Biodude

[Mr. Leopard gecko]

Well, my leopard gecko lives on a mat. The mat looks kind of goofy and every time I show my gecko enclosure to someone with no experience with reptiles, they just look at it and say "I don't think you are taking good care of that gecko" They say that because of the mat and no one really thinks of taking care of reptile can be raised on a mat and instead thinks that all reptiles should be raised on normal substrate. I just tanked it like a man and told them that it was normal, and no matter what they say about poor husbandry I would always keep them on mats. Until I couldn't tank it like a man anymore when I say that the biodude was having a leopard gecko bioactive sale. I've always wanted one but due to the cost (20 gallon long for 180 dollars!) I didn't buy it, but because of the sale I want it now. BUT, I don't know much about bioactive so I researched a bit but still have some questions. Not sure if you guys know about bioactive but if you do, thanks!
1: Does it matter what kind of isopods and springtails used and how much do I need in a 20 gallon.
2: How to prevent impaction, should I just feed him in a separate tank?
3: Do I have to feed my springtails and isopods?
4: Do I have to restock on springtails and isopods?
5: How many times do I have to spray the enclosure?
6: Can I continue using my mini halogen bulbs?

 

[acpart]

Here are my answers to your questions and I also provided a link to some articles about bioactive enclosures below:
1: Does it matter what kind of isopods and springtails used and how much do I need in a 20 gallon.
Just put in some isopods and springtails and they will reproduce. Don't worry about how many. Any kind is fine, though with the isopods sometimes one type thrives and one type doesn't

2: How to prevent impaction, should I just feed him in a separate tank?
I have no idea what exactly is in this substrate that biodude sells. I looked at the picture and it seems that it's a mix that may be based on coco-fiber. I had adult leopard geckos in an enclosure with a coco-fiber substrate for 5 years and never had a problem with impaction. I also used to keep African Fat Tail geckos on a similar substrate for many years with no problems. Most likely you can feed them in the enclosure.

3: Do I have to feed my springtails and isopods?
In general, springtails and isopods eat gecko feces. I have a lot of enclosures with isopods and especially in the enclosures where the gecko is small and doesn't produce much in the way of feces I got worried about them getting enough so I put the discards of the fruits and veggies I make for dinner in there: apple peels, ends of squash and stuff like that. It disappears pretty fast and you get to see the isopods eating!

4: Do I have to restock on springtails and isopods?
Ideally they will reproduce and be self sustaining. Isopods ideally need some moisture. I don't advocate spraying down the leopard gecko enclosure regularly because the humidity will be too high, but it seems OK to me to spray the substrate periodically to keep it from getting too dry. The isopods will appreciate this and will probably also hang out near the water bowl.

5: How many times do I have to spray the enclosure?
I would recommend spraying the substrate only (i.e. not the walls) every 1-2 weeks

6: Can I continue using my mini halogen bulbs?
I don't see why not.

Here are links to articles from someone who made their own bioactive enclosure:

Holistic Design in Bioactive Vivariums: Leopard Geckos, Part 1 - Gecko Time

All bioactive enclosures have the same basic requirements, but the needs of your main inhabitant dictate the ways in which you can support bioactivity. Many people have claimed it impossible to create a bioactive desert terrarium, but let’s not forget that life persists all over the earth, even...

geckotime.com

Holistic Design in Bioactive Vivariums: Leopard Geckos, Part 2 - Gecko Time

This is the fourth article in this series and part 2 of leopard geckos. Gecko Time readers might recognize this enclosure from a previous leopard gecko bioactive article. What happened? Superworms! Zophobas morio overpopulated and became a smelly nuisance, and the worms escaped through gaps...

geckotime.com

Aliza

 

[Mr. Leopard gecko]

Here are my answers to your questions and I also provided a link to some articles about bioactive enclosures below:
1: Does it matter what kind of isopods and springtails used and how much do I need in a 20 gallon.
Just put in some isopods and springtails and they will reproduce. Don't worry about how many. Any kind is fine, though with the isopods sometimes one type thrives and one type doesn't

2: How to prevent impaction, should I just feed him in a separate tank?
I have no idea what exactly is in this substrate that biodude sells. I looked at the picture and it seems that it's a mix that may be based on coco-fiber. I had adult leopard geckos in an enclosure with a coco-fiber substrate for 5 years and never had a problem with impaction. I also used to keep African Fat Tail geckos on a similar substrate for many years with no problems. Most likely you can feed them in the enclosure.

3: Do I have to feed my springtails and isopods?
In general, springtails and isopods eat gecko feces. I have a lot of enclosures with isopods and especially in the enclosures where the gecko is small and doesn't produce much in the way of feces I got worried about them getting enough so I put the discards of the fruits and veggies I make for dinner in there: apple peels, ends of squash and stuff like that. It disappears pretty fast and you get to see the isopods eating!

4: Do I have to restock on springtails and isopods?
Ideally they will reproduce and be self sustaining. Isopods ideally need some moisture. I don't advocate spraying down the leopard gecko enclosure regularly because the humidity will be too high, but it seems OK to me to spray the substrate periodically to keep it from getting too dry. The isopods will appreciate this and will probably also hang out near the water bowl.

5: How many times do I have to spray the enclosure?
I would recommend spraying the substrate only (i.e. not the walls) every 1-2 weeks

6: Can I continue using my mini halogen bulbs?
I don't see why not.

Here are links to articles from someone who made their own bioactive enclosure:

Holistic Design in Bioactive Vivariums: Leopard Geckos, Part 1 - Gecko Time

All bioactive enclosures have the same basic requirements, but the needs of your main inhabitant dictate the ways in which you can support bioactivity. Many people have claimed it impossible to create a bioactive desert terrarium, but let’s not forget that life persists all over the earth, even...

geckotime.com

Holistic Design in Bioactive Vivariums: Leopard Geckos, Part 2 - Gecko Time

This is the fourth article in this series and part 2 of leopard geckos. Gecko Time readers might recognize this enclosure from a previous leopard gecko bioactive article. What happened? Superworms! Zophobas morio overpopulated and became a smelly nuisance, and the worms escaped through gaps...

geckotime.com

Aliza

Thanks so much for helping me! I appreciate it!

 

[Mr. Leopard gecko]

Here are my answers to your questions and I also provided a link to some articles about bioactive enclosures below:
1: Does it matter what kind of isopods and springtails used and how much do I need in a 20 gallon.
Just put in some isopods and springtails and they will reproduce. Don't worry about how many. Any kind is fine, though with the isopods sometimes one type thrives and one type doesn't

2: How to prevent impaction, should I just feed him in a separate tank?
I have no idea what exactly is in this substrate that biodude sells. I looked at the picture and it seems that it's a mix that may be based on coco-fiber. I had adult leopard geckos in an enclosure with a coco-fiber substrate for 5 years and never had a problem with impaction. I also used to keep African Fat Tail geckos on a similar substrate for many years with no problems. Most likely you can feed them in the enclosure.

3: Do I have to feed my springtails and isopods?
In general, springtails and isopods eat gecko feces. I have a lot of enclosures with isopods and especially in the enclosures where the gecko is small and doesn't produce much in the way of feces I got worried about them getting enough so I put the discards of the fruits and veggies I make for dinner in there: apple peels, ends of squash and stuff like that. It disappears pretty fast and you get to see the isopods eating!

4: Do I have to restock on springtails and isopods?
Ideally they will reproduce and be self sustaining. Isopods ideally need some moisture. I don't advocate spraying down the leopard gecko enclosure regularly because the humidity will be too high, but it seems OK to me to spray the substrate periodically to keep it from getting too dry. The isopods will appreciate this and will probably also hang out near the water bowl.

5: How many times do I have to spray the enclosure?
I would recommend spraying the substrate only (i.e. not the walls) every 1-2 weeks

6: Can I continue using my mini halogen bulbs?
I don't see why not.

Here are links to articles from someone who made their own bioactive enclosure:

Holistic Design in Bioactive Vivariums: Leopard Geckos, Part 1 - Gecko Time

All bioactive enclosures have the same basic requirements, but the needs of your main inhabitant dictate the ways in which you can support bioactivity. Many people have claimed it impossible to create a bioactive desert terrarium, but let’s not forget that life persists all over the earth, even...

geckotime.com

Holistic Design in Bioactive Vivariums: Leopard Geckos, Part 2 - Gecko Time

This is the fourth article in this series and part 2 of leopard geckos. Gecko Time readers might recognize this enclosure from a previous leopard gecko bioactive article. What happened? Superworms! Zophobas morio overpopulated and became a smelly nuisance, and the worms escaped through gaps...

geckotime.com

Aliza

Just a question though, I decided to get powdered blue isopods, orange isopods and arid springtails but I am having trouble finding where to buy them. However, because it is live shipping, I'm holding off until it gets warmer. But because Biodude's isopods and springtales are expensive and not on sale. What website do you use to get the isopds and springtales?

 

[acpart]

I've gotten my isopods from someone local in a trade. Check out Supreme Geckos. They not only have a lot of isopods but also have "isopod chow".

Aliza

 

[Omri]

You can buy regular ceramic tiles to replace the mat, they’re very sanitary and easy to clean, plus they look nice. Just get ones with a rough surface so they aren’t slippery for the gecko.

I tried to do an arid bioactive setup once (for my sand boa) and it was a total mess. The biodude arid substrate is super dusty and it gets all over the place (the lower layers are meant to be moist but the upper ones are dry). My snake and everything in the enclosure looked crusty, and every time I took her out it made a mess.

I also never had much success with microfauna. I didn’t have arid springtails but did get some arid isopods and they didn’t do well. The plants didn’t stand a chance, my sand boa dug them all up literally the first night they were in the setup. A gecko probably won’t be quite as destructive, but leos seem pretty clumsy and heavy-bodied so idk how well it would go.

tldr: IMO ceramic tile is a cleaner, easier, and better-looking choice than bioactive. Either is better than those mats though.

 

[Mr. Leopard gecko]

You can buy regular ceramic tiles to replace the mat, they’re very sanitary and easy to clean, plus they look nice. Just get ones with a rough surface so they aren’t slippery for the gecko.

I tried to do an arid bioactive setup once (for my sand boa) and it was a total mess. The biodude arid substrate is super dusty and it gets all over the place (the lower layers are meant to be moist but the upper ones are dry). My snake and everything in the enclosure looked crusty, and every time I took her out it made a mess.

I also never had much success with microfauna. I didn’t have arid springtails but did get some arid isopods and they didn’t do well. The plants didn’t stand a chance, my sand boa dug them all up literally the first night they were in the setup. A gecko probably won’t be quite as destructive, but leos seem pretty clumsy and heavy-bodied so idk how well it would go.

tldr: IMO ceramic tile is a cleaner, easier, and better-looking choice than bioactive. Either is better than those mats though.

Yes, I do agree that the tiles are much more cleaner and better-looking than the mats, but I wish that my leopard gecko's cage would look more jungle lively because looking at it now it looks so barren and ugly.

 

[Omri]

Yes, I do agree that the tiles are much more cleaner and better-looking than the mats, but I wish that my leopard gecko's cage would look more jungle lively because looking at it now it looks so barren and ugly.

I know the feeling of wishing an arid enclosure was more aesthetically pleasing, but there aren’t many plants that are sturdy enough to take a leopard gecko repeatedly clambering over them without eventually looking bad. You can make an arid enclosure look really nice with pretty rocks (there are plenty of terrarium and aquarium hardscape videos to look at for inspiration) and a few fake succulents. Maybe a couple cool bits of driftwood or cholla wood. The gecko will also appreciate a thoughtfully put together hard scape it can climb around on.

If your heart is set on live plants, you would probably have the most success doing a section of the tank bioactive, kind of like having a pot of houseplants in an otherwise inhospitable-to-plants room. Get the most durable arid plants you can find, I recommend an ox tongue succulent because that’s the only plant I’ve had that managed to survive in my sand boa’s tank (after giving up on the bioactive I put it in a small pot amidst her regular substrate, she still knocked it out occasionally and it was annoying to water without getting the aspen bedding wet so I took it out eventually).

edit: You can also just do a non-bioactive hardscape and stick a couple of air plants (tillandsia) in there. They don’t need soil, you just spray them with water. This is what I do in tanks where it isn’t practical to have actual bioactivity but I still want a plant.