Substrate

Scary

Arachnosquire
Old Timer
Joined
May 6, 2004
Messages
88
Just out of interest, what substrates do you keep your insects on? I keep my beetles on peat and my roaches on a vermiculite/peat mix . :? Just interested to see what everyone else uses. :D
 

Wade

Arachnoking
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 16, 2002
Messages
2,929
Depending on the bug in question, I've used peat, verm, top soil, sand, coconut coir, natural leaf litter, composted manure, sphagnum moss, bess beetle frass and probably other stuff I'm forgetting.

Wade
 

scavenger

Arachnosquire
Old Timer
Joined
Jun 8, 2004
Messages
57
I keep my Rhino beetles on a 7-8" layer of composted wood (for breeding purposes) and flower beetles on a 4-5" layer of crushed dead leaves at least 1 year old. Everything else is kept on a substrate that emulates it's natural environment.
 

Highlander

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
May 28, 2004
Messages
481
I don't really keep insects but I think that for most non desert species that coconut husk is the best all around substrate.

Jonathan/Highlander
 

jaijjs

Arachnosquire
Old Timer
Joined
Oct 26, 2003
Messages
75
I found that for hissers, no substrate is needed if you are using them for feeders.
 

Alex S.

Arachnolord
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 19, 2002
Messages
645
Aquatic insect substrate

Regular fish tank gravel (and a couple fake or real plants) works great for aquatic insects, such as predacious diving beetles (Dytiscidae) or giant water bugs (Belostomatidae). Diving beetles, especially, like clinging to gravel on the bottom where they can wait to ambush prey.

Alex S.
 

Pedro

Arachnosquire
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 17, 2004
Messages
71
i really like peatmoss and coconut husk, they don't seem to mold very easly, i find dirt molds really easly.
 
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