General Discussion

hey, wondering if anyone else has bioactive animal enclosures? I am starting to convert to them very slowly (as its expensive lol), but most of my feeder insects are bioactive or will be as of this weekend. I plan to next convert my crested gecko and leopard gecko, who are just about ready for the change. Here is my dubia roach colony which is getting isopods added this weekend :) [img]https://64.media.tumblr.com/a66392dbcc17223579473070e8404251/e8ef15369b3b128a-38/s2048x3072/c11f89f8d8e07e8e65623ab0404b1a8178496127.jpg[/img] [img]https://64.media.tumblr.com/c4270fb25689df2dbba6fdc804f5e64f/e8ef15369b3b128a-58/s2048x3072/34e0e26090ed667eb9367666a91a61b474f14cb9.jpg[/img]

Oh, nice! I want to go bioactive with my rats eventually. I bought springtails which are doing surprisingly well. I just need to set up the boys’ cage for it which is taking way longer than I’d like

@Rodakules - bioactive mammal enclosures are SO cool! I definitely can see how it would be challenging to do though, especially with rats! Off the top of my head, I feel like rats, rabbits, and guinea pigs would be the hardest to set up that way, just due to size, waste production, and their affinity to cause messes (or at least, my rats and guinea pigs where messy critters).

Glad you're having luck with springtails! my culture has hidden entirely- I think they're still alright, but I honestly have no idea! (which is what I get for seeding them in the back corner UNDER the cork that the dubia live in)

@Blackthorns - I’m glad there were others before me who I can learn / get advice from. I just need to find time (and money) to finish the base. They’ll for sure make a mess, but that’s a part of the contract so to speak. I hadn’t thought of anything beyond rats, mice, and hamsters as far as pocket pets go. I bet it’d be fantastic for Guinea pigs and rabbits though. Very costly, but probably worth it.
I just abandoned the tub they were in for months, but I’d used it as a dig box once or twice so they had material to break down. When I checked it the other day they were absolutely flourishing. I was delighted, even if rather surprised. I had no idea what I was doing either. I just tossed them in and hoped for the best. They were pretty dormant the first few days. I gave up. Then they blew me away with that plot twist. I’m so stoked they made it. I’m really glad I got bored enough to check, because they didn’t have much food left so I don’t think they would’ve survived if I’d waited too much longer.

I don't yet, but I do have plans to do so in the future for (most) of my snake cages! I might get a crested gecko and do bioactive for them first to get into the swing of it before starting the project of converting my existing enclosures.

I'm really excited for that upgrade, but I have to wait a while. I want to be careful bringing bug colonies into my apartment + consider that I'll have to move within a couple years. My PVC cages are big and would be even more difficult to get down stairs and transport if I can't strip everything out of them for disassembly (I want some live plants in addition to cleanup crews...).

My toads are bioactive. I've got pothos and zanzibar gems growing in there and a colony of isopods, springtails, and earthworms. I just add new dried leaves and add water to the soil every once and a while and it's going great. Though, I think that has a lot to do with the fact toads aren't very messy, so I wouldn't worry about them stinking up their enclosure even if it weren't bioactive

@Rodakules - For sure part of the contract lol. I loved all my rodents very much but... reptiles are not half as messy and for that I am very thankful. I'm glad your friends are doing well! mine are still shy, but they also live with a lot of other bugs lol. I did find them by the food stash though- theyre for sure moving around and doing ok! (which is good because I want to split off that culture soon for my other bug enclosure lol)
Glad you bioactive dig bin is going well though! that sounds lovely :)

@Saccharine - thats a really valid concern and consideration!! I also live in an apartment, but thankfully most of my animals have small enough enclosures- the biggest is the 3x2x1 pvc leopard gecko one, which will get emptied if I go bioactive with her before I move... which is not a task I look forward to. the crested gecko's glass tank is always a pain though, so I figure I might as well add bugs XD Its not like isopods are whats going to make it too much of a pain to move lol. Good luck with your snakes and switching them to bioactive!!

@Toad - ah that sounds lovely!! and like a great clean up crew! I have always heard that frogs and toads are really easy to go bioactive with and take well to it!

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Also today was a reptile expo! grabbed myself some brickwork and curly isopods- not the fanciest type, but the type the vendor recommended for my set ups :) I also almost came home with a curly hair tarantula to go bioactive with as well, but my friends said they wouldn't be in the car with it if I did XD

@Blackthorns - I don’t know what I’d do without my rats lol. Truly my spirit animal honestly. I do want to get into reptiles and such when I’m in the right place to do so. Probably need to start with something “beginner friendly,” but I’ll deal with that when the time comes. That’s great! I might just toss the boys back in tonight lol