Show me your bio active setup!
- Thread starter cruzv
- Start date
Madmango
Established Member
Your enclosure is nice looking, but I have to agree with @jamest0o0 this is not a bio active habitat.
A bioactive terrarium (or vivarium) is a terrarium for housing one or more terrestrial animals that includes live plants as well as populations of small invertebrates and microorganisms to consume and break down the waste products of the primary species.
Not really. Obviously the bottom not covered in substrate is not bioactive nor is it self sustained, but that doesn't invalidate that the there is still soil in the cage along with live plants, earthworms, isopods, springtails, stratiolaelaps scimitis in the enclosure which do self sustain in the pots and does fit the bioactive term. The users of chameleonforums.com aren't the authority on the definition of bioactive.
Thanks. My terrarium does include them even though you can't see them. Minus the substrate on the bottom of course.
PabloTheCham
Chameleon Enthusiast
The term bioactive also includes a sense of it serving a purpose, a flower pot with an isopod in it is not a bioactive setup. Bioactivity is to clean up waste from the primary species, and unless your cham does its needs in the pot everytime I wouldn't call that bioactive. If all needed for a bioactive set up is some invertebrates in the soil, I think we can all agree it would be hard NOT to have a bioactive setup (with real plants, of course)
Quick Draw Mcgraw
Member
ERKleRose
Chameleon Enthusiast
If the substrate layer is at least 6” deep, that is your lay bin. If your substrate layer is thinner or if she doesn’t want to lay in the bioactive soil, you’ll have to add in a regular lay bin for her (which you’d just add in like a normal cage).
Sonny13
Chameleon Enthusiast
Thanks for your reply, keep it mind
raven1139
Established Member
cruz.m
Avid Member
No one is being snarky if anything you are but whatever. (Don’t take me too seriously with the gifs I’m just in a good mood lol)
As for the meaning of bioactive technically there is a meaning....You can’t say your enclosure is bioactive and then say “minus the substrate” you’re contradicting yourself, so it’s not bioactive “entirely” since bioactive just means self sustaining right?
The definition of bioactive within an enclosure/terrarium/vivarium (coming from someone who doesn’t have a bioactive enclosure) is a bioactive terrarium (vivarium/enclosure) for housing one or more terrestrial animals. It includes live plants/sticks as well as populations of small invertebrates and microorganisms to consume and break down the waste products of the primary species, in which this case is a chameleon. Self-sustaining AND (quote on quote “and”) self-cleaning amongst other things.
Having those small bins with isopods and other bugs is more of just a place you’re providing for them to breed and I guess sustain/clean any poop that may fall there but it doesn’t mean it’s a bioactive enclosure. It’s absolutely beautiful and you could definitely make it bioactive! Or “our” definition of bioactive since “The users of chameleonforums.com aren't the authority on the definition of bioactive.”
(I got carried away with the gifs sorry
)
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This killed meNo one is being snarky if anything you are but whatever. (Don’t take me too seriously with the gifs I’m just in a good mood lol)
As for the meaning of bioactive technically there is a meaning....You can’t say your enclosure is bioactive and then say “minus the substrate” you’re contradicting yourself, so it’s not bioactive “entirely” since bioactive just means self sustaining right?
The definition of bioactive within an enclosure/terrarium/vivarium (coming from someone who doesn’t have a bioactive enclosure) is a bioactive terrarium (vivarium/enclosure) for housing one or more terrestrial animals. It includes live plants/sticks as well as populations of small invertebrates and microorganisms to consume and break down the waste products of the primary species, in which this case is a chameleon. Self-sustaining AND (quote on quote “and”) self-cleaning amongst other things.
Having those small bins with isopods and other bugs is more of just a place you’re providing for them to breed and I guess sustain/clean any poop that may fall there but it doesn’t mean it’s a bioactive enclosure. It’s absolutely beautiful and you could definitely make it bioactive! Or “our” definition of bioactive since “The users of chameleonforums.com aren't the authority on the definition of bioactive.”
(I got carried away with the gifs sorry
Great explanation!
Sonny13
Chameleon Enthusiast
(Unfortunately posted it in the wrong thread, however can´t remove it)
Finally finished the bio active setup. Mounted an extra plant grow led strip in the lower third part of the enclosure. Otherwise the dense foliage keeps away too much light from the bottom plants.
Placed a 2” drainage layer and another 5-6” of mixed soil layer. Created some privacy behind the fern and log for the eventual egg laying.
Added an army of springtails and white wood lice. Only need some more leaf litter (it was sold out)
Plant list:
Finally finished the bio active setup. Mounted an extra plant grow led strip in the lower third part of the enclosure. Otherwise the dense foliage keeps away too much light from the bottom plants.
Placed a 2” drainage layer and another 5-6” of mixed soil layer. Created some privacy behind the fern and log for the eventual egg laying.
Added an army of springtails and white wood lice. Only need some more leaf litter (it was sold out)
Plant list:
- Spider plant
- Umbrella plant
- Pothos
- Lipstick plant
- Tree fern
- Paper plant
- Madagascar Jasmine
- Silver Sword
- Rattlesnake plant
- Bromelia (Neoregelia ampullacea)
I LOVE it!! It turned out really nice!!!
Sonny13
Chameleon Enthusiast
Thanks
. I need to confess, me too 
. Had a lot of sleepless nights, just brainstorming how I could realize it, together with the COVID lockdown problems, however it worked out perfectly.
