Isopod Q&A

[@FusionDeveloper]

I had a pet ribbon snake once. Ribbon snakes and Garter snakes are so adorable, but quick. I like slow pets, because they are easier to manage and easier to catch if they escape. Isopods are fantastic.

[@Aquarimax]

Species matters too…and how much you work with them. My red-sided garters are much calmer than the other species I have.

[@barbhelle5481]

Hi Russ. I missed your live stream but I am watching now. Thank you for sharing.

[@Photron52]

One food that I have been successful using for both Isopods and Springtails is dry oatmeal. Also Brewers yeast seems to disappear when used in small quantities. I use a 1/4 teaspoon measuring spoon at a time twice a week (Sat./Wed.) along/w a sprinkling of Josh's Spring to life Springtail food and a pinch of the oatmeal.

[@Aquarimax]

Gecxid Rureel sound like good options!

[@Photron52]

@@Aquarimax I started a bio-active vivarium about a year ago. I also found a video on making a Springtail breeding container. I use that feeding routine on both as well as I heard someone on one of these videos say give them something for calcium like egg shell. Being skeptical I put one shell from one egg into my vivarium a couple of days ago(I crushed it up a bit) and most of it has disappeared.

[@nosocomialinfection]

Man, I'm relegated to culturing A.vulgare and P.scabers due to New Zealand's ultra strict biosecurity. Very envious of the variety in the States. However, I managed to keep native Spherillos (which look like camoflagued C.murina) and keep them alive. I also got this unidentified Armadillidium that's about the size of a A.Vulgare, but covered in tiny hairs, can roll into a perfect ball, definitely a Cubaris species, and loves being under substrate 24/7... had so much difficulty keeping them alive, but I've got a few living for 4 mos now.

[@Aquarimax]

Neil Dizon It sounds like you have some really interesting species as well! Do you have color morphs of A. vulgare and P. scaber in NZ?

[@nosocomialinfection]

@@Aquarimax My A.Vulgares are pretty standard; some with yellow mottling and some pure black. However, I got a few scabers who are wearing mottled camo 😀

[@nymeowi829]

I have a ton of giant canyon isopods. I don't have a permit to sell them(or any permit at the moment but I am looking into it) currently but my situation has changed and I'd like to make sure they get to a good home. Do you think the best option would just be to get a permit to sell them or would it be worth donating to an insectarium somewhere?

[@Aquarimax]

Kay Fortunately, sale within your own state does not require an APHIS permit, so if you can find a local isopod hobbyist, that might be a good option. If you have a local insectarium, it could be worth checking with them as well,

[@TheCoolTeam]

Any recommendations for a airid/semi airid springtails and, or isopods?

[@Aquarimax]

Sinella curviseta springtails and Porcellionides pruinosus or Porcellio dilatatus for the isopods.

[@christopherdukes4649]

Update from my live chat question. I broke up my python's shed into smaller pieces and voila!!! My Porcellio Scaber Spanish Oranges are now working on the spinal side of the shed sections while avoiding the belly scales for now. My ball python is 4 and a half feet long so I guess a shed of that size looked imposing to them. Will be breaking up the sheds going forward 👍🏿

[@Aquarimax]

Christopher Dukes Excellent!! Sounds like they just needed edges to work with, . I have seen the same thing with belly scales...they are usually the last to go.

[@desireeroberts2484]

How do you keep your mites under control?

[@Aquarimax]

Great question! First, I try to populate a new isopod enclosure with springtails long before isopods are ever in it. I also avoid overfeeding. These two methods really help!

[@stvnkndsn]

I have a question. Sorry if you already answered this in the video. I've bred grey hoffmanseggi to be copper-looking like the porcellio magnificus. Are they in fact the same species - just a different color?

[@Aquarimax]

Dictator Steve Great question! They are different species, but I have seen a pic of an orange P. hoffmannseggi...it did look a lot like P. magnificus.

[@stvnkndsn]

@@Aquarimax Interesting. Thank you :)

[@FusionDeveloper]

I have a thought about, the question about isopods eating snake shed. When I kept snails, I offered them every source of calcium I had. Chalk, Cuttlebone, Oyster shell, Food-Grade Calcium Carbonate Powder. I found that by offering them food-grade calcium carbonate powder, they had ZERO interest in the chalk, cuttlebone, oyster shell. I believe that given options, most things will take food that requires the least effort. I assume isopods would be the same. If you give them calcium sand, calcium powder, cuttlebone and snake shed skin, they may not eat the snake shed skin, because they can eat other calcium forms easier. A starving pet/animal will sometimes eat things that are very unhealthy and provide very little nutrition and make even make them mildly sick. An example is, I've seen a starving squirrel eating a dragon fly. If the squirrel had an unlimited buffet of choices of food available 24/7, it would never eat a dragon fly. Therefore, It is possible that snake shed skin isn't an isopods favorite food and if an unlimited number of food options are available to it 24/7, it may always choose other foods.

[@Aquarimax]

Could be…but many of mine really seem to like snake shed even when they are not that hungry.

[@Theihe]

I LOVE THEM

[@Aquarimax]

Dante Lundell Me too! 😊👍

[@deemueller6470]

Oh no! I missed it!!

[@Aquarimax]

Dee Mueller I hope to catch you next time!

[@crittersmoore1748]

Hi Rus, rewatching this stream and you brought up the temperature for different Isopods. How do you deal with the dwarf whites as far as temperature goes? I'm experimenting with a small 5-watt pad on the corner of the dwarf whites and dwarf purples on a very low setting. Any thoughts on this?

[@granmajackie4]

hi from walla walla wa just got my isopods from under flower pot outside am feeding them mixed fish foods they are living got grandaddy long leg spider with them so am dropping ants bin to feed

[@Aquarimax]

Cool! Have you ever seen the daddy long llegs eat fish food? Some species will do that.

[@granmajackie4]

not yet will watch@@Aquarimax

[@geocarcinus2169]

Darn, missed it. See you next time hopefully. :)

[@Aquarimax]

Geocarcinus Yep! I hope to see you next week. 👍

[@minwang9054]

Can Isopods and Sprintails drink distilled water?

[@minwang9054]

Can I keep 10 of them in a 1 cup container?

[@Aquarimax]

min wang it depends how n the species and the shape of the container, but for most of the smaller species, yes. You will need to upgrade once the population increases.

[@minwang9054]

@@Aquarimax Porcellionides pruinosus

[@Aquarimax]

min wang they’ll be ok for a short time, but they breed fast and will quickly outgrow that size of tub.

[@minwang9054]

@@Aquarimax I will them in a big container once I see babies.

[@minwang9054]

Thanks!

[@shelbybeamer1579]

Can u spell them please i am just getting started

[@Aquarimax]

Shelby Beamer most of them are spelled out on this page of my website, along with photos here: www.aquarimax.com/isopod-species/

[@shelbybeamer1579]

Thank u so much