Went digging through my substrate

[jamest0o0]

I'm on a 20 minute break from tearing down my chameleon free ranges and redoorganizing. Figured I'd post some critters I found lurking in my soil at first glance. There also had to of been a ten million springtails lol, every surface crawling with them. Also some fast little centipede looking things and worms(might have been larvae) that I couldn't get pics of. Those crickets had a whole burrow thing going on.

 

[jamest0o0]

Excuse my grammar, damn autocorrect

 

[jamest0o0]

Just found this giant orange beetle?! What is it @Andee @AZChamFan

 

[Andee]

How big is it? It actually looks like a freshly pupated super worm beetle but I am not sure... considering I don't know the actual size.

Edit: I do love the look of your soil though <3 nice and healthy!

 

[Virgil1972]

I agree is looks like a pupated super worm. In another day or so it will probably turn black.

 

[JoeDigiorgio]

Just found this giant orange beetle?! What is it @Andee @AZChamFan

That's either a super or mealworm beetle. Depending on what you use.

 

[jamest0o0]

I just looked it up, definitely an orange superworm beetle. He was almost as big as my thumb. Should I keep him? And thank you! I feel bad I just tossed all the soil in my yard. Hopefully the new soil (replaced it with sunshine mix) will get seeded with all that life!

 

[RedMountainHome]

I agree, looks like a fresh superworm beetle. From what I understand they're not anything special as far as nutrition goes and most chams don't really like to eat them.

I say pupate a few more super worms, throw them into some tupperware, then you'll never have to buy superworms again!

 

[Andee]

XD lmao

 

[poison]

Hey, I agree your soil is looking amazing.

 

[Andee]

I think your fast centipedes is an older flat millipede if I am right about the legs

 

[jamest0o0]

Damn you guys are making feel bad for throwing that soil out, I'm about to go shovel it back up... as for the morio beetle, I just wasn't sure if i should throw him back in the mix. And the picture was a millipede, I made sure to try and throw some of them back in. The centipedes things I saw ran away wayyy too fast. Anyway I finally finished free range remodel #1... 2 more to go

 

[EveryGreen]

Just found this giant orange beetle?! What is it @Andee @AZChamFan

thats a darkling beetle to the looks of it. a new one. they dont darken till their older

 

[Kristen Wilkins]

Awesome , when you do the next batch please post this is awesome !!.

 

[jamest0o0]

Donnie finally getting to go to his home after 6 hours on a tree in the shower(it wasn't on, just to keep him put, he's a wanderer).. still wanna add a few plants to the bottom and rearrange some things, plus hang some pothos and broms on the side.was getting late though so I had to wrap it up

Btw this was lights off time so picture is kind of dark. Im going to put something along the bottom. So you can't see the flower pots either, but I cut the lips off the sides so they mesh together.

 

[Kristen Wilkins]

Handsome!!.

 

[jamest0o0]

Thank you! @Kristen Wilkins

 

[RedMountainHome]

Oh wow, Donnie has some COLOR on him! And quite the free range as well, the lucky boy!
Do you have a thread on your range? I'm curious how you handle humidity, lighting, and all that fun business.

 

[jamest0o0]

Yeah let me find it, it's not the most detailed thread, but I just tore down what I had set up there. Now it's cleaner and organized. Tomorrow I'll get some pics of the lighting(it's up out of the picture-jungledawn,basking,t5arcadia12%).. I still have some last minute things to do but it'll have to wait until tomorrow. It's all on a wire shelf. Drainage below and lights on top. I'm doing this for my other 2 panthers next ahhh. There are tons of plants in that room, the ambient humidity stays at 50% lowest, but I might look into a fogger or humidifier of some sort for the added cushion.

The soil from those other plants was maturing for the better part of a year, I hope this stuff gets to that level. I seeded it with millipedes, springtails, and isopods.

My one issue with this set up, he's not quite at eye level with me, I think I can fix that though. He used to be just over my head. But this stand is only 6 feet.

 

[jamest0o0]

https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/donnies-free-range.157550/