the soil for at least one to two weeks before any
reptiles or amphibians are added to the enclosure.
During this colonisation stage, the invertebrates will
need to be fed on a special custodian pellet, and
they will also readily accept dead, crushed crickets
and other feeder insects. Springtails, slaters, earth-
worms, mealworms and white worms can be used
as soil custodians. Specialist reptile stores such as
Kellyville Pets are now beginning to carry various
invertebrates suitable for bioactive systems and the
food products required to maintain them.
Lighting and Heating.
Live plants require bright, natural, full-spectrum
white light in order to carry out photosynthesis. A
lighting hood or reflector should be positioned on
top of the enclosure and fitted with appropriate
lights that will usually consist of either LED or
compact E27 screw-in globes and come in a range
of strengths and sizes. Ideally light output should be
within the range of 6500-10,000K (or Kelvin, a
measure of ‘colour temperature’) to stimulate good
plant growth.
Depending on what animal species is being housed,
a heat source as well as a UVB globe, or tube, will
also need to be included on the enclosure. Heat
sources must be controlled by a thermostat to
regulate temperatures and all lights should be run
on a timer for 10-12 hours per day so that both the
plants and the resident animals have appropriate
day and night cycles. Careful consideration must be
given to the placement of basking spots and heat
sources, as intense direct heat will cause many
plants to dry out and die. Focussed, tight-beam
globes that create a hot basking spot are generally
more effective than wider-beam ceramic heat
emitters.
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Plant Selections.
Selecting the plants for a bioactive system is the
creative element of the process. However, it is
important that the right species and mix of plants is
used, as some can be toxic to animals and others
may not thrive in the conditions of the enclosure.
When initially planted, foliage can be trained or
directed to grow up rock walls or along branches in
a desired direction. A number of plant groups and
species suited to different environments are listed
below, however, this provides a general guide and
careful research should be undertaken before
placing any plants inside an enclosure with an
animal.
Tropical: bromeliads, ferns, Calathea spp., orchids,
Tillandsia spp. (‘air plants’), Climbing Fig (Ficus
pumila), Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum spp.), Begonia
spp., Fittonia spp., Pothos, Philodendron spp. and
various species of moss.
Image by Michael Cermak.