Bio-active enclosures

[Kayleebirdy]

Hey! Has anyone gone to providing a bio-active enclosure for their beardie? I’ve been checking out several on YouTube, and they look not only interesting, but good for the dragon!
Would like some feedback, yea or nay on the subject, please! Thanks!

 

[Drache613]

Moved by Moderator from General to Enclosures

 

[VenusAndSaturn]

I love bioactive enclosures, I have my leopard gecko in one currently, and am working on getting my tegus enclosure to be bioactive along with my ball python and BTS once they get permanent enclosures. I'm even currently planning to do a bioactive setup for a future gargoyle gecko.

However, when it comes to beardies I'm iffy on it. You could go bioactive if you provide a big enough enclosure, your experienced and know what the risks are and how to properly setup a bioactive enclosure, but I personally wouldn't do it. The risks outweigh the benefits from what I can tell.

Dont get me wrong, I'd love to do a bioactive beardie enclosure but I care too much to possibly risk their health just because it looks cool.
That and I dont have enough room for three 6x2x4's or 8x2x4's.

 

[Kayleebirdy]

I appreciate your reply. What are the potential risks as you see them? It looked safe and easy enough on the number of videos I watched on setting one up. They even revisited the same tank 6 months later and the beardie was thriving. What could be happening that they haven’t come across yet? I’d like as much info as possible before I do something like this. Contacting my vet and finding out his take on the issue is also a line of pursuit I’m going to check.
Any detailed information you can give will be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

 

[kingofnobbys]

I appreciate your reply. What are the potential risks as you see them? It looked safe and easy enough on the number of videos I watched on setting one up. They even revisited the same tank 6 months later and the beardie was thriving. What could be happening that they haven’t come across yet? I’d like as much info as possible before I do something like this. Contacting my vet and finding out his take on the issue is also a line of pursuit I’m going to check.
Any detailed information you can give will be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Impaction from ingesting substrate << VERY HIGH RISK.

High humidity << from moisture needed to keep the plants alive and the biota thriving << high risk of developing a serious RI.

Poor hygiene in tank << bacteria , viruses and mould WILL colonise the bioactive bed and these have a very high potential for being pathogenic and capable of making the dragon VERY SICK , as well as everyone who entires the room.

NOT A GOOD IDEA for an arid zone reptile AT ALL unless you are reproducing their native environment like shown here : viewtopic.php?f=34&t=244236

 

[Kayleebirdy]

Thank you very much for the information! Followed the link and saw the habitat where they live.
Maybe I’ll just give her a nice cactus to look at outside her enclosure! Thanks again!