You can mix your own substrate. Most people use a mixture of organic top soil, sand, clay, and orchid bark. I don’t know the exact percentages because people have different opinions on that, but that’s basically what’s in the substrate.
Yeah to say you can't make your own substrate is stupid. I spent a fraction of what I could have making my own mix for my leopard geckos bio enclosure by getting organic products from home depot rather than wasting money on the bio dude. Sand is sand, soil is soil, clay is clay. 🙄 nothing is special about the bio dudes stuff.
Jordan Smith yep exactly! I think people really overestimate the difficulty of mixing soil. It really isn’t that hard. There are guides all over the Internet on how to do it.
What I’ll be using is 50% Top Soil, 30% Sand, 20% Humus (coconut coir, peat moss, etc) on top of hydroten balls (clay pellets). I’ve heard this works really well, not enough sand for a bearded dragon to eat but soft enough for him to be able to dig and burrow in the dirt while keeping an original habit texture.
I know it sounds really random, but I kinda assumed Tyler would be one of those people who *hates* the word "moist", but he said it SO many times he must be immune.
I mean, that's gotta be like a $700+ haul right? I love biodude, just set it up for my beardie's 120 gallon, but it's so expensive 🙄 be sure to water everything, if you don't the plants won't do well.
So far, my supplies for a bio active 75 gal. Tank has only cost around $400 or $500, including everything you need for a regular tank. I found a really good descriptive set-up if you all are interested, if I can find it again.
Finally!!!! I have been waiting so long for a pet-tuber to shout out the bio dude. He does not get enough exposure at all and his work is amazing. I have the terra-Sahara set up for my western hognose and leopard gecko and let me tell you... they are THRIVING!! I can’t wait to get another animal just to set them up in such a beautiful environment. The bio dude is by far the best bio-active kit you can get for your animals. They are so knowledgeable and make their products with REAL science behind it. I’m so happy about this video!!!!
I know the setup was from 2 years ago and I'm watching it today as we speak thank you for all your help tips guiding can't wait to get me a new little dude I miss my little buddy passed away like 6 ish years ago can't wait to get a new little dude
My beardie has had a bioactive setup from The Dude for a while now and loves it! I always recommend bioactive to everyone. It's just hard to keep the plants alive when he eats them all 🤦🏻♂️😂
Hey not related to the vid but can you please react to the video - laying in a box of snakes | overtime 9 | Dude Perfect - its a twenty four minute long video and the snake part starts at about twenty one minutes in. There is one shot of all the snakes in a big plastic trash can and there is milk snakes in there along with other snakes. Because putting milk snakes with other snakes is a great idea
it's stupid, but I mean, they still get a lot of views and thats unfortunately not stopping People from doing stuff like this. I mean, theyre also doing it with spiders and idk what in these Celebrity jungle shows on tv and stuff & they get thousands of views… and it is not only About putting solitary animals together, but they could also get hurt during all of this. it is really sad.
I'm so upset the Bio dude only ships to the US I immediately went and started adding things to my cart after this and turns out they don't ship out of the states :( I'm gutted
Dude you absolutely can make your own substrate WAY cheaper and it's exactly the same. I got organic soil, sand, and clay from home depot for my leopard geckos bio enclosure and its thriving. The plants are doing great and so is the CUC. The bio dude isn't special.
See now, this is kind of where I'm torn as far as which direction to go as far as my beardie's tank in the future. I mean that enclosure is beautiful and safe and I'm sure Malakai will love it all the same, however, it just clearly doesn't look anything like the habitat of the wild central bearded dragons in Australia. They live amongst a ton of red sand, sure, but they bask on rocks and roads, with a ton of sparse brush and bark, hiding away into rocky crevices at high noon. I imagine the sands make for a good "litter box." I just don't know how to feel about everything that came with Tyler's kit. There aren't any rocks to absorb the heat from the mercury bulb to provide a lot of belly heat to aid in digestion. The wood will get warm, sure, but stones and rocks get hot, which is why in the wild they're so often found on the super hot roads. I dunno...I have my beardie on a ground walnut shell substrate made by Zilla and it's great. Stones and wood and even fake plants for some added aesthetics throughout.
@@TheWildWondersSA Like, I'm all for innovation in this hobby and doing whatever you feel works for your specific situation, but I just don't know if bearded dragons are an animal that necessarily benefit from a very diverse bioactive setup. For example, I don't necessarily feel like my ball python would benefit from a bioactive enclosure, however I definitely plan on going bioactive with my crested gecko's enclosure. Likewise, if I had, say, a green tree python, bioactivity all the way. Sand boa? Corn snake? Probably not.
@@breezypalmer2738 I totally agree. I feel with my Beardy too much can go wrong, seeing that I raised him in a really basic setup to prevent impaction and other problems he might get froma bio setup. I actually just redid my while live setup for my cresti and he is loving it. I think that every pet owner should look at all the pro's and con's really well before they consider switching to a bio setup. It looks great, but it might not always be practical or relevant for a specific species.
I am a firm believer that kits are a potential crapy and definitely expensive short cut. If they can put it together so can you and there are lots of groups with multiple people who have been doing it for years and are willing to help. You learn a lot more doing it yourself. But that is a beautiful setup.
I agree with that sentiment as far as kits sold in the pet store, but on the bio dude’s website buying a kit is actually quite a bit cheaper than buying all of the items separate
@@tylerrugge I looked into bio dude when I was researching for my ball python's bioactive enclosure. There were things I have found important for my situation that he claimed to be unnecessary (drainage layer) and the cost depends on the size enclosure and if you have use for surplus materials. By doing it myself I know what and approximately how much I put in, if any of it fails I can easily figure out and fix what I did wrong. For example my soil wasn't draining I mentioned this in a group and was advised what I could add more of and now I have better water absorption and drainage.
Omg! I've been so interested in bioactives and am setting one up for my crested! I'm sure my bearded would love one too. I'm excited to see how your berdie's bio goes!
I know it probably sucks to have to have to specify that vids aren’t sponsored. But I love that although you’re getting free stuff, you’re all about giving us an honest review! 😊
Hey Tyler I’m getting a bearded dragon, and I’ve got every thing down except were to get my insects! If you have any suggestions please let me now! And how old is you bearded dragon? We’re did you get your enclosure?
I love the look of the tank! One thing I kind of worry about is all of the moisture inside the tank. With the mix of the sphagnum moss and the damp dirt, your dragon is at a risk of respiratory illness and rot.
Im researchung while waiting for my biodude shipment for my first bioactive beardie set up. This was a great video. Love seeing your beardie moving about exploring in the background
It looks so great. I have to say, as I was watching I was expecting the prices to be something I couldn't afford and after looking, everything is so fairly priced! I'm thinking this will be an awesome project for homeschool with my daughters and their beardie.
Look into reptile systems twin T5 luminaire . Uvb system that you can add a sunrise , sunset and the higher midday uvb output that both the animals and plants would see in the wild . It's something I'm playing around with at the minute
Tyler! I am so excited! today i finally got a leopard gecko! i was gonna get a bearded but once i saw the leopards i knew i was changing my mind. Set up my newbies cage last week then went and got it today !
I’m not sure if you’re aware, but the terra Sahara is 40% sand. You can make your own with 40% top soil, 40% play sand, 20% excavator clay and add sphagnum moss, leaf litter, and worm castings. It actually even says this on the Bio Dudes own website.
All the topsoil I buy is mostly wood chips and that's wouldn't be good if they ate it. But I agree I wouldn't buy this stuff because it's way overpriced
It looks great! Im sure Maliki loves it. I went bioactive using bioactive using biodude products. My BP loves her enclosure and comes out more during the day and night. My cryptanhus is huge now it s more than 12" high! Crazy.
Beautiful! Very well done. I have had biodudes supplies for over a year now and it is honestly the BESt soil on the market!! My beardie loves digging around in it and I put superworms in the Terra sahara and they breed in my tank creating an everlasting supply of food for my Freddy Mercury ! 😁
Y’all should join Lizard Enthusiast Group on Facebook and read the scientific evidence regarding temperatures and impaction. It’s not the substrate, it’s people keeping their beardies at incorrect temps with incorrect UVB lighting. Beardies don’t have tile in the wild for their nails. The wood and digging in the substrate will help them file their nails. There’s really great info in the files section of that FB group! I also used to be scared of loose substrate but the information in that group really helped me understand what their natural environment really consists of. Basking spots need to be 120-130° but most people’s tanks don’t get above 90°. This is why beardies get impacted. They can’t properly digest without the correct temps. I hope you will at least check out the group files to read for yourself! :)
Also, beardies thrive in humidity levels below 60%. The moisture in this substrate stays below the surface once the top dries. I use a couple of acurites to measure air temps and humidity and a temp gun for surface temps and this setup works magically!
Bio actives don't work very well with beardies because of the humidity. In order for the clean up crew to survive, the substrate has to be kept wet, which increases the humidity. Beardies like to lick everything and licking the dirt and leaves can be dangerous since they aren't edible. Also, beardies need a TUBE UVB in order to be getting enough of it. The bulb isn't giving nearly enough UVB... I understand you're going to say that in the wild beardies like on substrate, but in the wild their lifespans are also much much shorter because in captivity we are able to control their environments. A pet UA-camr should never advice or recommend loose substrate of any kind with bearded dragons, people follow you by example :(
The top layer of substrate is dry and the bottom layers stay moist which is where the clean up crew will live for the most part. Humidity stays around 35% with a slight spike when I mist but it dries up pretty quick. The bulb I have actually gives plenty of UVB! I measure the UVB output with an index radiometer in order to ensure I’m providing my animals with adequate UV exposure. And loose substrate isn’t actually bad, they live on it in the wild. They have shorter lifespans in the wild because of predators and exposure to disease, not eating dirt. Also my dragon doesn’t spend much time on the ground and I don’t feed him on the substrate so he doesn’t actually ever consume it. If he did consume a little it would pass fine because it’s a safe substrate and I have proper temps.
The UVB is supposed to cover 2/3 of the enclosure. And I guess you will just have to see how long your beardie actually lives. The life span can reach 15 years, but yours will not live even close to that length in this type of enclosure. Learning more and more about animals and educating yourself if worth more than your pride. And article about beardies will explain that they should have a TUBE UVB. If you don't change the substrate at least change to the tube UVB.
Thank you for spreading the message for better care for such misunderstood animals such as reptiles also bioactive enclosures are so good and look amazing which is a plus I have been longing for a snake ( an egg eater snake to be specific) parents won't let me lol
Hi Tyler, this might sound like a dumb question, but wouldn't you need a drainage layer to control the amount of water going in and out of the Bioactive setup? Greetings from South Africa :)
Very nice! I think it turned out fab! I so want a berdie and if I ever get one, this is what I want to aim for. Hes a lucky boy! I just finished rescapeing my fish tank. I think I blew there minds with the new gravel and all the plants lol its a forest, I think i added to many.
Good job on the tank and the video! I'm going with the Bio Dude for my dragon as well and she'll be in a 125 gallon tank. The only problem is The Dude doesn't have any Springtails or isopods in stock. Where did you get yours or do you know of a reputable place to get some? Don't want to proceed with my setup until I can find some cleaner bugs. Thanks!
Wow, this actually helps me out a lot bcc I always have a difficult time looking for reptile accessories :( ! Thanks for another great video Tyler:) and Malekai is sooooo freakin adorable haven’t seen him in awhile:)
What is your opinion on Bioactive set-ups for new baby bearded dragons?? I want to start out with something like this (with a little more open room) but don’t know if it’s good or bad to have worms/insects roaming the tank with him so small.
Any update on how the bioactive setup is. I’m getting a new baby beardie and I wanted to set up a bioactive from the beginning. I was just concerned on how it would do months later.
I think it's kind of weird to only promote the BioDude's arid substrate at the beginning when there's other amazing arid substrates as well, one of which is significantly better than BioDude's mixture which is the Arcadia Earthmix Arid.
Quick question! Do you only use a mercury vapor bulb or do you use a strip uvb as well? Just wondering if you need to use both because I'm getting a beardie soon:)
Hi, which bio kit did u use for the setup? I went to the website and there is not one specific to bearded dragons. Also are u going to be putting in a water dish or just taking ur bearded dragon out to bath when it shedding?
If you haven't found it yet, the bearded dragon kit is in the 'Lizard Bioactive Kit' section. You have click on bioactive kits, Collections will come up then scroll down a bit to 'lizard bioactive kits.'
When Malachi was struggling to climb up on the glass behind you at the end... that was cute.
Ali Hill thx 🙏
You can mix your own substrate.
Most people use a mixture of organic top soil, sand, clay, and orchid bark. I don’t know the exact percentages because people have different opinions on that, but that’s basically what’s in the substrate.
Yeah to say you can't make your own substrate is stupid. I spent a fraction of what I could have making my own mix for my leopard geckos bio enclosure by getting organic products from home depot rather than wasting money on the bio dude. Sand is sand, soil is soil, clay is clay. 🙄 nothing is special about the bio dudes stuff.
Jordan Smith yep exactly! I think people really overestimate the difficulty of mixing soil. It really isn’t that hard. There are guides all over the Internet on how to do it.
I was just telling fiancee they same thing as i ran across this comment
What I’ll be using is 50% Top Soil, 30% Sand, 20% Humus (coconut coir, peat moss, etc) on top of hydroten balls (clay pellets). I’ve heard this works really well, not enough sand for a bearded dragon to eat but soft enough for him to be able to dig and burrow in the dirt while keeping an original habit texture.
Agree while his soil is very good 😌 it’s easy to make a good mix that works perfectly
I know it sounds really random, but I kinda assumed Tyler would be one of those people who *hates* the word "moist", but he said it SO many times he must be immune.
Moist is my favorite word
Ointment
I mean, that's gotta be like a $700+ haul right? I love biodude, just set it up for my beardie's 120 gallon, but it's so expensive 🙄 be sure to water everything, if you don't the plants won't do well.
Right?! Looks amazing, but wow, I can't imagine how much it cost.
So far, my supplies for a bio active 75 gal. Tank has only cost around $400 or $500, including everything you need for a regular tank. I found a really good descriptive set-up if you all are interested, if I can find it again.
Feedings? Do you set them free in bioactive enclosure?
I came here to say the same thing! I only get stuff that's specific to his company like terra sahara and buy the other things anywhere else lol
My family and i have learnt so much about proper pet/reptile care from your videos thank you ☺👍
I love you! You are the reason I have started making the change to bioactive tanks. 2 started, 2 to go!
Finally!!!! I have been waiting so long for a pet-tuber to shout out the bio dude. He does not get enough exposure at all and his work is amazing. I have the terra-Sahara set up for my western hognose and leopard gecko and let me tell you... they are THRIVING!! I can’t wait to get another animal just to set them up in such a beautiful environment. The bio dude is by far the best bio-active kit you can get for your animals. They are so knowledgeable and make their products with REAL science behind it. I’m so happy about this video!!!!
I know the setup was from 2 years ago and I'm watching it today as we speak thank you for all your help tips guiding can't wait to get me a new little dude I miss my little buddy passed away like 6 ish years ago can't wait to get a new little dude
My beardie has had a bioactive setup from The Dude for a while now and loves it! I always recommend bioactive to everyone. It's just hard to keep the plants alive when he eats them all 🤦🏻♂️😂
Hey not related to the vid but can you please react to the video - laying in a box of snakes | overtime 9 | Dude Perfect - its a twenty four minute long video and the snake part starts at about twenty one minutes in. There is one shot of all the snakes in a big plastic trash can and there is milk snakes in there along with other snakes. Because putting milk snakes with other snakes is a great idea
it's stupid, but I mean, they still get a lot of views and thats unfortunately not stopping People from doing stuff like this. I mean, theyre also doing it with spiders and idk what in these Celebrity jungle shows on tv and stuff & they get thousands of views… and it is not only About putting solitary animals together, but they could also get hurt during all of this. it is really sad.
James Hamilton it’s not safe at all! THEY ARE DIFFERENT SPECIES
I agree I also watched the video and think you he should react to it 😓
Link please
Your the reason I’m getting into the reptile hobby
I'm so upset the Bio dude only ships to the US I immediately went and started adding things to my cart after this and turns out they don't ship out of the states :( I'm gutted
Im the same, i live in Australia. Uggh this sucks.
I live in the states I feel bad for those who live out of states 😖
ohhh noooo... I'm immediately shattered as I was about to jump online nooooo
I’m in Canada and i did the exact same thing 😔
the same thing happened to me with arcadia earth mix arid. they don’t ship to us😭
The setup looks amazing! Just love the real plants. So much more enrichment for a B dragon xx 🙌🏻
Dude you absolutely can make your own substrate WAY cheaper and it's exactly the same. I got organic soil, sand, and clay from home depot for my leopard geckos bio enclosure and its thriving. The plants are doing great and so is the CUC. The bio dude isn't special.
Omg I used the Bio Dude for my hermit crab tank! I totally recomend it too!
Julia Noe I have hermits too
I’m so glad you went with BioDude! Both my frogs and created gecko are in setups from him and they are thriving! His products are A++
"Gonna do it off camera" is the equivalent of a minecraft youtuber "mining" off camera
Your bearded dragon has the greatest name😄
See now, this is kind of where I'm torn as far as which direction to go as far as my beardie's tank in the future. I mean that enclosure is beautiful and safe and I'm sure Malakai will love it all the same, however, it just clearly doesn't look anything like the habitat of the wild central bearded dragons in Australia. They live amongst a ton of red sand, sure, but they bask on rocks and roads, with a ton of sparse brush and bark, hiding away into rocky crevices at high noon. I imagine the sands make for a good "litter box." I just don't know how to feel about everything that came with Tyler's kit. There aren't any rocks to absorb the heat from the mercury bulb to provide a lot of belly heat to aid in digestion. The wood will get warm, sure, but stones and rocks get hot, which is why in the wild they're so often found on the super hot roads. I dunno...I have my beardie on a ground walnut shell substrate made by Zilla and it's great. Stones and wood and even fake plants for some added aesthetics throughout.
I feel you on this one Breezy, I am also wondering about a setup like this for my Beardy.
@@TheWildWondersSA Like, I'm all for innovation in this hobby and doing whatever you feel works for your specific situation, but I just don't know if bearded dragons are an animal that necessarily benefit from a very diverse bioactive setup. For example, I don't necessarily feel like my ball python would benefit from a bioactive enclosure, however I definitely plan on going bioactive with my crested gecko's enclosure. Likewise, if I had, say, a green tree python, bioactivity all the way. Sand boa? Corn snake? Probably not.
@@breezypalmer2738 I totally agree. I feel with my Beardy too much can go wrong, seeing that I raised him in a really basic setup to prevent impaction and other problems he might get froma bio setup. I actually just redid my while live setup for my cresti and he is loving it. I think that every pet owner should look at all the pro's and con's really well before they consider switching to a bio setup. It looks great, but it might not always be practical or relevant for a specific species.
@@TheWildWondersSA I think we can all agree that @Tyler Rugge looks gorg' in this video as always though! 😂
I am a firm believer that kits are a potential crapy and definitely expensive short cut. If they can put it together so can you and there are lots of groups with multiple people who have been doing it for years and are willing to help. You learn a lot more doing it yourself. But that is a beautiful setup.
I agree with that sentiment as far as kits sold in the pet store, but on the bio dude’s website buying a kit is actually quite a bit cheaper than buying all of the items separate
@@tylerrugge I looked into bio dude when I was researching for my ball python's bioactive enclosure. There were things I have found important for my situation that he claimed to be unnecessary (drainage layer) and the cost depends on the size enclosure and if you have use for surplus materials. By doing it myself I know what and approximately how much I put in, if any of it fails I can easily figure out and fix what I did wrong. For example my soil wasn't draining I mentioned this in a group and was advised what I could add more of and now I have better water absorption and drainage.
Omg! I've been so interested in bioactives and am setting one up for my crested! I'm sure my bearded would love one too. I'm excited to see how your berdie's bio goes!
I know it probably sucks to have to have to specify that vids aren’t sponsored. But I love that although you’re getting free stuff, you’re all about giving us an honest review! 😊
Do you have to keep buying the “clean up crew” bio stuff??
Hey Tyler I’m getting a bearded dragon, and I’ve got every thing down except were to get my insects! If you have any suggestions please let me now! And how old is you bearded dragon? We’re did you get your enclosure?
Love love love this video! You were so easy to losten to and follow along - super excited to rescape Barnaby's enclosure now!!!
I love the look of the tank! One thing I kind of worry about is all of the moisture inside the tank. With the mix of the sphagnum moss and the damp dirt, your dragon is at a risk of respiratory illness and rot.
By basking and the top layer drying out they will not rot. And most places are already low humidity so this will be fine
THIS IS SO FREAKING BOOTIFUL HE'S GOING TO BE SO HAPPY
Im researchung while waiting for my biodude shipment for my first bioactive beardie set up. This was a great video. Love seeing your beardie moving about exploring in the background
It looks so great. I have to say, as I was watching I was expecting the prices to be something I couldn't afford and after looking, everything is so fairly priced! I'm thinking this will be an awesome project for homeschool with my daughters and their beardie.
Looks great! I'm definitely going to be doing a bio active setup for my bearded dragon soon.
Also I freaking LOVE the bio dude. 10/10 would recommend. Only downside is not being able to put the whole damn website in my cart because money 😭
I know nothing about reptiles but this is absolutely beautiful
Your awesome! I LOVE YOUR VIDEOS AND YOUR ENCLOSURES! You take such good care of your animals! 😀
Dude that enclosure looks so amazing! I'm hoping to move my leopard geckos over to bioactive one of these day's. Thanks for the inspiration! :3
Look into reptile systems twin T5 luminaire . Uvb system that you can add a sunrise , sunset and the higher midday uvb output that both the animals and plants would see in the wild . It's something I'm playing around with at the minute
He/she looks so thankful😍 ahh I love bearded dragons so much
I love the videos! I've been waiting for this one for a long time!
Tyler! I am so excited! today i finally got a leopard gecko! i was gonna get a bearded but once i saw the leopards i knew i was changing my mind. Set up my newbies cage last week then went and got it today
!
I adore this video and the set up!! So beautiful thank you for sharing it with us!!!
I’m not sure if you’re aware, but the terra Sahara is 40% sand. You can make your own with 40% top soil, 40% play sand, 20% excavator clay and add sphagnum moss, leaf litter, and worm castings.
It actually even says this on the Bio Dudes own website.
All the topsoil I buy is mostly wood chips and that's wouldn't be good if they ate it. But I agree I wouldn't buy this stuff because it's way overpriced
I don't know why you say you aren't very good at scaping becauseause it looks amazing!! Great job and video! 😁
Such an amazing enclosure 😍😍!!! Amazing work, well done !!!
Take a shot everytime he says "This is gonna make it look more natural."
Wow, he looks so happy and the enclosure looks so good! Love your videos btw 🦎💙
Thank you ☺️
Tyler making bearded dragon videos makes my day 😂
dude i cant deal with the amount of time he said moist lmao
You’ve inspired me to change my beardies viv bio active.. I’ve always just been so worried about the substrate but I’m glad you’ve found a safe one!
Love it haven't seen anyone do it yet!!!!!!
It looks great! Im sure Maliki loves it. I went bioactive using bioactive using biodude products. My BP loves her enclosure and comes out more during the day and night. My cryptanhus is huge now it s more than 12" high! Crazy.
What a beautiful set up! That’s a lucky beardie! 👏🏻😍❤️
Ugh love it dude keep doing these vids!
Awesome! How big is the enclosure? It seems to be the perfect size!
Love this set up! Love the BioDude.
Very Nice Setup! I want to go bioactive with my custom enclosure when I build it. Can't wait
Beautiful! Very well done. I have had biodudes supplies for over a year now and it is honestly the BESt soil on the market!! My beardie loves digging around in it and I put superworms in the Terra sahara and they breed in my tank creating an everlasting supply of food for my Freddy Mercury ! 😁
So beautiful. If I ever get a reptile, I'm definitely getting a bio active for it.
Awww he's so happy
Would you recommend this for a bioactive hedgehog enclosure?
Very nice setup, definitely a lot going on in there.
If I were you Tyler I would of added tiles on one side with in the substrate to help the beardies claws.
Or just have tile in the whole substrate to protect against impaction and the high humidity... This is far from ideal for a beardie. :(
Agreed it is completely unnecessary
Y’all should join Lizard Enthusiast Group on Facebook and read the scientific evidence regarding temperatures and impaction. It’s not the substrate, it’s people keeping their beardies at incorrect temps with incorrect UVB lighting. Beardies don’t have tile in the wild for their nails. The wood and digging in the substrate will help them file their nails. There’s really great info in the files section of that FB group! I also used to be scared of loose substrate but the information in that group really helped me understand what their natural environment really consists of. Basking spots need to be 120-130° but most people’s tanks don’t get above 90°. This is why beardies get impacted. They can’t properly digest without the correct temps. I hope you will at least check out the group files to read for yourself! :)
Also, beardies thrive in humidity levels below 60%. The moisture in this substrate stays below the surface once the top dries. I use a couple of acurites to measure air temps and humidity and a temp gun for surface temps and this setup works magically!
Where is his uvb t5?
Bio actives don't work very well with beardies because of the humidity. In order for the clean up crew to survive, the substrate has to be kept wet, which increases the humidity. Beardies like to lick everything and licking the dirt and leaves can be dangerous since they aren't edible. Also, beardies need a TUBE UVB in order to be getting enough of it. The bulb isn't giving nearly enough UVB... I understand you're going to say that in the wild beardies like on substrate, but in the wild their lifespans are also much much shorter because in captivity we are able to control their environments. A pet UA-camr should never advice or recommend loose substrate of any kind with bearded dragons, people follow you by example :(
The top layer of substrate is dry and the bottom layers stay moist which is where the clean up crew will live for the most part. Humidity stays around 35% with a slight spike when I mist but it dries up pretty quick. The bulb I have actually gives plenty of UVB! I measure the UVB output with an index radiometer in order to ensure I’m providing my animals with adequate UV exposure. And loose substrate isn’t actually bad, they live on it in the wild. They have shorter lifespans in the wild because of predators and exposure to disease, not eating dirt. Also my dragon doesn’t spend much time on the ground and I don’t feed him on the substrate so he doesn’t actually ever consume it. If he did consume a little it would pass fine because it’s a safe substrate and I have proper temps.
The UVB is supposed to cover 2/3 of the enclosure. And I guess you will just have to see how long your beardie actually lives. The life span can reach 15 years, but yours will not live even close to that length in this type of enclosure. Learning more and more about animals and educating yourself if worth more than your pride. And article about beardies will explain that they should have a TUBE UVB. If you don't change the substrate at least change to the tube UVB.
Thank you for spreading the message for better care for such misunderstood animals such as reptiles also bioactive enclosures are so good and look amazing which is a plus I have been longing for a snake ( an egg eater snake to be specific) parents won't let me lol
Hi Tyler, this might sound like a dumb question, but wouldn't you need a drainage layer to control the amount of water going in and out of the Bioactive setup? Greetings from South Africa :)
I love the biodude I use his products for my ball python.
Do they send you a tank as well or just all the thing to put in the tank?
I'm obsessed, I want to do this now!
Best episode of pimp my room
Very nice! I think it turned out fab! I so want a berdie and if I ever get one, this is what I want to aim for. Hes a lucky boy! I just finished rescapeing my fish tank. I think I blew there minds with the new gravel and all the plants lol its a forest, I think i added to many.
Good job on the tank and the video! I'm going with the Bio Dude for my dragon as well and she'll be in a 125 gallon tank. The only problem is The Dude doesn't have any Springtails or isopods in stock. Where did you get yours or do you know of a reputable place to get some? Don't want to proceed with my setup until I can find some cleaner bugs. Thanks!
this was so cool video! keep doing this, you're good at this
Hi,im planing for getting a bearbed dragon but my only question is, how much time the heat lamp and UV light need to be on?
You are awesome I want to do this to my beardie ❤️❤️❤️ edit: also is it ok for bearded dragons to eat the cleanup crew- iso-pods
They probably won't, but if they do it's totally fine!
Jade Hershey thank you!!!!
They make a snack for beardies
Wow, this actually helps me out a lot bcc I always have a difficult time looking for reptile accessories :( ! Thanks for another great video Tyler:) and Malekai is sooooo freakin adorable haven’t seen him in awhile:)
For "Sand" I use alot of things like grounded almond shells. You can get it at a pet store.
That looks so good!!!
I adore your enclosures! Just thought I'd say that!
Hello, I was wondering where you got the tank from. I could not find anything bigger than the exo-terra 36x18x18. 😔
Looks very good.
This might be a dumb question but do bearded dragons not need a water bowl?
Love it 😍 you did a good job 🦎
Is this not like crazy high humidity for a beardy?
I would love an update on this! Like how is it evolving and all that!
This is so cool!
Can you use the same substrate for a bioactive hermit or hedgehog tank?
I plan on getting this for my beardie from the Bio-Dude figured I would get some about a month ago but haven't got any yet.
What is your opinion on Bioactive set-ups for new baby bearded dragons?? I want to start out with something like this (with a little more open room) but don’t know if it’s good or bad to have worms/insects roaming the tank with him so small.
Any update on how the bioactive setup is. I’m getting a new baby beardie and I wanted to set up a bioactive from the beginning. I was just concerned on how it would do months later.
I think it's kind of weird to only promote the BioDude's arid substrate at the beginning when there's other amazing arid substrates as well, one of which is significantly better than BioDude's mixture which is the Arcadia Earthmix Arid.
I promoted the substrate I used and have worked with. I never promote products I’ve personally never used as it would be pretty dishonest.
Looks amazing!
Quick question! Do you only use a mercury vapor bulb or do you use a strip uvb as well? Just wondering if you need to use both because I'm getting a beardie soon:)
How often do you clean and change this out?
Do you still like the bio active tank for your bearded dragon?
Hi, which bio kit did u use for the setup? I went to the website and there is not one specific to bearded dragons. Also are u going to be putting in a water dish or just taking ur bearded dragon out to bath when it shedding?
If you haven't found it yet, the bearded dragon kit is in the 'Lizard Bioactive Kit' section. You have click on bioactive kits, Collections will come up then scroll down a bit to 'lizard bioactive kits.'
I’m a little sceptical of the loose substrate can you confirm that it’s safe?
Love this setup it’s so cool
I love beardies so much 😭😭😭
The spikes on the cactus/ aloe Vera plant doesn’t hurt the bearded dragon?
It could. Since beardies lick everything to get accustomed to where they are. This tank is an example of what NOT to do.
Can you use just the substrate? From the bio active
Love the vids good job 👍🏽