Isopods and Springtails Natures janitors

[2G33K4U]

I use these in my enclosures for quite some time and my T's seem to be better for it. They clean up anything I miss or overlook during enclosure cleaning. They do not harm the T. When they are not cleaning they are chilling out under the water dish breeding.

Here is a great post on Isopods from arachnoboard explaining them. Why reinvent the wheel.

http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/sho...6-The-Prime-Choice-for-Tarantula-Housekeeping

 

[Sabeth]

I've heard of that being done but never tried it myself. Is there ever a possibility of having too many isopods in the cage? Would they help keep mites in check as well? Thanks for posting!

 

[2G33K4U]

Yes they help reduce the possibility of baddies moving in. I am sure there is a limit I keep 10-12 sometimes a bit more in each of mine I do not know if there is some sort of hard limit. Most likely a common sense thing. IF the ground looks like it is always moving then probably to many Think Raders of the Lost Ark the snake chamber.

 

[MatthewM1]

Love isopods for my more humid enclosure. Just started up springtail cultures last week so I haven't gotten to use them yet.

For slings I usually add 1-2 half grown iso's. My juvies that I keep moister get around a half dozen. All my current larger T's have bone dry sub and wouldn't support life of microfauna. You only need a couple to make bolus's disappear. I haven't found a bolus in my 3" P. cancerides enclosure since adding isopods.


I would be cautious of using the larger species native to the US I've read a handful of occurrences in the past of them eating a molting tarantula. Many people use them without issue but not worth the risk for me. Never heard of tropical dwarf sp.'s doing so though.

 

[Denny Dee]

Just added Powdery Blue Isopods to my Haplopelma albostriatus (Thailand Black) enclosure. Try to maintain humidity at around 80-90% and soil is usually moist. Looking forward to seeing how this goes.

 

[2G33K4U]

Love isopods for my more humid enclosure. Just started up springtail cultures last week so I haven't gotten to use them yet.

For slings I usually add 1-2 half grown iso's. My juvies that I keep moister get around a half dozen. All my current larger T's have bone dry sub and wouldn't support life of microfauna. You only need a couple to make bolus's disappear. I haven't found a bolus in my 3" P. cancerides enclosure since adding isopods.


I would be cautious of using the larger species native to the US I've read a handful of occurrences in the past of them eating a molting tarantula. Many people use them without issue but not worth the risk for me. Never heard of tropical dwarf sp.'s doing so though.

They are great.

 

[MiaWolf42]

How do I know if I saw a springtail or a mite in an enclosure?

 

[Johnnyp1987]

I swear by isopods and spring tails in higher humidity enclosures. I use them with my stirmis and have never had any mould yet, fingers crossed it stays that way lol

 

[Will]

How do you know what to buy when you're getting them? Also where do you get them from?

I have some little white jumpy things in my stirmis enclosure that seem to breed in the water dish. Are they springtails?

 

[Denny Dee]

Most likely they are baby crickets. Happens all the time if the adult females are not eaten quickly. They love the humidity and soft soil and will eagerly deposit their eggs in the substrate.

 

[Will]

Nah. Definately not baby crickets.

 

[Denny Dee]

Well, if you are sure, if they are jumping around, they are not isopods.

 

[Will]

Could be springtails though (hexopods) very hard to tell coz they're so small