How to set up a bioactive chameleon enclosure

Bioactive enclosures can be a great choice for chameleons if set up correctly! Learn what substrate to use, how to add in plants and branches, what isopods and clean up crew are recommended!

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[madisonmurray]

Ive been building a custom enclosure for my veiled. Its made of wood and will be sealed but its 5 ft tall, 2ft wide, and 2 ft deep. It will be fully bioactive so ive been looking at a lot of builds and this is the most indepth video! Love it!

[ChildishLumbino]

this video came at the perfect timing. buying a new bigger cage and needed ideas

[Stwinky]

I like that pond liner idea. Build turned out great!

[Christinas_creatures]

I didn't think about pond liners when I did mine. I bought a utility tub from lowes took out the bottom panel of the screen enclosure and sat it on top. Glued some mesh over the drain to keep substrate in and it's been working great for about 2 years. It's not the prettiest look but very functional lol

[nikki.jernigan]

Just bought a new hybrid enclosure today for the purpose of going bio active! Perfect timing for this video!

[richardkelley]

You are the best. Thankyou for sharing your knowledge

[melinaraguilarcruz]

I love plants! So I'm looking forward to trying to build a bioactive enclosure for my veiled chameleon!

[seansteyer]

I've just set up my Bioactive enclosure for a Panther Chameleon that I haven't even got. I want to make sure everything is going correctly before introducing the animal. I've done it with some tree frog habitats so hopefully it works for this one!

[CaptainNemo]

Great video, would have liked to see closer shots of the liner against the screen. I like the pond liner much better than the pouch. Have you had any critters get down in between the liner and screen? I'm thinking of cutting the liner and making a perfect square, cutting two of the side pieces longer and vulcanizing the over sized flap pieces to make a square with four corners sealed. Thinking of using dowel rods to secure liner edges tight to the side of screen, which would eliminate the gap. Just some thoughts for now, I plan on calling you. Thanks for all your help with the videos !!

[EastCoastChameleons]

Good video, one recommendation for plant pots is the double pot method, by this it would cure the same exact pot in the cage however, you are doing that and then you place the potted plant in the empty pot that is secured to the cage. It makes her easy maintenance on the plant. I have not done a bioactive cage for any of my chameleons yet because of the excessive water that we use to keep the chameleon hydrated, but I will attempt it someday thanks for sharing all your videos. I may start to post some other videos this year instead of just my shorts that I started. Please check them out, there are nothing special unlike yours.

[Steve-imdl]

I enjoy your videos I’m looking to get a chameleon soon your videos are very informative

[braddishner]

I built a 2x2 planter box, 10 in. Deep. 2x2x4 screen on top. Threw my large monstrea in there with syngonium, Pothos, croton, and some ferns. Spring tails and isopods in my own soil mix. Been cycling 2 months. Ordering chameleon next week.

[Rogermejia]

Thank you, I’m about to transfer my chameleon to a bigger tank and this is so helpful! But I’m just a bit confused cause I thought you said on your other videos that it would be better to not have substrate on the bottom to avoid mold growing and chameleons eating dirt

[yandielflores]

Just bought the basic cage, cant wait 💪🏽

[slimgreenbean]

Was wondering if the extra cut pond liner could be used as a back liner to the cage to prevent water from escaping during misting? Great videos thank you

[diabeticramen]

I’m worried that the isopods and springtails will escape my enclosure. I have my chameleons enclosure set up in my bedroom, and I know a bioactive enclosure would be better for him. However, I’m worried the clean up crew will escape and I really don’t want little bugs running around my room. I use the reptizoo hybrid terrarium, currently I have the mesh walls on with the rest being glass, it’s pretty secure and waterproof, the base is deep and all glass, but I just don’t know how small these bugs are and how likely they are to get out, has anyone had trouble with their clean up crew actively escaping? Please let me know!!

[susanpantoja]

Question could u make a list of what plants you have at the top middle And bottom of your chamleon enclosure. Would make alot easier to set up cages to. Thanks for all your awesome videos ❤❤❤

[appleconvas]

I'm so doing this going to get everything piece by piece, had a veiled chameleon long time like 8 years ago and this time i want to get a panther chameleon what's the best place you would recommend someone getting it. also I've been watching your videos for a month and been doing more research on caring for them and the enclosure everything for it the proper and the encloser you make are perfect and the chameleons look so good and healthy.

[braydenoleson]

Is the great value 2ft led grow light safe to use?

[cryptkeepr]

It looks like you used two different types of substrate. One was darker than the other with the biodude Tera firma. I have the same enclosure as you and redoing it and thinking of bioactive since it’s hard to keep the humidity up at night here and it’s hard to clean mine since I have so much stuff in my enclosure.

Just wondering you used two bags (36qt) of the bio dude Terra firma? And you got your spring tails and isopods from josh’s frogs? (They’re quite expensive on bio dudes