How to Build a Naturalistic, Bioactive Enclosure! 

One suggestion I have for next time is, when doing the background you can get plastic potting cups for plants. With them you can place them at an angle so you can have plants drape down on the background. I would recommend plants like Pothos and safe ivy for that. You can also put non vining plants back there. It’s just to really fill up the space.

It looks wonderful, but I had a “mom” moment thinking... “Oh no the rug!!” Lol

Love bioactive setups. I've spent an embarrassing amount of time watching isopods chow on gecko poo wondering if i should pull it out or just let them do what they do.

Also note for future upgrades, when you carve out the foam, any areas that don’t get carved and stay smooth, the silicone won’t stay in place as long and will fall off over time. So yes definitely best to overspray and then carve out the excess, but also carve every inch so the silicone has a rough surface to adhere to.

Hey the tank looks beautiful!! I have only one question . Why didn’t you put a drainage layer ? I’m not dissing your work or anything I’m just sincerely curious because I’ve always seen people put a drainage layer for a bio active

This is such an amazing and GORGEOUS enclosure!! Metamora looks like a very happy gal :D great job!

I was so excited for this video. Green tree pythons have always been a dream animal, but I need to start with the easier reptiles before jumping in so deeply. The enclosure is just lovely! I hope the rest of your week was better after all of the nastiness earlier. Anyone can see how much you love and care for your babies. I have definately learned a lot from you!

Looks great! A suggestion for how you said you don’t like how the background looks bare, you should get some sort of ivy and pin it to the background as it grows it’ll hang on

It looks great! I can’t wait to someday make a bioactive enclosure for either a created gecko or a gargoyle when i get one! I built one for my bearded dragon but it didn’t end up too well

Awee young biaks are so cute ! I miss mine being solid red but he’s adorable now all green and yellow ♥️

I think it looks great! I wouldn't add any more plants though just let those grow in, I would add a little more Leaf litter it looks kind of bear on the bottom.

I was waiting for this video to drop! I am in love with Metamora - she is such a beautiful creature. I adore that every video we see of her she matures just a bit more and her colour changes ever so slightly. She is gorgeous & you have done such an amazing job raising her - I have personally never seen such a calm and trusting GTP. 😍💟 And of course; her enclosure looks fabulous!

You did an amazing job for your first time ❤️ And she looks so happy with her new home

She looked so happy and cute in her new enclosure, so cute 💕

Loved the video so much Tricia! 😍 You are the best RU-vid channel when it comes to educational videos about reptiles (in my opinion.) You are so enthusiastic about your animals and tbh I don’t know what I would do without your tips and care videos! ❤️ Thank you for being so helpful! You are the best🙃

Turned out beautifully!

Came out really cool. I'm definitely going to do bioactive enclosures for most of my reptiles. Thanks for sharing.

It turned out amazing! I’m sure she loves it 😊 and now u can see and observe her and her beauty better!

It looks so good! I can’t wait to do enclosures like this at some point!

What an amazing set up!! I've always wanted a GTP and thanks to you I'm inspired to get ok one!! And would love to see and update video

I think this looks really good!love the idea. Can always add stuff later 🙂 i want to eventually do bioactive for my blue tongue

What size tank is that? Also, pothos is one of my favorite plants to use in enclosures, it can survive pretty much anything, grows really well, and my cresties especially love climbing all around it and sleeping curled up in the leaves.

Metamora's tank looks amazing! 💕 Though I would suggest using a grow light for the plants as it really helps them with growth. When ever I get a leacheanus gecko I will definitely be doing a bioactive set up! 💕

i would say if you could take metamora out for another 48-72 hours, it isn’t too late to use some more expanding foam around a few plastic pots in the back! you could just do that section around the pot, then carve and silicone, then plant a type of hanging/drooping plant like pothos! it’d also give her some additional enrichment and climbing areas going over and behind the plants!

Nice job!

It came out gorgeous!! Great job!

Where did you buy the pond and stone can? I’ve done a bunch of spray foam backgrounds but every time I check Home Depot they can never find it so I end up just getting the regular ones.

Finally got a chance to watch. I’m in love with the enclosure!

How do you clean those backgrounds I’m thinking out making one but do you have to clean it differently.

I Love it. And also the snake I got two boas and did the same in much bigger tanks Another suggestion, I think you should get a bigger tank for she/him Like a 75 gallon one and do the same but add more hides and real branches from outside, disinfect everything first also the plants.

I've done two trial runs of making backgrounds with the foam + silicone + cocofiber method, but even dry they still badly reek of silicone. Maybe I'm not being as diligent cutting up and flattening the foam so my coco coverings have not been perfect, but the entire backgrounds smell just as bad as the silicone straight from the caulking tube. Thoughts?

when you added the Silicone to the foam did it have a really strong smell? I am trying to build my own but when I applied the silicone I think it created a reaction with a really strong smell, it almost burned my nostrils and eyes. I am scared it will hurt the snake. Is there a special combination of foam and silicone I should be using? Or do I just have to wait until is fully cured? I checked the silicone in another place and it dint smell neither did the foam so I believe is the combination of them creating some rection.

Awesome video! She's such a stunning snake, I love her coloring. Anyways, I had a question hope you don't mind my asking. I'm currently in the process of saving and researching up on getting my first snake. I'm getting a baby male BRB. And I was looking into a bioactive setup. I've had a few people tell me not to a bioactive setup just yet, seeing I'm just getting into snakes. But personally, I really like the aesthetic and feel like it gives the snake so much enrichment. Plus it really helps retain humidity, which is great for BRBs especially babies. I just however have a few questions, about it. Like how you 'clean' and maintain bioactive set up? And what do you use to help with heating? That's the one thing I'm most concern about is heating. Seeing that most videos I watch with bioactive setups, don't mention anything about heat sources. I hope these questions aren't stupid, I just want to make sure I give my future noodle an amazing life and setup.

Very nice kiddo I'm sure your snake will enjoy his new home thanks and love the way you did it to great video kiddo

Looks amazing! Curious how did you make those stickers for their tanks that say don't tap the glass lol out of all things, that's what I'm most curious about lol

Looks amazing! ❤

I mean wow wie!!! It looks stupendous. Really a natural looking environment now that's awesome 👌👍

Good job ! 👍🏻

❤.. Super nice but how do you control humidity ? Since level must be in the 60 / 70% ??

Looks great! 🌱🌿🐍

What kind of plants did yo use ?

Wow, turned out amazing ;)

How has this build held up after all this time? I’m attempting something similar and the longevity of the build has popped up in my mind.

Hello! I looove your Videos and tried to make the backround in my terrarium too but it didn't work :( I used eco earth but it didn't stick to the silicone... Do you have an idea why or what alternatives I could use?

very cool!

Excellent video, I used a semi similar method ,but for my Crested gecko “ Balornus”, I planted a live Ficus Benjamina tree in a deep bottom layer of vivarium soil, she likes ficus trees.

This is beautiful! Metamora is one lucky noodle 🐍💕

This is all great to know. Especially sines I might get a tree python someday. Beautiful job

I know this video is old but I just made my natural background for my boa enclosure and basically did the same thing as you. My question is: have you ever had issues with mold or the background getting soiled or smelling? I’m just wondering if this would happen since it’s a natural substrate background. I would love to hear your experience with it and the longevity of the natural background!

What size is the tank?

Came out beautiful love it, with the foam can you make hides just wondering

Beautiful snake

It might sound counterintuitive because they’re arboreal but green tree pythons need a wider tank with ample ground space. They naturally descend from the trees and hunt on the ground at night, so they need that space to stretch out and roam at night. This tank isn’t suitable as there is almost no ground space at all.

Looks fantastic one lucky gtp 👍💕

Would having a Waterfall with GTP be a bad idea, and misting system Also I'm debating between a ATB what are your thoughts on both

Do you maintain this in any way? I'm guessing since the soil is now bioactive you do not need to change it?

That's a happy snake!

I love it! I am trying to think of a way to add a removable, vertical perch. I’ve seen wild GTPs climb vertical and I want to provide that option for mine. But it needs to be on a base of some sort and can’t be attached to the top. I might just have to buy it but I like DIYs when possible.

to fill up the back ground you could pin or superglue some ficus pumila on it, it would eventually climb up the background

This was supper cool. I would have used reall wood for the perches.

“I’m not going to be using too much of it” 😭 great video but that’s funny

looks wonderful i love it 💙 and you make it look so easy🤓 ¿does she is going to need a bigger enclosure in the future??? it's my big doubt

Where did you get that sticker

Can you do a video on setting up a crested gecko bin? I’m getting one but don’t plan on getting it a huge enclosure until I make it bioactive

Amazing!!✌️🐍❤️

i love this terrarium. i love naturalistic terrariums and it hurts seeing people that make a terrarium for their snake that looks like a hamster cage

If I like the background that comes in an exoterra, can I keep it instead of making my own?

Amazing

Be careful with the acrylic paint. When it gets wet sometimes it will peel off. I would try to buy one that are already “colored” 💛 Amazing set up! I love it!

真似してみよ〜👍

Could u possibly do a vid all about bio active enclosures?

Question: I've seen other people leave the bioactive environment sit for a month or so in case anything goes wrong with the plants or with mold. Why didn't you wait a month?

where she will hide? like, after eating for example

Pls put relaxing music in the background

Looks so good!! I hope you used a mask and had open windows, cos expanding foam vapors are really harmful! It's safe after curing but when applying I highly recommend working outside :)

How to build a natural living prison for your snake!

Is there a reason you did away from doing a false bottom? Usually a humid environment needs a false bottom due to all the misting. Will eventually make the dirt muddy and drown your plants roots intern rotting. Which is bad. I would consider doing a creeping plant to climb the back area that you say Is bare. A tip would be getting a full spectrum light to help your pants flourish! It looks great overall!

Looks great, but it seems very exposed. I would add a hide or two so she has a nice place to decompress 🐍

👍👍👌👌🐍🐍🐍💞💞💞

You might want to install a drainage layer

You shud take the water dish in the hights becuas if you dont do that the snake can Get dhidrayt and die

What type of snake is she

"Hey gardeners!" My literal thoughts coming across a video of yours for the first time: "Ohmygosh, she's so gorgeous"

Alot of work but ,so nice for yoir pet😄

I’m not a god writer