A Dragon's Den
Reptile Rescue and rehabilitation
What are bioactive enclosures?
In short, it is an ecosystem within your reptile or amphibians enclosures! To successfully put together your bioactive enclosure, you will need to have plants, invertebrates, and microorganisms that coexist and grow within the substrate.
Putting together a bioactive enclosure is a simple concept. It may seem easy, but that is not always the case. For more information on bioactive enclosures click the button below!
Drainage layer: popular choices are Lava Rock or Clay pebbles.Regardless of choice always make sure to properly rinse your drainage layer before building the next layer.
Barrier: This is intended to keep the soil/substrate out of the drainage layer. mesh screen is the most commonly used material that is cheap and readily available.
Litter layer: If you choose to forage and find your litter in nature, please be sure to properly disinfect before placing within your enclosure
The clean up workers: These are one of the most important parts of your enclosure. Not every isipod of micro organisms will fit the need of your enclosures... Most common are the white drawfs , powder blues or Dairy cows.
Substrate layer : Many brands and blends of premixed substrate available. if making your own blend be sure to look at ALL ingredients that are in the soil you choose to use as your based. Organic only, no additives.