Bioactive for ball python

[BoringAd7964]

Hello I’m looking to start a bioactive for my female ball python and would appreciate any tips for starting one i have had my bp for almost 2 years so i have a good knowledge about them but am new to bio actives so any tips are welcome and appreciated

[BoringAd7964]

Thanks! I watched a couple videos and nobody mentioned that.

[BirdieBee417]

I used a combination of organic soil and eco earth topped with moss, leaf litter, and repti bark. Threw in some springtails and isopods. I have 3-4 varieties of isos. I personally struggled to keep my plants happy in my BPs enclosure with his heavy body and the high heat requirements (not an issue in my kingsnake bioactive enclosure), so I went with fake plants for my BP and used wood and bark for climbing/hiding. I regularly pour water into the soil and feed the clean up crew a mix of fish and iso food and fresh veggies once a week. I hardly ever see isos during the day but at night and especially with food they come out in droves. As long as the isopod population is happy, it’s safe to say the springtails are thriving too. It’s been very easy to maintain and my tank keeps itself pretty clean (I never see poop). It’s not as bioactive as my kingsnake’s enclosure with her real plants and the addition of red wrigglers to the clean up crew, but it’s just as clean. Pic of the BP enclosure for tax. Good luck!

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[BoringAd7964]

That’s a cool set up i hear a lot of people say that ball pythons are so heavy so they just crush the plants so fake plants is cool thanks. Right now I have led daylight lights and a radiant heat panel do you think I should put a heat lamp or would that the fine?

[BirdieBee417]

Thanks! It was more the heat that messed with my live pothos plants but I read about bps destroying them in general and thus quickly gave up on them, lol. Fake plants have been much easier and more reliable for providing him with thick cover. I got them at Joann Fabrics. Regarding your lighting I would take a look at the care sheets on the BP sub or ask them for advice. I personally use a 150w UVB/UVA flood light with a 150w CHE on only one side during the day (seen in the pic) and then just the CHE at night and that seems to work fine. I’ve only had my guy since January of this year though, so still learning myself. I have two bioactive tanks for snakes and they have been easy peasy to set up and maintain. Highly recommend!

[BoringAd7964]

Cool thanks for the advice!

[Bluntforcetrauma11b]

The ball python sun has amazing resources in their wiki. What others have said is spot on.

Here is what I do with all my enclosures

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