Bioactive Leopard Gecko Experiements

[indyana]

The blue death feigning beetles are doing well. I almost lost one when she somehow got flipped onto her back in the water dish, but luckily, I found her in time. Need to get a shallower dish and remember not to fill it with too much water...

I have not introduced my leopard gecko yet though, so no larger updates.

 

[indyana]

Woo, move-in day for Hawkeye! Got his fecal parasite check back negative this past week, and he's in great body condition, so we're ready to go. Eager to get started as soon as "sunrise", so check back later for pictures.

 

[indyana]

As mentioned above, I had another fecal parasite check done on Hawkeye. He's my Afghan male, now 1 year 8 months old, and in excellent health. The test came back negative for parasites, so this morning, he moved in. He isn't too happy about it right now because he's been taken out of his home territory and put somewhere strange. I'll be watching him the next few weeks to see how he does.

Pictures of the setup:



Here are some updated pictures from Amoré's compartment, the original bioactive setup. One change I'm considering making is taking out the small ridge in front of the dish stand. The morio beetles keep getting up onto the stand and falling into the dishes.




There is also a short video of Hawkeye exploring his new home. I will post it as soon as I upload to YouTube.

 

[indyana]

Video of Hawkeye exploring

[video]https://youtu.be/5gCofBYO-Kc[/video]

 

[JessJohnson87]

I love it!

Hawkeye is like what is this sorcery? Get me out of here.

 

[indyana]

It will take him a while to start considering this his home, for sure. I hope that he will enjoy it though.

 

[acpart]

Where did you get your blue death feigning beetles from?

Aliza

 

[indyana]

The beetles are from Bugs in Cyberspace:
Buy Live Pet Beetle Rhino Stag Darkling Dermestid Death Feigning

They weren't cheap with express shipping, but I really, really wanted them. XD They are as much pets as the geckos are.

 

[acpart]

Thanks, I'll check it out.

Aliza

 

[indyana]

Random shots...

Morio beetles attacking the poop!


And what I get to look at every morning <3 Love going in and watching these every so often.

 

[indyana]

After a week, we're doing all right. Hawkeye isn't eating yet, but I've seen him out and about and moving between hides, so he seems to be settling in. No beetles have mysteriously disappeared, so that's good!



Also, did a bit of remodeling in Amoré's cage. The ridge in front of the dish stand was letting too many beetles up there, and some were getting stuck in the dishes. There was also an issue in that the humid mix and leaves were sliding down into the cool hide entrance. To repair that, I sprayed the clay mix to soften it and then repositioned it damp to make a ridge around the humid area.

 

[indyana]

Saw all three beetles the other night, so they are still alive...

Every so often, one of them will be hiding in the same spot as Hawkeye.

 

[indyana]

Leopard geckos out basking for a bit in the mornings again... guess they're coming out of their period of winter inactivity!

 

[Music]

hi!

i am wondering that how do you clean the dead, uneaten insects or insect feces that are left after the beetles?

 

[indyana]

The insects pretty much take care of any other dead insects. I also have a variety of cleaners, not just the beetles. There are isopods and beetle larvae. Recently, I've also had some very tiny creatures, probably book lice or a similar species, colonize.

Together, the custodians pretty much break down waste to the level of dust. The idea after that is that bacteria and microbes finish recycling the waste products. I jumpstarted my microbe community with a small amount of organic compost starter in the humid area, but many people do that by collecting substrate outside.

 

[Music]

sorry but one more thing,

where do u get the organic compost starter? thanks!

 

[indyana]

You can buy it at a local garden store that sells organic care products, but I've also ordered online.

 

[Music]

thanks! u are so helpful!

i am rescaping my ten gallon leo tank.

i am going to recreate a semi-natrual tank and wanting it to be bioactive!

i currently have some crickets, super worms, and meal worms!(wax worms, horn worms if they are helpful or silk worms)

what do u recommend and please give me a specific method...whatever? thanks!

my substrate plan is

soil
topsoil
excavator clay

have 4 to 5 hides and 2 high points
some leafs cover and rotten wood for the insects to hide
two live plants that can tolerate warm desert area...


additional info:

i live in calgary canada, in here the temp is pretty low still so can't able to find insects from outside!
can i just use insects like mealies, hornworms, waxworks? and super worms! or crickets too? thnks!

i appreciate ur help!

 

[indyana]

The mealworms and superworms will both make good cleaners for a dried setup. None of the others (crickets, hornworms, waxworms, silkworms) will do much as cleaners, so best to just stick to using those as feeders.

When the weather gets warmer, try to find or buy some pill bugs and springtails to round out your custodian population.

 

[JessJohnson87]

Rachel, how many pounds of excavator clay did you buy for this? I'm currently planning my bio-active leopard gecko enclosure and I'm trying to make a list of things that I will need to buy. I have a 30x12x12 or 20L aquarium that I will be doing this for.