Desert Bio-Active

Last weekend we got the bio-active enclosure shifted over to the shelf next to the sand boa’s current enclosure, so it isn’t taking up a folding table in the living room (and then I promptly put my sewing machine on the table!), and I found a manual on-line for the timer.

Two weeks in the plants seem to be surviving, so the initial planting didn’t kill them. I’m not seeing isopod or springtail activity yet, but I’m not too worried, I figure I won’t until their population gets well-established and they’re reproducing. My plan is to let things cycle and settle in for the month of June, and move Shai-Hulud in July.


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A day or two after last posting I looked under the top layer of leaves - LOTS of springtails! No sign of isopods, but I did get a “dwarf” type, and they were hard to see even in the little deli cup, so I suspect they’re there and lurking.


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Last week Shai-Hulud actually ate, and the last few nights when I’ve been misting the bio-active he’s been using his humid hide for a chin rest and watching me. Hopefully he’s trying to tell me “C’mon, Mom, move me in!”

Soon little guy, soon. I’m vending at the local 4th of July festival on Saturday and Sunday; I think I’ll move him on Monday so I can sit on the couch and watch him explore while I recover from the weekend. [emoji846]


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I didn’t vend at the 4th of July festival for boring reasons, but it was so stinkin’ hot that I still didn’t get Shai-Hulud moved until last Monday. He disappeared behind the cork stump the wandering jew is in, and spent a while out of sight, but wiggling the elephant bushes and leaf litter. Eventually he came back out and slowly circumnavigated the perimeter of the enclosure, checking everything out, and then wandered across the middle to visit the aloes some more. Let’s see if Tapatalk is going to cooperate with posting pictures today...

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Nope, still only wants to let me post one per post. So we’ll give you . . . HOVER SNAKE! Giggle. He was using the litter dam for this trick. :)


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Inspecting the drainage riser from the water bowl:
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Hello plant, I am in you.
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I noticed this morning that the speckly aloe in the front has babies! Yay, it’s happy!

The wandering jew seems to have perked up lately, too, and today I noticed one of the cacti at my office has a sprout and the wandering jew cutting there is looking pretty good.


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