clean-up crew for semi-arid bioactive enclosure?

[archaeognatha]

i finally finished my bioactive build for our leo. the last thing i'm looking for is some inverts to house along with him.
the right side has soil, a drainage layer, overhead heating/uv, and is regularly misted. the left side is a loose-ish sand + soil mix. theres leaf litter and various mosses across both ends.

any advice on what little dudes would happily cohab with him? i already have p. scaber isopods and springtails in my ball python's enclosure, and while id be happy to have even more isopods i'm curious if something else might be a better fit. ive always been interested in having beetles

 

[IntermittentSygnal]

I just read recently about arid springtails, if you don't already have them.

 

[Wolfram1]

I have a whole host of different springtails in my enclosures, potted plants etc. including some round ones that only seem to live on my wooden lid.

Here in europe there seems to be a black one that prefers the more arid places like the sand-stones or bark spread across my flat while the white tropical ones seem to prefer the moist organic soil.

anyway, if you take a fistfull of dry leaflitter, or even better moist, from a forest (one you trust is pesticide free) you will surely introduce some native springtails to your enclosures.

If you are worried about pests you could also set up a platic box with some moist dirt, dump the leaflitter in there and then collect any springtails you find to introduce to the enclosures.

its really nothing you need to spend money on...


welcome to the wonderful world of Collembola:

All about springtails (Collembola) - A Chaos of Delight

Springtails, or Collembola, are ancient, incredibly beautiful, colourful and usually very tiny six legged soil animals.

www.chaosofdelight.org

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

I have a whole host of different springtails in my enclosures, potted plants etc. including some round ones that only seem to live on my wooden lid.

Here in europe there seems to be a black one that prefers the more arid places like the sand-stones or bark spread across my flat while the white tropical ones seem to prefer the moist organic soil.

anyway, if you take a fistfull of dry leaflitter, or even better moist, from a forest (one you trust is pesticide free) you will surely introduce some native springtails to your enclosures.

If you are worried about pests you could also set up a platic box with some moist dirt, dump the leaflitter in there and then collect any springtails you find to introduce to the enclosures.

its really nothing you need to spend money on...


welcome to the wonderful world of Collembola:

All about springtails (Collembola) - A Chaos of Delight

Springtails, or Collembola, are ancient, incredibly beautiful, colourful and usually very tiny six legged soil animals.

www.chaosofdelight.org

Ive been hoping they would randomly spawn then I would catch them but I haven’t seen any this year. Last time they appeared In a drier tank then were gone before I could catch them. Eventually.:.too small to catch under logs I never see any .

 

[Wolfram1]

you do not need to see them, there are some in any pile of leaflitter on the forest floor.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

Yeah

you do not need to see them, there are some in any pile of leaflitter on the forest floor.

I didn’t see any under the logs at the park it’s too dry here . O well I guess I’ll just wait and seee if they randomly spawn again .

 

[viper69]

What’s the drainage layer for? This species is from arid, rocky regions.

I’ve kept these, and your setup sounds and looks wrong.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

i finally finished my bioactive build for our leo. the last thing i'm looking for is some inverts to house along with him.
the right side has soil, a drainage layer, overhead heating/uv, and is regularly misted. the left side is a loose-ish sand + soil mix. theres leaf litter and various mosses across both ends.
View attachment 451634 View attachment 451635
any advice on what little dudes would happily cohab with him? i already have p. scaber isopods and springtails in my ball python's enclosure, and while id be happy to have even more isopods i'm curious if something else might be a better fit. ive always been interested in having beetles

Leo ?? What pet are you housing in this container??

What’s the drainage layer for? This species is from arid, rocky regions.

I’ve kept these, and your setup sounds and looks wrong.

yes odd kinda ..
what’s a Leo ?

 

[Wolfram1]

Seems to be a leopard gecko, Eublepharis macularius, if you look at the pictures you can find him.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

Seems to be a leopard gecko, Eublepharis macularius, if you look at the pictures you can find him.

Yeah I guess it’s slang , I figured gecko but had to ask . They require a bask spot like all reptiles that’s main reason I haven’t tried a lizard yet . I’d have to buy more heatmats . Maybe someday ..

 

[archaeognatha]

What’s the drainage layer for? This species is from arid, rocky regions.

I’ve kept these, and your setup sounds and looks wrong.

overall its very dry / low humidity. at any given moment its about 35% humidity and 85 degrees in the hottest/basking area. i only water the plants (gasteria zimflora + aloe sp) and mist certain areas for sheds, which is why i added the drainage but i suppose it could be unnecessary. he seems to be perfectly happy in it.

 

[viper69]

Leo ?? What pet are you housing in this container??
yes odd kinda ..
what’s a Leo ?

Leopard gecko, it's in one of the pics

 

[viper69]

overall its very dry / low humidity. at any given moment its about 35% humidity and 85 degrees in the hottest/basking area. i only water the plants (gasteria zimflora + aloe sp) and mist certain areas for sheds, which is why i added the drainage but i suppose it could be unnecessary. he seems to be perfectly happy in it.

gotcha. drainage isn't necessary if you are misting, esp an arid species.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

Leopard gecko, it's in one of the pics

Oh now I see it . It was camouflaged . Those seem neat.

 

[Dry Desert]

i finally finished my bioactive build for our leo. the last thing i'm looking for is some inverts to house along with him.
the right side has soil, a drainage layer, overhead heating/uv, and is regularly misted. the left side is a loose-ish sand + soil mix. theres leaf litter and various mosses across both ends.
View attachment 451634 View attachment 451635
any advice on what little dudes would happily cohab with him? i already have p. scaber isopods and springtails in my ball python's enclosure, and while id be happy to have even more isopods i'm curious if something else might be a better fit. ive always been interested in having beetles

Completely the wrong setup for a Leopard Gecko.

And why have you put isopods in with your ROYAL python ??