Recycling substrate

[Stugy]

Was going to make a thread on another section but might as well ask here, one of my feeder roach colonies' substrate has become infested with mites. I've already evacuated any roaches I could find as I don't know whether or not the mites are bad (though I'm 95% sure that they've killed off practically my entire springtail colony). I currently cannot afford substrate. Any ideas on how to get the mites out? I was thinking of like washing the substrate and throw it in the oven for a bit. Though I'm not sure on what the temps should be! I don't want to have to explain about why there is burning dirt in the oven

 

[darkness975]

Was going to make a thread on another section but might as well ask here, one of my feeder roach colonies' substrate has become infested with mites. I've already evacuated any roaches I could find as I don't know whether or not the mites are bad (though I'm 95% sure that they've killed off practically my entire springtail colony). I currently cannot afford substrate. Any ideas on how to get the mites out? I was thinking of like washing the substrate and throw it in the oven for a bit. Though I'm not sure on what the temps should be! I don't want to have to explain about why there is burning dirt in the oven

The cheap top soil with no additives is like $1.50 at Home Depot. You could probably recycle some cans/bottles on the ground to get that it's so cheap.

I prefer Eco Earth from the bags (not the brick) but those are around $10.00 per bag where I am. The top soil would work, either as a temporary stop gap or as a permanent Substrate.

 

[JoshDM020]

One of my thoughts was "Sheesh! How much could folks be paying for substrate where recycling it would be an economical advantage?"

Its not that its expensive, at all. Seems silly to worry about dirt going to waste, but if someone could think of an idea that could make it re-usable without the possible (and from some of the stories, largely disproven) risks, then thats a little bit of money saved. My current situation with finances has taught me that that adds up. And if someone could tell ME a way to do it should i decide to, itd be nice to be able to share it with others that may find themselves in a "Save as much as possible" situation.

 

[Estein]

I do recycle my substrate, but only into the new enclosure for the same spider. When I rehouse, I mix the current substrate in with enough new substrate to fill the larger enclosure, the goal being that the tarantula feels a little more comfortable being introduced into an enclosure that already has its own setae and webbing. So far I haven't had any Ts go to the great burrow in the sky, but when that happens I'll probably spread the substrate in the garden to avoid any stressed Ts.

 

[beaker41]

I prefer to use pure coco and I usually buy it only a brick at a time at the pet store. I've tried the landscaping grade stuff but it's just so course my T's seem to web over the chunks like rocks or other obstacles. I've got about 20 -10 gallon tanks and a couple 20 gallon tanks 3/4 full each so it's probably $150 worth of coco since I buy it a little at a time. I definitely re-use it after I scrape the old webbing and molts off the top, but I've learned to use gloves the hard way. Nowhere are there more itchy hairs than in the bottom of a tank that has been molted in a couple times. I keep mostly dry NW species but for my wetter setups I keep a culture of spring-tails I ordered online and some pill bugs from under wet leaves outside. There's not much risk of pesticide as long as you're collecting them in good spots. I feed them the occasional wilted piece of collard greens or some of the dry shake on food I got from the spring tail vendor. The pill bugs seem to love the dead snail from my aquarium and have reproduced rapidly. Any tank with a good population of springs and iso's is practically self cleaning. They will eat mold and fungus and the little bolus piles my T's make in the corner are immediately devoured. Cleaning crew inverts are a fascinating addition to a swampy tank!

 

[Vermis]

Weeellll, practically every German breeder I know (and I know a few by now) will tell you the exact opposite: go out, collect top soil and leaves from the woods (no pesticides are used in a wood) and use that as substrate...

I like this post, but I'll add that if you don't do it beforehand, it might be an idea to sterilise the substrate after using it, depending on where you dump it. I've been off gathering litter, mould and dead wood for some millipedes and isopods, from an oak and beech area in a local wood. A week later I accidentally find out that the dark, woody 'roots' sticking out of the biggest piece of wood are honey fungus, and about just what it can do to gardens. (And thought about just what the gardener in the family would do to me, in a worst-case scenario...)

I took out the wood and some other rooty bits and burned them; but while I don't expect it to teleport from the room and through the window, and if I didn't already have a dozen little millis burrowing through the substrate, I'd probably nuke it from orbit.