- Joined
- Aug 16, 2002
- Messages
- 2,933
My bins aren't totally dry. I have about 3-4" of substrate (mostly sphagnum moss and dead hardwood leaves) which I moisten periodically. Ideally, I like it when the surface layer looks and feels dry to the touch, but if I dig down an inch or two I can fee moisture. All my containers have well-ventilated tops, i.e. screen. This allows for a lot of ventilation, and sometimes if I'm not careful they will get pretty dry, but I've yet to loose any when this happens (again, I think babies are probably more delicate). On the other hand, when I first started keeping millis, I was keeping them in poorly-ventilated, overly moist containers and I was loosing them left and right. Now, deaths are rare and the millis seem to thrive even if I've neglected them.
When I moisten, I pour water into the substrate, much quicker than a mister! Of course, it's easier to overdo it this way as well, which is where the screen helps. It's hard to describe exactly how moist is too moist, but if you can squeeze water out of a handful of substrate, then you're definately too moist. Peat has the advantage of changing color when it's moist. If you look at your container from the side and see light brown (dryish) peat on top and dark brown (moist) peat below, you're probably doing pretty good. If it's too dry for the babies (or adults for that matter) on the top, they can always go below.
It's possible to keep them in limited ventilation containers as well, but I've never mastered the art of balancing the right amount of moisture in those. Possibly, nearly bone dry peat may be in order in that senario. I've just found it easier to wet it and then let dry. It's a system that is working for me, but doutless others have alternatives.
Honestly, I'm not sure weather the millis lay eggs on the surface or not. Since the eggs are encased in fecal pellets, you can't (or at least I can't) tell eggs from regular poop. I would assume that the eggs are laid in the lower regions rather than on the surface. The fecal pellet may also provide a certain amout of protection from dessication.
Wade
When I moisten, I pour water into the substrate, much quicker than a mister! Of course, it's easier to overdo it this way as well, which is where the screen helps. It's hard to describe exactly how moist is too moist, but if you can squeeze water out of a handful of substrate, then you're definately too moist. Peat has the advantage of changing color when it's moist. If you look at your container from the side and see light brown (dryish) peat on top and dark brown (moist) peat below, you're probably doing pretty good. If it's too dry for the babies (or adults for that matter) on the top, they can always go below.
It's possible to keep them in limited ventilation containers as well, but I've never mastered the art of balancing the right amount of moisture in those. Possibly, nearly bone dry peat may be in order in that senario. I've just found it easier to wet it and then let dry. It's a system that is working for me, but doutless others have alternatives.
Honestly, I'm not sure weather the millis lay eggs on the surface or not. Since the eggs are encased in fecal pellets, you can't (or at least I can't) tell eggs from regular poop. I would assume that the eggs are laid in the lower regions rather than on the surface. The fecal pellet may also provide a certain amout of protection from dessication.
Wade