Bioactive hamster enclosure

[SamanthaMarikian]

Ive read a lot of mixed reviews saying it can create an unsafe environment but i feel like that goes with everything and any pet if you set them up wrong and dont take all the right steps half assing things along the way. And i feel itd be something good in the long run since they have all their burrows and everything that get destroyed getting cleaned out every so many days. Like could you put isopods and plant some hamster safe greens for them to forage on? And like if someone was to do this what should they look out for? i dont have a hamster and dont think i’ll be getting one anytime soon but bioactive and naturalistic setups are something i really love and try to do my best on and love learning more about.

 

[BoyFromLA]

If you are really up for it, watch this:

https://youtube.com/channel/UCr7SPl3QI9O5ZjO7zx4mOZg

 

[viper69]

but i feel like that goes with everything

FALSE

I raised hamsters decades ago before bioactive was a blown up bunch of crap. They never had issue with a clean cage provided by their human animal owners!!

Next thing we will see is bioactive for humans, just crap all over the carpet and piss all over it - have fun everyone! Let us know how you like feeling poops ooze between your toes in bed.

 

[Solitaire]

Ive read a lot of mixed reviews saying it can create an unsafe environment but i feel like that goes with everything and any pet if you set them up wrong and dont take all the right steps half assing things along the way. And i feel itd be something good in the long run since they have all their burrows and everything that get destroyed getting cleaned out every so many days. Like could you put isopods and plant some hamster safe greens for them to forage on? And like if someone was to do this what should they look out for? i dont have a hamster and dont think i’ll be getting one anytime soon but bioactive and naturalistic setups are something i really love and try to do my best on and love learning more about.

I’ve kept just about every rodent and this is a bad idea in so many ways.
Don’t do it.
The “clean-up” crew alone would not have the necessary environment to survive, nor the poor hamster if they did.

 

[MarkJ]

Bio tanks are awesome but they take a lot of work to set up properly and to monitor. Every mammal/reptile/insect/fish/invertebrate/etc that I've ever owned has lived in a bio tank. I think it's the best possible environment for any captive critter.

The technology exists to do it right but you cannot cut corners. In the case of a hamster, a failed bio tank is far worse for the animal than a failed terrarium filled with cedar chips and a water bottle.

My advice is to do it right or don't do it all.

 

[viper69]

Bio tanks are awesome but they take a lot of work to set up properly and to monitor. Every mammal/reptile/insect/fish/invertebrate/etc that I've ever owned has lived in a bio tank. I think it's the best possible environment for any captive critter.

The technology exists to do it right but you cannot cut corners. In the case of a hamster, a failed bio tank is far worse for the animal than a failed terrarium filled with cedar chips and a water bottle.

My advice is to do it right or don't do it all.

Do you live in a bioactive home?

 

[Jumbie Spider]

Our cat lives in a hybrid-bioactive setup. It's primarily bioactive when she's outside (i.e. in the backyard).
It's great, we never have to clean up after her.

 

[Egon]

Don't trust that Hamster Lab YouTuber. They post a ton of cute videos but never actually address the upkeep, the issues, any clean-up they do, etc. I've specifically asked them in the comments of their videos and they just get coy and never answer them: Does it smell, does it get too wet, do they spot clean, do they have to replace the soil, etc.?

I'm a big believer in bioactive setups for many reptiles and amphibians. My garters snakes and newt are in bioactive tanks and I love it.

I also keep two gerbils in a 75 gallon aquarium with traditional paper and aspen bedding. They urinate far less and are supposed to smell far less than other rodents. Despite that, I can say that they produce plenty of urine and feces, and I cannot fathom how a bioactive enclosure could safely neutralize their waste unless it was a zoo-sized enclosure.

I think it's simply not within the means of 99.99% of casual pet owners' ability to provide a sufficiently large bioactive enclosure for a rodent. That doesn't mean you can't push boundaries and give your hamster more. In addition to regular paper and aspen bedding, plenty of people will give their rodents real soil to dig in and trays of sprouted grass/vegetation as forage, but those get replaced.

If you attempt it, build something big -- something much, much, much bigger than you think you need. Something half the size of a "regular" bedroom. I don't see it working for a second in any commercially available aquariums.

 

[mickiem]

FALSE

I raised hamsters decades ago before bioactive was a blown up bunch of crap. They never had issue with a clean cage provided by their human animal owners!!

Next thing we will see is bioactive for humans, just crap all over the carpet and piss all over it - have fun everyone! Let us know how you like feeling poops ooze between your toes in bed.

The idea of bioactive is not to let the poop remain - you want CUC or scavengers to work toward creating a balance.

 

[viper69]

The idea of bioactive is not to let the poop remain - you want CUC or scavengers to work toward creating a balance.

Yes I know. I knew what bioactive was BEFORE it became a thing.. a crazy thing that has run rampant unfortunately. All created by people looking to make money off those less informed. hahahaha It was a joke, my point was made by the other poster.

 

[mickiem]

I had some friends who turned an entire spare bedroom into a bioactive hedgehog enclosure. I never saw it but it was interesting hearing them as they talked about putting it together. I would think a bioactive hamster enclosure would have to be pretty large in order to strike a balance. The hamsters would relish to isopods so you would have to have lots.

Yes I know. I knew what bioactive was BEFORE it became a thing.. a crazy thing that has run rampant unfortunately. All created by people looking to make money off those less informed. hahahaha It was a joke, my point was made by the other poster.

I think the push toward bioactive is a push toward health more than an attempt to make a dollar. I've been in this business for over 40 years and I've never seen the levels of health that I see in modern bioactive set ups. Sure, people do it wrong and vendors can ill-advise. But a lot of folks are doing it correctly to the benefit of their pets. No one can think I am in this for the money and I resent your remark, "ALL created by people looking to make money of those less informed". That just isn't an accurate statement. With all due respect.

 

[viper69]

I think the push toward bioactive is a push toward health more than an attempt to make a dollar

Maybe- how is it a push toward health. Example, how is it healthier to have a bioactive setup for a snake than not? How does a snake's health benefit here? Not saying you're wrong, but I need scientific data to support your claim.

Sure, people do it wrong and vendors can ill-advise

True for anything indeed.

No one can think I am in this for the money and I resent your remark,

How did my comment become about you? Did I mention your name somewhere.. I don't even know you, or what you do etc

 

[The Snark]

Just to mention something. Has anyone ever worked on old farm equipment? Rodents build nests in them. Rodent hygiene doesn't exist.
Down the road from my Sis's place is a vintage 1930s tractor that was in perfect condition appearance wise when it was parked there 20 years ago. The owner bought it to restore as a museum piece. He then discovered the pee from the mouse nests around the engine had completely corroded certain critical and irreplaceable parts.
Rodents are filthy animals. They maybe contented in their holes in the ground or whatever, and don't know or care if the filth knocks off half their life span.

 

[mickiem]

Maybe- how is it a push toward health. Example, how is it healthier to have a bioactive setup for a snake than not? How does a snake's health benefit here? Not saying you're wrong, but I need scientific data to support your claim.



True for anything indeed.



How did my comment become about you? Did I mention your name somewhere.. I don't even know you, or what you do etc

If you say "ALL", I am part of all. Making an absolute remark like that is prejudicial.

I can't say I have done controlled scientific experiments. But I have experience that I think is unprecedented. I kept animals such as Red Eye Tree Frogs, Dart Frogs and others with limited success in the '70's - '90's. Now in bioactive enclosures the animals thrive. Having a CUC that becomes a snack increases the diversity of the diet of the inhabitants. My dart frogs pick off isopods and springtails pretty regularly. It also promotes a hunting instinct. I think when animals are fed crickets only (or roaches only), they get used to only one way to hunt prey, but when there are varieties of food that moves differently, the animal has so much more enrichment. Typically in a bioactive enclosure, there are caves, ledges, etc. in which prey may hide. I know that's a general statement, but it is a benefit of bioactive enclosures when done correctly. I also think the beauty of the enclosure is appealing and restful which should always be a benefit of pet keeping. A natural stick contrasted to a 1/4" dowel offers more widths and uses more muscles in an animals feet, tail, etc. It isn't just one thing; it's all of it together. Sure, you can put a stick of varying widths in a conventional set-up but with a proper bioactive set-up, the benefits are a byproduct of the set-up. One of the things I especially like is the lower level of maintenance. To each his own - if you prefer conventional methods, go for it. I prefer well done bioactive,

 

[mickiem]

Just to mention something. Has anyone ever worked on old farm equipment? Rodents build nests in them. Rodent hygiene doesn't exist.
Down the road from my Sis's place is a vintage 1930s tractor that was in perfect condition appearance wise when it was parked there 20 years ago. The owner bought it to restore as a museum piece. He then discovered the pee from the mouse nests around the engine had completely corroded certain critical and irreplaceable parts.
Rodents are filthy animals. They maybe contented in their holes in the ground or whatever, and don't know or care if the filth knocks off half their life span.

I agree rodents are filthy and disease laden. I avoid them in my home - the smell sickens me. When I was younger it didn't bother me so bad. I can barely stand the smell of a frozen rodent now! I admire anyone trying to find better ways to keep a pet, but rodents just need a whole lotta sterile! (LOL your parking brake!)

 

[The Snark]

I agree rodents are filthy and disease laden. I avoid them in my home - the smell sickens me.

Ah yes, the refined odor of a hot engine baking a 20 generation rat or mouse nest. Would put a ripe cadaver munching ghoul off it's lunch.

 

[viper69]

Rodent hygiene doesn't exist.

I read a National Geographic article from maybe the 1980s that disputes that claim for rats at least.

Dart Frogs and others with limited success in the '70's - '90's. Now in bioactive enclosures the animals thrive.

How were you keeping them before? I see a large amount of successful keepers on Dendroboard, little slices of jungle.

they get used to only one way to hunt prey

True for some animals, true for some specimens but not all. I've observed this with some Ts, and others, have no issue with diversity.

the animal has so much more enrichment

This is general statement. There is no mental enrichment for Ts for example if they are fed crix, worms etce or a diversity.

I agree rodents are filthy

See above

 

[Edan bandoot]

I've never seen anyone do naturalistic vivariums right that aren't for frogs/amphibians and fish.

The people who claims to do so for other animals (spiders/rodents/reptiles) often just throw a bunch of random greenery and cuc into a box and call it naturalistic. Even though none of the flora or fauna exists within the animals natural habitat.

Instead of plants, cuc and other easily marketable things (touching on vipers point) I think we should he focusing more on our substrate mixes, which are often vastly different from what the animal inhabits in the wild, and often produces bizarre effects in captivity, like "display/terrestrial" tarantulas.

 

[Egon]

I've never seen anyone do naturalistic vivariums right that aren't for frogs/amphibians and fish.

The people who claims to do so for other animals (spiders/rodents/reptiles) often just throw a bunch of random greenery and cuc into a box and call it naturalistic. Even though none of the flora or fauna exists within the animals natural habitat.

Instead of plants, cuc and other easily marketable things (touching on vipers point) I think we should he focusing more on our substrate mixes, which are often vastly different from what the animal inhabits in the wild, and often produces bizarre effects in captivity, like "display/terrestrial" tarantulas.

Matching everything to the native habitat is not the point. The point is replicating broad principles of an environment and care.

I bet you don’t feed your tarantulas native insects from their natural habitats. That’s a much, much bigger issue/deal than keeping a snake with an isopod or plant from another part of the world.

Oh, what do you feed? Good substitutes that replicate broad principles of nutrition.

The amount of close-minded opinions I’ve seen in the tarantula world for bioactive or more naturalistic setups for any kind of animal (reptiles, amphibians, tarantulas, etc.) is incredibly disappointing.

If you don’t want to do it yourself, fine, but the amount of baseless criticism, lack of self-reflection and rampant mockery is just backwards.

 

[Edan bandoot]

Matching everything to the native habitat is not the point. The point is replicating broad principles of an environment and care.

I bet you don’t feed your tarantulas native insects from their natural habitats. That’s a much, much bigger issue/deal than keeping a snake with an isopod or plant from another part of the world.

Oh, what do you feed? Good substitutes that replicate broad principles of nutrition.

The amount of close-minded opinions I’ve seen in the tarantula world for bioactive or more naturalistic setups for any kind of animal (reptiles, amphibians, tarantulas, etc.) is incredibly disappointing.

If you don’t want to do it yourself, fine, but the amount of baseless criticism, lack of self-reflection and rampant mockery is just backwards.

There's no benefits to having a snake with a plant and random isopods in with it. You've been tricked and you're mad about it.