normal or bioactive terrarium??

[jacksp]

hello guys im new to the hobby and forum too and before 1 month i get my first baby boa and i want to ask about your advice between normal or bioactive setup

[moggy001]

I am new and would like to know this too. I would like to go bioactive but wondering if it will be a problem for a boa.

[Lebowski013]

A boa will destroy any plants you put in and you'll still have to clean up the poop. That is the thing about having it for my dart frogs so I don't have to clean up frog poop on a daily basis. The springtail/isopod cleanup crew breaks the poop down and enriches the soil for the plant matter. However... it looks much better than any of the other substrates and provides better humidity though. I'm thinking about doing it.

[chairman]

A true bioactive enclosure will have approximately 30 cm of substrate (clay drainage balls, mesh screen, soil, sand, gravel, mulch and/or leaf litter). It will also contain worms, isopods, spingtails, and possibly other invertebrates. It should also have several plants. The entire cage will probably weigh 225 kg or more.

The boa will damage the plants frequently and you will still need to clean the cage weekly. A bioactive setup is a large investment with little value for a snake like a boa. The setup will look nice, though.

The easier, and more common approach, is to include elements of a bioactive setup in a regular cage. Place a couple inches of mulch in the cage, possibly with some leaf litter. Add a small number of invertebrates, usually isopods. The substrate will look nice and you will receive several of the benefits of bioactive setups. Also, the cage will weigh 200 kg less and you will not have to buy new plants frequently.

[ben_marko]

A lot of it depends on the size and activity of the snake. Most with destroy their habitats, unless the objects are heavy or glued/nailed/bolted down (for the large snakes). You'll most likely have better luck with a smaller snake in a vivarium.