A few isopod questions

[SkittlesTheJumpingSpider]

Hello everyone! I am looking to get isopods soon, and I have a few questions. I decided to put them all in one thread so I don't have to keep posting new threads for every question I have.

1. Will isopods be fine if they're shipped in the winter? I'm in Canada, cold, cold Canada, and I'm not sure if the isopods (and springtails) will be fine being shipped in below 0 weather. Should I wait another month to order them, or will they be fine in the cold if they have a heat pack? The place I'm going to order from says they ship in the winter, but I'm not sure if it would be fine for the isopods.

2. Do I need to add springtails before I add isopods to their enclosure? If so, how can I do this if I'm ordering the springtails with the isopods? Or can I add the springtails to the isopod's enclosure at the same time as the isopods?

3. What should I feed springtails? I've heard that you can feed them yeast or rice? Also, my order of isopods will be my only colony, so if I culture springtails, do I need to harvest them, say, once a month? I'm not sure if I should culture springtails with just one isopod colony. If the culture gets too large, do I have to just move them to a larger enclosure? I don't know when I will be getting more isopods after I make this order, but I would like to culture springtails so I don't have to keep ordering new ones every time I get new isopods.

4. Are party mix isopods (Porcellionides pruinosus Powder Blue, Powder Orange, and Powder White, And hybrids between the three morphs) fine for beginner keepers? I've had a few isopods in the past, but I don't have too much experience with them, so would Porcellionides pruinosus party mix be fine for beginners? I can get just powder blues or powder oranges, but the party mix seems more interesting.

Sorry for the long thread, everyone! I just want to make sure I know as much about isopods as I can before I get new isopods (and springtails).

Thanks,
-SkittlesTheJumpingSpider

 

[BoyFromLA]

Will isopods be fine if they're shipped in the winter?

This all depends on how they will be shipped.

Do I need to add springtails before I add isopods to their enclosure?

I did not add any for mine, for it was already there.

What should I feed springtails?

What you feed to isopods, they too will eat.

Are party mix isopods (Porcellionides pruinosus Powder Blue, Powder Orange, and Powder White, And hybrids between the three morphs) fine for beginner keepers?

This I can’t answer, for I do not keep these kinds. Though personally, I don’t think keeping isopods is hard.

 

[SkittlesTheJumpingSpider]

This all depends on how they will be shipped.



I did not add any for mine, for it was already there.



What you feed to isopods, they too will eat.



This I can’t answer, for I do not keep these kinds. Though personally, I don’t think keeping isopods is hard.

Thanks for the reply! The place I'm going to get the isopods from says they are shipped in insulated shipping containers with appropriate heat packs. Would that be fine? Thanks again!

 

[xXTristinaXx]

1. That’s really really cold, I’d wait but if you have to make sure it’s pick up at least
2. No you don’t have to at all, I would recommend having springtails but you can add them with the isopods
3. Don’t have to feed the springtails anything, just don’t over think it. You can dump all the springtails in or just a few, I feed mine yeast but rice works also.
4. Pruinosis are one of the easiest pods to care for
if You ever want more beginner species do me

 

[moricollins]

1. Will isopods be fine if they're shipped in the winter? I'm in Canada, cold, cold Canada, and I'm not sure if the isopods (and springtails) will be fine being shipped in below 0 weather. Should I wait another month to order them, or will they be fine in the cold if they have a heat pack? The place I'm going to order from says they ship in the winter, but I'm not sure if it would be fine for the isopods

I've shipped in -5°C weather and had the package get stuck an extra day in transit and had all the Isopods survive just fine 2 days in transit.

 

[SkittlesTheJumpingSpider]

1. That’s really really cold, I’d wait but if you have to make sure it’s pick up at least
2. No you don’t have to at all, I would recommend having springtails but you can add them with the isopods
3. Don’t have to feed the springtails anything, just don’t over think it. You can dump all the springtails in or just a few, I feed mine yeast but rice works also.
4. Pruinosis are one of the easiest pods to care for
if You ever want more beginner species do me

I've shipped in -5°C weather and had the package get stuck an extra day in transit and had all the Isopods survive just fine 2 days in transit.

Thanks for the replies!