EXPERT OPINION

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Jamie Girling on Bioactive Substrates

Bioactive setups are quickly becoming the industry standard for many species. The substrate we choose in order to recreate a natural environment is far removed from the bark chips and paper towels which were used in the early days of herpetoculture. Although many enthusiasts blend their own substrates, understanding the complex science behind natural ecosystems is crucial to creating a self-maintaining bioactive set up.

Jamie Girling is the lead product developer at ProRep and conceptualised Bio Life Forest and Bio Life Desert. Jamie told Exotics Keeper Magazine: “Bio active substrates are designed to allow for the maintenance of living ecosystems inside the terrarium and we are trying to replicate those conditions. For example, forests are very acidic whereas if you move to more desert regions where you’ve got more mineral content, they don’t have such a high acidic level. There’s a number of reasons for that, as trees shed their leaves, they will add more acidity to the soil, this is why you will see things like mosses grow instead of grasses. It’s that acidity that stops other plants from getting in there. You will also see more acidity where you find more biological detritus. That said, if you have a desert plant or a cactus, they won’t survive with that level of acidity, so it’s very important to get that pH level right.”

Understanding the natural conditions found in the rainforest and desert environments is just the first step to creating an all-encompassing substrate. Jamie continued: “The main nutrients in a bioactive set up are formed from the process of breaking down faeces and detritus with insects. So, with Bio Life Forest the bark chips will aerate the soil, but will also break down. The peat moss contributes to the acidity level of the substrate. The charcoal in there will help prevent stagnation and hold onto beneficial soil microbes by slowing reducing the leaching of nutrients.”

“The open structure also provides the optimal conditions for rooting plants and detritivores such as springtails and woodlice. It also stops soil getting stuck to inhabitants like dart frogs. If someone uses coir, this will quickly cover the frogs and even though they’re equipped to deal with this in the wild, it isn’t natural to experience this all the time.”

By having innovative product development at the forefront of the hobby, enthusiasts can now create naturalistic environments that align much closer with the wild conditions their animal lives in. The combination of bioactive products and ferguson zone lighting as standard means even the most novice of keepers can purchase everything they need to create a patch of rainforest in one trip to their local pet shop.

Jamie concluded: “The idea with these substrates is you can create the natural environment and only need to add external elements. Really, we wanted to move people away from the bark chips, beech chips or sand that they were keeping the animals on, which they would never encounter naturally. Of course these are geared towards plants and animals as opposed to substrates which are species-specific. For example, Desert Life replicates the wild conditions with some soil to help plants take hold. It will also retain some of that moisture for some time, because even in deserts, whenever there’s rain the substrate will retain moisture.”

As the industry continues to move full steam ahead towards naturalistic environments to provide a higher level of enrichment, substrates will continue to develop. Whilst lighting might be the most popular ‘breakthrough’ conversation over the last decade, it’s important to consider the role that substrate has for animals from humidity retention and plant growth to burrowing potential and enrichment. The shift towards natural enrichment from sterilisation in how we keep our animals will likely bring endless advancements in this exciting field.