Post by littlereptile on Sept 29, 2015 20:16:06 GMT
this is a copy/pasted (since what I was typing was deleted LOL) text from the reptile and amphibian bioactive setups group on facebook. it covers very simply how to make a bioactive setup for a ball python. this can easily be applied to any species--you usually just need to adjust the plants and substrate ratios.
notes: top soil must always be used and should be the higher percentage because substrates like play sand, coir, plantation soil, and excavator clay because those substrates do not have any nutrients for plants. naturally, if you won't be using plants (which requires you to change out your substrate), this is less important. you can also use pre-made mixes (such as NE Herp's ABG mix) either by itself or with another substrate. you also don't always need a pond liner UNLESS you have a wooden enclosure. with PVC, glass, and tub enclosures, a pond liner is not necessary so long as the corners are sealed.
BioActive, for a Royal Python.
Bioactive is a term that has been thrown around a lot among the reptile groups and forums over the past few years, even though its methods have been around for much longer. (Many of the various frog species keepers can tell you this).
In a nut-shell, using a suitably sized vivarium for your Royal, you create a natural living space, from substrate, to foliage. Where the use of various organisms (Clean-up crew), such as, woodlice, earthworms, and European and tropical springtails, will proceed to help maintain the vivarium by breaking down any organic matter that occur (Faecal). Also, they will prevent any forms of mould or fungal growth within the space.
More so, the movement of the clean-up crew inside your vivarium will keep the substrate breathing, alive, and full of nutrients. Which in-turn, aids plant growth, along with the natural growth of these organisms in population numbers. The populations will maintain themselves of course. If there is not enough food for them, some will die off, leaving only the amounts that are able to be sustained.
You can often find booms in population, and the odd low too. But its all relative to the eco system have created.
Luckily for us though, we are able to purchase the likes of springtails and woodlice at many online retailers. If you ever feel a top-up is needed.
What's needed.
Assuming you already have the appropriate sized vivarium for your Royal. You will also need:
The drainage layer used In the likes of my bioactive Chameleon set-up's are not needed. Due to the Royals natural environment being far more dryer than many other species.
And you will find, with the leaf-litter, and substrate mix, along with the odd spray, humidity is easily achieved to the correct levels anyway.
The set-up.
First off you are going to want to seal the vivarium's internal joins. This will not only protect from any moisture damage, but also any wannabe escaping bugs.
Once the Aquarium sealant is dry (I usually leave 24 hours), you can move onto the pond liner.
You are going to want to cut the pond liner a good 4 or 5 inches bigger than your actual vivarium floor space. Reason being, this will provide a protective barrier between the wooden vivarium surface, and substrate. Which will obviously be a few inches in depth.
What I did, was actually use the sealant to secure the pond-liner around the top, to the walls of the vivarium. This will stop and substrate being pushed down between the liner and viv walls. And if you decided for some reason you wanted to remove it all. It will not ruin your vivarium. And is removed very easy.
Again, you will need to allow this to dry out for 24 hours.
Once dry, check for any gaps between liner and walls. If any, seal them up. Once good, on to the actual substrate mix.
Mixing.
You can do this directly inside the vivarium if you wish. Or, use a bucket. I found the vivarium method far easier.
I have no real ratio levels to speak of regarding this part. Initially I just mixed up the sand and topsoil. But was definitely more topsoil heavy. And I stuck with that. At a guess, I'd say a 60/40 ratio.
Then I added the coco fibre, and a little orchard bark for added texture.
Again, I just added until it felt and looked natural.
Once all that is in, and you are happy, It's time to add the leaf-litter and clean-up crew.
I added the leaf litter first, although I don't believe the order matters at all ;-)
I make sure I have a nice even spread, just enough to cover the surface.
Its only going to get moved around anyway when your Royal is out for a wander.
Then I roughly spread out what clean-up crew I have.
Once you get hides, and a water bowl etc inside the vivarium, your clean-up crew will find areas to shelter and congregate, and venture about where needed.
Once that is done. Its a case of strategically placing your collected foraged woods, for maximum stimulation for you Royal.
Woods and Leaf Litter.
For my woods and bark used inside the vivarium, I collected from a local wood floor (bark is great for the woodlice). I'm not one for tearing branches off tree's.
Stick to collecting away from any roads, so no carbon pollutant has tarnish your collected wood. Also, be sure the area is pesticide free. I also stick with harder woods to be on the safe side, Oak, Birch for example. Wood such as pine is known to cause irritation. It's not the wood itself, more the sap. So to save hassle, stay away from areas where trees have needles, stick to trees with leaves. Look on the ground for these signs too.
This goes the same when collecting leaf litter. Again, no need to worry any any UK native bugs collected within the barks and leaf litter. Nothing will harm your snake. And pretty much everything, if it can survive the vivarium conditions, will benefit your bioactive vivarium's living substrate
No need to wash anything down either. It will be good to go from the off. But if you do feel better washing them, just a soak in some warm water will be adequate.
There is absolutely no need to bleach, bake, or freeze anything you have collected.
Finishing Comments.
It will take time for the vivarium to establish itself. But the rewards for not only yourself, it being extremely aesthetically pleasing. But I found it was clear to see, my Royal showed enhanced natural behaviours. Compared to what he was showing on the likes of Lignocel, Aspen, etc.
So any Snake waste produced, for the first few times, it may be worth removing some. And then leaving some in for the clean-up crew to deal with. (can bury just under the surface if you wish).
But once established, it can be gone in hours.
As well as any shed.
As always, any more information needed, feel free to catch me in the Chameleon Britain Facebook group ( www.facebook.com/groups/chambritain )
But also much information is available on my go-to Bioactive site, and good friends, RABS ( www.facebook.com/groups/bioactiveherps )
© Written by Pete Hawkins
notes: top soil must always be used and should be the higher percentage because substrates like play sand, coir, plantation soil, and excavator clay because those substrates do not have any nutrients for plants. naturally, if you won't be using plants (which requires you to change out your substrate), this is less important. you can also use pre-made mixes (such as NE Herp's ABG mix) either by itself or with another substrate. you also don't always need a pond liner UNLESS you have a wooden enclosure. with PVC, glass, and tub enclosures, a pond liner is not necessary so long as the corners are sealed.
BioActive, for a Royal Python.
Bioactive is a term that has been thrown around a lot among the reptile groups and forums over the past few years, even though its methods have been around for much longer. (Many of the various frog species keepers can tell you this).
In a nut-shell, using a suitably sized vivarium for your Royal, you create a natural living space, from substrate, to foliage. Where the use of various organisms (Clean-up crew), such as, woodlice, earthworms, and European and tropical springtails, will proceed to help maintain the vivarium by breaking down any organic matter that occur (Faecal). Also, they will prevent any forms of mould or fungal growth within the space.
More so, the movement of the clean-up crew inside your vivarium will keep the substrate breathing, alive, and full of nutrients. Which in-turn, aids plant growth, along with the natural growth of these organisms in population numbers. The populations will maintain themselves of course. If there is not enough food for them, some will die off, leaving only the amounts that are able to be sustained.
You can often find booms in population, and the odd low too. But its all relative to the eco system have created.
Luckily for us though, we are able to purchase the likes of springtails and woodlice at many online retailers. If you ever feel a top-up is needed.
What's needed.
Assuming you already have the appropriate sized vivarium for your Royal. You will also need:
- Aquarium sealant
- Pond Liner
- Play-sand
- Sterilised Topsoil
- Coco fibre, or orchard bark
- leaf litter
- Natural bark, wood
- and of course, the clean-up crew (woodlice, earthworms, & springtails, etc).
The drainage layer used In the likes of my bioactive Chameleon set-up's are not needed. Due to the Royals natural environment being far more dryer than many other species.
And you will find, with the leaf-litter, and substrate mix, along with the odd spray, humidity is easily achieved to the correct levels anyway.
The set-up.
First off you are going to want to seal the vivarium's internal joins. This will not only protect from any moisture damage, but also any wannabe escaping bugs.
Once the Aquarium sealant is dry (I usually leave 24 hours), you can move onto the pond liner.
You are going to want to cut the pond liner a good 4 or 5 inches bigger than your actual vivarium floor space. Reason being, this will provide a protective barrier between the wooden vivarium surface, and substrate. Which will obviously be a few inches in depth.
What I did, was actually use the sealant to secure the pond-liner around the top, to the walls of the vivarium. This will stop and substrate being pushed down between the liner and viv walls. And if you decided for some reason you wanted to remove it all. It will not ruin your vivarium. And is removed very easy.
Again, you will need to allow this to dry out for 24 hours.
Once dry, check for any gaps between liner and walls. If any, seal them up. Once good, on to the actual substrate mix.
Mixing.
You can do this directly inside the vivarium if you wish. Or, use a bucket. I found the vivarium method far easier.
I have no real ratio levels to speak of regarding this part. Initially I just mixed up the sand and topsoil. But was definitely more topsoil heavy. And I stuck with that. At a guess, I'd say a 60/40 ratio.
Then I added the coco fibre, and a little orchard bark for added texture.
Again, I just added until it felt and looked natural.
Once all that is in, and you are happy, It's time to add the leaf-litter and clean-up crew.
I added the leaf litter first, although I don't believe the order matters at all ;-)
I make sure I have a nice even spread, just enough to cover the surface.
Its only going to get moved around anyway when your Royal is out for a wander.
Then I roughly spread out what clean-up crew I have.
Once you get hides, and a water bowl etc inside the vivarium, your clean-up crew will find areas to shelter and congregate, and venture about where needed.
Once that is done. Its a case of strategically placing your collected foraged woods, for maximum stimulation for you Royal.
Woods and Leaf Litter.
For my woods and bark used inside the vivarium, I collected from a local wood floor (bark is great for the woodlice). I'm not one for tearing branches off tree's.
Stick to collecting away from any roads, so no carbon pollutant has tarnish your collected wood. Also, be sure the area is pesticide free. I also stick with harder woods to be on the safe side, Oak, Birch for example. Wood such as pine is known to cause irritation. It's not the wood itself, more the sap. So to save hassle, stay away from areas where trees have needles, stick to trees with leaves. Look on the ground for these signs too.
This goes the same when collecting leaf litter. Again, no need to worry any any UK native bugs collected within the barks and leaf litter. Nothing will harm your snake. And pretty much everything, if it can survive the vivarium conditions, will benefit your bioactive vivarium's living substrate
No need to wash anything down either. It will be good to go from the off. But if you do feel better washing them, just a soak in some warm water will be adequate.
There is absolutely no need to bleach, bake, or freeze anything you have collected.
Finishing Comments.
It will take time for the vivarium to establish itself. But the rewards for not only yourself, it being extremely aesthetically pleasing. But I found it was clear to see, my Royal showed enhanced natural behaviours. Compared to what he was showing on the likes of Lignocel, Aspen, etc.
So any Snake waste produced, for the first few times, it may be worth removing some. And then leaving some in for the clean-up crew to deal with. (can bury just under the surface if you wish).
But once established, it can be gone in hours.
As well as any shed.
As always, any more information needed, feel free to catch me in the Chameleon Britain Facebook group ( www.facebook.com/groups/chambritain )
But also much information is available on my go-to Bioactive site, and good friends, RABS ( www.facebook.com/groups/bioactiveherps )
© Written by Pete Hawkins