"isopods and springtails" in the enclosure

[RedSidedSPR]

Nice. I've always wanted a cage like that, just don't think I could maintain it

[pinkypink]

Nice. I've always wanted a cage like that, just don't think I could maintain it

Its not hard to maintain at all...actually besides stirring the substrate once weekly and spraying it down a bit there is NO maintenance!

[RedSidedSPR]

Hmm. I'll have to look into that more

[ConcinusMan]

I see. So it's not even possible to live with a garter snake

I've had them in my "naturalistic" viv a while back. I didn't have 100% humidity at all and it wasn't planted. I did however, use wild moss, which I completely dried first. I think they must have hatched out from that since in a few spots, I kept it damp. (after it was dried and appeared to be clean and bug-free) Or else it came from a small potted plant I put in there sometimes. The bugs seem to congregate around snake feces, presumably consuming it. However, there's no way they are going to keep up, even with just one small snake. You still need to do tank maintenance.

I didn't exactly like having the bugs in there but I tolerated it for a time because I knew they were harmless.

They were in this tank:

[RedSidedSPR]

Yeah I'm not so sure I would want bugs in my tank.

And if they're as innefective as you say, its not worth it anyway.

Maybe a praying mantis would be better!

[thamneil]

I used to have isopods in one of the natural enclosures.You rarely ever see tem, but it was nice having them around. They are not an alternative to tank maintainence by any means but they should theoretically keep down any mould or eliminate any waste you miss.

[ConcinusMan]

Maybe a praying mantis would be better!

Only if you want them to chew on your snakes. I won't be doing that anymore. They can do some serious damage.

[RedSidedSPR]

Yeah I figured. Would never actually do it

[Selkielass]

I had a european mantis living in the upper part of an enclosure, and she and the snakes never showed any interest in interacting.
I'd guess never mix snakes or anything else I didn't want to be attacked with any of the larger and more aggressive species. (Chinese, stacking, Texas unicorn etc.)
My ghost mantis lives in its own terrarium because it likes it warmer and more humid than im comfortable keeping my snakes, but if I ever set up a bin to raise african nightcrawlers. (If they need tropical heat and humidity, but are great for recycling kitchen wastes.) I will probably set up a ghost 'tent' over it and let the little guys feast on any mold gnats that arise.

[ConcinusMan]

I guess the problem is that if the mantis decides it's hungry, it will chew on snakes and they can chew right through the scales and everything, down to the meat without a bit of effort. When I had the mantis in there, I found an unexplained wound on the tail of one of the snakes. It looked as if the flesh was scooped/dug out. It looked to me like the mantis did it. It wasn't too serious (a little antibiotic ointment healed it right up) but still.