Armadillidium Werneri Care

paumotu

Arachnobaron
Joined
Aug 11, 2019
Messages
438
I’m trying to get my group of A. Werneri to really thrive in order to improve growth and reproduction rates. Can’t find much information on this specific species, but if anyone has any tips on foods, ventilation, or substrate composition, please share.
 

moricollins

Arachno search engine
Old Timer
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Nov 15, 2003
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3,706
I'm in a similar situation , I have a group of Armadillidium werneri "orange" but have seen no evidence of reproduction yet. I've only had the group since February but all the other cultures I bought at that time have produced offspring already.
 

Ricamhael

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 14, 2020
Messages
2
I'm also looking for good care information for months now. Haven't found anything specific yet. I've got 13 of them in April this year as juveniles and they grew a lot since. Around one and a half month ago I saw some offspring which are very much alive. Though at least three of my bigger adults have died. I don't know why and am looking for more care information on ventilation and substrate. I also don't see them mating anymore, but maybe they just grew more private as they got older/bigger.

What I've experienced so far is that they like it on the drier and warmer side. I only keep a third of their enclosure moist. The same side where the sphagnum and living moss is. They love to climb everything, which often leads to them trying to climb the plastic walls without success. Sometimes they try it again and again and watching them somewhat gives me anxiety, lol. So I put some sticks in there on which they sometimes rest in groups. They occasionally munch on any vegetable or protein diet I offer, so I very rarely give them anything extra. They seem to prefer their deciduous leaves and wood and living moss, wich I get from a nearby forest.
 

moricollins

Arachno search engine
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 15, 2003
Messages
3,706
I'm also looking for good care information for months now. Haven't found anything specific yet. I've got 13 of them in April this year as juveniles and they grew a lot since. Around one and a half month ago I saw some offspring which are very much alive. Though at least three of my bigger adults have died. I don't know why and am looking for more care information on ventilation and substrate. I also don't see them mating anymore, but maybe they just grew more private as they got older/bigger.

What I've experienced so far is that they like it on the drier and warmer side. I only keep a third of their enclosure moist. The same side where the sphagnum and living moss is. They love to climb everything, which often leads to them trying to climb the plastic walls without success. Sometimes they try it again and again and watching them somewhat gives me anxiety, lol. So I put some sticks in there on which they sometimes rest in groups. They occasionally munch on any vegetable or protein diet I offer, so I very rarely give them anything extra. They seem to prefer their deciduous leaves and wood and living moss, wich I get from a nearby forest.
Thanks for the information. I've had limited success with my group. They're the only group of my 25 Isopod colonies that aren't producing a lot of offspring.
 

Ricamhael

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 14, 2020
Messages
2
Sure :) Don't lose hope. Some colonies just take longer to settle in.

I forgot to mention that they seem to need a lot of calcium. So, I scattered cuttlebone pieces throughout the enclosure and every now and then I sprinkle some cuttlebone powder over everything ... I just ordered some Repashy Morning Wood and hope it will provide some extra nutrients that will keep them alive ... Mine also prefer alder and maple leaves over the other ones like oak or beech. The substrate is plain deciduous forest humus.
 

paumotu

Arachnobaron
Joined
Aug 11, 2019
Messages
438
Mine are actually happily breeding now! They seem to do well on a diet of just zucchini and fish flake. I keep 1/4 of the enclosure consistently wet with sphagnum moss on top of it. The young seem to prefer hiding here. The rest of the enclosure is actually quite dry, almost like a spanish porcellio setup.
 
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