Is Your Bioactive Enclosure Cool Enough?

Photo by dimitrisvetsikas1969

One of the great joys of keeping a reptile or amphibian is getting to decorate their enclosure—or, at least it is for many exotic pet keepers. If that’s not you, feel free to move on and skip over this article.

But if you’re interested in making the most of your pet’s aesthetic, check out the different types of bioactive enclosures we’ve found.

Desert pothos setup

Photo courtesy of @leonas.reptiles

At first sight, this appears to be a fairly basic setup, but there are a few interesting things going on here. You’ll notice plenty of logs and other hides for the reptile within.

Interestingly, this setup is for a hot, dry microclimate, and yet a pothos plant is thriving here. It just goes to show you that sometimes you don’t have to follow the rules with only plants that are native to a particular habitat.

Although the substrate here is dry, the pothos is planted in a separate container that can be kept moister than the surrounding environment. You can use this tip to grow your own plants in drier bioactive enclosures.

A setup like this is good for lizards that enjoy dry climates, such as leopard geckos.

Vertical lizard setup

Photo courtesy of @dungeons.n.critters

For lizards that like to climb on branches, such as crested geckos, a vertical enclosure is ideal, and climbing pets offer unique decorating opportunities. The hanging, hollowed out coconut is a nice detail that makes this enclosure unique from other, similar setups.

You’ll notice that there is a snake plant in this enclosure—another interesting choice for the habitat. Snake plants tend to like drier environments and would work perfectly in a desert-dwelling lizard’s tank, yet this one seems to be thriving in a more humid environment.

You don’t have to place plants in a bioactive setup that goes against their usual environment. In fact, it’s easier to stick with species that like the same temperature and humidity levels, but these setups show that with planning, it can be done and you can have the aesthetic you want.

Unexpected décor pieces

Photos courtesy of @dungeons.n.critters

There’s nothing wrong with including tried-and-true classics when it comes to decorating a bioactive setup. Caves, logs, and rocks make any amphibian or reptile enclosure look more naturalistic.

But there’s no reason you can’t mix styles or also include some unexpected items that add personality to the habitat (and aren’t necessarily natural).

In this enclosure, a comfy pet bed and a couple of stuffed animals make the enclosure feel more homey and nurturing. The plants almost feel more like houseplants added to the inhabitant’s room rather than plants growing naturally in the habitat. Stuffed animals tend to be safe toys for most lizards, and you may find that your lizard enjoys them just as much as more conventional hides or climbing objects.

Hopefully these photos give you some ideas for branching out with your own bioactive setup! Feel free to share your exotic pet decorating pursuits with The Tye-Dyed Iguana on Facebook.