So, been working about the last couple months on getting Goku’s keep rebuilt as a bioactive. It has been a project, because I have very little idea what I’m doing, only so much knowledge and confidence can be obtained by reading, and I defiantly don’t have a green thumb. But I’ve let it settle in for the past month, with a uvb light running a good portion of the day and regular misting, and so far the plants seem to be happy? Which has me quite proud cause while I do well with most animals, I sometimes feel like plants wither just by my looking at them XP
The creeping fig that I’m hoping will climb the branch there was by far the most difficult to convince to live. The plant I have in there now is actually my second attempt, but as far as I can tell it’s thriving. Sent it’s roots nice and deep, finding the gap between the drainage fabric and the glass to get down to the rock layer. I hope that means it’s happy enough to stick around.
Put Goku in there yesterday, as the plants have been settling in for about a month. He seemed to hit confusion freak out mode, but he’s always a skittish gecko, and in his 5 years I’m pretty sure he’s never seen live plants.
Pretty sure thats the darkest I’ve seen him fired in some time.
I was a lil worried. There’s very little cover up high til the plants get some more time to grow, esp as I forgot to think of a backdrop when building it and by the time I was reminded that was a thing, I would’ve had to pull everything out and start from scratch to put something in well. Last night he was sticking to the very top of his wood climb, out in the open, even before I turned off the grow light, which was a touch irregular for him. But tonight he seems to have calmed down some and found a cranny in his decor to hide the daylight away. Still I’m considering returning him to his temp keep for a touch and seeing if I can affix a vining plant or two to the fork of the branch, some breif research makes it look like it might be possible with some moss and twine? But I’d take suggestions/corrections from more knowledgeable folks if there’s any to offer.
I have spring tails, Dwarf purple isopods, and some larger armadillidium sp. Isopods in there (and some fruitflies that moved in because they enjoy my torment despite all attempts to keep the house clear of them, but I don’t think they’ll hurt anything? I just wish they were the flightless variety XP). I only occasionally find a Dwarf isopod when I check the bug activity under the water dish, and I rarely see the larger isopods ( I think they favor hiding under the UFO which is hard to shift without troubling the plant I have coming out of it. What I get for being ‘creative’ I guess…) but im sure they’re around cause one or two come out to say hi on occasion. I’m not too worried about them with Goku, cause he’s shown a frustrating lack of prey drive. The springtails at least have exploded in number and seem to be taking to their job happily.
So mostly I’m showing off cause I’m proud of myself for actually managing this task, but if anyone sees anything I did obviously wrong, or that could be improved, I would happily take advice, as I’m an utter noob at this and it is a good bit out of my normal wheelhouse.
I wish you the very best in your endeavors!
