Bioactive terrarium
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A bioactive terrarium (or vivarium) is a terrarium for housing one or more terrestrial animal species that includes live plants and populations of small invertebrates and microorganisms to consume and break down the waste products of the primary species. In a functional bioactive terrarium, the waste products will be broken down by these detritivores, reducing or eliminating the need for cage cleaning. Bioactive vivariums are used by zoos and hobbyists to house reptiles and amphibians in an aesthetically pleasing and enriched environment.
Any terrarium can be made bioactive by addition of the appropriate substrate, plants, and detritivores. Bioactive enclosures are often maintained as display terraria constructed of PVC, wood, glass and/or acrylic. Bioactive enclosures in laboratory "rack" style caging are uncommon.[1]
Cleanup crew
Waste products of the primary species are consumed by a variety of detritivores, referred to as the "cleanup crew" by hobbyists.[2][3][4] These can include woodlice, springtails, earthworms, millipedes, and various beetles, with different species being preferred in different habitats - the cleanup crew for a tropical rainforest bioactive terrarium may rely primarily on springtails, isopods, and earthworms, while a desert habitat might use beetles.[5][6][7][8] If the primary species is insectivorous, they may consume the cleanup crew, and thus the cleanup crew must have sufficient retreats to avoid being completely depopulated.[5]
Additionally, bioactive terraria typically have a flourishing population of bacteria and other microorganisms which break down the wastes of the cleanup crew and primary species.[9] Fungi may occur as part of the terrarium cycle and will be consumed by the cleanup crew.[10][5][6]
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