I’m looking to make my first bioactive enclosure and I need some guidance on it. I bought the ReptiBreeze full mesh 24x24x48 enclosure, I’m wondering what people with fully mesh enclosures use at the bottoms to hold the substrate in? I’ve only heard of two different options: Pond liner, or a plastic bin (seems hard to find a 24x24 plastic bin). My second question I’m wondering about is should I do a more standard style with a drainage layer or should I get the more high dollar TerraFirma self draining substrate where I don’t have to worry about a drainage layer? I’m very new to this, I’m just loosely basing my ideas on YouTube videos and research I’ve done. Any suggestions are welcome, pictures are even better if possible! Thanks in advance!
First bioactive enclosure!
- Thread starter hharper02
- Start date
MissSkittles
Chameleon Enthusiast
Hi. I use root pouches, like this one. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Root-Po...Pots-with-Handles-Planter-BB900-45H/306677187 Since they are round, you want it to be larger than 24” so it will fit in the corners. I believe you could probably find some square ones on Amazon, but I’ve found the quality is hit or miss. Some are very thin and flimsy.
This is what I used to guide me when first setting up. https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/intro-to-bio-activity.2429/ I’ve since learned that it doesn’t have to be so precise. For example, I wasn’t able to get the clay balls for a while, so I substituted lava rock as my drainage layer. Instead of a solid screening to separate the drainage layer from the substrate, I use landscape fabric. It’s not been possible to get enough of the soil I wanted to use, so I use general organic garden soil. I add play sand, horticultural charcoal, coco coir, cut up sphagnum moss, orchid bark and a bit of insect frass (poop) for fertilizer. I mix it all up and put it in. I like to have a tall center plant that I start with. Be mindful of where your mist heads will be if you have an automatic mister. You want them to mist the plants, but not be blocked by one. Try planting a pothos or two in the substrate that you’ll train to grow upwards. *the leaves get bigger as it grows up instead of down. Do make sure you have some sort of lighting for your plants. Many like the Arcadia Jungle Dawn. If you are getting something like hibiscus or schefflera, you’ll need a good plant light like the Arcadia. For common houseplants, just a standard plant light will work fine. Not sure how the pics will be of help, but adding what I have.
Oh…you will want to start with a way to hang branches and plants. Of course, Dragon Ledges are awesome! https://dragonstrand.com/dragon-ledges/ If you don’t have those, garden trellis is a nice substitute. Attach it to the frame (I use thin wire) and make sure to secure it to at least one screw per piece/frame so it won’t slide down.
Another way is to attach sturdy and straighter branches directly to the frame and then add cross pieces to make a scaffolding type support. This gets a bit tricky on the side of the door.
I fold the bag down to the height that I desire. Then to help square it, I’ll try to extend a branch down to hold it. Here’s the clay balls…my drainage layer.
Landscape fabric to keep drainage layer separate from substrate. I cut the fabric large enough to extend up the sides for better separation.
Added in my soil and other bits. This one was for a girl, so I wanted more sand and less coco coir for it to hold a solid tunnel when she dug to lay eggs. I also omitted or very finely shredded the moss (can’t recall which). Only put a bit of orchid bark also for her ease of digging.
Horticultural charcoal added (almost forgot it).
Here is one of my enclosures when it was freshly set up and pretty. (Before many of the plants decided they wanted to die)
Many changes and a few years later, and this is what that same enclosure now looks like. Not as pretty anymore, but I have to go with the plants that grow well in it and placement of the plant where they get enough water from the mister. It had a massive money tree in it blocking out everything just before I took this pic.
After getting your plants, or at least your larger plant(s) in, then you want to figure out where your branches will go. I put a decent amount so my chams have plenty of roaming roads. I also have at least one that is a way up/down to the substrate floor.
Once everything is all planted and put in place, you will add your clean up crew of isopods and springtails. While there are some cute and fancy isopods, it’s best to stick with the heartier varieties like giant canyon, powder orange and the like. Then add a nice thick layer of leaf litter. I like live oak leaves. It’s better to have too much than too little as your isopods will be chowing it down and you’ll be replacing it periodically. Water everything in and lastly…add your chameleon. Some like to let the enclosure cycle for a few weeks or so before putting their cham in. I’m too impatient and also, while I’m doing all the work, I’ve got the cham waiting in a too small enclosure. *as you can see, some of my enclosures were the standard 2x2x4’, but I’ve since given each of my chameleons a double sized home and they seem to enjoy having so much more space.
This is what I used to guide me when first setting up. https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/intro-to-bio-activity.2429/ I’ve since learned that it doesn’t have to be so precise. For example, I wasn’t able to get the clay balls for a while, so I substituted lava rock as my drainage layer. Instead of a solid screening to separate the drainage layer from the substrate, I use landscape fabric. It’s not been possible to get enough of the soil I wanted to use, so I use general organic garden soil. I add play sand, horticultural charcoal, coco coir, cut up sphagnum moss, orchid bark and a bit of insect frass (poop) for fertilizer. I mix it all up and put it in. I like to have a tall center plant that I start with. Be mindful of where your mist heads will be if you have an automatic mister. You want them to mist the plants, but not be blocked by one. Try planting a pothos or two in the substrate that you’ll train to grow upwards. *the leaves get bigger as it grows up instead of down. Do make sure you have some sort of lighting for your plants. Many like the Arcadia Jungle Dawn. If you are getting something like hibiscus or schefflera, you’ll need a good plant light like the Arcadia. For common houseplants, just a standard plant light will work fine. Not sure how the pics will be of help, but adding what I have.
Oh…you will want to start with a way to hang branches and plants. Of course, Dragon Ledges are awesome! https://dragonstrand.com/dragon-ledges/ If you don’t have those, garden trellis is a nice substitute. Attach it to the frame (I use thin wire) and make sure to secure it to at least one screw per piece/frame so it won’t slide down.
Another way is to attach sturdy and straighter branches directly to the frame and then add cross pieces to make a scaffolding type support. This gets a bit tricky on the side of the door.
I fold the bag down to the height that I desire. Then to help square it, I’ll try to extend a branch down to hold it. Here’s the clay balls…my drainage layer.
Landscape fabric to keep drainage layer separate from substrate. I cut the fabric large enough to extend up the sides for better separation.
Added in my soil and other bits. This one was for a girl, so I wanted more sand and less coco coir for it to hold a solid tunnel when she dug to lay eggs. I also omitted or very finely shredded the moss (can’t recall which). Only put a bit of orchid bark also for her ease of digging.
Horticultural charcoal added (almost forgot it).
Here is one of my enclosures when it was freshly set up and pretty. (Before many of the plants decided they wanted to die)
Many changes and a few years later, and this is what that same enclosure now looks like. Not as pretty anymore, but I have to go with the plants that grow well in it and placement of the plant where they get enough water from the mister. It had a massive money tree in it blocking out everything just before I took this pic.
After getting your plants, or at least your larger plant(s) in, then you want to figure out where your branches will go. I put a decent amount so my chams have plenty of roaming roads. I also have at least one that is a way up/down to the substrate floor.
Once everything is all planted and put in place, you will add your clean up crew of isopods and springtails. While there are some cute and fancy isopods, it’s best to stick with the heartier varieties like giant canyon, powder orange and the like. Then add a nice thick layer of leaf litter. I like live oak leaves. It’s better to have too much than too little as your isopods will be chowing it down and you’ll be replacing it periodically. Water everything in and lastly…add your chameleon. Some like to let the enclosure cycle for a few weeks or so before putting their cham in. I’m too impatient and also, while I’m doing all the work, I’ve got the cham waiting in a too small enclosure. *as you can see, some of my enclosures were the standard 2x2x4’, but I’ve since given each of my chameleons a double sized home and they seem to enjoy having so much more space.
IzzyMittens
New Member
The above build is beautiful. Here's my (quite lazy in comparison) bioactive Reptibreeze.
I manually drain the tray once a week or so using a small tube and bucket, but the same idea could be used for an automated drainage system. I have springtails and dairy cow isopods. The drain water did smell bad before they were established, now it just smells like dirt and takes maybe 5 minutes.
It would be a hard fall if she fell all the way through the canopy, so I will be adding leaves. Otherwise, I've been pretty happy with the setup and everything (that hasn't been eaten) is thriving.
I do know that if I had to do it again and had the funds, I would have probably skipped the Reptibreeze and went bigger (or combined two Reptibreezes). Other than size, bugs and poop can get wedged in between the screen and the tray.
I manually drain the tray once a week or so using a small tube and bucket, but the same idea could be used for an automated drainage system. I have springtails and dairy cow isopods. The drain water did smell bad before they were established, now it just smells like dirt and takes maybe 5 minutes.
It would be a hard fall if she fell all the way through the canopy, so I will be adding leaves. Otherwise, I've been pretty happy with the setup and everything (that hasn't been eaten) is thriving.
I do know that if I had to do it again and had the funds, I would have probably skipped the Reptibreeze and went bigger (or combined two Reptibreezes). Other than size, bugs and poop can get wedged in between the screen and the tray.
MissSkittles
Chameleon Enthusiast
Hey…whatever works! Bioactive is not always the same thing for everyone. I do have some gaps that poos fall into, but the isopods still find it and take care of it.
