Quick Question

[Alnovo]

My crestie lives in a natural set up and today I came downstairs and she left quite the present on one of the leaves.

My question is, do most people who use natural set ups just use the feces to fertilize the substrate or just remove and clean the leaf?

 

[lovetheleo]

usually they leave the poop in there but i dont know that it does on top of the leaf

maybe try spraying the poo onto the floor so it can be used by the plants

or you can just clean it off lol

 

[darkridder]

Normally in a natural setup you need a cleanup crew to help breack down feces, like earth worms, african giant millies and pill bugs. To clean the leaves just take a soft bristle tooth brush and have it wet and gently brush the poop off.

 

[Olimpia]

Normally in a natural setup you need a cleanup crew to help breack down feces, like earth worms, african giant millies and pill bugs. To clean the leaves just take a soft bristle tooth brush and have it wet and gently brush the poop off.

Will the geckos eat the earthworms? I think thats a neat idea to keep the earth and the plants healthier.

 

[darkridder]

Sometimes they may, which is why it is important that you have CB earthworms or worms that have been QT'ed, I know that sounds weird but I know of a breeder who breeders her own worms, pill bugs and millies for her natrual setups, and she also sells them as kits for people wanting to set one up. If you dont use a cleanup crew at all then you will hae to change the substrate more often due to bacteria, molds, and of course the poo.

But with the earthworms they tends to stay in the soil itself, as they worm around in there they sift the dirt (good for the plants so it doesnt get compacted), this also brings feces, bacteria and mold down with it, this is normally how they will feed. With an army of pill bugs, they will run around on the floor of the soil eating feces and any decaying plants. These are a fine food for your crested to eat so if they eat them (and they will!) it wont be a problem. And the african millies are the one accepted species to house with cresteds as they are two large of a species to mess with. Millies produce a toxin if they are tried to be eaten, so if you use a smaller species there is the chance your crested may try to eat it, the africans get 12", there is no mistaking it for food! lol

If you are interested in more info on it I would suggest going to http://www.lunargecko.net/ Sarah is the person I was telling you breeds the cleanup crews. She can give you more ideas on how to set it up, keeping it healthy and growing, or any other questions you might have.

 

[Olimpia]

Sometimes they may, which is why it is important that you have CB earthworms or worms that have been QT'ed, I know that sounds weird but I know of a breeder who breeders her own worms, pill bugs and millies for her natrual setups, and she also sells them as kits for people wanting to set one up. If you dont use a cleanup crew at all then you will hae to change the substrate more often due to bacteria, molds, and of course the poo.

But with the earthworms they tends to stay in the soil itself, as they worm around in there they sift the dirt (good for the plants so it doesnt get compacted), this also brings feces, bacteria and mold down with it, this is normally how they will feed. With an army of pill bugs, they will run around on the floor of the soil eating feces and any decaying plants. These are a fine food for your crested to eat so if they eat them (and they will!) it wont be a problem. And the african millies are the one accepted species to house with cresteds as they are two large of a species to mess with. Millies produce a toxin if they are tried to be eaten, so if you use a smaller species there is the chance your crested may try to eat it, the africans get 12", there is no mistaking it for food! lol

If you are interested in more info on it I would suggest going to http://www.lunargecko.net/ Sarah is the person I was telling you breeds the cleanup crews. She can give you more ideas on how to set it up, keeping it healthy and growing, or any other questions you might have.

Thank you so much! What do you mean when you say the earthwors have to be CB? I´ll definately contact her for more info as soon as I get back in the country.

 

[darkridder]

CB = captive bred, if you just go outside and dig up worms these are usually infected with parasites you dont want to pass onto your crestie.