Best substrate

[Ceilli3]

Hi all, I'm after some advice on the best substrate for a female chameleon. Recently had to empty out her whole bio active enclosure after she had parasites. I've disinfected & kept the clay stones for drainage-am thinking to put soil on top as before but then what? She had moss before layered on top of the soil & stuck to the back of the terrarium but I've been advised the moss isn't good, not sure what I can use instead & also want it to look nice. I feel she needs access to the soil as she tends to dig-may be trying to lay eggs (we are keeping an eye on this & upping calcium under vets advice). Also would like to get loads of plants in there growing out of soil & back of enclosure & some ledges so it'll be similar to how she'd have lived if in Wild & make it nice & humid. She had ledges on the moss wall before where she liked to hide behind plants but I had to throw them out as they were attached to the moss sheet. Thanks for any advice anyone can give. I have some time to work out what to do & to get all the materials while I'm waiting to ensure she's parasite free but don't wanna leave it too long to start sorting as she's in a basic sterile set up at mo which pretty crap for her! I'd like to be ready to do it all as soon as I'm sure the parasites aren't coming back.

 

[Matt Vanilla Gorilla]

No substrate, just a laying box. Substrate can be ingested by accident and cause death.

 

[Ceilli3]

Thanks. So no soil either?

 

[Matt Vanilla Gorilla]

If you have a female that is old enough to lay eggs you do want a lay bin/box. Otherwise nothing on the bottom. Some people put down paper towel. But, even that is risky!

 

[Ceilli3]

Thnx

 

[Davecameos]

Hi,

I know some people will disagree with this but bioactive vivariums are not dangerous at all if done properly.
There has been a lot of research done and more people here (Europe) are using bio to keep their chams.
As long as you have a few inches of clay balls on the bottom, then put the draining mesh on top of the balls then some top soil. Not pesticides or fertiliser in it. You should be ok. My females all dig and lay in situ.
I personally use top soil mixed with arcadia earth grow soil. A safe type of soil with nutrients for vivariums. Then I plant plants in it. Those plants need to be free of fertiliser etc. I do not recommend using any other type of substrate. Not coco dusk or anything like it. Not barks etc. Just soil. Then on top of soil you can put areas with some big chunks of moss.
Some of my montane females lay under the moss other ones dig a big further in the soil.
Also to make it even better. You need custodians in the soil like springtails and woodlice. They will eat the poop and keep the soil clean. They also eat the dead leaves etc.
If you use a light for plants growth like the arcadia jungle dawn (in my opinion the best in the market) plus your basking spot and uv you will be all set
As I said many people will disagree but this is used more and more by breeders on this side of the pond.
This is just my opinion. I respect other point of views.

This is one of my vivs:

 

[Ceilli3]

Ooh it looks really good! What plants have you got in there? I want to try to use ones that are ok for chams because even though mine doesn't eat them-I believe the crickets do (they borrow under the soil so can't always get them out if she doesn't eat them all) & sometimes the locusts get a bit before they're eaten & I worry then that my Cham is ingesting some of the plants through the insects. I want something like your set up-lots of lush greenery & ivy type plants hanging down from walls just not sure what plants to use.

I have a 3in1 uv, heat & full spectrum light-do you think this would be enough for plants? If not I'll look into the jungle dawn one as I've heard a lot of good stuff about these. I'm going to put another uv strip light across top too as I don't think the 3in1 covers the whole Viv & need to make sure my Cham has enough uv.

 

[leedragon]

Just of curiosity. why should one avoid fertilisers?

 

[Davecameos]

Just of curiosity. why should one avoid fertilisers?

I should have said unless it is organic and not chemicals in it or diluted version of aquarium plants fertilisers.
I do not use them.

 

[Davecameos]

Ooh it looks really good! What plants have you got in there? I want to try to use ones that are ok for chams because even though mine doesn't eat them-I believe the crickets do (they borrow under the soil so can't always get them out if she doesn't eat them all) & sometimes the locusts get a bit before they're eaten & I worry then that my Cham is ingesting some of the plants through the insects. I want something like your set up-lots of lush greenery & ivy type plants hanging down from walls just not sure what plants to use.

I have a 3in1 uv, heat & full spectrum light-do you think this would be enough for plants? If not I'll look into the jungle dawn one as I've heard a lot of good stuff about these. I'm going to put another uv strip light across top too as I don't think the 3in1 covers the whole Viv & need to make sure my Cham has enough uv.

I will try to name some plants later. There are so many.
I am not sure about the full spectrum light. I have always used arcadia JD LED and it works for me.

 

[Davecameos]

Just of curiosity. why should one avoid fertilisers?

Also the chemicals in fertilisers can modify the toxicity of the plants. Since chams drink from leaves I do not recommend them. The waste and dead leaves are broken down by the custodians and that works as a natural fertiliser

 

[Davecameos]

Ooh it looks really good! What plants have you got in there? I want to try to use ones that are ok for chams because even though mine doesn't eat them-I believe the crickets do (they borrow under the soil so can't always get them out if she doesn't eat them all) & sometimes the locusts get a bit before they're eaten & I worry then that my Cham is ingesting some of the plants through the insects. I want something like your set up-lots of lush greenery & ivy type plants hanging down from walls just not sure what plants to use.

I have a 3in1 uv, heat & full spectrum light-do you think this would be enough for plants? If not I'll look into the jungle dawn one as I've heard a lot of good stuff about these. I'm going to put another uv strip light across top too as I don't think the 3in1 covers the whole Viv & need to make sure my Cham has enough uv.

That viv on the picture has got a dracaena punctualata, an umbrella plant, blue ginger plant and spanish moss (not a real moss but an air plant) sorry for the typos.
You can also use ferns, hibiscus, magnolia, asparagus etc

For custodians I use springtails, grey isopods, white tropical isopods and hypoaspis miles (theses eat nematodes if any)