Dwarf White Isopods - Care Guide | How to Breed

How to care for and breed dwarf white isopods - Trichorhina tomentosa. I have so many, I need to setup new containers for them. Here's how we care for and breed the dwarf whites.
Dwarf whites are used both in Bio-active enclosures and to feed small animals like dart frogs and small geckos. Those keeping dwarf whites in a bioactive enclosure may find the tips and techniques used in the video to be helpful. So, do you keep dwarf whites as your clean up crew in your vivarium?
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Vivariums in the mist
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[@SupremeGecko]

Make sure you check our our Isopod and Millipede store at supremegecko.square.site/s/shop?page=1&limit=60&sort_by=name&sort_order=asc

[@tstanleymk4you]

I started watching for the isopod information but omg the geckos were mesmerizing to watch them hunt. So cute!

[@SupremeGecko]

Thank you so much.

[@basementpets5327]

Nice vid! These were one of my first isopods and I now find them in my millipede tank

[@SupremeGecko]

One of my favorites too

[@donteague614]

These would make great feeders for my 2" green and arboreal salamanders.

[@SupremeGecko]

YES!!! I feed them to our dwarf geckos too.

[@taliarose8825]

Great video! I have a dwindling supply of isopods and I wasn't sure why they weren't thriving. Now I have plenty of ideas to try and make them happy!

[@SupremeGecko]

Thanks for watching and please do let me know if you have any questions.

[@danielleb.7055]

Thanks for this video! Those geckos are absolutely amazing with their swishing of their tails. Beautiful!

[@SupremeGecko]

Absolutely. Love that behavior.

[@humanemulator5297]

Thanks for this video!

[@SupremeGecko]

You are most welcome

[@lizardwizardreptiles6213]

Keep it up Wally. I like your content. Very informative.

[@SupremeGecko]

Thank you very much- for watching and for the nice comment.

[@catfrog1975]

Those geckos are unbelievably cute! Thanks for all the info :)

[@SupremeGecko]

Thank you

[@jdamelines]

Awesome video!!! I swear it’s so refreshing and inspiring to see other hobbyist set ups and their animals! I think I need to start a dwarf white colony ASAP. How often are you feeding the dwarf whites to those little geckos?

[@SupremeGecko]

I cannot thank you enough for all your support of our channel. It is with great pleasure that people watching these videos appreciate our animals and setups..... and learn something along the way :)

[@bibytom863]

So enjoyable to watch your videos. Just watched may be some dozen in some 3 days and I'm still watching.

[@SupremeGecko]

Thank you so much. Comments like this make my day!!! A couple thing, let me know what you like most about the videos and I will make sure to emphasize that. Also, make sure you leave a comment (even if something as simple as 'nice video'). I appreciate you watching them but at the end of the year, I will be doing a big giveaway based on participation. Thank you again.

[@bibytom863]

@@SupremeGecko yeah, I heard that comment with 4-5 words and more, makes video to comes to recommended list of viewers.

[@lillian8613]

i love your videos such a great attitude and good quality vids definitely following!!!

[@SupremeGecko]

Thank you very much Lillian

[@TCSDartFrogs]

Great video! very informative, I can't believe how tiny those geckos are!

[@SupremeGecko]

Thanks for watching and for the comment. Yes, I am a crazy micro-gecko keeper.

[@buddybyrd6209]

Great video.

[@SupremeGecko]

Thank you very much.

[@TheZergSwarm]

Thanks for all the great info! Placing an order today!

[@SupremeGecko]

Thank you! Mention in the comment- "KZbin Supporter" and I will make sure I give you an extra scoop! :)

[@TheZergSwarm]

@@SupremeGecko OH! Heck yeah, that's super nice of you. Thanks!

[@SupremeGecko]

@@TheZergSwarm My pleasure to a supporter of SG.

[@zer0coolninja887]

So much knowledge!!! Im starting out and your channel is great

[@SupremeGecko]

Thank you so very much!

[@SupremeGecko]

What species are you currently keeping?

[@DEAexotics]

awesome infor mation as always

[@SupremeGecko]

Thank you Andrew

[@DwarfsExotics]

Awesome Video Very Informative . 👍

[@SupremeGecko]

Thank you very much.

[@ChantalsCritters]

Great Video

[@SupremeGecko]

Thank you.

[@nanettekern763]

Very cool TShirt in the beginning.

[@SupremeGecko]

It really is!

[@royzellhenderson-ty6my]

I love your video

[@SupremeGecko]

Thank you very much

[@Aquarimax]

Great video Wally! I wish I had a room that warm for my dwarf whites and Montenegros! They do well in summer, but my house just gets too cool in winter...loved those tail-wagging hunters too! I may have to set up a colony of that species sometime...reclusive, except at feeding time!!

[@SupremeGecko]

Thank you Rus. I am VERY lucky. When my wife retired from home day care, I quickly gobbled up the room downstairs (including the washroom/bug room ). :) They are very cute and have interesting behavior. Their babies are super tiny though (Wingless FFs are too small!- but springtails are perfect).

[@DEAexotics]

wow those Tripiocolotes Tipolitanus are some amazing geckos to watch Eat the more I watch these little geckos the more I want to give them a try. The one thing I like is you can raise your own food easy. Those white Dwarf isopods seem to be fast breeders and you can have a lot fast .. these are the reasons I really like geckos like these and leopard geckos you can raise most of your own food in a small place .. keep up the amazing work Wally

[@SupremeGecko]

We had a food shortage this year (crickets and mealworms) in the hobby. I was lucky enough to raise enough to not be too impacted. Lucky!

[@DEAexotics]

@@SupremeGecko that is great ...I have an entire house next door to set up for raising food like that

[@silasdeceglie6393]

Hey, cool isopods. I’m probably getting some for my crested gecko

[@SupremeGecko]

Fantastic. Good luck with them and please let me know if you have any questions.

[@kittenloverthe7th]

great video, my favorite part was the gecko feeding!

[@SupremeGecko]

Thank you.

[@mossyart6435]

My favorite isopods it's small and good for my 2 gallon terrarium

[@SupremeGecko]

They are one of my favorites too. Thank you for watching.

[@FusionDeveloper]

I found and caught some local wild Dwarf White Isopods. I'm looking forward to raising them, but I am sad that they are "burrowing isopods" because I don't see them. Being parthenogenic is the #1 reason I wanted the species.

[@SupremeGecko]

Keep me posted on how they do.

[@FusionDeveloper]

​@@SupremeGecko In the same area, I also found bumblebee millipedes. . I only took enough to have my own population to breed. . Mother Nature (and human activity/construction) can be brutal and localized wild populations of anything can die off completely, so sometimes it is beneficial to take a few home to raise. . After taking them, I poured some water on the ground, to give something back. If I had carrots or calcium with me, I would have left some of that too.

[@FusionDeveloper]

@@SupremeGecko Wow, I mixed up their substrate and added leaves, dry rot wood, sawdust pellets, calcium, etc. They burrow pretty quickly when exposed. I have a ton now, but when I saw this video again and saw them on the surface, I know that means your bin was filled with them.

[@Elaine_P_Smith]

Awesome Geckos !! I would love one if they stayed that small. Your videos are very informative and interesting. I know that you can't mix certain isopods together, but what about mixing dwarfs together like dwarf whites and dwarf purples?

[@SupremeGecko]

I would not. I mean you can but if you ever need to separate..... wow! If you are just adding them to help the bioactive enclosure, then sure.

[@PlecsExotics3]

I love these! I have quite a lot. I just wanna know, how much mancae do they usually produce at a time and how fast?

[@SupremeGecko]

not fast at all. I've never counted the mancae as they burrow

[@zacharymiller7641]

I love the wagging motion of the gecko tails. Is that a defensive strategy against predation? Pop the tail off if a bird comes at it? Almost like a lure.

[@SupremeGecko]

Thanks! My thought is that it serves MANY purposes. They are very quick and can easily dart into a crevice so it might not be so much a defensive thing as a posturing to other con-specifics. Like "BACK OFF! This is my food!"

[@slvpd]

Wonder how many KZbinrs know the size of a silver dollar. 😂

[@SupremeGecko]

Oh Lord help me.... I'm old.

[@elf334]

if i put springtails in there with them, will they reproduce as well? like if i just got a culture of springtails and put all of them in there

[@SupremeGecko]

The springtails? Yes they will.

[@wendymiddleton3360]

My isopods have a new generation and that’s had me wondering at what point I should divide or sell part of the culture.

[@SupremeGecko]

At any time you wish. Dward whites are parthenogenic so you only need 1.

[@serpico2206]

Great video. I got 2 questions if you dont mind, what type (tree) of decaying wood should i use, can i use pine ? Also do you sterilize the pine bark? Thank you very mich

[@SupremeGecko]

Thanks for watching. I DO mind. Just kidding. I love questions!!! Decaying wood- any of the hardwoods... I prefer oak and maple personally. I don't use pine. For any of the organic materials I use in the bins, I put them in black garbage bags and leave them outside for a few months to cool naturally. Works well for me.

[@seanfarrow9767]

What species of gecko is that again?

[@SupremeGecko]

These are Tropiocolotes tripolitanus. Fun little gecko.

[@HandleToWatch]

Thanks! Just got some for a bioavtive Crestie enclosure. Saw that you said you wouldn’t recommend coco fiber with isopods. Why is that? Just wondering if we should add another kind of substrate. We have moss too!

[@SupremeGecko]

Thank you for the comment. I believe coco fiber just doesn't give the isopods all that they need. I prefer a natural dirt/worm castings base with a produce like Zilla's Jungle Mix added for isopods. For DWs, i like more dirt than actually other products. Hope this helps.

[@preppergirl2866]

Are there any type leaf that should not be fed to isopods?

[@SupremeGecko]

Yes. Stick to hardwood and you will be fine.

[@bidnezz8772]

How long would a colony live for do they ever die out or can they live indefinitely

[@SupremeGecko]

Well, in the right situation, they will continue to reproduce and theoretically live for a very, very long time. Thank you for watching.

[@TheMajorstoner7]

can you have more then 1kind of isopods in my vivarium. i have a solid colony of dwarf whites but i just bought 10 orange and 10 cows will they all be ok in the same 20g tank ?

[@SupremeGecko]

It's not recommended at all as the orange and dairy cows are high protein requiring species. They will out compete the DWs.

[@Mercedes_may]

I want em as pets :) they r so cute they look like lil babies 👶

[@SupremeGecko]

Don't they!

[@Mercedes_may]

@@SupremeGecko yes they do :) my mom just gave me a bin for them, but it’s only about 1 quart… Would that be OK to start them out in? How long do you think it’ll be before I have to upgrade?

[@SupremeGecko]

@@Mercedes_may With 6 quart tubs available for a buck, I would suggest getting one from your local hardgoods store or Walmart.

[@SawdustAndShavings]

Hi. Any suggestions on harvesting dwarf whites if they are not on the log, but in the dirt?

[@SupremeGecko]

Yes, take the log out. Slice a potato thinly and add to the enclosure. Check 6-8 hours later. You should be able to scrape the DWs off the potato.

[@albertrenteria8012]

Awesome video! What is used to cover the ventilation holes?

[@SupremeGecko]

Thank you for the nice comment. I like to use chiffon.

[@albertrenteria8012]

Supreme Gecko Thank you!

[@SupremeGecko]

@@albertrenteria8012 anytime. Let me know if you have any other questions

[@preppergirl2866]

Can dairy cow isopods be regularly fed to tree frogs?

[@SupremeGecko]

I've never tried it.

[@Florence8794]

Hi! Sorry if this question was answered before. Are you concerned about impaction from the geckos eating straight from that sandy substrate? Just curious as this is such a topic of discussion with leopard geckos. Thanks!

[@SupremeGecko]

Hi Alex, I'm not. Over the past few years, impaction issues have been discussed in length and the general consensus is that impaction issues rise significantly with improper care, improper supplementation. Thanks

[@JiggyPepper1]

I just set up my first dwarf White isopod community..... I was just wondering how often do you mist the Enclosure?

[@SupremeGecko]

Thanks for watching and congrats on your first DWs. I mist once a week but I also have sphagnum moss in their enclosure.

[@kaylayaglowski]

What kind of wood do you use? I know you said decaying, but does the type matter or can I just go out and find some wood in the forest and then bake it?

[@SupremeGecko]

Hi Kayla. I feel the type of wood is pretty important. I try to find hardwood such as maple or oak.

[@wintersongmusic]

I am considering using dwarf white isopods to tidy up my bin of dubia roaches. Do you think they will be okay in a warm bin with coco fiber? Should I add any substrate in there for them? It is usually pretty moist in there but I am wondering if it is enough.

[@SupremeGecko]

Not a fan of coco fiber and isopods at all personally. I would use a dirt/sphagnum moss/peat moss mix. Actually Jungle Mix is the best I've found yet (to replace the peat moss).

[@tammyrockman2633]

How well will they do in a temperature of 73-74. I’m thinking about these for my crested gecko bio active.

[@SupremeGecko]

Great question. They are a tropical isopod so they need warmer temps. They will sustain at your temps but not really thrive.

[@tammyrockman2633]

@@SupremeGecko what would you recommend

[@SupremeGecko]

@@tammyrockman2633 For crested geckos... any variety of tge Porcellio scaber would be good.

[@ee02108]

What powder did you put for feeding?

[@SupremeGecko]

This is the Supreme Isopod Chow.

[@xenonentity]

I don't know about these specific geckos, are they okay to be on sand? I know for other species of lizards it's quite dangerous. They're very cute little geckos, though, I loved watching them eat.

[@SupremeGecko]

:) I get this a lot and it is great that you are asking (rather than not wanting to hear another view on this). I've done this for years and years and not lost an animal. I feed in dishes and the geckos do not ingest sand that often so there is minimal risk). Thanks again.

[@FusionDeveloper]

I made a fancy food bowl out of some pine wood that I lightly charred on the outside. However, the Armadillidium vulgare and Florida Fast isopods seem to be completely avoiding it. Are they avoiding the assortment of food I put on it, just because they can't eat pine or am I just not noticing them on it? I suspect i'll have to find oak or something and make a new one.

[@SupremeGecko]

Great idea. They may be. Although, FFs will eat from anywhere!! Try putting the same amount of food the next time on both the substrate (dry side) and on the custom bowl. Check in 8 hours to see which has been more depleted.

[@FusionDeveloper]

​@@SupremeGecko (This is based on the limited number of isopods I've found in the wild and may not be an accurate generalization when considering all isopod species) . I notice that although Armadillidium vulgare isopods will climb and enjoy climbing, they also seem to prefer to keep climbing as more of a hobby, than a characteristic. You never climb a tree and say "oh look at all the isopods 10 feet up this healthy (non-decaying) tree". . I also notice that isopods seem to not be considered a pest because they don't seem to climb up plants and eat ripening food sources.*(claim not evaluated by the EPA) . Instead, they seem to be more like a dog while you eat dinner, that sits around waiting for food to fall onto the ground. . Once its on the ground, it's food for isopods. My Armadillidium vulgare have now been spotted several times using my food bowl, but the for sure seem to favor food directly on the ground.

[@SupremeGecko]

@@FusionDeveloper I agree, in the hobby we consider isopods to be more of a pet. However ("isopods seem to not be considered a pest") might not be as appreciated by APHID and EPA. :)

[@FusionDeveloper]

​@@SupremeGecko I keep narrowly thinking only about my "native or established" species and forget there are non-native and non-establish species in addition to different native species in other parts of the world that have different behaviors.

[@jeffreyjenkins6290]

Thanks for the informative video. I have a dwarf white culture, and I am seeing a lot of babies crawling up the sides of the container and drying out up top near the vents. How do I stop this?

[@SupremeGecko]

I have never seen this. Are you sure they are DWs? Is the culture too wet? Message me on FB with a photo (better yet short video) and I can help solve this for you.

[@jeffreyjenkins6290]

@@SupremeGecko Thanks for the quick reply. I don’t have FB-can I e-mail some pics to you?

[@SupremeGecko]

@@jeffreyjenkins6290 sure. I don't like to put my Email here. Please use the contact Supreme Gecko store link to contact me.

[@anaclaudia.anos90]

I found hundreds of them in my pot, could you tell me if this species harms the roots of my plants? Are they harmful to plants in any way?

[@SupremeGecko]

Are you talking about dwarf whites specifically? Isopods usually only eat decaying items and don't harm live plants. If this is dwarf whites, you will have no problems with your plants.

[@jacquelynbritz5062]

What kinda springtails are those

[@SupremeGecko]

Common

[@jacquelynbritz5062]

I don't know where to get them

[@jamesjcfamily5683]

Any concern about mites from soils/ bark? Do you "treat" before adding to new setups?

[@SupremeGecko]

Great questions. 1- some mites are good, some are bad. I try to minimize the chances of bad mites as much as possible, but when it occurs, I separate the colony and treat with DE. The only treatment I do for leaves and bark is to bake or leave in black bags in the sun in summer.

[@ICE-COOL-RANGER]

@@SupremeGecko what is DE?

[@SupremeGecko]

@@ICE-COOL-RANGER I just realize this was 7 months ago! I could not remember what I meant for DE. It's diatomaceous earth. I must have referenced this in the video or elsewhere.

[@JiggyPepper1]

I added 25 dwarf whites to my 10 gallon bioactive terrarium. I'm new at this and i was just wondering how long does it usually take for them to build a good colony.

[@SupremeGecko]

It's funny. I've noticed they take a bit to really establish themselves. Make sure your substrate is slightly damp BUT NOT MOIST. And put in a bunch of dry leaves. You probably won't see anything happening for about 2 months then BOOM!

[@JiggyPepper1]

Thank you very much for the info and I'll be sure to add some extra dry leaves

[@SupremeGecko]

@@JiggyPepper1 absolutely. Anytime.

[@beachaddict7653]

Looking back now, I would have been better off putting dwarf whites in my bioactive ball python cage rather than dairy cows. Yes the eat the poop alot quicker but they can be a pain to deal with.

[@SupremeGecko]

Absolutely!

[@user-ek2gy8sv3w]

What species are these geckos?

[@SupremeGecko]

These are Tropiocolotes tripolitanus.

[@nothingmanofgod.6288]

Awsome isopod is tiny brain can we upload our mind in them😕😅😃

[@SupremeGecko]

sure

[@MenacingRabbit]

If I saw a big hand coming my way I’d not only play dead I’d piss myself too. Thank you for the informational video, are you personally selling any colonies on eBay or PayPal?

[@SupremeGecko]

My cut on your sales should be forthcoming, right ;) Seriously, glad this helps, and share the video is the only reward I'm looking for!

[@williamreyes8335]

One part earthworm castings One part jungle mix One part pine pellets One part orchid bark?

[@SupremeGecko]

Question?

[@zacharymiller7641]

Primero

[@zacharymiller7641]

When Wally says “let me show you what I keep them for”, I instantly flashed back to him eating the peanut beetles.

[@zacharymiller7641]

Also, the isopods you gave me are doing great! I’m having trouble being able to telling the difference between springtails and isopod babies!

[@SupremeGecko]

@@zacharymiller7641 Word association- Wally Kern.... Eating Peanut Beetles. WINNER!

[@rattlerboi4034]

I'ma get these again, breed them, sell them, and if that's still not enough for population control: guppie food

[@SupremeGecko]

Mmmmmm guppy food

[@128lesly]

Had to stop watching cause that hat is super racist ://

[@SupremeGecko]

The team name is the Chicago Blackhawks. The symbol is meant to honor a great people of our nation. Is it any different than a person carrying and using a 1 dollar bill with George Washington on it? I may be naive so I welcome your ideas on this.