carbbitat cleaning tips

[Just Jay]

So today i happened to notice a fly in my hermies home. i'd planned to clean anyway for the week. I definitely hadnt planned to find a little bit of mold on a hide (wood log) or the bug larva/eggs.

so any tips and tricks for my fellow crabbers would be much welcomed! hahaha.

i already change the food every other day. i obviously need to be more mindful of what foods i put in; like fresh fruit will be changed that day now.

a coworker did mention for woods i can put them in the oven for awhile on low to steam/cook them. he said it would kill all the bacteria and help dry it out.

thanks!

[Rawrgeous]

Unfortunately insects kind of come with crabbing. XD But yes, baked on low should kill any bacteria. A soak in MSW before also could help prevent mold growth.

An easy fruit fly trap is an empty water or soda bottle (so the crabs can't get to the mixture) filled with apple cider vinegar, and a few drops of plain dawn dish soap. I also add a few drops of honey to the mix to make it more attractive and sweet, but its not required. The surface tension on the vinegar from the soap will make the flies become stuck.

You could also try adding Isopods at some point, I feel like they have really decreased the amount of mold I see, and prevent other insects as they eat the excess organic matter left in the sub.

[Just Jay]

Unfortunately insects kind of come with crabbing. XD But yes, baked on low should kill any bacteria. A soak in MSW before also could help prevent mold growth.

An easy fruit fly trap is an empty water or soda bottle (so the crabs can't get to the mixture) filled with apple cider vinegar, and a few drops of plain dawn dish soap. I also add a few drops of honey to the mix to make it more attractive and sweet, but its not required. The surface tension on the vinegar from the soap will make the flies become stuck.

You could also try adding Isopods at some point, I feel like they have really decreased the amount of mold I see, and prevent other insects as they eat the excess organic matter left in the sub.

thanks so much for your reply! im currently looking for Isopods actually lol. what is msw? also one more question i promise! you put the entire bottle in with the cap off im assuming so the crabs cant fit but the bugs go in??

thanks again for the great advice!

[Rawrgeous]

No problem! MSW stands for marine salt water, and yes with the lid off so the bugs can go in but not the crabbies.
If you do a forum search there was a post about isopod traps somewhere.

[Just Jay]

really! thats amazing! ooooh...now i feel slow hahaha! ill get the lingo sooner or later!

thanks!

[Rawrgeous]

You aren't slow! I just forget sometimes when I'm typing that people new to the forum might not know what I'm referring to.

[Just Jay]

thats how i can tell im learning im starting to figure out the lingo

hahaha

[Just Jay]

Unfortunately insects kind of come with crabbing. XD But yes, baked on low should kill any bacteria. A soak in MSW before also could help prevent mold growth.

An easy fruit fly trap is an empty water or soda bottle (so the crabs can't get to the mixture) filled with apple cider vinegar, and a few drops of plain dawn dish soap. I also add a few drops of honey to the mix to make it more attractive and sweet, but its not required. The surface tension on the vinegar from the soap will make the flies become stuck.

You could also try adding Isopods at some point, I feel like they have really decreased the amount of mold I see, and prevent other insects as they eat the excess organic matter left in the sub.

instead of apple cider vinegar would distilled white vinegar work alright?

[Rawrgeous]

I'm not sure. It's still worth a try. It might not be as attractive as it's not as sweet, but if you added honey it might? I've only ever used the apple cider when making a trap.

[Hermie225]

Unfortunately insects kind of come with crabbing. XD But yes, baked on low should kill any bacteria. A soak in MSW before also could help prevent mold growth.

An easy fruit fly trap is an empty water or soda bottle (so the crabs can't get to the mixture) filled with apple cider vinegar, and a few drops of plain dawn dish soap. I also add a few drops of honey to the mix to make it more attractive and sweet, but its not required. The surface tension on the vinegar from the soap will make the flies become stuck.

You could also try adding Isopods at some point, I feel like they have really decreased the amount of mold I see, and prevent other insects as they eat the excess organic matter left in the sub.

instead of apple cider vinegar would distilled white vinegar work alright?

I have used white vinegar for trapping fruit flies, I would add a tsp of sugar or honey or even vanilla extract, along with a few drops of dish soap. Works like a charm.


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[Just Jay]

awesome because i have tons of honey and was planning to do that anyway!

thanks again guys!