Safe Foraging and Sanitization Tips for Your Invertebrates.
Many invertebrates, as detritivores, require a special diet that might not be easily accessible for many caretakers. Although items such as leaves, wood, moss, and bark can be purchased online, their cost may seem exorbitant for materials that are frequently found outdoors. This article provides tips and tricks on sourcing and sanitizing materials for your isopods to make their care more affordable.
So- what's the most budget-friendly and safe method to gather materials for our invert friends? Let's start by identifying where not to search: avoid areas treated with pesticides or chemicals. This includes avoiding vegetation near public roads since the pollution from traffic can be toxic to small creatures. Even though residential areas are generally safer, it's wise to check if neighboring properties use pesticides. If uncertain, it's better to err on the side of caution and not collect from that area, as contaminated materials could devastate your isopod population. Additionally, if you notice a lack of other small creatures like flies, slugs, or beetles, or if the ones you do see appear lethargic or unusual, it's likely the area has been exposed to harmful substances.
Collecting from local parks is generally discouraged, as these areas are often regulated to prevent damage to the ecosystem. Although parks might undergo clean-up occasionally, and signs may indicate whom to contact for permission, it's crucial not to remove natural materials without approval from the relevant authorities.
After gathering bark, wood, moss, and leaves, the next step is to clean and sterilize them to ensure they're safe for your isopods. Introducing outside materials directly into their habitat can introduce predators or harmful microbes. There are several methods to prepare these materials, each requiring a different amount of effort.
The simplest approach to cleaning your foraged materials is to simply leave them be post collection, a method particularly effective for drying out leaves. By placing leaves in a breathable bag, such as one made of burlap, and storing them in a dry place, they can dry out within a few days to a week when packed tightly While this method is the easiest and most time efficient, it is the least effective method in terms of removing pest species. Additionally, while this method can also apply to rotten wood and bark, these materials may take up to a year to dry completely and for any invertebrates to vacate, making it a less practical option. For these reasons. we do not strongly recommend using this method.
Another option is freezing collected materials to eliminate unwanted guests from collected leaves. Simply bag your materials, place them outside during winter, or in your freezer, and check back after a few days. This method has proven especially effective for leaf litter and requires no additional resources or effort. It must be noted however, freezing is not always a suitable method for bark or wood as many invertebrates can burrow deep into the wood to survive the cold.
Another method involves baking the collected materials, a technique we personally use and most highly recommend. The most important thing to keep in mind when using this method is the ignition temperature for the material you are cleaning. Rotten wood has an ignition point of 300°F, so for safety reasons, baking temperature should not surpass 250°F. To ensure thorough heat penetration to the core, wood needs to be baked at a temperature range of 200°F to 250°F for about 2 hours. This process aims to evaporate moisture, and eliminate invertebrate passengers. Leaves can also be subjected to baking, but due to their thinner structure, they only require 15-20 minutes. It's best to spread leaves on a baking sheet in a single layer to ensure even heating. Overlapping leaves too much could result in the outer leaves drying faster and inadvertently shielding the inner leaves from adequate heat. Extending the baking time, as you might with wood, is not advisable for leaves because the outermost leaves can much more easily ignite. Regardless of the material you are baking, it is important to keep a close eye out during this process to avoid any unwanted or dangerous outcomes.
When collecting live materials such as moss, drying or baking are not suitable methods, as they will quickly kill the materials you are attempting to preserve. An alternative approach is to soak live materials in water for 24 hours. This technique helps in eliminating pests while preserving the material. Most terrestrial invertebrates require air to breathe and cannot survive prolonged submersion, whereas many types of moss are capable of withstanding being underwater for this duration.
Numerous methods exist for sanitizing and preparing items for your pets, ensuring that at least one of these techniques should be feasible for the majority of caretakers. It's paramount to steer clear of any sources that might raise doubts regarding their safety or cleanliness, as exercising caution will ultimately benefit both the caretaker and their pets in the long term. Due to many invertebrates general lack of requirement for highly specific or rare materials for their well-being, sourcing suitable materials for them should not pose a significant challenge. However, in instances where local resources are scarce or unavailable, a wide array of online vendors stand ready to supply everything your invertebrates might need, from food to habitat materials. Engaging with reputable online suppliers can be a convenient and reliable way to ensure your invertebrates thrive, offering a practical solution to any sourcing difficulties you might encounter.
