Best clean up crew for a single leopard gecko viv?

[Britt005]

So I’ve been doing a lot of research on the type of cleanup crew for my leopard gecko bioactive setup. There are so many options out there though that I’ve become very confused and figured I’d just ask! I need something that will be ok in the dry, but I did make a humid refuge if needed. I’d like to avoid anything that can fly (I hate bugs that fly!!!) and definitely anything that has high potential of causing an infestation (my roommates and neighbors would appreciate this). I'm wary of Springtails because google automatically inserted "infestation" to the end of my search...Also I’m not sure how many I need??? I only have the one gecko, so I don’t know if I need tons of different species?? Like can I get away with just darkling beetles or do I need more variety? Then how many individual bugs do I need? I’ve been hanging onto a three mealworm pupa for a week or two (how long does it take for those things to hatch anyway?) that I’m gonna toss in there soon, but I assume I need more than that?

Help me!:???:

 

[acpart]

I use dermestid beetles in the leopard gecko cage because I think they handle the dryness better. They look like tiny darkling beetles and the larvae look like tiny mealworms. I have not had any infestation problems They tend to hang out under the water dish where it's a bit wetter.

Aliza

 

[JessJohnson87]

I use superworm beetles in mine, along with isopods(rollie-pollie) that I collected from my yard. I have a couple of millipedes that have survived but they mostly hang out in the area where the plants are.


I have 9 superworm beeltes and they usually eat the poop within a day. It took a few weeks for them to complete the process because you have to deprive them of food before they will start to pupate, the higher the temperatures, the faster it will happen.

 

[Britt005]

Thank you both, this was helpful!

Aliza, have your beetles ever tried to fly? I read somewhere that if kept at warm temps they gain the ability to fly. I often leave my screen off, so I don't want to come home to beetles buzzing around my room.

Jess, do you ever have problems with your gecko eating the beetles?

 

[acpart]

I have seen flying beetles on very rare occasion, not enough to declare it an infestation. I wish the geckos would eat the beetles because sometimes there's a population explosion and then I end up with lots of beetles and beetle worms in the water dish.

Aliza

 

[JessJohnson87]

Mine does not bother the beetles at all, it's like he knows they're just part of his "crew" and has gotten to where he will not eat his roaches when I just drop them in there. I'll be moving him to a 40 gallon breeder soon, so I'll have to have more beetles. I have had some casualties from where they fell into the water bowl and drowned in about 1/4" of water and I had to throw them out or the other beetles took care of the dead one. Superworm beetles do not fly at all, I wanted dermestids but I was wary about them flying out when I have the top off and infesting my house. I do have 2 death feigning beetles that were in my tank, they turned into pets over cleaner bugs because I never saw them go near the gecko poop and enjoy fish flakes more than poo...but I am going to add them back once I put him in the 40 gallon.

 

[Britt005]

Thank you both for your input! I think I'll skip the derm beetles. I've been having bug filled nightmares ever since an unseen ninja roach crawled on my hand while offering food. I think I'd never sleep again if a derm beetle flew out and I lost track of it (although beetles, for whatever reason, don't gross me out nearly as much as roaches).

I think I'll stick with a couple of meal/super worm darkling beetles. Two of the pupa I have are growing creepy faces so I think they will be hatching relatively soon. And I bought 5 superworms that I'll hang onto to till they pupate. Superworms make me nervous though, with the whole will chew through a gecko belly thing (which I've been told is a myth...and also that it's totally not a myth). I'm also gonna go ahead an buy an isopod culture, so I can get started. I can't find any around my house, I assume is because of the stupid drought. The dirt around my house is like chalk.

What about springtails? When I first googled them, google auto filled "...infestation" and I didn't like that at all.

 

[acpart]

Springtails are very tiny and seem to stick to the substrate. I wouldn't worry about them.

Aliza

 

[JessJohnson87]

If you do get springtails, get temperate springtails that can handle lower humidity. I have yet to see a superworm try to eat through my geckos stomach, usually they'll crunch the head while they're eating the worm and kill it. Most people will cut the heads off to be safe but I just put them in a bowl and let him do the rest. The "alien" stage for the pupae can last anywhere from a week to several weeks depending on temperature, I have noticed it takes longer for the superworms than mealworms.


Don't feel bad about the roaches, I feel the same way and I breed dubia for my gecko.

 

[Britt005]

Good to hear experienced keepers still feel the same way about roaches, lol. I literally SCREAMED and dropped the container (this is why I only open the container when it's already in the tank!). I can handle the worms just fine now, I'm always picking up those things with my fingers. I don't think I'll ever get used to the roaches.

I got home last night and saw one of my pupa had 'hatched'! It must have just done it, because it was still hanging around the shell or whatever it's called. Shortly after it crawled into one of the caves and I haven't seen it again. The other one will probably 'hatch' today. Took about 2.5 weeks I think? The hot weather last week probably sped things a long.

 

[Britt005]

Hello! Raising this dead thread to ask another question.

So I've had my viv done for over a month now that I've filled with darkling beetles (I don't remember how many. But enough that I took some out and will be using them to start a small colony). They have been running around the tank for several weeks now eating leaf litter and doing whatever else it is that they do. I never did get any rollie polies or spring tails and now I wonder how necessary it is? I've put her last few poops in the new tank to gauge the beetles effectiveness, and it's always gone by morning. Except for the urate of course. Also yesterday when moving the tank onto my dresser, a rock rolled over one and smooshed a beetle (I felt strangely bad about that). They descended on their fallen brother pretty quickly and all that was left this morning was a lonely wing. Dang, that's cold. So yeah, I guess my question is - is it absolutely imperative that I add springtails or isopods? Now that Rizzo's illness has abated, I'd like to move her into her new gecko palace as soon as possible!

 

[acpart]

If it's working without the isopods, don't bother. I find it easier to do the drier setups without isopods anyway.

Aliza