The Bio Dude

12/04/2025

When a new species is identified and given an Elvish name, it's a good day!

12/03/2025

This Stuart’s milksnake is a whole mood🐍
Like many milk snakes, Lampropeltis triangulum stuarti loves to tunnel through substrate, and there’s a good reason for it. In the wild, they come from lowland forests, grasslands, and agricultural areas of southern Mexico, Guatemala, and parts of Honduras, where they spend much of their time hidden under logs, inside root systems, or buried in leaf litter. Burrowing helps them stay safe from predators and regulate their body temperature and humidity exposure. That instinct carries over in captivity, which is why they eagerly explore deep, loose substrate in a bioactive setup.
This individual is available in-store to join the right forever home. He’s shy but beautiful!
-THE DUDE ABIDES
Location: The Bio Dude Inc Houston
15116 Highway 3 Bldg 4 Webster, TX 77598
Hours: Mon-Fri: 9am-4pm Sat: 10am-5pm
Phone: (717) 305-0684
Email: [email protected]

12/03/2025

Being dense is a good thing when it comes to crested gecko bioactive terrariums! This contender from Hoover features a whole lot of foliage and different types of branches. In smaller tanks, a good principle for creating builds is to start with one large wood piece in the center, like the ghostwood you see here. From there, the spaces for each plant can be designated and additional hardscape can be positioned around that main piece. Here, Hoover used a few types of jungle vine, which add an alternate texture.
To maximize visual coverage and support natural climbing behavior, several strong plant choices were used. Snake plants work well in vertical enclosures for arboreal reptiles because they grow upward and have the firmness to support the bodies of even heavy-bodied critters. Dracaenas, like the one in the bottom right corner, are another solid option for crested geckos because they grow vertically and hold up well to reptile movement. Philodendron varieties also thrive in temperate or tropical setups and their tendency to vine and climb makes them great for adding foliage to the upper areas of a tank. Epiphytes, like the bromeliad mounted on the ghostwood, help fill those spaces too.
Depending on where you live, maintaining humidity levels above 50 percent can be difficult in a glass tank with a screen top. Using moss as a ground cover helps retain humidity and creates microclimates for your clean-up crew.
And of course we always have to mention that elevated feeding dishes are important for critters that do not usually leave the undercanopy when foraging.
To have the chance to be entered in December’s competition for the $25 BioDude giftcard: tag us, DM us, email us, or share large, wide-angle photos of your bioactive tank in our Facebook group, Bioactive Reptile and Amphibian Setups USA. Your bioactive tank must showcase excellent husbandry to be considered. Invertebrate, reptile, and amphibian enclosures.
-THE DUDE ABIDES👍🏻
Hours: Mon-Fri: 9am-4pm Sat: 10am-5pm
Phone: (717) 305-0684
Email: [email protected]

12/01/2025

Like the comment below with the tank that you find most well-designed to cast your vote for who you think deserves to win the $25 BioDude giftcard prize! Voting will close at 4 p.m. CST Tuesday 12/2, whereupon the winner will be determined and be messaged to receive their prize! We accidentally shared 2 tanks from the same individual this month, so to be fair, only 1 of those 2 will be eligible for votes to receive the prize.
To enter December's competition: tag us, DM us, email us, or share large, wide-angle photos of your bioactive tank in our Facebook group, Bioactive Reptile and Amphibian Setups USA. Tell us who lives in it and any other details you’d like to share. You must be located in the U.S. so that you are able to use the giftcard prize. Your bioactive tank must showcase exemplary husbandry to be considered. Invertebrate, reptile, and amphibian enclosures are all welcome.
-THE DUDE ABIDES
Location: The Bio Dude Inc Houston
15116 Highway 3 Bldg 4 Webster, TX 77598
Hours: Mon-Fri: 9am-4pm Sat: 10am-5pm
Phone: (717) 305-0684
Email: [email protected]

Send a message to learn more

11/30/2025

Hurry and save before the sale ends 12/1! Visit thebiodude.com now because unlike a bioactive enclosure, these deals won't last!🌿🦎
-THE DUDE ABIDES👍🏻
Location: The Bio Dude Inc Houston
15116 Highway 3 Bldg 4 Webster, TX 77598
Hours: Mon-Fri: 9am-4pm Sat: 10am-5pm
Phone: (717) 305-0684
Email: [email protected]

11/29/2025

If you didn’t get a chance to visit our site or store today, deals last until 12/1 at 11:59 p.m. so there’s still time to get 25% bioactive goodies including kits, wood, plants, culturing supplies, and more! Use code BFCM2025 at checkout. Enjoy 10% off isopods and springtails auto-applied at checkout. We still have free gifts available in-store with purchases of $100+ as well as other specials!
-THE DUDE ABIDES
Location: The Bio Dude Inc Houston
15116 Highway 3 Bldg 4 Webster, TX 77598
Hours: Mon-Fri: 9am-4pm Sat: 10am-5pm
Phone: (717) 305-0684
Email: [email protected]

11/28/2025

BLACK FRIDAY DEALS ARE HAPPENING NOW🌿
-THE DUDE ABIDES👍🏻
Location: The Bio Dude Inc Houston
15116 Highway 3 Bldg 4 Webster, TX 77598
Hours: Mon-Fri: 9am-4pm Sat: 10am-5pm
Phone: (717) 305-0684
Email: [email protected]

11/27/2025

Going on now through 12/1! We're thankful for all our wonderful customers 🦃
-THE DUDE ABIDES👍🏻
Location: The Bio Dude Inc Houston
15116 Highway 3 Bldg 4 Webster, TX 77598
Hours: Mon-Fri: 9am-4pm Sat: 10am-5pm
Phone: (717) 305-0684
Email: [email protected]

11/26/2025

Gearing up for Friday's big sale!🐸
🌿Use code BFCM2025 to get 25% off almost everything on our site including: all bioactive kits, plant kits, substrates, biodegradables, culturing supplies, soil inoculants like Bioshot, plants, wood, and BioDude goodies like diets, and captive-bred live animals (available in-store!)
🌿10% off clean up crew (code auto-applies at checkout and is stackable with the other code
🌿Sale starts 12:00 a.m. on Friday 11/28 and goes until 11:59 p.m. on 12/1!
🌿Free gifts with purchases of $100+ in-store while supplies last
-THE DUDE ABIDES👍🏻
Location: The Bio Dude Inc Houston
15116 Highway 3 Bldg 4 Webster, TX 77598
Hours: Mon-Fri: 9am-4pm Sat: 10am-5pm
Phone: (717) 305-0684
Email: [email protected]