Bioactive substrate systems harnesses the decomposing power of natural soil microbes and microfauna to break down the waste of any animals or plants placed in a vivarium. It runs along the same lines as having beneficial bacteria in an aquarium to have healthy nitrogen cycle. This type of substrate consists of soil and leaf litter found in a natural pesticide free area, sand, peat, bark, moss, rotting wood and water in variable proportions. The variable is determined by the type of habitat your herp requires. For example if u have a desert herp use more sand than everything else where as if you have a rainforest species use more of everything else. There are no set equation it all comes down to what you are trying to grow or raise in the tank. DO NOT STERILIZE THE SUBSTRATE as you want to promote the growth of beneficial bacteria and microfauna which act as your cleaning crew this includes non-predatory beetles, small mealworms, isopods, springtails and ( for the less squeamish ) roaches can be added to the mix to aid in the breakdown of waste swell as be a possible food source for your herps as they hide in the substrate and reproduce.
Whiptails as well as other herps will burrow and forage for mealworms and other prey in the substrate. Natural activities such as this take place in setups with bioactive substrates.
Ferns and other plants grow well on bioactive substrate systems.
