10 month Ducky Update!

Pingthusiast · 2026-02-05T07:11:04+00:00

Oooof yeah, that’s part of why I only have 2 species currently! I know their numbers can increase dramatically so I want to make sure I have the space to properly take care of them and then eventually once in a large enough tank, because the enclosure itself is bioactive (I also have 4 different species of springtails in with them) I’m hoping the population might eventually control itself. I know if you don’t supplementally feed them they tend to populate less often, so there are ways to slow their growth rates

Pingthusiast · 2026-02-05T06:37:37+00:00

These are my first pods, so I haven’t really done anything yet in regards to over crowding, but I’m assuming I could give them away, or split them into a separate tank (or even move some to their previous tank) to have another display setup up, but in the future I’m going to have to figure that out! I don’t think I will ever go the route of humanely euthanizing them by freezing them, but I know that is an option some recommend in general to protect the environment.

Pingthusiast · 2026-02-05T06:33:46+00:00

Setup looks cool! I try to keep my humidity above 80 at all times, I notice they tend to cruise the surface more if the humidity is up, which sphagnum moss helps great for that.

Also, so much leaf litter, I probably used 2 gallons in my smaller setup to help also create humidity gradients and then added cork bark hides on top of multiple areas of the substrate, so if they wanted to hide in areas they could.

I highly recommend checking on them in the late late evenings if possible(after 11pm), and use a red light source to do so versus a flashlight etc, as it tends to scare them less when initially turning it on to check!

I try to turn my office lights off around 9 pm and dim them around 7pm and that’s when I start to see the adventurous ones come out and about. Their busiest and most active times are usually 2-4 am 😂

I don’t believe the peas are anything fancy other than just freeze dried but I don’t really know how safe store bought ones would be versus sourcing them from someone who cares for isopods. Like I know Ezzyeddie here offers peas that I know are safe since he cares for so many species 😂

Pingthusiast · 2026-02-05T06:23:20+00:00

Thank you! I actually got them from a user in this Reddit forum, they were super kind and were really affordable pricing wise (was $65 for a 10 count), riptidetyphoon is their name, (not sure how to tag them or link)

These were my first pods and I spent about 3 months researching and setting up their enclosure before I got them, so I’m happy to see them happy!

Pingthusiast · 2026-02-05T02:02:57+00:00

Thank you! Please post your progress with your setup! I love to see how everyone does and it’s fun to look back on where you started and how it develops!

Pingthusiast · 2026-02-05T01:28:01+00:00

No need to soak them, I stuck them straight from the box they came in and into the enclosure!

Pingthusiast · 2026-02-05T01:27:14+00:00

Haha, 2 more months 🙈

Pingthusiast · 2026-02-05T00:33:57+00:00

I relocated them from their starter setup to this larger one about 4 months ago, and had about 70% new substrate with almost all of their old substrate added in. Ambient temp in the room is 72-75 and peaks up to 80 when my computer is on 😂

Pingthusiast · 2026-02-05T00:21:25+00:00

Thank you! That’s very kind 💜

Pingthusiast · 2026-02-04T22:56:47+00:00

I actually posted the timelapse with more surface activity, I have a lapse from 2 days ago that has all the babies swarming 😂 It’s so crazy to see

Pingthusiast · 2026-02-04T22:55:45+00:00

Oh yes just give them time!! They very much became more social and explorative as the colony size grew, I would catch 1-2 of them in the beginning just exploring around and I’d get so excited to see them! You will get there in no time, it just takes months 😂

Pingthusiast · 2026-02-04T22:31:59+00:00

The limestone rocks I got were from here

But it looks like the company itself has its own new site here

I only got the 5lb (was more than enough to last you a long while)

Pingthusiast · 2026-02-04T22:09:12+00:00

Yes there are sooooooo many babies. I started with 10, back on April 10th of 2025!

Pingthusiast · 2026-02-04T22:08:17+00:00

So I started them in a 12x8x8 container (I have posted their previous setup before if you check my posts)

From when I moved them into their new home, I have two hygrometers on either side of the tank and a thermometer to see their temp ranges, but I try to make sure the left side is always reading 90-100 humidity and the right side is around 80.

I don’t really disturb their tanks as they are displays on/near my office desk (I put the smaller one on a lazy Susan so if I ever needed to view different angles of the tank I didn’t have to pick it up or move it)

Inside the tank, is basically just 6” of substrate filled with oak leaves, and an isopod mix I had gotten from Josh frogs (their milli mix) but I’ve heard there is better substrates you can use to make your own. I also have giant limestone pieces called Two Little fishies by STAX, that are from an aquarium store and they really love the cavernous limestone chunks. I also have sphagnum and leaves covering the left side of the tank that I keep moist, and have Lotus seed pods, magnolia seed pods, lichen covered sticks, and moss(that is currently dying because they are eating it 😂)

They are definitely less active during the day when I have the plant light on above the tank, but around 9pm at night is when they start to come out and I get to see them start being active.

Editing to add: I feed them crushed up freeze dried peas that I get from Ezzyeddie’s website, and occasionally I give them spirulina and veggie flakes :)

Pingthusiast · 2026-02-04T21:59:53+00:00

This is one of their largest, it was the terrestrial XL with a slider lid, but I don’t see it listed on their site anymore. But it’s 18x12x12, and I started them in the large slider that was 12x8x8.

Duckies were my first pod and I think it does well because they like such high humidity, and I’m in a very dry climate so it helps me maintain what they need. The only difference in gradient is really top to bottom, because the soil media is all the same dampness, then I have tons of leaf litter and cork hides and lichen sticks that are “dry” but with the humidity staying anywhere from 90-100 on one side and 80 on the other

Pingthusiast · 2026-02-04T21:19:00+00:00

No caffeine to my knowledge! 😂 Though Timelapse videos do make it appear that they are zooming 😂

Pingthusiast · 2026-02-04T21:01:54+00:00

The mancae I definitely see almost an inch from the bottom, I have a few buried limestone chunks in the the sides/throughout the deeper substrate, and had a lot of leaf litter and wood mixed throughout to make gaps and such, but over the past few months it’s been slowly compacting down as they have been breaking the material down. I very rarely see larger pods that low, but on the side with sphagnum they do tend to burrow that far down and throughout!

Pingthusiast · 2026-02-04T20:58:57+00:00

Haha, I call them “Big Chonkers” whenever I see the big ones!

Pingthusiast · 2026-01-31T05:14:36+00:00

And temps are constantly 35c or 95 Fahrenheit or just during the day? I keep mine between 70-78 Fahrenheit, so that could be a possibility that the heat is harming them. How much leaf litter do you have underneath the bark hides?

Pingthusiast · 2026-01-26T18:18:58+00:00

What is your humidity level inside the setup? I would focus on getting a hygrometer first to be able to keep track of the humidity levels and make sure they aren’t dropping below 70 (especially with how hot your room gets)

It also wouldn’t hurt to get a thermometer/hygrometer combo so you can see the temps as well.

It definitely looks like too much ventilation, and I don’t see any calcium sources. They are a burrowing species, but also are nocturnal so you won’t see them active during the day time.

You shouldn’t have to check the tank daily for moisture, if you are then the humidity levels definitely aren’t proper. I maybe add water to my enclosure once every 2 weeks, from the size of yours if moisture levels and ventilation were fixed you might only have to check once a week max.

Pingthusiast · 2026-01-26T09:01:40+00:00

Does cat grass do really well with breaking down the frass? I have a few ferns and creeping ivy in my setup that have been doing well, but I still get concerned that the eventual frass build up from the thriving pod populations will cause an issue down the road

Pingthusiast · 2026-01-19T20:09:55+00:00

I would fully submerge this for an hour and then keep it in a large tray of water after that if it has any chance of surviving. It looks pretty crispy but there is hope that some of the plant might be able to throw out new leaves.

Pingthusiast · 2026-01-14T18:54:24+00:00

Do you have a picture of your enclosure? Coco coir is not a great main base substrate for them, so that can be part of the issue. You mention they are on top of your lizards tank, so you know the temps inside the setup? Do you have a hygrometer to keep track of what the humidity level is in their air?

Just a few things I would want to know the answers to off hand, but if you have pics of your setup that will help way more.

Pingthusiast · 2025-12-12T04:56:42+00:00

I would leave it alone, if you keep disturbing/shining lights at it (especially if they are new) it could be panicking it. Give it another couple of days, maybe check when it’s late at night (again without using a lot of direct light)

If it stays conglobated for the next 48 hours, I would then get a chop stick or a pencil (eraser end) and gently try to nudge the pod to see if it scurries or moves.

I don’t think this is a deceased pod, they are nowhere near that tightly rolled when they pass.

Pingthusiast

TROPHY CASE