Hisser odor

[Zephyr]

I've been battling an odor in my hisser colony for the past year. I've tried EVERYTHING; no substrate. Substrate. Egg crates. Bark. Nothing works.

I've noticed that the number of mites on my hissers has dramatically increased.

At one point I kept my hissers in my basement and the temps were all-around lower. After this, the problems started.

I'm thinking that it's some fungus that has gained a footing on their exoskeletons. The only ways I can think of ridding them of it are

1. UV sterilization, via letting the container sit outdoors in the sunlight for a few days.

2. Raising the temps drastically and "burning out" the fungus.

Any other input is appreciated.

[Matt K]

I've been battling an odor in my hisser colony for the past year. I've tried EVERYTHING; no substrate. Substrate. Egg crates. Bark. Nothing works.

I've noticed that the number of mites on my hissers has dramatically increased.

At one point I kept my hissers in my basement and the temps were all-around lower. After this, the problems started.

I'm thinking that it's some fungus that has gained a footing on their exoskeletons. The only ways I can think of ridding them of it are

1. UV sterilization, via letting the container sit outdoors in the sunlight for a few days.

2. Raising the temps drastically and "burning out" the fungus.

Any other input is appreciated.

? ? ? ?

I have quite a few hisser colonies and none of them have any detectable aroma, and never have (with the exception of one that I tried without substrate, and it smelled. I use substrate in all of them and its fine (2" cypress mulch) ).

[Zephyr]

? ? ? ?

I have quite a few hisser colonies and none of them have any detectable aroma, and never have (with the exception of one that I tried without substrate, and it smelled. I use substrate in all of them and its fine (2" cypress mulch) ).

Hmm. I'll have to pick up a bag of that then.

[OBJ]

What about food composition?

My portentosas eats lots of fruit and vegetables.

At the same time they are quite many so the amount and size of droppings make an odour that smells somewhat moldy or stuffy. The droppings are so moist that mites seems to flourish....

BR/

Ole

[Matt K]

What about food composition?

My portentosas eats lots of fruit and vegetables.

At the same time they are quite many so the amount and size of droppings make an odour that smells somewhat moldy or stuffy. The droppings are so moist that mites seems to flourish....

BR/

Ole

I may allow up to several hundred per bin then thin the population by half. The droppings dry out, and only when they have gotten quite deep can that produce a smell when the roaches are watered, but that takes several months to a year to occur. I clean out each bin once a year or so. For other species of roaches maybe once a year, maybe almost two years.

[Zephyr]

I bought a few bags of cypress mulch. Loaded up their tank (after removing all the frass etc) with 2.5 inches of it. Time will tell if it works.

[Matt K]

I bought a few bags of cypress mulch. Loaded up their tank (after removing all the frass etc) with 2.5 inches of it. Time will tell if it works.

I posted a pic from one corner of my two rooms packed with caging in another thread over a year ago and you can see they hold egg carton and cypress in most of them:

[Zephyr]

I can't believe this.

I bought 2 bags of cypress mulch. Sifted out the smaller particles. Put the big particles in with my hissers.

I told my mother that if the tank smelled this morning that she could put it outside in the sunlight for the UV treatment.

I woke up and found it inside. She said there was no odor. There is NEVER no odor in her opinion.

Problem solved! Thanks Matt!