Do earthworms make good clean-up crew animals?

[JulianH1001]

I recently bought some earthworms from a petstore to feed our garter snake, and realized that they might make a good addition to other terrariums to help keep the substrate clean. I'm planning on picking up isopods and springtails in the future regardless, but was curious about it either way.

Are they too big to be feasible in a tarantula's enclosure? I assume they could disturb fossorials' burrows, which wouldn't be great. Any other cons?


Also, tangentially, are there any clean up crew animals that function in drier enclosures (for arid species like g. rosea, etc)? I know springtails and isopods need too much humidity to function in those.

 

[cold blood]

No, tarantulas readily eat worms...they're fine feeders, but not as a clean up crew.

 

[Ungoliant]

Are they too big to be feasible in a tarantula's enclosure? I assume they could disturb fossorials' burrows, which wouldn't be great. Any other cons?

10/10 tarantulas agree that earthworms make good feeders cleanup crew.

 

[JulianH1001]

So I imagine the tarantulas likely won't be down to leave them be if they're well fed with other things? Greedy little dudes!

 

[Ungoliant]

So I imagine the tarantulas likely won't be down to leave them be if they're well fed with other things? Greedy little dudes!

Unless they are in pre-molt, tarantulas tend to eat whenever the opportunity arises, even if they aren't hungry.

 

[SamanthaMarikian]

There are drier species of isopods but idk how well they would do as a cleanup crew in something desert. If you have a setup that is more temperate and kinda humid not bone dry substrate and not desert or tropical I think they’d do fine. Also isopods (especially porcellio sp.) can sometimes take advantage of another molting or weak bug and eat it if it cant fend for itself. It’d be safer to stick with them for reptile and amphibian enclosures.

 

[Colorado Ts]

I recently bought some earthworms from a petstore to feed our garter snake, and realized that they might make a good addition to other terrariums to help keep the substrate clean. I'm planning on picking up isopods and springtails in the future regardless, but was curious about it either way.

Are they too big to be feasible in a tarantula's enclosure? I assume they could disturb fossorials' burrows, which wouldn't be great. Any other cons?


Also, tangentially, are there any clean up crew animals that function in drier enclosures (for arid species like g. rosea, etc)? I know springtails and isopods need too much humidity to function in those.

Earthworms eat dead plant matter, they are not omnivorous. So they will not eat dead animal materials, but they will happily turn any dead plant matter, leaves, etc. into nutrient rich soil for the enclosure.

 

[viper69]

no

 

[AuroraLights]

Also, tangentially, are there any clean up crew animals that function in drier enclosures (for arid species like g. rosea, etc)? I know springtails and isopods need too much humidity to function in those.

I've heard of people using Buffalo Beetles in cockroach bins, even those without substrate. No idea how well they work though.

 

[Dorifto]

Yes, I add some earthworms along with springtails and woodlouse to mi vivariums. They help to oxigenate the substrate and eat some organic wastes.

I've heard of people using Buffalo Beetles in cockroach bins, even those without substrate. No idea how well they work though.

I don´t know about buffalo beetles, but my zophoba morios lived without any problem with my runners xD