Anyone experienced with bioactives?

jamest0o0

jamest0o0

Chameleon Enthusiast
I've wanted to set up a Bioactive bottom for my larger cage that I am moving my male panther to. I have never done one before, but have read a lot about them. It seems like it would be a fun project and a nice addition to his enclosure. My plan is to find a sturdy bin with the dimensions of my cage and have the cage sit on top. Holes would be drilled in the bottom of the bin for drainage. I was thinking of either planting some larger umbrella and money trees in it or keeping the trees raised up on the sides of the cage with dragon ledges and have baby tears carpet the floor. Any thoughts on this? Anyone out there with experience have any links, suggestions, or any other input.
 
I definitely I'm looking into making a bioactive substrate layer for my chams, all the new research about impactions seem to be more very rare occasions and bio active bottoms look and seem to be more of a natural environment, I'm putting together a bioactive enclosure for a uroplatus now and it's not too bad given the proper substrates, I'm using abg mix by Josh's frogs
 
Davecameos said:
There are a few myths around about impaction. I wonder how they do in the wild :)
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well the thing is that in the wild chameleons are not restricted to be so Close to the ground. It is my understanding that some will never come to the ground during their Life hunting and mating high up in the branches.
 
That's the counterargument i've read a lot, is they're in a restricted space with us. the ground will be covered for the most part though. Bioactives set up correctly apparently help control bacteria, fungus, mold, humidity, dead bugs, feces, etc. At least from what i read! Don't hold me to that, but if done safely it sounds like a pretty great addition. Most people on here have told me as long as they aren't eating piles of dort or spined objects(like in moss) they should be fine.
 
jamest0o0 said:
That's the counterargument i've read a lot, is they're in a restricted space with us. the ground will be covered for the most part though. Bioactives set up correctly apparently help control bacteria, fungus, mold, humidity, dead bugs, feces, etc. At least from what i read! Don't hold me to that, but if done safely it sounds like a pretty great addition. Most people on here have told me as long as they aren't eating piles of dort or spined objects(like in moss) they should be fine.
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probably. what I am saying due That the conditions we keep them in are Not the same as in nature. and When We try to replicate it, we are not really replicating the niche they live In. Those being high above ground in the branches. Will the soild kill the chameleon in captivity? In don't know, Chris has kept chameleons like this with success. a good friend of mine has had great success housekeeping hoehneliis of all ages like this. I may try it some day, but for the time being I like the idiot proof aproache.
 
leedragon said:
well the thing is that in the wild chameleons are not restricted to be so Close to the ground. It is my understanding that some will never come to the ground during their Life hunting and mating high up in the branches.
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Yes that is right but some species use the ground too.
 
jamest0o0 said:
Sounds great thank you
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I cannot help with the viv because I was lucky here in the UK and my friend from Muji made me inserts so I could have the substrate.

The basics are to use a few inches of hydroballs then put on top a mesh (for instance the zoomed substrate mesh, but similar things are sold in garden centers) then on top of the mesh you need soil. Free of chemicals. Something like topsoil and arcadia earth mix are then ones I use. Avoid coco fiber or anything like bark etc. Then you can use moss if you want to increase humidity. It depends on the cham species you keep. I have montane species so I need the humidity. I use carpet moss and similar things that are not loose. I have had no problems. Here in Europe many people keep reptiles like that. If we avoid certain products, a healthy cham had minimum risk of impaction. There are studies on this side of the pond about this.

The best thing to do after adding the plants is to get custodians: springtails, woodlice etc. They will eat the poop and the mould etc helping to breakdown all the rubbish converting it in natural fertiliser for the plants. It will not be bio if there are not custodians.

Jungle dawn led would help to keep the plants alive. I have to trim them every now and then :)

If you cannot find a box that fits the viv, some people make a wooden frame and wrapped in pond liner to make the base.

Hope this helps.

20161119_164416.jpg

I have got some surprise babies at the moment. I had an empty bio viv which I did not know one of females had laid eggs before they went to my friend's house. Thanks to the custodians and the microclimate going on the cage those babies made it. If it was a sterile viv they would have died.
 
That's a pretty great looking enclosure, is that moss on your branches? No problems with them eating that? I heard moss is risky with impaction, i originally wanted to have some hanging from branches and such, but decided against it for that reason. For the carpet moss, does that cover the entire floor instead of leaf litter for you? As mentioned above the ABG mix from josh's frogs looks nice, any thought on this, I'd like to put plants in the substrate. So hydroballs-mesh-soil

I was going to use foam carved and covered with silicone and cocofiber for my background too.

appreciate the help, sorry for all the questions!
 
The moss you see on the pic are hand made moss vines. They have a wire and can be shaped. I make them myself. They are safe as they are compact. I have been using them for 2 years now and people buy them here. So it is all good. The hanging plant is an airplant called spanish moss.
I put areas on the bottom with moss. My females lay eggs under it and it helps to keep the humidity. Some people cover the entire bottom with it. I only do sections. If you find a compact moss the chances for eating it are minimum. Some people use leaf litter too. I have only used the leaf litter for pygmies. My other bigger chams get bare soil and moss.

I am not familiar with the substrate you mention, as long as it is a fine soil and it has not got fibers, bark chips, little stones in it you should be ok.
 
How would carpet moss and spanish moss do in a panther enclosure where humidity is lower in the 50-70 range? I was reading awhile back and the main complain with moss seemed to be it required too much moisture and humidity to live. Also just out of curiosity, do you have any instructions on how to make the hand-made moss vines or know where to buy them?
 
Spanish moss do well. They do not need a lot of water. In fact I wait for it to dry before misting again.
Moss on top of soil will be a bit wet.
 
jamest0o0 said:
How would carpet moss and spanish moss do in a panther enclosure where humidity is lower in the 50-70 range? I was reading awhile back and the main complain with moss seemed to be it required too much moisture and humidity to live. Also just out of curiosity, do you have any instructions on how to make the hand-made moss vines or know where to buy them?
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Are you in America or Europe?
 
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