It also is worthwhile having a hide box in a number of locations around the enclosure, to allow your animal to choose a hide box which is at the right temperature for it. A final word. When you clean your enclosure, be sure to clean the hide box!! Otherwise it is kind of like cleaning your house, but never changing the sheets. See the hygiene page for more information.

Cardboard hide boxes for small snakes. Open front hide box for small animals. Hide box design. Large wooden hide box. Note the small hide box on top. Fiberglass hide rock (Ultimate Hide Rock). Hide shelf and below floor hide box design.

Basking Spot
Most reptiles need a place to bask - that is, a place that they can sit in the Sun to get warm. In an enclosure, this is usually a spotlight of some form focussed on a rock or branch (see the heating page). Consequently, it's important to include some furniture in your enclosure that will provide a suitable platform. Branches and rocks are the most common.

Climbing apparatus (branches)
Branches provide both vertical space in the enclosure for climbing (and hence exercise), a place to provide a basking platform, and a means for the animal to regulate its temperature by moving up or down in the enclosure's temperature range.
Branches can be obtained ready for use from most pet shops at greatly inflated prices, but most people tend to go and find their own, for obvious reasons. You can also get branches easily from firewood supply companies, and landscape suppliers. Wherever you get the branch from, be sure that it is dry, rot-, fungus- and insect-free, and solid. You'll also need to make sure you collect the branch from a legal source (so forget about taking your chainsaw down to the local National Park).
When you get the branch home, you must assume that it is carrying insects/parasites/chemicals that could possibly harm your animal. Be sure to disinfect and dry it thoroughly before putting it in your enclosure. See the hygiene page for more information.
Once the branch is clean and dry, you need to mount it securely in the enclosure, with nails, screws or wire, to ensure it is stable and not going to collapse on your animal or through the front of the glass door.

Rocks
Rocks not only make your enclosure look good, but they also provide hiding places and basking spots for your animal. When you get your rocks, be sure they are solid. Sandstone sometimes gets brittle or dissolves when wet, falling to pieces in the enclosure. Also, make sure the rocks do not have large amount of mineral ore either in or on the rock, as this can be toxic for both you and your animal.

As with branches, when you get the rocks home, be sure to disinfect and dry them thoroughly before adding them to your enclosure. See the hygiene page for more information.
Make sure the rocks are stable, and all small gaps underneath are filled. You don't want the rock to move and squash you animal, or your animal to get stuck or hide underneath where you can't reach them!

Fake Walls
Fake walls can look great. Here are some good websites for more information:

Making fake rocks from taxidermy.net
Many different instructions/ideas on making fake rocks, rock walls, scenery using latex, casts, foam, moulding latex, and other substances.

Creating Your Own Fiberglass 3D Aquarium Background
How to build a background/rock wall/scenery for an aquarium/fishtank using fiberglass, resin, FRP (fiber reinforced plastic), Polyester resin, sand and wood. A good set of instructions, DIY
ideas. Could easy be applied to enclosures/vivariums.

Geodesic Foam Scenery Instructions
A company that specialises in model railway scenery, that has ideas/hints/tips/products that could be applied to rock wall, hidebox and enclosure/vivarium decoration.

Plants
While plants can make an enclosure look very natural, you must be careful about what you bring into your enclosure, as plants can be toxic, or carry parasites or diseases.

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