Slugs in bio active enclosure

[CryptKeeper]

My bio active enclosure has a bunch of small slugs in it. I also haven’t seen ANY isopods for a long time, actually I haven’t seen any except 1 since I added them tbh lol but my enclosure is big and very hard for me to dig to look for any. So I have no idea if they’re alive or not and wondering if slugs have anything to do with it (doubt it but possible eating their food maybe?)

Anyways what’s the best approach to getting rid of them? I’ve put some cut apple in there then remove the apple in the morning with slugs on it but there’s too many for that to get them all.

I read a beer trap works pretty well. Wondering if anyone else has encountered this issue and what they did to get rid of them.

My springtail population has seemed to died down a bit. Not sure what happened but I had 10s of thousands at one point, then it dwindled and came back now dwindled again. Not sure if that’s normal though. But I know if the isopods really exploded I’d be seeing at least some of them. I have dwarf whites and giant rust canyons and I’ve literally seen 1 since I introduced them to the enclosure back in the summer. I definitely need to get more a re seed them and add more. So advice on the best way to do so would help also! Thanks in advance!

 

[MissSkittles]

I keep chunks of cork bark for the isopods to hide under & that is where some can always be found. When taking down bioactive set ups, I always find a good number hanging out in the drainage layer, even though mine are usually dry.
@Sonny13 had a slug or snail problem & he may have some advice.

 

[Sonny13]

Yes key is to keep your CuC fed with all kinds of stuff. I’m using leaf litter, trim waste and sometimes veggies or fruit rests.

It’s correct, also has a big slug problem and tried the beer trap method (which works good) and the solution you tried already, putting in food and through them away. My chams love the slugs and hunt them down, no matter how small. And they keep coming and go, last months I haven’t seen any anymore.

 

[CryptKeeper]

I keep chunks of cork bark for the isopods to hide under & that is where some can always be found. When taking down bioactive set ups, I always find a good number hanging out in the drainage layer, even though mine are usually dry.
@Sonny13 had a slug or snail problem & he may have some advice.

Thanks appreciate that! What king of isopods you have that hangout under the cork bark? I have a bunch of huge seed pods and other things lying around that they could hide under but never find them.

Also my drainage layer would be so hard to get to. I put a bulkhead on the bottom and a pvc pipe with valve to drain it underneath so I never have to actually get inside there. I’d have to remove many branches that hold up his entire setup to start removing substrate lol would be such a project if I had to replace it. But I think I’m good and they’re just hiding deep down. It’s 8” deep before the drainage layer about so it’s a ton of substrate for them to hide in. It took about 72 quarts of substrate to fill!

 

[MissSkittles]

Thanks appreciate that! What king of isopods you have that hangout under the cork bark? I have a bunch of huge seed pods and other things lying around that they could hide under but never find them.

Also my drainage layer would be so hard to get to. I put a bulkhead on the bottom and a pvc pipe with valve to drain it underneath so I never have to actually get inside there. I’d have to remove many branches that hold up his entire setup to start removing substrate lol would be such a project if I had to replace it. But I think I’m good and they’re just hiding deep down. It’s 8” deep before the drainage layer about so it’s a ton of substrate for them to hide in. It took about 72 quarts of substrate to fill!

I have giant canyon isos. Even though I provide and maintain a decent layer of leaf litter, I provide the cork bark for them to better hide from my chams, who enjoy hunting them. Every now and then I’ll put a piece of veggie or fruit under their cork bark. They do seem to just naturally hide underneath.
I only found them in the drainage layer when I had to take everything apart for various reasons. I use the fabric root pouches to contain everything, and they also seem to enjoy hiding in the folds, but again I only discovered when undoing the set up.