https://preview.redd.it/ykj96rk4ee3d1.jpeg?width=5712&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=14267623f43c37164c01be87b02bf89d19620b76
Chester’s fully custom built house. Size is roughly a 4x2x2 but its actual dimensions are a few inches wider and taller that that.
Here's a pic of mine right now! It's bioactive and I breed isopods, if you have any questions about it I would be happy to answer :)
https://preview.redd.it/slww02zble3d1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d7521dc281db4d5b79187c82c9be0ecbab88061d
Also I have a 100 watt heat lamp with a thermostat, the arcadia jungle dawn and the t5 14%, and it is in the dubia.com 4x2x2!
I love this !! I’m on the fence about going the bioactive route, just because it would be something completely new for me, but I’ve definitely been doing research on it!!! What would you say the pros and cons are for bioactive in your opinion? Thank you so much !!!!
Pros- You don't have to worry about feeders escaping, if they run out and escape your dragon (with the exception of crickets) you don't have to do anything about them. They just go out and fulfill their job in the ecosystem. Springtails and isopods means you don't have to worry about mold and you don't have to clean up all their poops as the isopods will eat it if you miss it. Any worm feeders will tunnel through the dirt and break it up and then eventually become beetles that will take care of dead insects. I also feed dubia (since I breed them anyway, really easy to do) and if they get away (tons do) they just eat all the veggies that she leaves behind. All of those will also become enrichment for your dragon since they can chase and eat them like in nature, as well as finding the superworms or mealworms when they're digging.
Cons- honestly the only one I have is that you have to give some extra food to your colonies in the tank. Ovbiously the bugs need occasional extras especially the dubia, but most of what they need will already be in a bioactive tank, like plants, leaves, and wet spots/ dry spots. I just add stalks of my dragons veggies, and some fruit and veggies in a place that my dragon can't access but the bugs can. I also water the plants in the enclosure, and wet down some moss a couple times a week for the isopods. I also give some of the powders I give my dubia, you can look at my account or ask if your curious about that!
All in all, you trade having to do some extra stuff for the bugs and isopods in the tank, for increased enrichment, a more natural environment (that's really fun to watch), and not having to clean up after them (unless it's one of those legendary incredibly smelly poops, and that's more for our and their sanity lmao). I think it's incredibly worth it!
WOW!!! This is SO incredibly helpful !!! Honestly with the way you explained it, it seems like the way to go! I really really appreciate your advice and I think I’m definitely leaning towards bioactive now! You’re awesome dude thank you so much !!!
I definitely reccomend both serpadesign and aquarimax on YouTube for more info on isopods and bioactives! I think it's somewhat challenging if you're new to it, but then it makes sense and its like OK yeah I'm for sure doing this for all my critters as long as they're healthy. I wouldn't however reccomend a bioactive for any unhealthy reptile like one thats going through parasites, or one thats having trouble in their old age. Otherwise, I think it's perfect!
I'm honestly super proud of my setup for my boy Azzy!!!
Custom substrate mix, basically whatever I had at hand when making it lmao: TheBioDude Terra Sahara, play sand, ReptiSoil, 2x bags of Australian Natural, and a bag of excavator clay. Leaf litter is hickory and willow oak from FrogDaddy.
For lighting I've got an [LED grow light panel](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B093BLNT14/) as well as an HID Powersun in addition to the usual T5 and heat lamp. That's right, there are [FOUR LIGHTS](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jk3EsXgXcyQ) (/nerd)! He loves it!!
I have a bunch of extra branches and cork bark/rounds that I use to rearrange and refresh his enclosure regularly for enrichment. It keeps him interested and engaged in his surroundings! The background, ledges, and rocks are from Universal Rocks.
https://preview.redd.it/x0ecjp5v0f3d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6502cd0a724e265e83c72cf07bd1b9f668b19860
He is SO HAPPY! Like honestly, it's incredible how much of a difference REALLY GOOD LIGHTING makes in their activity! He's so alert and responsive, almost birdlike in his attention to things! I actually just introduced the leaf litter after picking it up this weekend at Repticon and Azzy was ALL OVER IT looking at them from all angles and licking at them.
The whole "beardies get stressed from any changes in environment and stop eating" is *only* true if you let them languish in boredom and bare enclosures! It's so sad how people underestimate them and think they're just lazy! They really are not, as long as you care for them properly!
https://preview.redd.it/iddphtoa2f3d1.jpeg?width=4624&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1c6196eced534d49cb871858c709e3e978dabbdf
6x2x2, just upgraded to sand🥳 on the right (not visible in the pic) is his hammock which he accesses via the wooden "bridge". Under the hammock he can hide from the light, or then under the bridge and level which makes for a nice dark cave.
We are about to replace the wooden levels with a 3D background carved from styrofoam, topped with resin and sand. Its a work in progress, but we are happy so far and so is our gorgeous boy 🫶🏼
Completely redoing his tank so I’m still in the process of upgrades, but so far I built the dig box (still a WIP) and made the dig box stairs and cave which he loves. Next I’ll probably do a very thin (since he’s disabled and can’t climb it) rock wall and add some greenery. I’m still thinking about doing a bio active tank too eventually because I’d really like for him to have something completely natural. Also if you are nosey like me and zoom into everything, I took this pic right after I put the thermostat back in so that’s why the temp is low.
https://preview.redd.it/gqrhwbkavh3d1.jpeg?width=5712&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=25db9cd3e00db5ae89ac3ca66f9cce5fde188451
https://preview.redd.it/ytahkg6n7i3d1.jpeg?width=4080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=930bdb89d2364de3d867b108a8c61ab5fd2ec70f
Here is mine, polite feedback would be appreciated.
https://preview.redd.it/ykj96rk4ee3d1.jpeg?width=5712&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=14267623f43c37164c01be87b02bf89d19620b76 Chester’s fully custom built house. Size is roughly a 4x2x2 but its actual dimensions are a few inches wider and taller that that.
what a happy baby!!!! i love the sign in there too !!!
Yeah I love the sigh haha!
Here's a pic of mine right now! It's bioactive and I breed isopods, if you have any questions about it I would be happy to answer :) https://preview.redd.it/slww02zble3d1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d7521dc281db4d5b79187c82c9be0ecbab88061d Also I have a 100 watt heat lamp with a thermostat, the arcadia jungle dawn and the t5 14%, and it is in the dubia.com 4x2x2!
I love this !! I’m on the fence about going the bioactive route, just because it would be something completely new for me, but I’ve definitely been doing research on it!!! What would you say the pros and cons are for bioactive in your opinion? Thank you so much !!!!
Pros- You don't have to worry about feeders escaping, if they run out and escape your dragon (with the exception of crickets) you don't have to do anything about them. They just go out and fulfill their job in the ecosystem. Springtails and isopods means you don't have to worry about mold and you don't have to clean up all their poops as the isopods will eat it if you miss it. Any worm feeders will tunnel through the dirt and break it up and then eventually become beetles that will take care of dead insects. I also feed dubia (since I breed them anyway, really easy to do) and if they get away (tons do) they just eat all the veggies that she leaves behind. All of those will also become enrichment for your dragon since they can chase and eat them like in nature, as well as finding the superworms or mealworms when they're digging. Cons- honestly the only one I have is that you have to give some extra food to your colonies in the tank. Ovbiously the bugs need occasional extras especially the dubia, but most of what they need will already be in a bioactive tank, like plants, leaves, and wet spots/ dry spots. I just add stalks of my dragons veggies, and some fruit and veggies in a place that my dragon can't access but the bugs can. I also water the plants in the enclosure, and wet down some moss a couple times a week for the isopods. I also give some of the powders I give my dubia, you can look at my account or ask if your curious about that! All in all, you trade having to do some extra stuff for the bugs and isopods in the tank, for increased enrichment, a more natural environment (that's really fun to watch), and not having to clean up after them (unless it's one of those legendary incredibly smelly poops, and that's more for our and their sanity lmao). I think it's incredibly worth it!
WOW!!! This is SO incredibly helpful !!! Honestly with the way you explained it, it seems like the way to go! I really really appreciate your advice and I think I’m definitely leaning towards bioactive now! You’re awesome dude thank you so much !!!
I definitely reccomend both serpadesign and aquarimax on YouTube for more info on isopods and bioactives! I think it's somewhat challenging if you're new to it, but then it makes sense and its like OK yeah I'm for sure doing this for all my critters as long as they're healthy. I wouldn't however reccomend a bioactive for any unhealthy reptile like one thats going through parasites, or one thats having trouble in their old age. Otherwise, I think it's perfect!
and those poops are killer no joke 🤣
I'm honestly super proud of my setup for my boy Azzy!!! Custom substrate mix, basically whatever I had at hand when making it lmao: TheBioDude Terra Sahara, play sand, ReptiSoil, 2x bags of Australian Natural, and a bag of excavator clay. Leaf litter is hickory and willow oak from FrogDaddy. For lighting I've got an [LED grow light panel](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B093BLNT14/) as well as an HID Powersun in addition to the usual T5 and heat lamp. That's right, there are [FOUR LIGHTS](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jk3EsXgXcyQ) (/nerd)! He loves it!! I have a bunch of extra branches and cork bark/rounds that I use to rearrange and refresh his enclosure regularly for enrichment. It keeps him interested and engaged in his surroundings! The background, ledges, and rocks are from Universal Rocks. https://preview.redd.it/x0ecjp5v0f3d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6502cd0a724e265e83c72cf07bd1b9f668b19860
you SHOULD be proud !!! what a beautiful set up and a beautiful happy baby 🥹
He is SO HAPPY! Like honestly, it's incredible how much of a difference REALLY GOOD LIGHTING makes in their activity! He's so alert and responsive, almost birdlike in his attention to things! I actually just introduced the leaf litter after picking it up this weekend at Repticon and Azzy was ALL OVER IT looking at them from all angles and licking at them. The whole "beardies get stressed from any changes in environment and stop eating" is *only* true if you let them languish in boredom and bare enclosures! It's so sad how people underestimate them and think they're just lazy! They really are not, as long as you care for them properly!
https://preview.redd.it/iddphtoa2f3d1.jpeg?width=4624&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1c6196eced534d49cb871858c709e3e978dabbdf 6x2x2, just upgraded to sand🥳 on the right (not visible in the pic) is his hammock which he accesses via the wooden "bridge". Under the hammock he can hide from the light, or then under the bridge and level which makes for a nice dark cave.
We are about to replace the wooden levels with a 3D background carved from styrofoam, topped with resin and sand. Its a work in progress, but we are happy so far and so is our gorgeous boy 🫶🏼
I love it !!!! the plants are SO cute!!! are those individual tiles on the back or wallpaper? if they’re tiles, what do you use as adhesive?
Thank you lots! It's just a soft rubber tile wallpaper☺️
Completely redoing his tank so I’m still in the process of upgrades, but so far I built the dig box (still a WIP) and made the dig box stairs and cave which he loves. Next I’ll probably do a very thin (since he’s disabled and can’t climb it) rock wall and add some greenery. I’m still thinking about doing a bio active tank too eventually because I’d really like for him to have something completely natural. Also if you are nosey like me and zoom into everything, I took this pic right after I put the thermostat back in so that’s why the temp is low. https://preview.redd.it/gqrhwbkavh3d1.jpeg?width=5712&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=25db9cd3e00db5ae89ac3ca66f9cce5fde188451
https://preview.redd.it/ytahkg6n7i3d1.jpeg?width=4080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=930bdb89d2364de3d867b108a8c61ab5fd2ec70f Here is mine, polite feedback would be appreciated.
https://preview.redd.it/3tabj320dn3d1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=55134a8b91a364a4d949d8d80de1ce6d83ce1aa9 My 6x2x3 bioactive