Overrun!

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

I think, isopods maybe a way to go. There are really cool ones - orange, fluorescent and such. And they don't really show up in the bright day light and are busy little folks - fun to watch them sometimes.

Substrate change won't help. I've surprisingly got a colony of springtails in a bearded dragon terrarium which is not that humid at all But they are confined to damp areas - under the dishes and such.

Yeah I really want to get some! I love the dairy cow ones!! So damn cute! I think they’re reluctant me introducing more bugs in the fear they’ll also boom beyond control and annoy squirt by crawling on her, I’m already a bit worried the springtails are starting to annoy her a bit because of the sheer numbers, wouldn’t want that with the isopods

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Yeah I really want to get some! I love the dairy cow ones!! So damn cute! I think they’re reluctant me introducing more bugs in the fear they’ll also boom beyond control and annoy squirt by crawling on her, I’m already a bit worried the springtails are starting to annoy her a bit because of the sheer numbers, wouldn’t want that with the isopods

They may "boom" for a while. But once they are done with springtails - the population will self-regulate. One more thing about springtails - they eat mold and spores. And to be honest, it's better to have springtails in the enclosure than fungus outbreak.

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

They may "boom" for a while. But once they are done with springtails - the population will self-regulate. One more thing about springtails - they eat mold and spores. And to be honest, it's better to have springtails in the enclosure than fungus outbreak.

Good point, I definitely like having them in there, tells me I’ve created a decent enough environment to hold some bio life, it’s just intense how many there are and I can’t seem to bring them downI’m going to try and chip away at them to let me get isopods
Should I worry about them crawling on her? Like I say, during soak time they’ve started crawling on the legs and head, I’ve seen her eyes flinch a bit when they get close, I can’t be sure they aren’t doing it in the viv too, do you think that’s potentially stressing her? Also should the isopods stay off of her?

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Good point, I definitely like having them in there, tells me I’ve created a decent enough environment to hold some bio life, it’s just intense how many there are and I can’t seem to bring them downI’m going to try and chip away at them to let me get isopods
Should I worry about them crawling on her? Like I say, during soak time they’ve started crawling on the legs and head, I’ve seen her eyes flinch a bit when they get close, I can’t be sure they aren’t doing it in the viv too, do you think that’s potentially stressing her? Also should the isopods stay off of her?

She might be more interested in isopods than vice versa (yummy!).

One thing which comes to mind - if there are vents in the bottom part of the enclosure, can you open them? Someone mentioned, that they don't affect humidity and temperatures much and at the same time keep mold from growing.

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

She might be more interested in isopods than vice versa (yummy!).

One thing which comes to mind - if there are vents in the bottom part of the enclosure, can you open them? Someone mentioned, that they don't affect humidity and temperatures much and at the same time keep mold from growing.

There isn’t bottom vents noonly further up the top

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

There isn’t bottom vents noonly further up the top

Maybe you can open sliding windows a little bit then?

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Maybe you can open sliding windows a little bit then?

Might as well give it a go at this point lol

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Thought I’d update this thread as it’s been quite a while, so I couldn’t convince the folks on isopodsbut decided I’m going to start raising my own colonies for fun! Who knows… maybe a few will accidentally get in there
Anyway main update, the springtails completely calmed down! Anyone who comes across this thread panicking you’re overrun by them, keep doing substrate turn overs, make sure you don’t have standing water under your substrate, and in time, as reassured by other members, sure enough, they’ve slowly died down, still the odd few knocking about but no where near what there was! Just let nature do its thing when it comes to your set ups, bioactive was quite new to me hence my initial panic, but there’s honestly no need to worry with the right maintenance

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Oh and another cool thing! After introducing a bunch of plants from the tortoise hut, there were a few little money spiders that set up shop in there, which has actually worked quite nicely catching the fruit flies that manage to get in! Win win haha

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

I think @The_Four_Toed_Edward can share some advice on isopods. Probably, "dairy cows" are the easiest to get started (and should be fine in "tropical enclosure"). They aren't as fancy as "rubber duckies" but more hardy.

 

[mojo_1]

I think @The_Four_Toed_Edward can share some advice on isopods. Probably, "dairy cows" are the easiest to get started (and should be fine in "tropical enclosure"). They aren't as fancy as "rubber duckies" but more hardy.

I've had the best luck with the blueish grey one's

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

I've had the best luck with the blueish grey one's

Like this one?

https://flic.kr/p/mCC8E4

They are super prolific and super hardy

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

I've had the best luck with the blueish grey one's

Yeah I had a feeling those guys would work best because I’ve heard they’re quite hardly like Alex says, will definitely look into them for squirt, in terms of raising them, I’d love some different colourful varieties, they’re so cool to look at!

 

[mojo_1]

Like this one?

https://flic.kr/p/mCC8E4

They are super prolific and super hardy

Yes i have a ton of those roaming around.

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Least I’ll have something to feed squirts scraps to as well! I’d frigging love to try my hand at these guys, they’re SO cool!

The clowns are cool too!

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

I think @The_Four_Toed_Edward can share some advice on isopods. Probably, "dairy cows" are the easiest to get started (and should be fine in "tropical enclosure"). They aren't as fancy as "rubber duckies" but more hardy.

I have a farm of common shiny woodlouse (Oniscus asellus). Note that some of my advice is species specific. This is a humid loving species of isopod. I keep them more as a pet though, and not with my tortoise.

I initially set up my "farm" following this video:

They always have leaf litter, pine needles, pine cones and rotten wood in there. I have some rocks also for them to hide under and tried to plant some philodendron but the plant is not thriving. I don't offer them any lighting (they are mostly nocturnal) and they are just in room temperature, so no additional heating either. I feed them food scraps like carrot ends, the outer leaves of kale or potato peels etc. I also offer cuttle bone for them. Younger isopods prefer soft foods, like mushy salad or overly ripe pepper.

Also, I never dig in the farm or disturd the substrate too much. All the brown stuff gets layered on top of another, slowly decaying. I think this makes the environment more natural.

In a nutshell, pick a species that is suitable for your enclosure, try to provide the best conditions possible and the isopods will multiply! If you want, you could keep a separate colony from your tortoise enclosure, but it is not necessary.

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

I have a farm of common shiny woodlouse (Oniscus asellus). Note that some of my advice is species specific. This is a humid loving species of isopod. I keep them more as a pet though, and not with my tortoise.

I initially set up my "farm" following this video:

They always have leaf litter, pine needles, pine cones and rotten wood in there. I have some rocks also for them to hide under and tried to plant some philodendron but the plant is not thriving. I don't offer them any lighting (they are mostly nocturnal) and they are just in room temperature, so no additional heating either. I feed them food scraps like carrot ends, the outer leaves of kale or potato peels etc. I also offer cuttle bone for them. Younger isopods prefer soft foods, like mushy salad or overly ripe pepper.

Also, I never dig in the farm or disturd the substrate too much. All the brown stuff gets layered on top of another, slowly decaying. I think this makes the environment more natural.

In a nutshell, pick a species that is suitable for your enclosure, try to provide the best conditions possible and the isopods will multiply! If you want, you could keep a separate colony from your tortoise enclosure, but it is not necessary.

For a separate colony I would add living plants - something cheap and fast growing from seeds. Plants will absorb excess nitrogen and etc. from isopods manure and soil completing the "cycle". Also, sometime isopods climb up the plants to dry their gills and to munch fresh leaves.

I like SerpaDesign videos about enclosures, but this guy is ten steps ahead of what I can do

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

For a separate colony I would add living plants - something cheap and fast growing from seeds. Plants will absorb excess nitrogen and etc. from isopods manure and soil completing the "cycle". Also, sometime isopods climb up the plants to dry their gills and to munch fresh leaves.

I like SerpaDesign videos about enclosures, but this guy is ten steps ahead of what I can do

For living plants, beside the philodendron, I have planted pepper seeds (from grocery store peppers), chia seeds and water cress. Also, I let the potatoes, carrots and kale sprout but only potatoes grow roots (usually).

Yeah, Serpa designs is something I aspire for.