How to set up a Leopard gecko BioActive terrarium

Hello guys and welcome back to my channel! If you’re new here, my name is Josh AKA The Dude and my passion is natural vivarium ecosystems. In this video I will be creating an Exo Terra 36x18x18 BioActive habitat for one of my favorite critters, a leopard gecko. These geckos live in the arid scrublands of Afghanistan, where they retreat to burrows and rock crevices during the harsh heat of the day. These hides are essential for escaping the desert sun and warding off dehydration. Our Terra Sahara substrate is safe for all healthy Leopard Geckos and the substrate allows for them to dig and create their own humid burrows. When you utilize our cork pieces, you can create humid hides for them or watch them create their own places to hide out. Watch your gecko display their natural potential by giving them the environment they deserve! I’m going to go over tips & tricks I’ve learned throughout my keeping experience and I’ll cover proper husbandry and care for these guys. If you have any questions, concerns or just want to say hi, leave us a comment below! Don’t forget to subscribe to be notified when we release new content.
- The Dude Abides
- Website: www.theBioDude.com
- Facebook: / thatbiodude
- Instagram: TheBioDude
- TikTok: TheBioDude
Location: The Bio Dude Inc Houston
15116 Highway 3 Bldg 4
Webster, TX 77598
Phone: [phone]
www.thebiodude.com/pages/sear...
Products mentioned in this video
ENCLOSURE
.:: Exo Terra 40 breeder (36x18x18)
SUBSTRATE/BIODEGRADABLES/INOCULANTS
.:: Terra Sahara - www.thebiodude.com/collection...
.:: BioShot - www.thebiodude.com/products/b...
.:: Soil Cal Plus CaCO3 - www.thebiodude.com/collection...
.:: Southern Palm Leaves - www.thebiodude.com/collection...
.:: Sphagnum moss - www.thebiodude.com/collection...
.:: Leaf litter (lmore options available on the website)- www.thebiodude.com/collection...
.:: Biodegradable page - www.thebiodude.com/collection...
.:: Thermometer/Hygrometer - www.thebiodude.com/products/v...
LIGHTING/UVB
.:: 22" Glow & Grow LED - www.thebiodude.com/products/2...
.:: LED Props - www.thebiodude.com/products/l...
.:: Shade dweller 7% - www.thebiodude.com/products/a...
.:: Exo Terra glow light - www.thebiodude.com/products/e...
.:: Arcadia deep heat projector 50w - www.thebiodude.com/products/a...
.:: Arcadia halogen heat lamp 50w - www.thebiodude.com/products/a...
.:: Exo Terra thermostat 300w - www.thebiodude.com/products/e...
WOOD/ROCK
.:: Cork tubes - www.thebiodude.com/collection...
.:: Cork flats - www.thebiodude.com/collection...
.:: .:: Ghostwood (other sizes available on the website) - www.thebiodude.com/collection...
.:: Creek rock - www.thebiodude.com/collection...
PLANTS
.:: 3" pot Haworthia coarcata - www.thebiodude.com/products/3...
.:: 4" pot Spaghetti agave - www.thebiodude.com/products/4...
.:: 4" pot Hedgehog aloe - www.thebiodude.com/products/4...
.:: 6" pot prickly pear cactus - www.thebiodude.com/products/6...
.:: 4" pot Elaine cryptanthus earth star - www.thebiodude.com/products/5...
.:: 3" pot Spider aloe - www.thebiodude.com/products/3...
.:: 4" pot Striped cryptanthus earth star - www.thebiodude.com/collection...
.:: 4" pot Echeveria lilacina - www.thebiodude.com/collection...
ACCENTS
.:: Natural water dish (Medium) - www.thebiodude.com/products/n...
.:: Exo terra aztec water dish (Small) - www.thebiodude.com/collection...
DIETS/SUPPLEMENTS
.:: Bug grub - www.thebiodude.com/products/b...
.:: ReptiCal Herptivite
.:: Exo Terra calcium

[@pamelaharris5055]

Josh, I'm a bio teacher who loves leopard geckos. We just started a club at our HS. Thank you for posting such informative and thoughtful videos talking through your setups. This is excellent educational content for both me, switching from plain paper towels to shelf liner, to an actual bioactive substrate over the years... and also for my enthusiastic students. We'll take what we learned from you to make our classroom terrariums better for the little ones!

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

Glad it was helpful, That is amazing to hear!! We are happy to hear the students love it also! :)

[@megagoatman1963]

This is to long to be a comment it’s a whole essay

[@nightstepstation7189]

Watch the plant dude or whatever his name is. He has a palumdarium tutorial that has an entire rainforest ecosystem

[@aliciadishman]

@@nightstepstation7189 SerpaDesign?

[@kitsune_owo378]

I know its not a comment directed at me but this is really awesome! The one thing I wished I had growing up was classroom pets that we could learn about. It was only 2 years ago I finished up school but we never had any little classroom friends since I come from a pretty low budget area. The fact you not only bring critters like these to your students attention, but also help them learn about it while taking care of them well is really awesome to me, and im super happy for your students that they get that chance! Hope you all do well, same for the little friends too!

[@nlellison99]

The bio dude, always there for me when I get a new pet. He has a video on everything

[@bunnyia]

For anyone who's getting a Leopard Gecko as a first reptile be very careful with the UVB lights. If you do choose to use one, make sure you're setting it up correctly, at an appropriate distance from the soil and please make sure it's the correct amount of UVB. Leopard Gecko's skin is more sensitive than for example a Bearded Dragon's skin and their skin can suffer burns from the UVB light IF not setup correctly. Other than that, great video, love all the plants and cleanup crew. Amazing job.

[@vcoffeeshop5813]

To be honest just don't use a UVB Light it's absolutely not recommended to use

[@nightinggale6470]

@@vcoffeeshop5813 UVB lighting is very beneficial for all reptiles, including leopard geckos.

[@jwcob1239]

@@vcoffeeshop5813see thats your problem you want THE BEST CARE not the minimum care. Quick question why would you get a reptile just for it to be in a bare minimum setup? Please research and figure out the reasons why every reptile needs uvb.

[@vcoffeeshop5813]

@@jwcob1239 I know we'll about leopardgeckos don't need ur uneducated opinion. UVB Light burns the gecko ... But ppl like u want to do more for the gecko as needed and end up doing more harm then good. I'm in contact with a lot of breeders and they are all the same opinion.

[@lanlanlabratnot6558]

What UVB lights do you recommend

[@arcanedame3015]

Always make time for the things you love! Especially during stressful times ❤️ I’m sure you’ll get in a good balance between business management and doing what you enjoy most. Excited for you guys!

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

Yes! Thank you!

[@trishaveach3655]

I just purchased this and some accessories and plants from you for my Leo and set it up last night! I upgraded her to a 30x12x12. I hope I did everything right and sustain the environment correctly. I’m kinda nervous to introduce her, she’s only ever been on tile cause there’s so much contradictory information about substrates on the internet lol. I’m glad I discovered you and thank you for being so educational AND transparent!

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

Hey Trisha! That is awesome! We do recommend a quarantine period of at least 2 weeks. During that time you will want to monitor their behavior to ensure they are eating, gaining weight, basking appropriately and showing signs of thriving before switching their environment. It's always good practice to have a vet visit with a fecal screening done to be on the safe side. Once you know your little dude is healthy and thriving it will be safe for you to put them in a bioactive enclosure. Moving them from tile to bioactive will not cause any harm so long as the temperatures are regulated to where the animal can thermoregulate so it can pass food properly. i will link a great blog on impaction here, hope this helps! Let us know if you have any further questions! The Dude Abides- www.thebiodude.com/blogs/bio-activity-with-your-pets-how-does-it-work-with-mine/does-substrates-cause-impaction-in-reptiles

[@trishaveach3655]

@@TheBioDudeJoshHalter thank you for the advice! I’ve been reading all your posts about leopard geckos and it’s been really helpful! I am still kinda confused on heating/lighting/humidity. Right now, I have a heating pad, basking light, and uvb bulb. I noticed that it gets too hot with the basking light sometimes so I alternate between that and a daylight bulb. Is that ok to do? Do I turn the heating pad off when I’m using the basking light? Sorry for so many random specific questions lol.

[@nightinggale6470]

@@trishaveach3655 the heat mat isn’t necessary. Connect the heat lamp to a dimmer or dimming thermostat to regulate the temperature.

[@nightinggale6470]

I also recommend upgrading to a 40 gallon (36x18x18”) at some point if possible.

[@justine_kyc]

This video is absolutely amazing. I just got a leopard gecko and I am upgrading her into a bio active enclosure. This is very helpful and has me super excited! Unfortunately, with her previous owner she lost her nails and was quite neglected, im looking forward to giving her a better life where she can thrive!! Thank you for sharing and for being so descriptive and open :)

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

Glad it was helpful! I appreciate your business and support.

[@amycourt9082]

Me too !! I’m about to order the Sahara kit from the Dude!!

[@jeremiahsmith8812]

@@amycourt9082 me to lmk how it goes

[@kaseycarlin8835]

How did they neglect them? Like, was the humidity a little too high, like 41% or there was only two hides, or was it something more serious like not scheduled or enough feeding?

[@DwayneRice58]

This is a recent comment to an old video. How smart are leopard geckos? I got my Tremper supergiant albino gecko at the 2021 Schaumburg reptile show. The seller said they feed him 100 meal worms every Wednesday. That didn’t work for me. For the first three months I couldn’t get Sir to eat meal worms. I wa worried sick but he continued to look healthier, his tail looked to be getting bigger. I finally realized he must be eating the isopods. I started adding isopods to maintain the bio active enclosure. About the same time he started to eat giant meal worms and super worms from the tongs, continued to eat from tongs, but not from a bowl or ground, for about a year. He then started biting the tongs and decided he didn’t really like the tongs. He stopped eating worms and must have gone to eating Beatles. A couple weeks ago, while I tried to get Sir (short for Sherryasoarus Rex after my wife that had passed a few months before the show) to eat. I noticed that he had dug a pit and covered it with leaf litter. He only will drink water that drips in his cork-bark hide. After he had his fill, he did something I’ve never seen before. He stuck his head under the leaf litter covered pit and pulled out a beetle and proceeded to eat it. In the nearly two years I’ve had him, this is a behavior I had not prior witnessed. I think it is very smart that he had created a hide that made it easy for him to feed. What do you think? Intelligence or fortunate coincidence. Have you ever heard of this before. I had previously fed him dubia roaches but they are seriously good excape artists.

[@jimmypickle6557]

that sounds awesome. I hope you have some videos of em. =)

[@paxas03]

Looks wonderful. Nice plants choice.

[@TexasHammer69]

I wish my parents cared about me this much. lol

[@Thecelebrityeditor]

Wdym?

[@danasmith8557]

Great video !!! I love the way Josh explains everything how he does what he does and why thank u josh I've learned so much just by watching ur video

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

I appreciate that! - The dude abides

[@karenblack2797]

Love you set up videos and your substrate products! Hope to see a bioactive set up for a cave gecko from you one day in the future...

[@angeljacksonpresents]

Just ordered my kit and use this video to set it up. Thank you guys so much a Bio dude ! You all have been greatly appreciate it through this process of giving my little guy the best home ever.!

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

Great to hear it, thank you for the support!

[@defultusernametv2]

Never knew bio dude was such a goober, i love it

[@Chefb3tch]

I appreciate your effort in being transparent on the products you offer... definitely gained a customer!!

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

I appreciate that! Always!!!

[@adamzocchi]

Missed the videos, glad to see you back and looking more relaxed at that!

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

Thank you! welcome back!

[@samjamsisson3036]

I'm so glad you did this video. Exact tank I've got, just waiting for your kits to arrive in Canada 🇨🇦

[@justine_kyc]

I'm looking to order a kit, how long did yours take to come in? :) (I'm also in Canada)

[@jaydelorion8640]

I LOVED watching this. You're amazing

[@k.l.manring2083]

Perfect video perfect timing!!! My little leo will appreciate the upgrade so much!

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

Love it !

[@johngriffey3902]

Damn way to go man! Not only awesome content and very informative! With that said it's great to see the younger kids ( I say that as a 45 year old) in the game and spreading good vibes and knowledge. Keep it up and best of luck to you and your business!!

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

Thank you John ! that is very much appreciated! :) The Dude Abides!

[@cobefriend7797]

@@TheBioDudeJoshHalter just bought a 25 gallon tank I’m boutta but some terra Sahara from you and the same plants in this video! I’ve got my girl in 20 gallon rn w excavator clay, cork bark and fake plants but I’m thinking bioactive is the next level.

[@sixteezchild]

61 here!!! My years of raising a family and now having young grandkids has taken time that I would have otherwise put on my animals. Now my love for animals is blooming big again and I'm even kinda giddy!

[@Love4AllCritters-jh9jk]

This is now my favorite leopard gecko setup video ❤😅 keep up with the awesome information 😊

[@JohnnyR31S]

Truly great video and answered all my questions. Big thanks to Elle's Reptiles for mention you.

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

Glad to be of help! Let us know if you have any further questions!

[@thelastsamari7923]

Love this man got the kit excited for what mine will look like

[@Arvaamaton]

I’ve missed these videos. Keep ‘em coming 😁

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

Glad you like them! will do !

[@MandysReptiles]

im glad i found your channel! i have 2 leopard geckos and wasnt sure how to do a bioactive for them. You are very informative and will be soon ordering a couple of your kits.

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

Glad I could help!

[@meliibellyxo]

I just bought a leo the other day and this video explains everything i need to the T!!! I appreciate this so much♥️♥️

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

You are so welcome

[@meliibellyxo]

One last question, do you have a link for this terrarium? Ive been searching my butt off for this exact one and all that pops up is repti zoo and other brands!

[@mariammusri5640]

You are phenomenal!!! A literal gem, thank you so much for the detailed video and I will be using these products to make a terrarium for our class pet. The kids will absolutely love having this amazing setup.

[@JTincred]

My gecko’s gonna love this! Thank you. He’s three. He used to have sand in his cage when I was a beginner with him and his stomach got. Blocked so we got him carpet and now I might do this so thank you!

[@Juliasxlife]

I think this would be much better! Reptile carpet is really bad for geckos because it can rip off there toes and or nails.

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

Awesome, Bioactive is so much fun to build and get established! We're excited for your journey!

[@JTincred]

Thanks Josh! I also needed to ask, how much is a 40 breeder cage?

[@princesslucillaa]

thank you cant wait to watch, looking into getting one (really want to like 90% sure) but making sure i know what i’m doing and give him the best tank ever.

[@playmusic5978]

I found some really cool isopods in my backyeard here in Norway! They were black with yellow spots. I'm gonna make a bioactive closed terrarium for them:)

[@geckosound]

Amazing. Terrarium The Leopard Gecko must be happy and comfortable for sure

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

They are, thank you!

[@anthonyminium2553]

Just finished my leopard gecko enclosure, it's a 4x2x2 prolly over kill but it has a thin layer of drainage, then a thicker layer of a topsoil, sand mix for the clean up crew. On top I put a mix of top soil, sand, and excavator clay. Wetted it and molded it in the enclosure. It's hard but my Leo can easy dig it up! She loving it so far!

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

That is awesome !

[@biyangsvlog]

I have a leopard sir.and i want to sale it . ..do u interested?

[@Syllvur]

I just ordered the bioactive kit for a 20 gal tank for my school's media center. I cannot wait to introduce the tank and the new little guy (once it's set up) to the kids. I am especially very excited to set up the tank once everything comes!

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

Let us know how the set up goes, we hope you enjoy the products once received!

[@GeekyGeckoCreations]

REALLY great set up!

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

Thank you!!! :)

[@lewishoward65]

your content is very helpful and informative as recently got a Leopard gecko :D keep up the great work!!

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

Thank you for watcing!! Glad it is helpful!! :) If you have any questions, let us know!!

[@jackbindur2624]

Dude this is so cool and you’ve inspired me big time. I can’t wait to set this up

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

Glad to hear it!

[@nancymarroquin1762]

Thank you so much for such an informative video!!! We’re getting a blizzard leopard gecko for my classroom, and I was looking up information on their care and I have to say I love love love this bio active set-up. The baby is about 3mo old, so I’ll be keeping him in the 10g he comes in until 4-5mo, then I’ll transfer him to the 20g once it’s cycled. Thank you again! Appreciate all your efforts to educate us on proper care!

[@kenc9236]

Good job young man. Bravo.

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

Thank you! The Dude Abides!

[@zachcalvillo2064]

Woah man didn’t realize you were in Houston that’s so cool! I’m here In SA Texas love your videos and the information you provide man. You’re great 👍

[@gwengotschall7093]

love your stuff dude!!

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

Thank you!!!!

[@k2a2l2]

absolutely beautiful set up man, everyone wanting any sort of pet should put in all of their effort like u have here

[@fabiohoogendijk2019]

Really nice video! The enclosure looks amazing. I use the same stuff for my tank. The only thing I would say is recommend a dimming thermostat instead of the one used in the video for the deep heat projector. It is such a nice heater! It will prolong the life of the heater if you use that thermostat mentioned before.

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

This. Thank you for sharing!

[@Piggilywiggilymom]

Placed a fairly large order yesterday on your site. Very excited to get my shipment to revamp my leo's enclosure.

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

Awesome thank you we would love to see it!

[@shaena96320]

I absolutely love this set up. I hope I can replicate it when I do my own

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

Thank you, I'm sure yours will be great too!

[@Punkstar911]

Thanks for the information 😊

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

No problem 👍

[@Capt.WrectumzGaming]

My first time coming across and discovering a love for this channel. keep it up dude!

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

Thank you, I'm glad you are enjoying it!

[@ericreynolds9944]

Just bought the exact kit about a month ago. Can not recommend enough. Some items were not it my kit customer service was excellent and they shipped my missing items very fast. 10/10

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

Great to hear!

[@thelastsamari7923]

Great video

[@govtlizard]

thank you so much for this!

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

Thank YOU for watching!!!

[@WadeThruTheWorld]

Another great vid!

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

Thank you!!!

[@Tartxaglia]

So excited to order from you guys and set up bio active enclosures for my three leopard geckos at the end of the month. 😁 This is great inspiration!

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

Awesome! glad its helped!!

[@rdnkenki]

Thanks for all the ideas. I have 5 Leos

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

You’re welcome, glad it was helpful!

[@lilpissbitch5428]

Thank you so much just got a gecko from someone and didn’t love the set up so I watched this video on how to set it up way better for my little guy this is so awesome thank you

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

Glad I could help!

[@Zeltanator]

I just got one and I saw this vid and now I’m doing exactly that but I might need to get a bigger terrarium for it but the self sustaining fiasco is AWESOME

[@dankdutch]

i love watching these , my bearded dragon has been thriving in his bioactive tank

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

Love it!!!

[@lotion1431]

literally THE best leopard gecko setup i have seen

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

Very glad to hear that! Thank you for the support! 👍🏻

[@WeLiveWeDie]

This video gave me nostalgia when i was younger all i watched were these animal videos

[@roostergoblin4897]

I just got my first ever reptile, I got me a little leopard gecko. I love her already and I’m going to make sure I get her a kick ass setup

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

Very exciting! Feel free to reach out to my customer care team if you have any questions or concerns, they would be happy to help! ([e-mail])

[@eco-logicgecko112]

Nice work Josh and what a beautiful gecko you have there! I really like your build style, it was this that gave me some inspiration when designing my leo's terrarium. Don't burn yourself out though, dude! No pun intended! ha :)

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

Thank you, glad it gave you inspo!! the dude abides!

[@edgervonstinky5027]

I wish I had the money to get another pet. You inspired me to make an awesome bio active home for my Central American banded gfcko

[@KarateDo81]

Dude great job

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

Thanks!

[@tonysview3096]

Great Video im getting into all that Bio Active set up. Just got a pac man 🐸 and previous owner told me about the enclosure it is bio active. Great video

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

That is awesome! bioactive is wonderful. - The dude abides!

[@julissarodriguez5397]

best video i’ve watched by far

[@MichaelKLee-jf7qs]

Holy shit this was a beautifully done setup. Absolutely 💯

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

Thanks dude, I appreciate it!

[@jewellione6131]

Ayyy I remember your last one !!! Awesome

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

AYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

[@heartrate0]

I got a package from them and it was signed by him as having packed it. I can't prove it was him but it was really cool.

[@FreshDesignLLC]

Love the build, I think whoever gets that tank will be very happy! Also I’ve noticed you’ve been remaking some old videos, it would be awesome if you could do a refresh on a Veiled Chamelon enclosure, I’d love to see what you’d come up with!

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

Thank you! and thank you for noticing! we are working on a channel revamp!

[@tower2000tw]

So cool 😎

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

Thank you!

[@sixteezchild]

Yes, I am about to be 61 and my obsession with critters is ramping up! I know I can only have one animal that I will be responsible for due to chronic pain issues. After much research, I have decided that a leopard gecko is the one for me! I've had corn snakes and bearded dragons over 30 years ago, and I think the feeding situation will just be toned down some from veggies and f/t pinky mice! I'm taking it slow and will not have my gecko until Texas is on the other side of Winter next year. So many places I've looked at to purchase from are in areas that it gets cold and stays cold past March. One day at a time, but I am thoroughly researching so I can give my little leopard gecko the best life possible!

[@jessicaklopfenstein151]

So excited! Going to order one of your kits soon and I'll be getting my first leo in July... I plan to spoil him/her their whole life!!!

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

That's awesome! When you get it set up, feel free to send us pictures. We love seeing what our customers create!

[@jessicaklopfenstein151]

@@TheBioDudeJoshHalter I definitely will!!!

[@longbone9317]

i wish i could give my gecko something as good as this bro deserves better

[@mrevol8454]

I could just imagine the biodude standing around trees outside of a dentist office trying collect as much bark as possible before he gets yelled at

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

How do you think I got started! LOL!

[@oc9279]

Planning to get my very 1st leopard gecko soon. Great video, learned lots on how to setup it's enclosure. Can't help but think that you sound like Jay Baruchel from how to train your dragon 😅 plus you're also talking about reptiles = dragons 😅 love the content man!

[@claireblack1875]

He makes it look so easy he’s just going off vibes Fr, I hope I can recreate this somewhat

[@a.s.3318]

This is such an awesome habitat! I’ve been really enjoying the artistry that you bring to your work, all your packaging and bioactive habitats look great. I don’t see any videos for bioactive landsnail or slug habitats - is that just because you don’t have a passion for them, or because they aren’t well suited to a bioactive environment? If they do thrive in bioactive habitats, I’d be so interested to learn what sort of plants and cleaning crew work well with them.

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

Thank you so much! I love to hear that. Well, slugs and some species of snails will eat plants, so many keepers tend to stay away from them. One of my staffers has a paludarium 40B for his giant land snail that is fully bio. He loves it and so does his giant snail!

[@pastelgoth287]

Hello Bio Dude, I'm fairly new to your work and I'm very impressed. I jus ordered your Leopard gecko bioactive kit the other day and I was wondering if I should wait and how long should I wait to house my leopard gecko in its new bioactive enclosure once its set up. Thank you for all you do, very happy I came across your channel. Will be a customer and supporter for years to come.

[@FreshDesignLLC]

If you can wait you should, technically it isn’t necessary but it’s good to have an appropriate time for the plants and bugs to establish before adding your gecko.

[@mellewedin8221]

Thank you for this video. I just bought my friends old leopard gecko tank. She had spike of like 11 years. Not sure how long they live for. I want one, but I also want to give it a ecosystem inside the tank. I am so totally not about fake plants and decor. I understand why some do this and or go half and half. Real plants no clean up crew. Or something like that. Also thank you for pointing out what I should be looking for health wise.

[@JackOfAllTrades0404]

They can live 20+ years. A 20 gallon is the minimum tank size, but many believe 40 should be the minimum, as they climb and explore much more than cruddy pet stores want you to believe. What size tank did your friend sell you?

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

Hey there! i personally had one live 26 years. his name was moose! and a sweet boy. please reach out to [e-mail] so the team can get you started!

[@ultimategamerkud7769]

I just watched your older videos and made my enclosures not even a month ago, I feel like I want to redo them now but I spent so much and they are already settling now x.x love this video like the others! Learned some new things thanks man

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

Love it! glad it has helped!

[@troykress6394]

This is awesome. About to order the 40gal kit and do the same thing. Do you ever use a backdrop or do you just leave the glass open?

[@johncunningham7496]

Your videos are always awesome. You should do an updated ball python setup for a full grown female. Say something around a 4*2*2 enclosure (which I may or may not have just purchased from you).

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

thank you, glad the videos are helpful! A wonderful idea. The Dude Abides

[@lissadams5129]

Just found you! Ordered a kit for my Leo Toast!

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

Love it! Thank you for the support!

[@jmed1839]

Josh, this first time watching one of our videos, but it wont be the last. I love how forthright and authentic you are in your video regarding how hard you've been working, some of the challenges of the industry, the extra mile you go to be as accurate as possible for your customers i.e Moss origins etc. I love supporting hard working small businesses and If I lived in Houston I'd visit your store personally, but since I live in OK I'll support via online sales. Keep up the infectious energy, the knowledge sharing etc and it wont be long others be doing most of the hard for you. Great job and thanks for the info, great products etc.. Take care.. Joe M.

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

Hey Joe! thank you so much! those kind words are very appreciated! The Dude Abides!

[@TeddyRoosebelt]

awesome as always, bio dude! your scapes are always such an inspiration

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

Glad you like them!

[@isaac7292]

Awesome looking setup! I love all your builds! Can you make another bioactive and/or care video for emerald tree skinks please!!

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

Great idea!! Thank you im glad you like them ! :)

[@moxymay]

Does the clean up crew tend to escape the tank or do they stay in the soil? I have a similar tank, but I think a bit smaller. With the same style front opening doors.

[@reptiletailz108]

Hey man so I'm blown away with this I keep and breed leos and I recently upgraded all my big guys to 40g and my one female I put in a enclosure I built it's just under 5 foot long and 12 inches high and 18inches wide it's 2 smaller enclosures that I connected together I have to say I already knew that they climb way more than I ever knew or have been told but I didn't realize they wud love the extra space my one rescue his name is Savage I have found him out Baskin now of course the heat bulb isn't a light it's a ceramic bulb however he still was Baskin right on top of his hide out in the open for me to see just chillen I'm so excited to see these new behaviors and this is deff the next step I'm interested in ty

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

Exciting Dude, I dig it!

[@ameslife]

Hi, nice set up, I watched your old videos on the leopard gecko set up and I really liked how they turned out and I wanted a bioactive set up for my gecko as well! I’ve bought the terra Sahara I got the leaves the bugs as well as plants and I did everything you’re supposed to do for it to be bioactive and everything as well as I misted the down the tank every day and water the plants we needed to make sure the humidity was enough for the bugs and plants but my gecko was not too humid as well because he had a lamp which was a Deep heat projector to drop the humidity so he didn’t get too much humidity,As well as it’s supposed to be a Desert substrate and now I’m not spraying it down because everything died and now it’s not bioactive it gets dry and very dusty I don’t like that does that and I don’t feel like it’s very safe for my gecko the fact that’s it’s dusty and I’ve been doing the maintenance and everything then my plant died all incest died for some reason I can’t find any in the soil except for one super warm beetle and there is no reason they should happen if your soil is supposed to work and it’s supposed to make it bioactive so now I just have basically have a naturalistic set up and I don’t really recommend anyone using it if it doesn’t do what you are going for and I spent the money for this item to work. And I’ve had this set up since April it is now almost July and it should be up and running a perfectly set by now almost to Fully bioactive and none of the leaves are even broken down that I broke them my self with my hands for the bugs to put into soil to break down there was no results on that either, I’m disappointed in the fact that this did not work and I’ve been trying for months to find a soil that works with my gecko I thought I finally found something but no I’m never recommending or using soil again unfortunately I am not gonna be recommending substrate for anyone who has a leopard gecko, only paper towels, newspaper or tile. I’m gonna do tile set up for my leopard gecko and save some of the soil to make a dig box for my gecko ,but if you have any thing that you can share please let me know.

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

Ames LIfe, thank you for the feedback and support. I did reach out to you via email and I think we got you taken care of. If we did not, reach back out, thank you!

[@hippyqueen]

Hello, Are you worried about impaction with this soil? I know you are not supposed to have sand because of this. I wondering if the roots anchor the soil so it’s not an issue?

[@betteskeet1127]

Too many Exotic Vets stories explaining why Leos should NEVER use sand/dirt in the tank. Captivity is NOT the same as the wild. While I do appreciate this young man’s enthusiasm for his animals welfare, I do hope you do the research. Be glad to share evidence, if you need. Take care. ✝️🙏❤️

[@rogerstenstromk5mow715]

Nice video. I would like to set up a Leopard gecko enclosure sometime.

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

You should, they are just too fun and cute! We would love to help you get that done! Please reach out to our [e-mail] team so we can get you set up! The Dude Abides!

[@LeePinkcyanide]

Great video. The deep heat projector took my leopard gecko from surviving to thriving. Great recommendation 👍

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

Hey there, how wonderful! Glad it helped! The Dude Abides!!

[@nightinggale6470]

A halogen flood bulb connected to a dimmer or dimming thermostat would be even more natural and beneficial than a DHP! The levels of infrared A and B they produce more closely mimic the sun (DHPs produce barely any IRA, the most beneficial wavelength).

[@johnb2316]

Great video. Do you have one regarding the maintenance of an enclosure like this?

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

In general with bioactive enclosures, maintenance is pretty minimal because you shouldn't have to replace the substrate. You do have to maintain the plants and add moss or bioshot/biovive (soil enrichment) occasionally. Make sure you mist your leopard gecko's enclosure once a day. Here's our page about leopard gecko care & maintenance: www.thebiodude.com/blogs/reptile-and-amphibian-caresheets-with-cited-veterinary-and-herpetology-sources/the-care-and-maintenance-of-the-leopard-gecko

[@sixstring215]

Amazing set up. I’m about to purchase the terra Sahara 40 gal breeder kit so Thank you! A question about your grow light. You said you place it “on top of my LED props”. What do you mean by that?

[@loona7126]

Beautiful! Just wandering if you don´t think covering the back and the sides is neccessary? Couldn´t it make them too exposed and stressed? Any suggestions what to use? I´m thinking about black self-adhesive window film, but not sure if it would make everything too dark (I will have led lights). Any thoughts?

[@stevebetancourt7485]

Bro. You're great. I love your channel. I've even bought from your online store. But man to man ....haircut... stay sharp. I'll need a new LED light soon, so I'll be in touch. P. S. Congrats on all your success. I've been watching since you began.

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

Thank you!!

[@heroneoss]

Fantastic video, I missed if you said this or not but how are you keeping it up to temperature at night? Do you use an under tank heater with it or do you just let the whole tank drop for night temps?

[@powerhouseexotics]

My leopard gecko escaped 2 years ago and came back the other day. So here I am trying to build her a new enclosure

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

Wow! glad she came back!

[@ashleychavez4004]

Thank you so much for this video! Getting prepared to order this setup for my kid. What’s the recommended time to have the all lights on

[@FreshDesignLLC]

Try having a 12-14 hour lighting schedule for your gecko, so maybe try like 7AM to 7PM could work.

[@goncalo142]

I love your video content! But i have a question what is the regulation you feed your geckos and what insects you use to feed them

[@biffanytetzer9667]

Jessica's Animal Friends is a really great youtube channel to learn about the Leopard Gecko diet! She teaches about gut loading, variety and possible alternatives if the specific Leo isn't eating certain foods.

[@66lemagnifique]

Another great video from the Dude. I'm going to be doing a leopard gecko enclosure with my son shortly and we've been making list of everything we need and doing research first. I watched an older video Josh did for a Leo and he used a heat mat. I noticed in this video that he didn't include one. Is that because of using the DHP? The DHP replaces the heat mat?

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

Hey hey yes it does! A nice source of heat.

[@juandiegomoreno9803]

I love your videos, they have taught me so much. Do you think you can do a Sandfish Skink setup one day?

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

What a wonderful idea! shal be added to the video list.

[@ineedassistance6257]

This is awesome! When will the leopard gecko kits be back in stock?

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

Hey there!! please reach out to our [e-mail] care team so we can get you set up with a kit! we would be happy to get you set up wtih what you need!

[@cierrabuntz4880]

Great video, I have 6 tanks set up with the biodude for over 2 years now and they're all still going strong and my animals are happy. Now...what is that clear Kages enclosure in the background?! Looks dope.

[@TheBioDudeJoshHalter]

Thanks for sharing! its big innit!!