Hi guys thinking about going bioactive...

Hi guys! I'm thinking about switching my ball python to bioactive with live plants and all, she loves plants and is the biggest explorer and ball python can be... I did bioactive for my crestie and it was the best think I did for him...If I were to do that could I use isopod and springtails and are they even good for ball pythons? If you have any experience, videos to point me to or even just general thoughts please let me know! Thanks so much! :)

Isopods and springtails accomplish the same thing for a BP that they do for a crestie, breaking down waste and controlling fungus/molds. It's more or less the same thing on a larger scale besides picking slightly more durable plants because a BP is much larger, heavier, and able to grab things more than a crestie. Give them plenty of time to root very well before adding the animal.

Ok, thanks so much! So I can use the same isopod I use for my crestie? Will they bother my ball python? And finally what plants do you recommend for a ball python? Thanks! :)

One more thing...isopod and springtails for a ball python (or any bio enclosure) basicly that means that I should not clean anything except for the glass, hides and water bowl (anything not all natural) ...I've heard mixed things from mixed resources. :)

They won't bother the python, and the only thing you should need to clean is the water bowl. You don't have to clean the hides, and glass is optional if it gets too dirty to see through but it's not going to hurt anything. The reason you have to clean the water bowl is because you don't have a water ecosystem, so bacteria could make the snake sick if you don't. A little bacteria on the surface of plastic or glass isn't going to hurt a snake as long as the snake is healthy.

Plant wise, you want to go with plants that do really well in low light because BPs do not like bright light, and ones that are pretty sturdy. Dracaena and pothos would be my top choices. Pothos can't support the weight of the snake, but it grows so quickly that getting a little beat up is easy to recover from. Both do fine in the type of humidity BPs like too. You can take cuttings if they get too big and use the cuttings elsewhere pretty easily. I've recently become quite fond of epipremnum pinnatum too, which is a close relative of pothos and has a nice blue tint to it.

You would still have to remove urates and feces, they're too big for isopods, springtails, etc. to efficiently manage.

Thank you all! This is all great! How would you recommend cleaning the water bowl...I've just used vinegar but I'm sure there is a more effective way to remove all the bacteria. Thanks again!

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Originally Posted by Claire&snek

Thank you all! This is all great! How would you recommend cleaning the water bowl...I've just used vinegar but I'm sure there is a more effective way to remove all the bacteria. Thanks again!

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I use f10 for cleaning surfaces and water dishes, but any reptile safe disenfectend will work. If your going the more natural route vinegar and soak in boiling water will kill any bacteria.


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Ok thanks so much! Still going to keep this thread open if anyone has anything to add about bioactive for ball pythons...great info though! :D