Are you trying to find terrarium substrate among various brands on the market but aren’t sure where to begin? To assist you in finding the right one, we’ve put together a list of the 7 best to help you pick the perfect one!
We investigated and evaluated a number of the top-selling terrarium substrate on the market in order to create our list of the best. Making a decision among the many options available is never simple. There are an infinite number of models available, each with a distinct price. And as you’ll find out, the best options aren’t usually the ones you imagine! This comparison is rich and relevant because of the numerous factors that were employed. You will find products featured in this ranking not only based on their pricing but also on their features and other customers reviews. To write this review, we completed 28 hours of research and did 16 terrarium substrate tests. You won’t need to pick products at random any more. If you’re unsure of what to look for, browse our list and consult the buying guide!
An overview of our top picks
Table of contents
The best terrarium substrate you can buy today
- PLANTS THRIVE: Recipe from the Atlanta Botanical Gardens proven for decades to accommodate a huge variety of plants, especially tropicals and houseplants.
- LONG LASTING: Specifically designed to break down slowly, making it prime for use in terrariums/vivariums.
- BIO-BALANCED: Each of the multiple ingredients in this precise mix support a balanced ecosystem.
- EXCELLENT FOR CULTURING: Great for springtails, isopods, and other similar insects
- Not for use with hermit crabs or pac-man frogs. Please view our biobeddings specifically for those animals.
- IDEAL FOR TROPICAL AND FOREST HABITATS thanks to the soft, organic texture and moisture retention. Ideal for: frogs, rainforest geckos, toads, snakes and more.
- NATURAL HUMIDITY CONTROL provided by this highly absorbent bedding. Effectively maintains humidity levels in reptile and plant enclosures.
- ENCOURAGES NATURAL BEHAVIORS like digging, breeding, nesting and egg incubation with its all natural composition.
- 100% ORGANIC BLEND of aged Douglas fir bark and sphagnum peat moss. Provides a soft, organic texture and earthy scent for you and your reptile.
- EASY MAINTENANCE. The recommended bedding depth is 1 to 2 inches. Remove animal waste and soiled bedding daily. Replace bedding monthly or as needed.
- 100% NATURAL: Hand blended potting mix for indoor terrariums and fairy gardens
- USES: Soilless potting mix specially formulated for terrarium gardening
- Benefits: Drainage, nutrient retention, water retention, and toxin breakdown
- Ingredients: Coco coir, horticultural charcoal, and pumice
- Size: 4 quarts (enough tor three 6-inch pots)
- 【Package Included】You will receive 10lbs expanded clay terrarium substrate for reptiles, about 4-16mm in diameter, which packaging is a resealable foil pouch for long term storage and use. The Leca clay ball is biodegradable and eco-friendly, and can be placed garden when you're done with it, it's not only excellent bedding for tropical terrariums and palm tanks, also a great medium for plant root growth in tank.
- 【Natural Organic Clay Pebbles】Our frogs false bottom substrate is made of natural clay and no dirt & debris, it is baked at high temperatures to form strong and robust, porous, lightweight round pellets, the clay pebbles pH neutral help remove excess acid and not broken after soaking can replace soil to filter water, retain moisture and nutrients, it's great for reptile tank setups!
- 【Excellent Drainage】Reptile clay substrate can be used as a perfect drainage layer for bioactive aquariums, adding it in the water layer can form a water flow waterfall, it can decompose food residue, feces in the aquarium, which helps to improve and purify the tank environment for optimal filtration.
- 【Use As False Bottom】Our lightweight expanded clay substrate can be used as a base for coconut husk, moss or other substrates in terrarium tanks, just adding water to create a natural aquifer to help terrariums retain moisture. Leca false bottom can foster a moist environment and healthy soil conditions, it's perfect for autospray rearing chambers with live plants!
- 【Easy to Clean & Re-use】Natural clay ball terrarium substrate is suitable for various vivarium and enclosures, which with good breathability, withstands long term wear and tear, don't need to be replaced frequently, cleans up when rinsed under running water. It's great for tube aquaponic gardening and a safe pet bedding for reptile, amphibian, and invertebrate.
- NATURAL HUMIDITY CONTROL provided by this highly absorbent bedding. Effectively maintains humidity levels in tropical terrariums.
- ENCOURAGES BURROWING BEHAVIOR with its soft texture, promoting the well-being and natural instincts of your reptile.
- MADE WITH 100% ORGANIC COCONUT FIBER providing a sustainable, natural and organic substrate for you and your reptile.
- IDEAL FOR TROPICAL HABITATS and egg incubation thanks to the soft, organic texture and moisture retention. Ideal for: chameleons, rainforest geckos, frogs, toads and more.
- COVERS THE BOTTOM OF A 55-GALLON ENCLOSURE by expanding up to 5 times the size of the compressed brick when hot water is added.
- Natural Bioactive Soil: Bioactive Volcanic Substrate offers a natural solution for terrariums, promoting a bioactive environment that supports plant and animal life
- Promotes Cleanliness and Health: With its unique properties, this substrate helps maintain cleanliness and health within the terrarium, fostering a thriving ecosystem for your plants and pets
- Ammonia and Odor Elimination: Bioactive Volcanic Substrate effectively eliminates ammonia and unpleasant odors, creating a more comfortable environment for terrarium inhabitants
- Superb Drainage Capabilities: Featuring excellent drainage capabilities, this substrate prevents waterlogging and ensures proper moisture levels, essential for the well-being of plants and animals
- Ideal for Planted Terrariums: Specifically designed for bioactive planted terrariums, Bioactive Volcanic Substrate provides the perfect foundation for lush vegetation and a diverse range of terrarium species
- PREVENTS a clogged false bottom in a naturalistic vivarium
- SEPARATES the false bottom and ABG Mix layers
- POROUS material that allows water to drain into the false bottom
- LIGHTWEIGHT and CUSTOMIZABLE so that it can fit your vivarium exactly
- MORE BIOACTIVE SUPPLIES from Josh’s Frogs! We also offer ABG mix, BioBedding, Substrate Barrier, Leaf Litter, Bioactive Booster, clean up crew cultures and plants
- SPECIFIC BLEND of Coir, peat, vermiculite, and charcoal meant for glass terrariums and other enclosed environments
- QUICK-DRAINING soil allows for aeration and for water to drain well to prevent root rot
- RETAINS MOISTURE and helps maintain the humidity enclosed terrarium plants need
- KEEPS FRESH SMELL by discouraging anaerobic conditions
- MORE SOILS from Sprig & Stone! We also offer soils for Bromeliads, Christmas Cacti, Cacti, Carnivorous Plants, Gesneriads, Rhipsalis, African Violets, Succulents, Orchids, and Tropical Plants!
- Maintains humidity while allowing excess water to drain through
- Long-lasting substrate that takes a long time to break down
- Supports isopods,springtails and plants for bioactive terrarium and vivarium builds
- NO CHANGING BioBedding for years when used in combination with microfauna like Springtails and Isopods; saving you time and money
- CLEANER ENVIRONMENT for your pet due to the bioactive cycle, decreasing the risk of bacterial disease
- ATTRACTIVE and NATURAL appearance because it is closer to replicating your pet’s native habitat than traditional substrates
- LIVE PLANTS will grow well in BioBedding which are safer than plastic for pets with delicate skin
- Looking for bioactive substrate for your desert dwelling pet? Try Josh's Frogs BioBedding Desert Bioactive Substrate
- Natural; non-decomposable substrate
- Creates a water drainage system
- Ideal for tropical terrariums and paludariums
- Natural and Organic Material: You will receive 2 pcs coconut fibre bricks, each size 7.8 x 3.9 x 1.97 inch, which are made from natural coconut fibre that is odorless, retains humidity well and also enhances the temperature of the aquarium while stimulating the natural digging and burrowing behavior of small animals, providing a cleaner and healthier living for reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates
- Odor and Waste Absorber: Natural terrarium substrate breaks down liquids, water and waste sufficiently, while absorbing odors, making indoor tanks smell fresher and look cleaner, far better than wood shavings, stone or other inferior alternatives, helping to maintain a long-lasting and healthy environment
- Degradable and Compostable: Our coconut fibre substrate is a natural, organic and non-polluting material that is biodegradable and compostable, you can completely dispose of it outside in your garden area or backyard and also use it as a fertiliser for flowers, potted plants and other plants to reuse resources
- Easy to Use and Store: These coco bricks are compressed and dense. Just soak the brick in water, coco coir will instantly and easily soak up water and expand into a clean, fluffy substrate. Our Coconut husk fiber is a great substrate for any reptile or amphibian that needs a substrate / bedding that can retain moisture
- Universal Aquarium Substrate: Pure natural terrarium bedding is very soft and comfortable with good breathability, even your pet can breathe freely in the coconut soil. Suitable for frogs, hermit crabs, snakes, turtles, frogs, lizards, chameleons, geckos, salamander,snails and orb pythons, and spiders and other burrowing animals, you can use it to keep your pets with confidence
- Add water to HydroBalls to increase humidity levels for all tropical reptiles
- Use HydroBalls and Mesh for landscaping real plants - keeps plants in place
- Use HydroBalls with a pump to create a waterfall and generate water flow for optimum filtration
- Hydro balls expanded clay terrarium substrate
- Terrarium Moss: This long-lasting, long-fiber leafy green sphagnum moss makes a great bedding substrate for amphibians and reptiles, helping create the ideal humidity for tropical and wetland terrariums
- Ideal Habitat: Washed and cleaned to remove dust and particles, this moss is great for enhanced humidity and shedding, making a perfect habitat for geckos, lizards, frogs, snakes, and other tropical and temperate species
- Home and Garden: We carry a wide array of natural mosses and lichens including Spanish, sphagnum, reindeer and mountain moss, sheet moss and moss balls; Perfect for florals, decorative baskets, gardens, houseplants, terrarium habitats, and more
- Sustainably Sourced: Our products are sustainably procured and never toxic; We take great care to partner only with companies that make environmental responsibility a priority
- Natural Elegance: Whether you're bringing new life to your living space, enriching your garden for spring, or designing a centerpiece for a special occasion, it all starts with heart
- 100-Percent natural substrate for tropical terrariums
- Increases humidity
- Stimulates natural digging and burrowing behavior
- Ideal for frogs, salamanders and digging animals
- Soil substrate for reptiles.
- Includes added carbon for aeration.
- Features a special blend of peat moss, soil, sand and carbon.
- Perfect for creating tropical set-ups, naturalistic terrariums and paludariums.
- Can be used to add ferns, bromeliads, miniature orchids, succulents or carnivorous plants.
- FALSE BOTTOM or drainage layer great for automatically misted vivariums with live plants
- INCREASES HUMIDITY in your vivarium by creating a place where excess water can be stored
- DISCOURAGES BACTERIA growth that would otherwise naturally occur in wet substrate without drainage
- ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY since clay is an abundant resource, has a long life span, and can be added to the garden when spent
- MORE BIOACTIVE SUPPLIES from Josh’s Frogs! We also offer ABG mix, BioBedding, Substrate Barrier, Leaf Litter, Bioactive Booster, clean up crew cultures and plants
- Natural Organic Raw Material: The coconut coir brick substrate is made of coconut husk fiber, which extracted from the husk on the outer shell of a coconut. Our reptile substrate is clean, without dirt or foreign substances, both organic and reusable. The size of each brick is about 7.87 X 3.94 X 1.97 Inches, weight is about 1.4lb.
- Excellent Drainage & Water Absorption: Coconut coir is a fiber made of coconut husk. It has very good water retention, can reduce the loss of water and nutrients, and has good air permeability. This coco coir brick really swells up when you add water. So it is a great substrate for any reptile or amphibian that needs a substrate / bedding that can hold moisture.
- Minimize Odor & Break Down Waste: Our coco coir substrate for reptiles can minimize odor and break down waste. It can provide a clean, comfortable living environment for your reptiles. Making them feel more like at home.
- Super Easy to Use & Store: Just soak the brick in water until it expands and re-constitutes. If it's too wet, let it dry a day or two before using it. The compressed coco coir brick substrate is lightweight, and after swelling with water the coconut coir brick can be bagged up like nutrient soil.
- Multi-Purpose Reptile Substrate: It is suitable to be used as a feeding mat for various reptiles, such as, snakes, frogs, hermit crabs. And it can be used to raise spiders. Fans of pet spiders often make ground-dwelling spiders rearing mat. The good moisturizing effect can also be used to ensure safe hibernation of turtles. Also good for growing vegetables, fruits and flowers.
- Premium Soil Amendment - Increasing soil carbon, nutrient content, water retention, water-soluble nutrients, and beneficial microbial life.
- Naturally Derived - Made from plant materials such as hardwoods, grasses, and agricultural and forest residues
- Easy to Use - Simply mix in with houseplant soil 1 part biochar to 9 parts potting soil
- Use in Indoor and Outdoor Plants - Use in gardens, ornamentals, terrariums, or small houseplants such as orchid or bonsai
- Pure - Made with 100% pure biochar, no fillers, additives or colors whatsoever
- 100 percent natural substrate for tropical terrariums
- Increases humidity
- Stimulates natural digging and burrowing behavior
- Use as a nutritional planting soil for live plants
- 3 pack
How to choose a good terrarium substrate
Does the idea of finding a fantastic terrarium substrate make you anxious? When it comes to purchasing this product, specifically when deciding which model to select, has your head been spinning between options? You are not alone if that is the case. We are aware of the pressure involved in the purchasing process!
Your presence here indicates that you are interested in terrarium substrate. Before choosing which product would be the best for your needs after being inundated with information, locate a reliable source with genuine selections. You can get that information from a variety of sources, including buying guides and rating websites, word-of-mouth recommendations from friends and family, online discussion forums where users can share their own experiences, product reviews that can be found all over the internet, and YouTube channels. You can only get the right product through exhaustive analysis. But you realize that’s not always simple. In order to ease your concerns, we have taken the time to develop a list of the top terrarium substrate products available right now. You might be wondering how we came up with the list. How was this buying guide developed?
First, we used our algorithms to gather as much reliable data as we could about these products. To verify all the data gathered, we used both artificial intelligence and a lot of algorithms.
Then, our experts used criteria that are recognized in the business to evaluate them according to their quality to price ratio, allowing us to choose the top terrarium substrate on the market right now!
The selection of the goods is not arbitrary. Before creating a list, we take into account a number of factors. Below are some of the criteria discussed:
Brand Value: What happens if you choose a dubious brand just because it appears to be a good deal? So the likelihood of receiving a product with a short shelf life increases. That is due to the fact that well-known brands have a reputation to uphold, while others do not. Top terrarium substrate brands strive to provide some distinctive traits that set them apart from the competition. So, hopefully one or more of the items on our list will be perfect for you.
Features: Useful features are all you need, not tons of them. We consider the important aspects and select the top terrarium substrate based on those.
Specifications: Numbers always help you measure the quality of a product in a quantitative way. We try to find products with higher specifications, but with the right balance.
Quality: A product’s quality may always be quantified with the aid of numbers. We look for goods with better standards that strike the proper balance. The best quality product that gets highly appreciated and recommended by experienced users.
Customer ratings: Would it be accurate to suggest that the terrarium substrate were used by hundreds of customers before you? Superior ratings indicate that many customers had better service.
Customer Reviews: Like ratings, provide you with accurate and reliable information about the product from genuine customers. Customer ratings are very important to all of us because they contain accurate and reliable information about the customer service we received from several hundred customers.
Seller Rank: This is very intriguing! Not only do you need a good terrarium substrate, you also need a product with rising sales that is trendy. It accomplishes two goals. First, the expanding user base proves the quality of the product. Second, given that number, producers must be able to offer greater quality and after-sales support.
Value: You get what you pay for, they say, so consider the value. Cheap isn’t always good and expensive isn’t always bad. However, that does not imply that spending a lot of money on a product that is flashy but underwhelming is a good idea. Before adding them to the list, we make an effort to evaluate how much value you can get for your money from your terrarium substrate.
Durability: Durability and reliability are closely related concepts. You will benefit from a strong and long-lasting terrarium substrate for months and years to come.
Product availability: Products come and go, and new ones replace the old ones. Most likely, a few new features and required changes were made. What use is it to use a supposedly good product if the maker no longer supports it? We make an effort to highlight products that are current and offered by one or more trustworthy sellers, if not more.
Negative Reviews: Yes, we do take that into account as well! The goods with the majority of bad reviews are filtered out and disregarded when we choose the best-rated one on the market.
These are the standards by which we selected our terrarium substrate. Do we end our process there? Hell no. The most crucial fact about us that you should be aware of is that we regularly update our website with current and pertinent information. We have one more layer of filtration since we place the greatest importance on reader satisfaction. Please let us know if any product included here is incorrect, irrelevant, subpar, or simply out of date. We always value your opinions, and we’ll work hard to make any necessary corrections to our list in response to them.
Why should you believe us?
There are now thousands of possibilities for these products on Amazon, but choosing the best one can be difficult and time-consuming. And what terrarium substrate should you purchase in 2022?
This guide is the result of more than 10 years of experience in researching, testing and writing about many topics. Each member of our team is an authority in their area. We read every article we could find online and every consumer review on every retail website for seven hours. Additionally, we discovered a ton of websites that offered helpful resources, including buying tips and thorough information on terrarium substrate.
