Bugs

[thatkiidsean]

Hello everyone!

I know I've asked this question before, but I never got a straightforward answer: Since RFT need to be in a humid environment, I plan to put in live plants in his enclosure, but watering the plants & misting to keep the enclosure humid would attract little bugs in my area. How do I prevent this from happening, and would mold occur too? For substrate, I plan on using repti-bark and cocoa fibers. Would they be helpful? If not, is there something else I can put in the tank to help with the bug control? Thank you!

 

[CourtneyG]

Pill bugs can be ordered online for cheap, or found in the wild. They do an excellent job of keeping bugs, mold, and poop out of the tank. I have them in my tanks and they do an excellent job of keeping the little bugs away(had a huge problem with the little white ones and some mold, but within a month of adding the Roly pollies to the tank, everything cleared up)

 

[ascott]

yes, other bugs to eat the more annoying ones.....lol....plus, who does not enjoy a roly poly or two, or three or thirty....lol

 

[CourtneyG]

yes, other bugs to eat the more annoying ones.....lol....plus, who does not enjoy a roly poly or two, or three or thirty....lol

I think I have over 200 total in my tanks, they are so fun, have to rescue them from the food bowl each morning when cleaning the old food out.

 

[Saleama]

Let your tank dry out on the surface of the substrate and then coat it in food grade diamataceous earth (DE). It is safe for the torts and will eliminate all the little pests within a week or so. i had thousands of fruit flys all over my home and they were gone within two weeks. I also treated my yard and have not seen an ant near my garden in almost a year. As for mold, if you are using coco coir or sphagnum (sp) moss you should not have an issue with mold. Turning your substrate every few months also prevents it. I have never had a mold issue and my tables are keep very humid.

 

[thatkiidsean]

Would Hermit crabs work? I posted a thread a while ago and I heard they can be helpful?

 

[thatkiidsean]

I dont like bugs D: Pill bugs freak me out...

 

[CourtneyG]

Hermit crabs and torts are hard to keep together, pill bugs are really good to use.

 

[ascott]

Would Hermit crabs work?
Pill bugs freak me out...

LMAO....funny what does and does not....

 

[CourtneyG]

LMAO....funny what does and does not....

Especially since they are in the same subphylum and not actually bugs.

 

[tortoisetime565]

Do the rolly Poly's climb the sides. I wouldn't mind them but if they are escape artists its a no go.. Also would a red foot eat them?

 

[ascott]

I suppose there is a possibility one could go commando on you, but likely not...they kinda have way tiny fast legs and HUGE bodies in relation to those little legs....perhaps an aliup onto a plant and out....and yes, a redfoot WOULD LOVE TO CHOW down on them, so an added bonus for the Redfoot---not so much for the poly....

 

[tortoisetime565]

Sweet. Where can you buy them? How many for a 4' x1' enclosure?

 

[ascott]

Where in the world are you located? I mean, what type of yard do you have? Lawn, landscaping, rocks?

 

[CourtneyG]

You can buy online as well, just bought 30 to throw in my box turtle tank and hope that some survive her chowing down to reproduce. They reproduce quite quickly, I put 20 in my large tank and within 3 months it went up to almost 100. But out the woods if you lift up logs or rock you can typically find them. They are Isopoda, which means they have gills, so they have to have a water to breath, a nice humid tank with rocks to hide under that are kept very moist is fine for them, but if your tank dries a little just pour a cup of water around where they live to help keep them alive.

 

[tortoisetime565]

You can buy online as well, just bought 30 to throw in my box turtle tank and hope that some survive her chowing down to reproduce. They reproduce quite quickly, I put 20 in my large tank and within 3 months it went up to almost 100. But out the woods if you lift up logs or rock you can typically find them. They are Isopoda, which means they have gills, so they have to have a water to breath, a nice humid tank with rocks to hide under that are kept very moist is fine for them, but if your tank dries a little just pour a cup of water around where they live to help keep them alive.

Okay... Do they crawl all over everything and will they eat plants?

 

[tortoisetime565]

Where in the world are you located? I mean, what type of yard do you have? Lawn, landscaping, rocks?

I'm in Oklahoma.

 

[CourtneyG]

Okay... Do they crawl all over everything and will they eat plants?

They do do crawl around the tank during the night, but hide during the day. Not really on the eating of plants, they nibbled here and there on my grass, but for the most part they prefer left over food, mold, and tort poop. I have never had one escape from my tank, they can get a little ways up the wood, but gravity alas she is cruel and down they fall.

 

[tortoisetime565]

They do do crawl around the tank during the night, but hide during the day. Not really on the eating of plants, they nibbled here and there on my grass, but for the most part they prefer left over food, mold, and tort poop. I have never had one escape from my tank, they can get a little ways up the wood, but gravity alas she is cruel and down they fall.

Okay. My hatch is in a glass tank and it's all wet on the wall since it condensates. Where do you order them?

 

[CourtneyG]

Okay. My hatch is in a glass tank and it's all wet on the wall since it condensates. Where do you order them?

Just give them a rock to hide under, but here is where I ordered mine. http://shop.bugsincyberspace.com/Isopods_c15.htm