Describing what the bearded dragons natural environment is like while setting up the tank was very relaxing, and gave me a new perspective of how my bearded dragon would have lived her life without me
My first beardie died very soon after getting her because the pet store employee told me to get sand substrate. I’m so glad you’ve done so much research to take such amazing care of your beardie! That’s one lucky bearded dragon!
my beardie live on sand substrate for 8 years and he did fine also they do not need humity they will get a infeted very easy and i had done reserch on beardie for a month and ha don for 8 years that is a good happy life not including what i wach on this video that is all.
@@drakothedragon3474 Imagine a human dying at 20 years old and saying "Oh well, they lived a happy life." A bearded dragon can and 100% should live 20+ years in captivity lol.
@@chris6054 yeah 100%true beardies live 5 to 8 years in the wild which is what they live in captivity when the owner isnt taking care of them propery or have wrong lights. 8 years isnt lsnt long for a beardie some chameleons whos housing is gpod live longer then that defiently should brag about ur 8 year old beardie that lived on sand probably shortened his life
@@finestsickman216 People think a ~13yo dog is so outstanding, meanwhile very few seem to realize the two oldest dogs were both pushing 30. People set these limitations on things and then we look like absolute morons.
I've had my bearded dragon for several months now. I just have a basic set up. I am upgrading to a larger tank and you have given me a lot of great ideas. Thanks and good video.
this is probasbly the first video that actually goes well into how to make the substrate, so thank you for that, one piece of advice is if you do find the beardie digging, you need to add rocks to go all the way to the bottom so he doesnt dig under the rocks and get hurt
Great video, I really enjoyed it. Very nice set-up too. Just some extra tips. When it comes to arthropods, simply use the actual rolypolies, the ones that curl up when threatened. They are somewhat more resilient to dryer environments than the ones that do not curl up. Actually, in periods of drought, they roll up to evaporate less moisture and sit out the drought. As far as the springtails go, the purple ones are more resilient to dryer environments than the white ones. But these are more difficult to find, unfortunately. And for those that do not want to lose time having to wait for the silicone to dry: using liquid superglue on cotton (or even toilet paper) makes for a really strong bond instantly. Quite handy for complex structures. This something I learned from watching aquascaping videos (aquariums). Ones the fumes evaporated, the bond is completely safe even for aquariums and amfibians. Just make sure that your workspace has good ventilation with this procedure. And one last remark: when choosing succulent plants, DO NOT use the ones with the white milky juice. Those are poisonous!
My son purchased a bearded dragon about 2 months ago. He's become the family pet😍! Can't wait to show my son this video of what live edible plants we can add to his habitat. Great calming educational video.
I finally got my husband to agree to reptiles and the first species we’d like to house is a bearded dragon. I’ve been doing research for weeks about substrates, tank size, life cycle, feeding, watering and natural habitats. This is the first video I’ve seen that gave me definitive answers and a pathway to creating my own terrarium. Thank you so much, sir, and what a beautiful enclosure!
I will say, the size enclosure he picked is not viable for adult bearded dragons for their entire life!! The US standard is a 40 gallon breeder, but literally every other country's standard is at LEAST 150 gallons!! Give your beardie some roaming space! This enclosure is indeed wonderful! But my philosophy has always been go big or go home!
@@colinjohnson4903 I've read that spaced out temporary spikes due to watering for plants in a bioactive arid enclosure does no harm, as long as humidity stays below 40% normally, and doesn't take longer than a day or so to drop back down to 40% or below
@@abigailearnheart8720 he has to water those plants, every time he does the humidity will increase. Also plant can cause humidity. Also prickly pears sounds like a hurt dragon
Thanks for this! I've been so scared to look at anything else for a substrate and asked around on social media platforms and I ALWAYS get NO.. but I think to myself..they don't live on tile or definitely not paper towels..I'm just fixing a set up with a BD that was basically handed to me as someone was moving out of state and feel like I'm playing catch up. This video was very informative and I LEARNED!!
Great job Richard! Very thorough! I've had a bio-active setup for a couple of years now, using soil that I purchased. I've been thinking about redoing the tank and creating my own mixture. I learned a lot watching how you made your soil. Thanks!
Good luck! I saw so many different soil formulas online it was ridiculous. I don't think my mix will hold tunnels when it is dried out, but Didgie doesn't seem to be interested in digging tunnels. He is making a low spot in the rock cave and he likes to hunker down there and hide in the leaves. It'll be a good brumation spot when the time comes.
I have the same tank, full of fish right now. But they are moving to a different tank this weekend. I was wondering what to do with the tank. And as I was researching the bearded dragon, I see you using it as a set up for one. No longer searching for a pen, as I had one in front of me. You're a great teacher. Thank you for giving a lot of needed advice.
I followed your advice on the substrate mixture- have it all mixed up and almost ready to pour it in. My beardie does semi to like to stick his tongue out in the yard, so hopefully this substrate doesnt cause an issue. Thanks for your video
I completly agree with your setup i just thing maybe add some led light on the plant side to help the growth of the plants and brighten up the big enclosure
Love the idea of a bioactive habitat. Watching with interest as we are in the process of getting a larger enclosure for our beardie, so may borrow a few ideas 👌🏻
This video is so awesome I really appreciate the way that you take the time to explain what everything is and the purpose it provides and the impact it has not just on the bearded dragon but on the entire system !
Loved the video. I am getting a baby Beardie in 2-3 weeks. I bought a 36x18x24 cage, a mat type substrate for now, and I'll add more stuff for my Beardie after he arrives, but I always enjoy a living terrarium. So, I will let him grow and get happy then maybe convert his cage to a bioactive one. look forward to the next video
Nice! Keep in mind that adults need a 4x2x2’ enclosure bare minimum, and bigger is strongly recommended (many people believe the minimum should be even bigger than that). Mats aren’t a suitable substrate unfortunately, they harbour bacteria. New reptiles should be quarantined on paper towel for at least six weeks (ideally three months) to monitor their health. After, a suitable loose substrate is best (ie a soil/sand/clay mix).
Great video. Much info on the plants. Love it. My daughter likes beardies and I'm thinking of getting one and setting it up for her. Was thinking of a bioactive setup but was hesitant because wasn't sure which plants are best. Your setup looks amazing by the way. I too am an animal lover and have a bit of a zoo on my hands. Look forward to more of your informative videos.
Thank you I was having a hard time trying to figure out my beardie terrainium. But I suggest getting a tank with front opening windows, beardie don't like hands reaching down at them.
I collected these rocks and cleaned them up with bleach to be sure they were sanitized and then LOTS of rinsing. Thanks for the positives! I did a lot of research. There are MANY competing ideas floating around out there and few of them have been backed up with anything other than opinion.
This was very informative, but if you see this post, could you please go over the lighting, how you check your temps, and a follow up on your beardie? I’m going to check out any other videos you may have, in case you’ve already answered these questions. Thanks
Great video! I have my beardie in a bioactive set up and he loves it. I have often been on the receiving end of people "giving" me thier opinion on impaction 😂 "toothless" is almost 8 now and he has been in this type of substrate for a little more than a year, before this setup he was on crushed almond shell for 7 years. I feed him in a dish mostly. But I regularly dump a handful of superworms for him to hunt. He loves it. Also as an alternative to aquarium silicone which is crazy expensive, you can use he silicone 1, it HAS to be Silicone 1. After the gas off period that lasts a day or so it's completely animal safe. I've even used this method inside an aquarium. Silicone 2 has mold inhibitors in it.
Fantastic video!!!!!!! My favorite one on youtube!!! My suggestions: cover up sides of tank with decorative background. Use rinsed gravel/volcanic rock/clay balls and/or light diffuser as the majority of the drainage layer since charcoal can only collect so much "bad" before it ends up re-releasing it. I think a grow light for the plant's side will be best, as well as that heat gradient mentioned. Add a big chunk of soft driftwood and bury most of it in the plant section and every time you water, give that wood a little extra-clean up crew love rotting wood and proved a great home for them. Add mealworms and roaches(make sure none have mites!) Oh and just a reminder for everyone: Never boil or bake rocks- they will explode!!!!! Add a deeper substrate layer. Use Temperate Springtails.
Exactly the tutorial I was looking forward to! Can't wait to help my son Angus transition Liz E. Zard from a sandy substrate to her new bioactive home. :)
im planning on getting a new tank soon, and i wanted to give my bearded dragon a habitat where he would’ve lived in the wild. he’s a fancy bearded dragon and im glad i was able to find this video. thank u, u gave me a lot of tips and information i would’ve never found.
Looks great... doesn't seem like there is much room for moving around though. Hopefully you have a follow up video with the home owner in it. Thanks for taking the time to make the video.
65 gallons is sufficient. I'm certainly not going to talk anyone out of a bigger tank if that's the way they want to go. My beardie doesn't seem restrained.
Thank you for this video. My husband and I are new parents to a baby beardy and we love how you done your tank we want to do something similar for ours. We will be watching to learn more from you about bearded dragon care so please keep them coming. Thank You
Hello i am from the Netherlands and i will witheen 2 weeks try to give my bearded dragon a setup she deserves I will add all the stuff you mentioned especially the plants
I love this video, especially the plants, i plan to find some for my bearded dragon. If i had one critique, it would be i dont see a tube UVB fixture. UVB is vital to long term health for many reptiles including bearded dragons.
I LOVE YOUR VIDEO! Recently got a bearded dragon it is my first reptile I know it is more of an intermediate pet but I did many research but I love watching your bearded dragon videos!
I really enjoyed watching this video and the scientific explanations behind your choices. Your student are lucky to have you and will enjoy the beardie!
I'm a newb to this and immediately seen that you are going to want a side opening enclosure so you don't stress them out reaching in from above (they'll think it's a predator attacking like a bird)
I was super concerned on what I was gonna do for set up due to all other videos I watched on TH-cam and when I watched this I decided I’m going to do exactly everything you did. Also how big is that tank
Hi Richard ur tank is very beautiful I have a dragon I don't know alot about them but I think there cute my dragon is growing up very fast and I love learning new things I want to fix he tank up so it will look pretty like ur your's and I live in Cincinnati .
So glad I found your video! There are so many anti-bio active substrate people! I love your set up and we are doing something similar! What lamps do you use? What do you feed him?
Thanks for the positive feedback! Yeah, I'm shocked about the number of folks that are anti-bio. I mean, that's how they live in the wild. As far as the lamps, I use "MyComfyPets UVB Light and UVA 2-in-1 Reptile Bulb 100W for Bearded Dragons and All Reptiles." I purchased from Amazon. Full disclosure - some of the folks who have posted on this video disagree with my lighting choice. None of the arguments seem valid to me. It fits my needs, and it is made for this purpose. As far as food, I feed him Dubia Roaches (I have a video on that) as well as meal worms. I prefer the Dubias because he has a strong feeding response with them. Also, he gets a mixed salad every day which he almost never eats except for the rare blueberry.
This is great. Thank you! Can you do a followup video to show how the environment has been performing? I saw the naming video, but could not find a followup on the habitat itself. Thanks again. I am seriously considering a bioactive habitat for my beardie that I have had for over 3 years now.
@@richardroyster405 I think I got the substrate down watched it a few times wrote it all down, how is holding up wanna do a tank in this next week any changes you could suggest?
I was wondering the same thing…no reply or no answer through any comments 🤦🏻♀️. After much research, the best I could find..what it could be is Horticultural Charcoal. Ideal soil additive for draining excess moisture to flush toxins. Designed to work as a soil conditioner by absorbing nutrients. Ideal for use with terrariums.
Yes to 98% of this.. from what I’ve researched the ubv needs to be a tube light that crosses most of the bearded dragons tank. Other than that great job 👏👏
Great video, Richard! We are adopting a bearded dragon soon, who needs a home, and who will live in our pottery studio. I’m wondering if you could please share the source where you purchased your isopods and springtails? Did you also purchase anything more, like the fungi you mentioned? Thanks again! - Joel
P.s. I noticed that awesome roach bowl in the second video. I’m a potter, and our beardie is going to live next to my pottery wheel, so I plan on making a few similar bowls myself. Happy to send you one for free as a thanks for your generous guidance in these videos! Hit me up anytime: joel@cherricopottery.com
I love this video, and thank you for making it! I am going to switch from tile to a bioactive substrate for my bearded dragon. How has your substrate held up, and have you had any issues with mold or retaining too much moisture?
No issues with substrate or mold. If anything, it takes a lot more water than I would have thought. I put in at least 1 quart of water of week, and often 2 quarts. Humidity is rarely above 20% on the dry side. I'm not sure if any springtails are still alive in the enclosure, but the isopods have found a few damp spots to shelter in like under the food bowl, or really just the damp side of the tank. I think my layer of leaves on top of substrate has really helped a lot. It creates a microclimate at the substrate level and keeps the dragon out of the dirt (unless he hunkers down and clears the leaves which he sometimes does.) All in all, I love it. I almost never scoop poop and it looks nice.
@@SignTribe no pleas it can get infeted i had one for 8 years on sand substrate and i have done a month of reserch on bearded dragons and yet he live a good life it dose not need any humid it can cuse a infeton in the lungs because it is not used to humidity in natroll invirment.
@@drakothedragon3474 I think you need to look at a weather report from Australia - as I have done. The humidity in the center of South Australia RIGHT NOW is 66%. Now I'm not recommending 66%. What I'm saying is that Beardies live in an arid climate in Australia and the humidity fluctuates throughout the day. There is nothing wrong with the humidity in my tank which ranges from 15%-40%. They don't live on plain sand.
@@richardroyster405 I understand what you are saying but you did not make it a pacific the humid level and if people have a to high humid level it can cause a infection in the lungs.
Describing what the bearded dragons natural environment is like while setting up the tank was very relaxing, and gave me a new perspective of how my bearded dragon would have lived her life without me
Yes he did a very good job he answered a lot of questions I had .
th-cam.com/play/PL1jBPLrR0jP1eyQtqAPRY-1pzLXY19ir4.html
I've always tries setting up things like this for pets lol
the most in detialed setup veido i have seen good job
I appreciate it! I tried to strike a balance between not too long, but still solid info.
@june gaming i mean its fine you dont need to be rude about it :(
Seriously, awesome video!
Exotic Justice ok but you new what he was saying
@@richardroyster405 do you still have the Bearded Dragon? If so how's the Bio working?
I wish I'd have had a teacher like you!!! Thanks for the video as we get ready to set up our environment.
Good luck!
My first beardie died very soon after getting her because the pet store employee told me to get sand substrate. I’m so glad you’ve done so much research to take such amazing care of your beardie! That’s one lucky bearded dragon!
Poor Beardie! I think lots of keepers keep their beardies on sand, just not when they are babies.
my beardie live on sand substrate for 8 years and he did fine also they do not need humity they will get a infeted very easy and i had done reserch on beardie for a month and ha don for 8 years that is a good happy life not including what i wach on this video that is all.
@@drakothedragon3474 Imagine a human dying at 20 years old and saying "Oh well, they lived a happy life." A bearded dragon can and 100% should live 20+ years in captivity lol.
@@chris6054 yeah 100%true beardies live 5 to 8 years in the wild which is what they live in captivity when the owner isnt taking care of them propery or have wrong lights. 8 years isnt lsnt long for a beardie some chameleons whos housing is gpod live longer then that defiently should brag about ur 8 year old beardie that lived on sand probably shortened his life
@@finestsickman216 People think a ~13yo dog is so outstanding, meanwhile very few seem to realize the two oldest dogs were both pushing 30. People set these limitations on things and then we look like absolute morons.
I've had my bearded dragon for several months now. I just have a basic set up. I am upgrading to a larger tank and you have given me a lot of great ideas. Thanks and good video.
Thanks for the positive feedback! Good luck!
this is probasbly the first video that actually goes well into how to make the substrate, so thank you for that, one piece of advice is if you do find the beardie digging, you need to add rocks to go all the way to the bottom so he doesnt dig under the rocks and get hurt
Best bioactive enclosure video for bearded dragons so far.
That is an amazing hide, there's multiple exits so it feels like it can leave if needed but still closed off enough to feel safe and cozy
He never uses it LOL! It could probably be bigger. Now that he is full grown it would be a tight fit.
I found one outside my kiddos school frozen and almost dead, I got him warmed up and back to life. Getting him a cool set up like this one
Wut??? That's wild.
Great video, I really enjoyed it. Very nice set-up too.
Just some extra tips.
When it comes to arthropods, simply use the actual rolypolies, the ones that curl up when threatened. They are somewhat more resilient to dryer environments than the ones that do not curl up. Actually, in periods of drought, they roll up to evaporate less moisture and sit out the drought.
As far as the springtails go, the purple ones are more resilient to dryer environments than the white ones. But these are more difficult to find, unfortunately.
And for those that do not want to lose time having to wait for the silicone to dry: using liquid superglue on cotton (or even toilet paper) makes for a really strong bond instantly. Quite handy for complex structures. This something I learned from watching aquascaping videos (aquariums). Ones the fumes evaporated, the bond is completely safe even for aquariums and amfibians. Just make sure that your workspace has good ventilation with this procedure.
And one last remark: when choosing succulent plants, DO NOT use the ones with the white milky juice. Those are poisonous!
Thanks for the extra tips!
My son purchased a bearded dragon about 2 months ago. He's become the family pet😍! Can't wait to show my son this video of what live edible plants we can add to his habitat. Great calming educational video.
I finally got my husband to agree to reptiles and the first species we’d like to house is a bearded dragon. I’ve been doing research for weeks about substrates, tank size, life cycle, feeding, watering and natural habitats. This is the first video I’ve seen that gave me definitive answers and a pathway to creating my own terrarium. Thank you so much, sir, and what a beautiful enclosure!
Same. Using the natural environment is something that he will definitely agree to. It’s beautiful.. love the idea of having a mini ecosphere😀
I will say, the size enclosure he picked is not viable for adult bearded dragons for their entire life!! The US standard is a 40 gallon breeder, but literally every other country's standard is at LEAST 150 gallons!! Give your beardie some roaming space! This enclosure is indeed wonderful! But my philosophy has always been go big or go home!
Humidity = respiratory infection
@@colinjohnson4903 I've read that spaced out temporary spikes due to watering for plants in a bioactive arid enclosure does no harm, as long as humidity stays below 40% normally, and doesn't take longer than a day or so to drop back down to 40% or below
@@abigailearnheart8720 he has to water those plants, every time he does the humidity will increase. Also plant can cause humidity. Also prickly pears sounds like a hurt dragon
I learned a lot watching this, and it the kind of programming my kids grew up on watching KET - it is informative and interesting. Great job!
Thank you! I'm a regular Mr. Rogers. HAHA!
Thanks for this! I've been so scared to look at anything else for a substrate and asked around on social media platforms and I ALWAYS get NO.. but I think to myself..they don't live on tile or definitely not paper towels..I'm just fixing a set up with a BD that was basically handed to me as someone was moving out of state and feel like I'm playing catch up. This video was very informative and I LEARNED!!
Two points:
Deeper substrate so the Beardie can dig.
LED lighting for the plants. I also would use a strip UVB bulb instead of one of the coil bulbs
I've made some of these changes and you can see that in my update video.
Richard Royster awesome I’ll check it out. Not being mean, sorry if it came off that way
@@GrizzlyDave85 he’s the one that says always be learning lol. No need to apologize 😊
@@GrizzlyDave85 he did say if you have advice or guidance to comment lol you're good.
This is the best looking tank I’ve seen
This setup is AMAZING!
This is one of the best, most detailed setups I’ve seen on TH-cam I’m very impressed!
Thanks for the positive comments!
My guy absolutely loves rooting around in his dirt. I just make sure he doesn't get mouthfuls of dirt when he eats bugs off the ground
Great job Richard! Very thorough! I've had a bio-active setup for a couple of years now, using soil that I purchased. I've been thinking about redoing the tank and creating my own mixture. I learned a lot watching how you made your soil. Thanks!
Good luck! I saw so many different soil formulas online it was ridiculous. I don't think my mix will hold tunnels when it is dried out, but Didgie doesn't seem to be interested in digging tunnels. He is making a low spot in the rock cave and he likes to hunker down there and hide in the leaves. It'll be a good brumation spot when the time comes.
A great tip from my horticulturist hubby, 7th Generation is a great soap for literally washing your plants to make them tank safe!
Loved this! Thank you for making this so step-by-step!
Glad you enjoyed! I would love to hear about your successes and modifications.
I have the same tank, full of fish right now. But they are moving to a different tank this weekend. I was wondering what to do with the tank. And as I was researching the bearded dragon, I see you using it as a set up for one. No longer searching for a pen, as I had one in front of me. You're a great teacher. Thank you for giving a lot of needed advice.
This is such a wonderful video for a beardie home!!! Since this was posted 3 yrs ago, I’m curious how your beardie is doing now!!!
I followed your advice on the substrate mixture- have it all mixed up and almost ready to pour it in. My beardie does semi to like to stick his tongue out in the yard, so hopefully this substrate doesnt cause an issue. Thanks for your video
Great summation of your project!! Well thought out, planned and structured for the absolute best enclosure for any pet dragon
this is probably the best bio setup I have seen so far!! great job!! please do more.
Thank you! I have done an update video and I hope you check it out.
im convincing my family to get me a beardie of my own and your videos are helping greatly with my research! thank you!
That's awesome! Glad I could help!
Thank you Richard! Amazing video. Excited to go bioactive this week 😊
You set up is fantastic, I followed your steps and it came out perfect. I am going on a year now with the setup and the mix is like day one.
I completly agree with your setup i just thing maybe add some led light on the plant side to help the growth of the plants and brighten up the big enclosure
Well done, and very informative on many levels. I'm also glad that there are still at least some schools that have classroom herps.
Absolutely love this you are setting a amazing example for your students to learn and treat animals well would have loved to be in a class like this
Love the idea of a bioactive habitat. Watching with interest as we are in the process of getting a larger enclosure for our beardie, so may borrow a few ideas 👌🏻
This video is so awesome I really appreciate the way that you take the time to explain what everything is and the purpose it provides and the impact it has not just on the bearded dragon but on the entire system !
Loved the video. I am getting a baby Beardie in 2-3 weeks. I bought a 36x18x24 cage, a mat type substrate for now, and I'll add more stuff for my Beardie after he arrives, but I always enjoy a living terrarium.
So, I will let him grow and get happy then maybe convert his cage to a bioactive one.
look forward to the next video
Nice! Keep in mind that adults need a 4x2x2’ enclosure bare minimum, and bigger is strongly recommended (many people believe the minimum should be even bigger than that). Mats aren’t a suitable substrate unfortunately, they harbour bacteria. New reptiles should be quarantined on paper towel for at least six weeks (ideally three months) to monitor their health. After, a suitable loose substrate is best (ie a soil/sand/clay mix).
Great video. Much info on the plants. Love it. My daughter likes beardies and I'm thinking of getting one and setting it up for her. Was thinking of a bioactive setup but was hesitant because wasn't sure which plants are best. Your setup looks amazing by the way. I too am an animal lover and have a bit of a zoo on my hands. Look forward to more of your informative videos.
Look into to Blue Tongue Skinks and Pink Tongue Skinks. These are super cool and easier to care for.
This is an awesome video, precise and to the point while keeping us engaged. How I wish more videos were like yours.
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you I was having a hard time trying to figure out my beardie terrainium. But I suggest getting a tank with front opening windows, beardie don't like hands reaching down at them.
Beautiful video, Richard! Thank you! What about adding some more branches and shelves? So much space Digi could enjoy... :)
This guy knows his dragons!! Great and fantastic set up!! Where did you get your rocks from?
I collected these rocks and cleaned them up with bleach to be sure they were sanitized and then LOTS of rinsing. Thanks for the positives! I did a lot of research. There are MANY competing ideas floating around out there and few of them have been backed up with anything other than opinion.
Yea but theres reasons why captive dragons live longer than wild cause wild ones gets impacted
The moisture in the air will give your dragon a respiratory infection. This is more for a tropical lizard
Beardies like to dig. This seems like it would eventually not work out after their sharp claws get to that screening...
This was very informative, but if you see this post, could you please go over the lighting, how you check your temps, and a follow up on your beardie? I’m going to check out any other videos you may have, in case you’ve already answered these questions. Thanks
This is amazing! I loved watching this! I have two dragons and this video has really made me rethink there tanks! Thank you!
Great video! I have my beardie in a bioactive set up and he loves it. I have often been on the receiving end of people "giving" me thier opinion on impaction 😂 "toothless" is almost 8 now and he has been in this type of substrate for a little more than a year, before this setup he was on crushed almond shell for 7 years. I feed him in a dish mostly. But I regularly dump a handful of superworms for him to hunt. He loves it. Also as an alternative to aquarium silicone which is crazy expensive, you can use he silicone 1, it HAS to be Silicone 1. After the gas off period that lasts a day or so it's completely animal safe. I've even used this method inside an aquarium. Silicone 2 has mold inhibitors in it.
Great tips
Thank you! This clears up so much about bearded dragons and how to prepare the tank
Fantastic video!!!!!!! My favorite one on youtube!!! My suggestions: cover up sides of tank with decorative background. Use rinsed gravel/volcanic rock/clay balls and/or light diffuser as the majority of the drainage layer since charcoal can only collect so much "bad" before it ends up re-releasing it. I think a grow light for the plant's side will be best, as well as that heat gradient mentioned. Add a big chunk of soft driftwood and bury most of it in the plant section and every time you water, give that wood a little extra-clean up crew love rotting wood and proved a great home for them. Add mealworms and roaches(make sure none have mites!) Oh and just a reminder for everyone: Never boil or bake rocks- they will explode!!!!! Add a deeper substrate layer. Use Temperate Springtails.
Lots of good advice here! Thank you!
I did a lot of research, like you did, but then I'm also like... by definition: "a person of excessive order and fussy" 🤣
@@lalylaly27 I feel that.
Exactly the tutorial I was looking forward to! Can't wait to help my son Angus transition Liz E. Zard from a sandy substrate to her new bioactive home. :)
I hope it goes well! FWIW, I didn't have good luck with the plants, except for the Rosemary.
@@richardroyster405 you need a grow light for the plants i think
Omg this is perfect, I’m using this same exact set up when i buy my bearded dragon soon 👍 thanks.
im planning on getting a new tank soon, and i wanted to give my bearded dragon a habitat where he would’ve lived in the wild. he’s a fancy bearded dragon and im glad i was able to find this video. thank u, u gave me a lot of tips and information i would’ve never found.
Looks great... doesn't seem like there is much room for moving around though. Hopefully you have a follow up video with the home owner in it. Thanks for taking the time to make the video.
65 gallons is sufficient. I'm certainly not going to talk anyone out of a bigger tank if that's the way they want to go. My beardie doesn't seem restrained.
You know, although they do live in those kind of environments, beardies live alot longer in captivity for this reason.
I love this, so informative and helped me so much decide on my loose substrate mix
This is the coolest bearded dragon home I’ve ever seen
Thank you! I'm pretty happy it. I've since done an update video in which I made a few changes. I hope you will check it out.
Richard Royster I already did ! Awesome work !
This is an amazing guide. Informative without being boring.
Usually class pets are treated not right and do not have a good tank set up.
But this tank WOW that lizard will be living better than me 😂
Great video! I've been looking into bioactive enclosures recently :)
Thanks! Feel free to chat me up. There is also a Facebook group called Reptile and Amphibian Bioactive Setups. There is some good stuff there.
Best bioactive set video! More beardie stuff
Best video on b dragon care on YT. You sir, are fantastic.
Thank you for this video. My husband and I are new parents to a baby beardy and we love how you done your tank we want to do something similar for ours. We will be watching to learn more from you about bearded dragon care so please keep them coming. Thank You
Hello i am from the Netherlands and i will witheen 2 weeks try to give my bearded dragon a setup she deserves
I will add all the stuff you mentioned especially the plants
Good luck! I didn't have good luck with my plants. I need to do an update video.
I love this video, especially the plants, i plan to find some for my bearded dragon. If i had one critique, it would be i dont see a tube UVB fixture. UVB is vital to long term health for many reptiles including bearded dragons.
I felt like i was in class, great video. My dragons are in bioactive.
He started setting up that table and 28 seconds in I said “oh, this ain’t the pet for me”
NICE WOOD .AND THE FINAL RESULT IS VERY GOOD
Thank you very much!
Subscribed!! Thanks for telling us where bearded dragons originate from, that was cool info 😁
Awesome job and very educational your students are blessed to have you.
I LOVE YOUR VIDEO! Recently got a bearded dragon it is my first reptile I know it is more of an intermediate pet but I did many research but I love watching your bearded dragon videos!
I got him 4 months ago now he’s my favorite
Thank you so much. I have been told so many different things and most weren't true. I have truly learned alot❤.
THIS WAS VERY EDUCATIONAL.
First time iv seen a fish tank as beardie setup
I got it free so it was hard not to use it! Saved me a ton of money.
I really enjoyed watching this video and the scientific explanations behind your choices. Your student are lucky to have you and will enjoy the beardie!
wish you were my teacher you actually teach and you are exiting
You are too kind. Thank you!
Best video I’ve seen very detailed and informative thank you
That tank is pretty cool man
I'm a newb to this and immediately seen that you are going to want a side opening enclosure so you don't stress them out reaching in from above (they'll think it's a predator attacking like a bird)
Amazing
I'm headed to college to become a science teacher... hopefully a teacher as cool as you!
Thank you so much for making this video! It’s very informative and I learned so much!!
General Didgeridoo should be the new mascot
I was super concerned on what I was gonna do for set up due to all other videos I watched on TH-cam and when I watched this I decided I’m going to do exactly everything you did. Also how big is that tank
I believe it is 65 gallons. I got it used so I'm not sure. Based on calculations of volume, it should be close to 65 gallons though.
Hi Richard ur tank is very beautiful I have a dragon I don't know alot about them but I think there cute my dragon is growing up very fast and I love learning new things I want to fix he tank up so it will look pretty like ur your's and I live in Cincinnati .
to be honest there is a reason why they live longer in captivity but still great job!!
You should do a video of what the tank looks like a year later
Yes! Working on it.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge! My beardie is going to have a great tank!
Nice easy to watch video, very helpful!!
So glad I found your video! There are so many anti-bio active substrate people! I love your set up and we are doing something similar! What lamps do you use? What do you feed him?
Thanks for the positive feedback! Yeah, I'm shocked about the number of folks that are anti-bio. I mean, that's how they live in the wild. As far as the lamps, I use "MyComfyPets UVB Light and UVA 2-in-1 Reptile Bulb 100W for Bearded Dragons and All Reptiles." I purchased from Amazon. Full disclosure - some of the folks who have posted on this video disagree with my lighting choice. None of the arguments seem valid to me. It fits my needs, and it is made for this purpose. As far as food, I feed him Dubia Roaches (I have a video on that) as well as meal worms. I prefer the Dubias because he has a strong feeding response with them. Also, he gets a mixed salad every day which he almost never eats except for the rare blueberry.
This is so entertaining to watch thank u !
This is great. Thank you! Can you do a followup video to show how the environment has been performing? I saw the naming video, but could not find a followup on the habitat itself. Thanks again. I am seriously considering a bioactive habitat for my beardie that I have had for over 3 years now.
That's a great idea. I need to do that because there is a lot of updates I need to make to the tank.
@@richardroyster405 I think I got the substrate down watched it a few times wrote it all down, how is holding up wanna do a tank in this next week any changes you could suggest?
What brand charcoal did you use? Also can you make a full list of all the safe brands you used?
I was wondering the same thing…no reply or no answer through any comments 🤦🏻♀️. After much research, the best I could find..what it could be is Horticultural Charcoal. Ideal soil additive for draining excess moisture to flush toxins. Designed to work as a soil conditioner by absorbing nutrients. Ideal for use with terrariums.
Great Job man! I just started breed things for the high school I work at. I will be trying to get supplies as I can find to build an bio act tank.
Beautiful set up!!
Yes to 98% of this.. from what I’ve researched the ubv needs to be a tube light that crosses most of the bearded dragons tank. Other than that great job 👏👏
What a great teacher great video sir
Great setup I desire to replicate. Where did you find the bulk quantity if the large chip/chunk activated charcoal at?
Taylor
Try using more substrate I would go no less than 5 inches so the insects can have more room to multiply and the bearded dragon can dig.
Great video, Richard! We are adopting a bearded dragon soon, who needs a home, and who will live in our pottery studio. I’m wondering if you could please share the source where you purchased your isopods and springtails? Did you also purchase anything more, like the fungi you mentioned? Thanks again! - Joel
P.s. I noticed that awesome roach bowl in the second video. I’m a potter, and our beardie is going to live next to my pottery wheel, so I plan on making a few similar bowls myself. Happy to send you one for free as a thanks for your generous guidance in these videos! Hit me up anytime: joel@cherricopottery.com
I love this video, and thank you for making it! I am going to switch from tile to a bioactive substrate for my bearded dragon. How has your substrate held up, and have you had any issues with mold or retaining too much moisture?
No issues with substrate or mold. If anything, it takes a lot more water than I would have thought. I put in at least 1 quart of water of week, and often 2 quarts. Humidity is rarely above 20% on the dry side. I'm not sure if any springtails are still alive in the enclosure, but the isopods have found a few damp spots to shelter in like under the food bowl, or really just the damp side of the tank. I think my layer of leaves on top of substrate has really helped a lot. It creates a microclimate at the substrate level and keeps the dragon out of the dirt (unless he hunkers down and clears the leaves which he sometimes does.) All in all, I love it. I almost never scoop poop and it looks nice.
@@richardroyster405 Thank you so much for taking the time to reply! I am super excited to get my bioactive setup soon.
@@SignTribe no pleas it can get infeted i had one for 8 years on sand substrate and i have done a month of reserch on bearded dragons and yet he live a good life it dose not need any humid it can cuse a infeton in the lungs because it is not used to humidity in natroll invirment.
@@drakothedragon3474 I think you need to look at a weather report from Australia - as I have done. The humidity in the center of South Australia RIGHT NOW is 66%. Now I'm not recommending 66%. What I'm saying is that Beardies live in an arid climate in Australia and the humidity fluctuates throughout the day. There is nothing wrong with the humidity in my tank which ranges from 15%-40%. They don't live on plain sand.
@@richardroyster405 I understand what you are saying but you did not make it a pacific the humid level and if people have a to high humid level it can cause a infection in the lungs.
This was so informative!
That's great looking