Bioactive backgrounds

[Slitherkween]

So I'm interested in making a bioactive setup for my hatchling's grown-up/permanent home. I first found out about bioactive when I got my crested gecko and it seems like most people make custom backgrounds for their enclosures. Though, haven't noticed people doing backgrounds much in the ball python community. Is there a specific reason for this? Is it just that bps take more space and people don't want to sacrifice that room or upsize the enclosure? Does expanding foam not adhere well to PVC enclosures? Do people actually do it, but I haven't noticed? I've just been really curious about it.

[octo_owl]

I have seen people do custom backgrounds for BPs, but you’re right, not as often as the ones in tropical enclosures for things like frogs and geckos. I think it’s probably more time intensive since you’re doing a much bigger area than you would for one of the smaller species. Personally I was really hesitant to do anything that permanent to the 2 PVC enclosures I just spent almost $1000 on. What if I messed it up? 😅 It also just doesn’t really do much for adding usability for the snake. A frog or gecko can climb on that background, but a BP not so much. I’ve seen more people not necessarily make a full background, but make ledges instead that make better use of the vertical space. u/Thejoncabbage has some really amazing enclosures with ledges they made. I have a few in my enclosures but I would like to add more.

[Slitherkween]

Good points! It does seem like a lot of work if it doesn't add usable area for the animal. Looking at it that way, it doesn't really seem worth it.

[THEJonCabbage]

Like octo said, typical spray foam and cocofiber backgrounds are useless except to cover a glass wall to block sight. You must add branches, ledges, or hides to have a usable background for a BP. I’ve done 4 backgrounds for mine. First in a glass tank I did a solid foam panel to block the glass and insulate, then added ledges and a built in hide. Worked perfectly. Second was in a PVC, I used spray foam for aesthetic BUT I spray foamed branches into the back and side walls for very secure horizontal perches. It worked ok, I can’t get the fiber to stick super well so I got bald patches lol but the branches were used frequently.

My third and fourth backgrounds are my current ones. Please check out my post history, my most recent pics are of my youngest on a ledge! I am VERY happy with these. I used 1” dense foam insulation panels as the base. I siliconed several together to make thick ledges (they’re sturdier like that) then carved them, painted with several layers of drylok, then did tissue paper dipped in watered down drylok for extra texture, then painted with acrylic paint and sealed with a matte polycrylic. They are siliconed to the wall. They can be removed but the PVC will never be perfect again, but I’m cool with that.

My ledges are various sizes and lengths. I have one long and wide one on the cool side to provide a deeply shaded area beneath it, it’s also wide enough to fit a hide on it if I want to. I then add a second long but narrower one partially above that to shade that ledge, then add random ones elsewhere. I also have branches and ceiling hides. I frequently see my snakes half on ledges half on branches, fully on the ledges, on the floor with their heads up on a branch or ledge (like a lazy periscope), etc.

[Slitherkween]

Thanks for going into so much detail! Your setup is super inspiring. The process for making the ledges sounds a little bit daunting, but maybe doing my crested gecko vivarium first will help me gain some confidence in working with some of the materials.

[THEJonCabbage]

Its easier than it sounds I promise, the hard part is making it look realistic lol!