If you want to see new creatures go to a stream and make a habitat (take all fish out since they need running water to survive) find more info on the ‘life in jars’ channel
I have somewhat of a fear of insects, but after watching your videos I’ve been inspired to make my own terrarium. It’s just so amazing how you can have a self sustaining ecosystem within a jar in your bedroom. Liked and subscribed!!
Just stumbled upon your channel while researching closed ecosystems and you earned yourself a subscriber. Your cinematography skills and knowledge of nature is incredible and your really underrated man. I swear your going to be the next David Attenborough
Thanks so much man, that means a lot, I really appreciate it! The natural world has been a passion of mine for as long as I can remember, so getting to create and share these films with people is an absolute dream come true.
I’m actually making a bioactive terrarium for my crested gecko and I’m trying to order bugs (silk worms, earth worms, moths, spring tails, ferns, vines, etc) live plants that will form coexisting ecosystems, I think he’s going to be very happy as he’s going to get something very close to being in the wild!
That is a peaceful, undisturbed world, like the Fangorn Forest before Saruman ever saw to the forges of Orthanc. (The Ents are my favorite race in Tolkien's written works. 😁) That continued fluctuation of the supply of resources means it is perfectly balanced; ever changing, but always maintained, and so it heals itself, over and over, and remains in a state of harmony. Also, the pill bugs look just like the ones here in the States! 🤣 As always, thank you for your vision, Leo.
I wish I had some Ents in there, or at least some wood elves to tend to the plants and ward off the Orcs. Huge fan of Tolkien as a major influence on my literary style, so your parallel with Fangorn is greatly appreciated 😉 Thanks as always!
How do you know what species of plants or animals in this self sustaining environment might take over the environment and ruin the valence because I’m scared to mess up and have all the animals inside die. Should I research more on the plants?
I have a question for all of you: If you left one of these somewhere for long enough is it possible that some of the original animals would have mutations over time and create a whole new species like what we saw in the cave they recently opened up
I have a question. So I have never made a terrarium before and I was wondering how many different speices of Plants and microfauna i should put in there Because i want to be "the god" of my little planet but i need tips from the pro.
Heya!! That’s a good question, and the answer depends on the size of your jar. But generally, you want a lot of plants and relatively few creatures. This is so that they don’t use up all the oxygen faster than the plants produce it. How big is your little planet? I’ll try be more detailed in my response :D
@@NaturalWorldFacts I’m also here wondering how long that snail lasted? I assume it respires at a higher rate than the isopods, is there enough oxygen production in a small jar to sustain a snail indefinitely? This is not something I think I would have found interesting before discovering your channel, but now I’m very excited to start exploring the wild and building closed terrariums
Do you have a video on how to set one of these up? I currently have 6, but I'm always interested to learn more and potentially increase biodiversity. Also is that a tiny pond? How do you have that in there??
Yup! Here it is: m.ruclips.net/video/y0u9k-MSo8U/видео.html I hope you find it useful! And the ‘pond’ is a tiny ceramic dish that makes for a nice feature as it collects the falling water :)
@@NaturalWorldFacts awesome! Cool idea lol. I one tried to make a pond but the most that was in contact with the water seemed to suck it all up, the water would just climb out of it, funnily enough
I want to make one of these myself and also a water ecosystem but just a little worried with messing it up 😂 even with all things going well how long do these usually last for before nature gets thrown off course
Good luck making it!! As for how long it lasts, it tends to be that the larger the jar/container, the more likely it is to last. That said, it ALL depends on water and sunlight. You want the perfect balance- and that can take trial and error and sometimes is purely down to luck.
I put some in (the worms and woodlice) as they’re vital to the terrarium ecosystem in their role as decomposers, but many of the other insects like the beetles and centipedes emerged from eggs and larva in the soil :)
It was definitely a problem I faced at first, but I found that so long as I supplied them with ample dead wood and leaf litter mixed into the soil, it lasts them a very long time and they go for that instead. They seem to prefer it, and only go for the plants in terrariums where detritus is in short supply.
I have a new terrarium and I have three snails in there with a closed lid but I don’t know what to do with them I want to keep them there because they hitched a ride in the soil I used but I don’t know what to feed them
Is this(or can it be) a sealed terrarium with everything in it? How do snails and mushrooms and so many creatures co-exist without one or more dying off?
Yes it can! And they co-exist by forming a complex community, an ecosystem, in which they each fulfil a niche. This means they’ll contribute to the stability of the community in different ways: Woodlice break down dead matter and recycle nutrients. Plants use these nutrients for growth, thus able to photosynthesise to produce oxygen. Oxygen allows the creatures to breathe. Etc
@@Beth-D95 Thank you. I just really do not want to overwhelm the system with one species that would perhaps take over everything. I don't want to upset the equilibrium.
Thanks for the video and the knowledge. I decided to make one and it went ok. I’m learning a lot and I never knew the joys of looking at a jar for moments on end. I’ve subscribed also. My terrarium gets foggy often, any ideas as to what the issue is. Also is tap water a definite no-no. And lastly (for now) does constantly tapping on the glass create a detrimental affect on the insects..? Thanks again 👊🏾
Heya! I'm so sorry for not replying sooner. It's great that making the terrarium went well, and as for the fog it's usually a sign that there's a little bit too much water in the jar. You might need to open the lid and air it out for an hour or so or mould might begin to form. As for tap water, it ought to be okay. It's not the best but it doesn't cause too much noticeable damage - after all if it's safe for human consumption, it should be safe for plants. Tapping won't damage the insects. Shaking it would, but tapping is fine :D I really hope this helps!
Yes, rapidly, both of them!! Only put in a few at first as they reproduce very quickly if the conditions are good. Also don’t be alarmed if many of the new woodlice babies die off- it’s just the jar reaching equilibrium with the best population size for the conditions of the terrarium. There’s always dome initial die-off, but it should balance out.
I didn’t, but I would love to have one so I could capture the minutest of details and organisms. I just used an ordinary video camera with decent zoom 😃
Heya! Sorry for my late response - A jar the size of the one in the video can support a large woodlouse community but only a few predators. The woodlice will reach a good balance no matter how many you put in (they breed like crazy) but it’s good to start with lots so they don’t get eaten before they get to reproduce. Always put in lots of prey and very few predators. The populations will stabilise depending on the size :)
Yes, as long as I ensure it doesn’t get too hot or too humid. In general, the larger the terrarium, the likelihood of the creatures surviving dramatically increases.
Nope! Once it’s sealed and I’ve made adjustments (i.e. removed or added water depending on condensation) and I have the perfect balance, the water will not be able to leave the system, so it’ll be cycled continually meaning there’s no need to add more :)
Would it be possible to make a system without the earthworms? I love this, but can't stand the thought of worms in my house, even in an enclosed ecosystem like this :-/ I've had a phobia since childhood. TIA :-)
why are all of my organisms such as pillbugs, millipedes, etc. dying in my closed terrarium i have plants, moss, wood, water. And just about everything that is recommended for them.
It depends on the size. It would need to be larger to accommodate a significant water area, and it can’t be airtight! So it would be more of a vivarium, which is basically what you’d keep frogs in anyway :)
@@NaturalWorldFacts What kind of reptiles or amphibians can be kept in a closed terrarium...? I heavily dislike open terrariums since Closed Terrarium grow out their own ecosystem with no human help...
Yea I'm curious about this too. Most of the more complex terrariums seem to be open! I am interested in how complex you could build a habitat in a closed environment.
In a closed one, I’d say none. The issue is they breathe at a MUCH faster rate compared to insects and would very rapidly use up the oxygen before it can be replaced by the plants. The risk is, any reptile or amphibian would die in a closed terrarium. They need really well ventilated enclosures, but an open terrarium is still fun to manage (the only difference is you’d need to water it every now and then). Also, a reptile or amphibian will need to be cleaned up after. They produce a LOT of poop, and if its left sitting around them, they can catch diseases and get sick. So the ventilation, and ability to clean up the poo, are vital features of a reptile/amphibian setup. They’d also need regular feeding and I doubt the insects you initially put in would have time to breed to sustain the pet for long. Reptiles and amphibians are ravenous, they’d eat all the bugs as soon as they see them, then starve.
@@NaturalWorldFacts I made my first closed terrarium yesterday and found woodlice and worms on purpose and I'm hoping I found other bugs by accident too.
Sounds like a good plan! Adding insects really makes the terrarium feel alive - you get to watch the everyday conflicts, roles and behaviours of creatures that are so often overlooked.
Try adding some predators if you haven’t already - a beetle or a centipede - not many but enough to maintain a sustainable woodlouse population. Then you’ll also start seeing the action
I want to put a queen ant in an enclosed ecosystem and see if they can co-exist with the other dwellers and only eat enough to survive or kill them all and die out from starvation
We all have sinned and fell short of the glory to God. The problem is, that God is holy and doesn’t live with sin. So we all deserve to go to hell, but Jesus paid the price so you don’t have to. All you have to do is confess Jesus as your savior and repent (turn from all sin) and you’ll be forgiven and on the way to heaven.
I have recently made my first ever terrarium, today I found a new insect in there I hadn't seen before, it was oddly exciting!
It’s so exciting to see what insects emerge from the soil. It’s your own tiny ecosystem.
@@NaturalWorldFacts i just made one i wonder what insects will appear
Oo exciting!! Let me know when the creepy crawlies come out :D
If you want to see new creatures go to a stream and make a habitat (take all fish out since they need running water to survive) find more info on the ‘life in jars’ channel
I don't understand how bugs just randomly appear in terrariums. Can you please explain?
I have somewhat of a fear of insects, but after watching your videos I’ve been inspired to make my own terrarium. It’s just so amazing how you can have a self sustaining ecosystem within a jar in your bedroom. Liked and subscribed!!
I know its been a month but did you ever make the terrarium?
Just stumbled upon your channel while researching closed ecosystems and you earned yourself a subscriber. Your cinematography skills and knowledge of nature is incredible and your really underrated man. I swear your going to be the next David Attenborough
Thanks so much man, that means a lot, I really appreciate it! The natural world has been a passion of mine for as long as I can remember, so getting to create and share these films with people is an absolute dream come true.
I’m actually making a bioactive terrarium for my crested gecko and I’m trying to order bugs (silk worms, earth worms, moths, spring tails, ferns, vines, etc) live plants that will form coexisting ecosystems, I think he’s going to be very happy as he’s going to get something very close to being in the wild!
That sounds awesome, I’m sure the gecko will love it. I love crested geckos - beautiful creatures, especially those eyelashes!
@@NaturalWorldFacts damn right
updates on his home?
Loved the vid but can I just say, that thumbnail is amazing! Nice work! :)
Thanks :) Really glad you enjoyed, thanks for watching friend
That is a peaceful, undisturbed world, like the Fangorn Forest before Saruman ever saw to the forges of Orthanc. (The Ents are my favorite race in Tolkien's written works. 😁)
That continued fluctuation of the supply of resources means it is perfectly balanced; ever changing, but always maintained, and so it heals itself, over and over, and remains in a state of harmony. Also, the pill bugs look just like the ones here in the States! 🤣 As always, thank you for your vision, Leo.
I wish I had some Ents in there, or at least some wood elves to tend to the plants and ward off the Orcs. Huge fan of Tolkien as a major influence on my literary style, so your parallel with Fangorn is greatly appreciated 😉 Thanks as always!
@@NaturalWorldFacts No trouble at all, friend!
what a great nice person, still reply to new comments even after 2 months.
:) thanks, i’ll always try to reply to them all
How do you know what species of plants or animals in this self sustaining environment might take over the environment and ruin the valence because I’m scared to mess up and have all the animals inside die. Should I research more on the plants?
It’s trial and error, but the good thing is you can always trim back or remove plants that grow too fast or too bushy :)
Really amazing videos, so amazing to see your passion for this, thank you for sharing :)
Super habitat and creatures 👀👌👍
Thank you!!! :D
I have a question for all of you: If you left one of these somewhere for long enough is it possible that some of the original animals would have mutations over time and create a whole new species like what we saw in the cave they recently opened up
"Life finds a way"
Wow you made that look just like a Forrest habitat
Haha I’m really glad you think so. You should give this a go if you get the chance :)
Hello. Greatly inspired by your videos.
I came to wonder, did you add snails and harvestman manually? Or they were there from the beginning?
I have a question. So I have never made a terrarium before and I was wondering how many different speices of Plants and microfauna i should put in there
Because i want to be "the god" of my little planet but i need tips from the pro.
Heya!! That’s a good question, and the answer depends on the size of your jar. But generally, you want a lot of plants and relatively few creatures. This is so that they don’t use up all the oxygen faster than the plants produce it.
How big is your little planet? I’ll try be more detailed in my response :D
@@NaturalWorldFacts If you still respond, i have the same question and im starting mine with a 1 gallon glass jar. Cheers.
@@NaturalWorldFacts I’m also here wondering how long that snail lasted? I assume it respires at a higher rate than the isopods, is there enough oxygen production in a small jar to sustain a snail indefinitely?
This is not something I think I would have found interesting before discovering your channel, but now I’m very excited to start exploring the wild and building closed terrariums
Do you have a video on how to set one of these up? I currently have 6, but I'm always interested to learn more and potentially increase biodiversity.
Also is that a tiny pond? How do you have that in there??
Yup! Here it is: m.ruclips.net/video/y0u9k-MSo8U/видео.html
I hope you find it useful! And the ‘pond’ is a tiny ceramic dish that makes for a nice feature as it collects the falling water :)
@@NaturalWorldFacts awesome! Cool idea lol. I one tried to make a pond but the most that was in contact with the water seemed to suck it all up, the water would just climb out of it, funnily enough
Yes that does happen in mine too sometimes, but it still makes for a nice feature :)
I find moss incredibly beautiful!
impressive
Thanks :D
I want to make one of these myself and also a water ecosystem but just a little worried with messing it up 😂 even with all things going well how long do these usually last for before nature gets thrown off course
Good luck making it!! As for how long it lasts, it tends to be that the larger the jar/container, the more likely it is to last. That said, it ALL depends on water and sunlight. You want the perfect balance- and that can take trial and error and sometimes is purely down to luck.
Did you put these different species by pick & choose or they just developed themselves from the soil with eggs in it? Just curious to know....
I put some in (the worms and woodlice) as they’re vital to the terrarium ecosystem in their role as decomposers, but many of the other insects like the beetles and centipedes emerged from eggs and larva in the soil :)
@@NaturalWorldFacts Thanks for your prompt reply. Obliged.
How do you keep your woodlice from eating everything? I had to remove mine because they are the plants faster than they can grow..
It was definitely a problem I faced at first, but I found that so long as I supplied them with ample dead wood and leaf litter mixed into the soil, it lasts them a very long time and they go for that instead. They seem to prefer it, and only go for the plants in terrariums where detritus is in short supply.
@@NaturalWorldFacts but those are all limited resources
I have a new terrarium and I have three snails in there with a closed lid but I don’t know what to do with them
I want to keep them there because they hitched a ride in the soil I used but I don’t know what to feed them
Is this(or can it be) a sealed terrarium with everything in it?
How do snails and mushrooms and so many creatures co-exist without one or more dying off?
Yes it can! And they co-exist by forming a complex community, an ecosystem, in which they each fulfil a niche. This means they’ll contribute to the stability of the community in different ways:
Woodlice break down dead matter and recycle nutrients.
Plants use these nutrients for growth, thus able to photosynthesise to produce oxygen.
Oxygen allows the creatures to breathe.
Etc
I understand woodlice and plants, but I wasn't sure about snails, and such.
What would you not add?
I wouldn’t recommend larger creatures like spiders, large beetles and such.
@@jaimethiessen snails are pretty hardy tbh its the same with water ecosystems with little pond snails
@@Beth-D95 Thank you.
I just really do not want to overwhelm the system with one species that would perhaps take over everything. I don't want to upset the equilibrium.
Thanks for the video and the knowledge. I decided to make one and it went ok. I’m learning a lot and I never knew the joys of looking at a jar for moments on end. I’ve subscribed also. My terrarium gets foggy often, any ideas as to what the issue is. Also is tap water a definite no-no. And lastly (for now) does constantly tapping on the glass create a detrimental affect on the insects..?
Thanks again 👊🏾
Heya! I'm so sorry for not replying sooner. It's great that making the terrarium went well, and as for the fog it's usually a sign that there's a little bit too much water in the jar. You might need to open the lid and air it out for an hour or so or mould might begin to form. As for tap water, it ought to be okay. It's not the best but it doesn't cause too much noticeable damage - after all if it's safe for human consumption, it should be safe for plants. Tapping won't damage the insects. Shaking it would, but tapping is fine :D I really hope this helps!
my terrarium is really steamy and there is condensation on the glass. is this normal or did I put too much water in mine?
Do your woodlice and worm population reproduce and how many would you recommend I put in the jar at first
Yes, rapidly, both of them!! Only put in a few at first as they reproduce very quickly if the conditions are good. Also don’t be alarmed if many of the new woodlice babies die off- it’s just the jar reaching equilibrium with the best population size for the conditions of the terrarium. There’s always dome initial die-off, but it should balance out.
so can synails and rolloe pollies go together??
Excellent! 👍😎👍
Did you use an endoscope for some of the footage?
I didn’t, but I would love to have one so I could capture the minutest of details and organisms. I just used an ordinary video camera with decent zoom 😃
How do u keep it clean because if snail will be alot of wastes?
Maybe u tried connecting water place then they will go throw their wastes there themselves?
Any tips on how to do this in my backyard I live right next to a road but I don't know what goes in it
Have you don yours
Correct me if I am wrong would not the insects cause an entropic population disaster and culling due food shortages?
They should form an equilibrium - there’ll be initial die-off, but things will settle, much like full-scale ecosystems :)
@@NaturalWorldFacts Thank you for enlightening me sir. Ps luv the videos!
Thanks so much Andrew :D that means a lot!
Let me know if you ever have any other questions.
How big does a terrarium have to be so it can hold that many species? Also considering that some of them are eating each other.
Heya! Sorry for my late response - A jar the size of the one in the video can support a large woodlouse community but only a few predators. The woodlice will reach a good balance no matter how many you put in (they breed like crazy) but it’s good to start with lots so they don’t get eaten before they get to reproduce. Always put in lots of prey and very few predators. The populations will stabilise depending on the size :)
So, the spider, the snails...they would All survive in the terrarium that you made?
Yes, as long as I ensure it doesn’t get too hot or too humid. In general, the larger the terrarium, the likelihood of the creatures surviving dramatically increases.
so if i made one and just had a worm and a few wood lice, a few weeks or months later there could be another completely different insect in there?
Yep! Outdoor soil contains all sorts of eggs and larvae that go on to develop into other creatures.
@@NaturalWorldFacts That’s pretty cool, well when spring comes around i know what i’ll be doing then!
Awesome ☺️ let me know if you need more terrarium advice, and let me know how it goes!!
@@NaturalWorldFacts will do!
@@NaturalWorldFacts oh also, do you only have to water them once (when you make it) or do you have to water it every so often?
I have one terrarian but only with roly poly we call then the wood louse or ya
What happens if the terrarium is not fully enclosed?
Water will be able to escape as it evaporates, so you’d have to top it up every now and then :)
Was the bird in the intro a kingfisher
Hey .do you spray water every time
Nope! Once it’s sealed and I’ve made adjustments (i.e. removed or added water depending on condensation) and I have the perfect balance, the water will not be able to leave the system, so it’ll be cycled continually meaning there’s no need to add more :)
Balance-as everything should be
So do you add the snails or did they come naturally?
Some came from eggs in the soil, but the larger specimens I added myself to add some texture to the ecosystem.
@@NaturalWorldFacts nice, I’m so set on making my own now but I’m still a bit nervous about it
My woodlouse died after 24h and are now surrounded by babies, any suggestions why?
I have 2 rn I might make a short vid on it
Oh awesome!! I’d love to see that
How did you make this
There’s a tutorial for how I made this very terrarium here: ruclips.net/video/y0u9k-MSo8U/видео.html
Good work, creator of worlds.
Thanks :D I feel like Lord of the Woodlice
How old is that
is mushroom a collybia?
MasyaAllah
Cool 🤔
Would it be possible to make a system without the earthworms? I love this, but can't stand the thought of worms in my house, even in an enclosed ecosystem like this :-/ I've had a phobia since childhood. TIA :-)
Ok but do I clean the terrarium or no?
Only the walls a little bit if you want to look inside.
I really want to do this but I am too afraid of bugs :(
why are all of my organisms such as pillbugs, millipedes, etc. dying in my closed terrarium i have plants, moss, wood, water. And just about everything that is recommended for them.
How old is your terrarium?
4 months old at the moment!
Is this suitable for pets? (Frogs)
It depends on the size. It would need to be larger to accommodate a significant water area, and it can’t be airtight! So it would be more of a vivarium, which is basically what you’d keep frogs in anyway :)
@@NaturalWorldFacts What kind of reptiles or amphibians can be kept in a closed terrarium...? I heavily dislike open terrariums since Closed Terrarium grow out their own ecosystem with no human help...
Yea I'm curious about this too. Most of the more complex terrariums seem to be open! I am interested in how complex you could build a habitat in a closed environment.
In a closed one, I’d say none. The issue is they breathe at a MUCH faster rate compared to insects and would very rapidly use up the oxygen before it can be replaced by the plants. The risk is, any reptile or amphibian would die in a closed terrarium. They need really well ventilated enclosures, but an open terrarium is still fun to manage (the only difference is you’d need to water it every now and then).
Also, a reptile or amphibian will need to be cleaned up after. They produce a LOT of poop, and if its left sitting around them, they can catch diseases and get sick. So the ventilation, and ability to clean up the poo, are vital features of a reptile/amphibian setup. They’d also need regular feeding and I doubt the insects you initially put in would have time to breed to sustain the pet for long. Reptiles and amphibians are ravenous, they’d eat all the bugs as soon as they see them, then starve.
@@NaturalWorldFacts What about certain invertebrates like Snails, Slugs, etc ?
coooooooooooooooooooooooool
The one thumbs down on the video i hope will realize disliking makes the vid mor suggested its the same as thumbs up
So when making these you need a predator prey insect to keep the cycle going
Nematodes and spring tails.
So do you collect the bugs on purpose or they just come in the soil and other items that you place in it?
It’s a mix - I actively try to add woodlice and worms as they’re important detrivores - but many of the other insects emerged from eggs in the soil :)
@@NaturalWorldFacts I made my first closed terrarium yesterday and found woodlice and worms on purpose and I'm hoping I found other bugs by accident too.
Sounds like a good plan! Adding insects really makes the terrarium feel alive - you get to watch the everyday conflicts, roles and behaviours of creatures that are so often overlooked.
@@NaturalWorldFacts I'm waiting to see activity...I'm assuming it takes a few days.
Try adding some predators if you haven’t already - a beetle or a centipede - not many but enough to maintain a sustainable woodlouse population. Then you’ll also start seeing the action
This closed ecosystem ended its life as such, when you opened it...
Hello
Heya Logan :)
is it okay if i wont put carnivore or will they increase sooo much, leave no plants and take over the world
I want to put a queen ant in an enclosed ecosystem and see if they can co-exist with the other dwellers and only eat enough to survive or kill them all and die out from starvation
Bugs caught in 4K
I had a freaking centipede on mine, i hate it.
This is just a planet in a jar.
We all have sinned and fell short of the glory to God. The problem is, that God is holy and doesn’t live with sin. So we all deserve to go to hell, but Jesus paid the price so you don’t have to. All you have to do is confess Jesus as your savior and repent (turn from all sin) and you’ll be forgiven and on the way to heaven.
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