- Joined
- May 17, 2004
- Messages
- 105
Well, i seem to be having a bit of trouble with the minibug population in my terrarium.
I live in southern california, and my terrarium has no access to any outside pests. I have had a problem with small flies in the past, but this seems to be remedied by less fruit and airing of hte tank ever few days. I have had my terrarium and two millipedes for about 2 months now, and just recently i have seen a boom in the insect content of my terrarium. Most of the insects are tiny (1 mm a most) wingless bugs either silver or black, that will simpl fill the food bowl after two days. I am guessing about 100-200 of these buggers are in there. After a long stare at the substrate and the items placed on it i can see quite a few of them moving about on the surface of everything. They dont seem to take any interest in the millis, but they are bothersome nonetheless.
SO i have a couple of questions for those who might have some experience...
My first hypothesis is that the bugs come from the substrate itself. I keep the substrate fairly moist, a deep spray every 3 days, keeping the humidity at around 75-80%, as well as an undertank heater for 1/4 of the tank, away from the water and food. The substrate i used is an expand-a-cube of reptile terrarium substrate, supposedly "pre-baked" material. Is this not wise for milli's? If not what substrate concoction can i use and what precautions can i take to make sure that when i clean it all out i will nothave this problem again. Also what is the best method for baking substrate?
My second hypothesis is that the bugs may come from the food. The only foods i have fed these millis are apple, tomato, green lettuce, carrots cucumber and zucchini, along with fish flakes for supplements. Now these are all from grocery stores and have been washed by me as well as sliced for ease of millipede use, but is it possible that these little pests are coming from the food? If so what can i do to remedy this situation.
i keep the terrarium covered with screen fine enough to not let any standard houseflies in, also it is fine enough to not let any of the small flying insects out, so i am a bit stumped as to where they are all coming from.
I will do a thorouigh clean of the terrarium this week (while checking for babies seeing how i have male and female and the female is in constant burrow mode right now) and will replace the substrate with whichever is recommended to me.
ANy help will be greatly appreciated.
I live in southern california, and my terrarium has no access to any outside pests. I have had a problem with small flies in the past, but this seems to be remedied by less fruit and airing of hte tank ever few days. I have had my terrarium and two millipedes for about 2 months now, and just recently i have seen a boom in the insect content of my terrarium. Most of the insects are tiny (1 mm a most) wingless bugs either silver or black, that will simpl fill the food bowl after two days. I am guessing about 100-200 of these buggers are in there. After a long stare at the substrate and the items placed on it i can see quite a few of them moving about on the surface of everything. They dont seem to take any interest in the millis, but they are bothersome nonetheless.
SO i have a couple of questions for those who might have some experience...
My first hypothesis is that the bugs come from the substrate itself. I keep the substrate fairly moist, a deep spray every 3 days, keeping the humidity at around 75-80%, as well as an undertank heater for 1/4 of the tank, away from the water and food. The substrate i used is an expand-a-cube of reptile terrarium substrate, supposedly "pre-baked" material. Is this not wise for milli's? If not what substrate concoction can i use and what precautions can i take to make sure that when i clean it all out i will nothave this problem again. Also what is the best method for baking substrate?
My second hypothesis is that the bugs may come from the food. The only foods i have fed these millis are apple, tomato, green lettuce, carrots cucumber and zucchini, along with fish flakes for supplements. Now these are all from grocery stores and have been washed by me as well as sliced for ease of millipede use, but is it possible that these little pests are coming from the food? If so what can i do to remedy this situation.
i keep the terrarium covered with screen fine enough to not let any standard houseflies in, also it is fine enough to not let any of the small flying insects out, so i am a bit stumped as to where they are all coming from.
I will do a thorouigh clean of the terrarium this week (while checking for babies seeing how i have male and female and the female is in constant burrow mode right now) and will replace the substrate with whichever is recommended to me.
ANy help will be greatly appreciated.
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