Are dwarf Isopods only ones good for tarantulas cages?

[LurkingUnderground]

I picked up some powder blues and oranges. I heard the large (Isopods)ones might eat the spiders when they molt. I am likely not going to put them in with slings just wondering if they might affect adults.

 

[Dorifto]

They do an awesome combo with the springtails. I use them in all my enclosures. My preferred ones are the thichorhina tormentosas.

I also use the big ones, and they do nothing to the Ts...

 

[Vanessa]

Isopods who are smaller, and spend more time burrowed, like Trichorhina tomentosa 'Dwarf White/Dwarf Purple', are a good option because they don't get eaten. Those are the only ones that I would ever consider using in a tarantula enclosure.
Porcellionides pruinosus 'Powder Blue/Powder Orange' spend a lot of time on the surface and they are far larger and are more likely to be eaten themselves. There are protein loving isopods - some Porcellio species come to mind - so I would be careful of those. Although my Porcellionides sure make quick work of dead crickets.
Personally, I would not put them in with smaller spiders at all and I would stick to the dwarf species for larger spiders.

 

[LurkingUnderground]

Isopods who are smaller, and spend more time burrowed, like Trichorhina tomentosa 'Dwarf White/Dwarf Purple', are a good option because they don't get eaten. Those are the only ones that I would ever consider using in a tarantula enclosure.
Porcellionides pruinosus 'Powder Blue/Powder Orange' spend a lot of time on the surface and they are far larger and are more likely to be eaten themselves. There are protein loving isopods - some Porcellio species come to mind - so I would be careful of those. Although my Porcellionides sure make quick work of dead crickets.
Personally, I would not put them in with smaller spiders at all and I would stick to the dwarf species for larger spiders.

Aww poo. The guys I like to buy from do not have more dwarfs yet. I don't know what to do with the powders now. Hmm.

They do an awesome combo with the springtails. I use them in all my enclosures. My preferred ones are the thichorhina tormentosas.

I also use the big ones, and they do nothing to the Ts...

The smallest sling/juvenile I got that I might look into putting the powders into is a 1" Brachypelma boehmei unless the species changed. It seems stressed and would like to know if they need wetter soil. And would like to keep the mold down for the air quality.

 

[Dorifto]

My A. Geniculata loved the big ones. They were erradicated by her xD



Can you post a pic of your enclosure?

 

[LurkingUnderground]

My A. Geniculata loved the big ones. They were erradicated by her xD

View attachment 336100

Can you post a pic of your enclosure?

it is currently 1inch of a spooder and is in a little deli cup. I do not have anything special for the powder Isopods just yet. As I want to keep a mother colony going. But also want to have a colony of dwarfs.

 

[Dorifto]

For the colony I suggest you a dely cup with top soil and on top of the soil an humid egg carton.

 

[StampFan]

I wouldn't risk it. Any underfed isopod in with a molting T will snack on what's available. And a T doesn't make a big enough mess (like a reptile) to bother keeping isopods in with them. Stick to springtails if it is a moist enclosure and call it a day.

 

[Dorifto]

We are not adding giant isopods, those are harmless. Their mouth is designed to chew, not to tore. I used them to feed my slings, and they love it.

 

[LurkingUnderground]

I wouldn't risk it. Any underfed isopod in with a molting T will snack on what's available. And a T doesn't make a big enough mess (like a reptile) to bother keeping isopods in with them. Stick to springtails if it is a moist enclosure and call it a day.

I will need to get more springtails and will need to feed them somehow. I didn't know what I was doing last time and didn't feed my springs. I guess I will just keep the powder species in their own cage.

 

[Dorifto]

I will need to get more springtails and will need to feed them somehow. I didn't know what I was doing last time and didn't feed my springs. I guess I will just keep the powder species in their own cage.

Put some charcoal pieces on moist topsoil, and they will be fine. Only check the humidity and the temperature.

 

[LurkingUnderground]

Put some charcoal pieces on moist topsoil, and they will be fine. Only check the humidity and the temperature.

They starved I had like two left

 

[Gaherp]

The only isopods I use are dwarf whites and dwarf purples. Have kept both from the time they first came in. More of a leftover from when I used to breed dartfrogs. In the setups that stay moist enough one or the other are always kept to munch on leftovers.

The only time I ever witnessed any predation by a isopod is when I moved up to larger species of isopods other than the dwarfs. It is unfortunate as so many are very beautiful, but with that beauty comes the only negative to these larger isopods.

Springtails are also present and these are the other insect that I have never had an issue with. I feed my springtails bakers yeast and fish flake. It is best to steer clear of the larger isopods when thinking of another invert to go in with your tarantulas or scorpions. Better to keep them as their own pet colony.

 

[Dorifto]

They starved I had like two left

Do you keep them warm?

 

[LurkingUnderground]

Do you keep them warm?

I left them in the deli cup with the stuff they came in with which was a lot of charcoal.

I don't know if I kept them warm warm. 22c was room temperature.

 

[Dorifto]

Delete, duplicated

 

[Dorifto]

I left them in the deli cup with the stuff they came in with which was a lot of charcoal.

I don't know if I kept them warm warm. 22c was room temperature.

Yo have to open the deli cup occasionally to oxigenate them. They also need some food like uncooked rize or yeast. Don't freak out if you see mold growing on them, the springtails feed from the mold

 

[LurkingUnderground]

Do you keep them warm?

I left them in the deli cup with the stuff they came in with which was a lot of charcoal.

Yo have to open the deli cup occasionally to oxigenate them. They also need some food like uncooked rize or yeast. Don't freak out if you see mold growing on them, the springtails feed from the mold

I forgot to feed them really and had been opening the container. I also maybe forgot how often to open but yeah. Need to get replacements.

 

[Kaden Bryant]

I personally would not risk it. I just recently saw a video in an isopod group of an isopod eating a live stick insect nymph.