Doodle Bugs, Pillbugs, Roly-Polies.. Whatever you wanna call em'

[Edoggerson]

Post your isopod cultures and breeding efforts, as well as tanks! My first pursuit is probably going to be in Zebra pillbugs, so advice would be very helpful! I'd also like to hear what all of you use them for, whether it be bio-diverse vivariums or feeding.

 

[Edoggerson]

I have coco fiber for a substrate, but should I add traeger pellets or wood stuff to it? Lemme know what your substrate compositions are.

 

[Malum Argenteum]

I use about half and half ABG and northern oak leaf litter, mixed. Clip-top shoeboxes with (2) 2" screened holes in the top.

I just got a colony of A. maculatum going -- they're cute. I also keep dwarf white, dwarf purple, and P. pruinosus Orange and White Out.

I use the dwarf species for dart frog vivs, and the others are pets, sometimes T food.

 

[Edoggerson]

I use about half and half ABG and northern oak leaf litter, mixed. Clip-top shoeboxes with (2) 2" screened holes in the top.

I just got a colony of A. maculatum going -- they're cute. I also keep dwarf white, dwarf purple, and P. pruinosus Orange and White Out.

I use the dwarf species for dart frog vivs, and the others are pets, sometimes T food.

Do you think buying flat out sphagnum moss and some bug-safe charcoal would do the trick along with coco fiber? It might not be good for the temperature gradient.. is that something you planned out in your bin or do you just let them thermo-regulate to wherever it's a bit dry?

 

[Malum Argenteum]

I don't know that isos need a thermal gradient, nor that they'd really get one unless supplemental heat was used (which I wouldn't do). That is different than the moisture gradient, which I do provide (half moistish, half dryish) but they don't seem to have strong preferences on that (though it should be provided).

I don't see any benefit to long fiber sphagnum for isos, though I've not thought about it. I use it for a lot of other purposes, and it really, really retains water, and then all of a sudden it is dry.

The important ingredients in true ABG are tree fern fiber (for drainage/aeration/structure) and bark chips ("orchid bark") and charcoal. Peat and finely milled sphagnum are also ingredients, although I think some people sub in coco fiber (it isn't ABG that way, but that probably isn't too bad a mix for isos).

The leaf litter is the most important part, I think -- the isos eat it. Adding that, and 1/4" charcoal (can get from vivarium supply vendors, or smash your own hardwood grilling charcoal if you are a glutton for punsihment) and fine orchid bark (I use Orchiata Classic) to your coco fiber might not be a bad mix.

Other folks use different subs, so maybe hunt around a little for ideas -- this is just how I do it, and I'm no isopod expert.

 

[Edoggerson]

I don't know that isos need a thermal gradient, nor that they'd really get one unless supplemental heat was used (which I wouldn't do). That is different than the moisture gradient, which I do provide (half moistish, half dryish) but they don't seem to have strong preferences on that (though it should be provided).

I don't see any benefit to long fiber sphagnum for isos, though I've not thought about it. I use it for a lot of other purposes, and it really, really retains water, and then all of a sudden it is dry.

The important ingredients in true ABG are tree fern fiber (for drainage/aeration/structure) and bark chips ("orchid bark") and charcoal. Peat and finely milled sphagnum are also ingredients, although I think some people sub in coco fiber (it isn't ABG that way, but that probably isn't too bad a mix for isos).

The leaf litter is the most important part, I think -- the isos eat it. Adding that, and 1/4" charcoal (can get from vivarium supply vendors, or smash your own hardwood grilling charcoal if you are a glutton for punsihment) and fine orchid bark (I use Orchiata Classic) to your coco fiber might not be a bad mix.

Other folks use different subs, so maybe hunt around a little for ideas -- this is just how I do it, and I'm no isopod expert.

sounds good to me. I've got a store with all vivarium supplies down the street, so a lot of that will definitely be on my list. thanks!

 

[isopodgeek]

I have been keeping Isopods for over a month now and have been having some success. I currently have 8 types. Porcellionides pruinosus ‘Powder Orange’, Porcellio laevis ‘dairy cow’, Armidilidium maculatum ‘Zebra’, Armidilidium vulgare ‘st.lucia’, Porcellio scabber ‘Wild’, Amidilidium vulagare ‘Wild’, Oniscus Asellus, and Philoscia muscorum.

I acquired all my Isopods in the state of New Jersey either through an exotic pet store or by collecting them from the wild. I plan to get more Isopods from out of state once I get my permit.

All accept for the Armidilidium Vulgare(both types), Oniscus Asellus and Philoscia muscorum have produced tons of babies. I acquired both Armidilidium Vulgare a moth ago and the Oniscus Asselus and Philoscia muscorum a week and a half ago.

I noticed babies around the 2-4 week mark. The Porcellio Lavis ‘Dairy Cows’ babies already have color as well as the Porcellionides pruinosus ‘Powder Orange’. The Armidilidium Maculatam ‘Zebra’ don’t but I have noticed new born and large babies.

I keep the in 6 quart containers with a minimum of 25-30 air holes pokes with a tiny screw driver. I use plantaition soil, egg shell, and leaves and wood baked at 250 degrees for an hour to get rid of all pests. I spray all the containers every Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. I feed them Isopod and springtails food only in order not to attract mites. I feed this in small amounts. I also use printed labels to keep track of all my Isopod containers and know who is who.

Anyone know how to breed Armidilidium Vulgare and Porcelio Scabber. I haven’t seen any babies in almost 5 weeks. Do they simply just breed slowly?

 

[goliathusdavid]

I have a colony of Oniscus asselus in a bioactive "Pennsylvania local" vivarium that additionally includes Bess beetles and a couple species of Polydesmids. I usually tend to avoid bioactive tanks but I must admit this one has been a lot of fun, and both isopods and millipedes have been reproducing. I also possess a colony of grey Porcellio laevis which is also booming. As both of these colonies were wild caught in state I don't have to worry about the headaches of isopod law, which I investigated earlier this year. That said, I am also currently applying for a PPQ permit that would allow me to acquire (from out of state) the 14 species that do not require containment facilities, as well as many exotic millipedes.

In terms of care, I use the same composition of substrate as I do for my millipedes: coco husk, oak flake soil, calcium, dead leaves, and a small amount of sand. I also add decaying wood and leaf litter on the top of both substrates. Supplemental food include apple, carrot, cucumber, really anything I have lying around. Mist once or twice daily.

 

[Reezelbeezelbug]

I have been keeping Isopods for over a month now and have been having some success. I currently have 8 types. Porcellionides pruinosus ‘Powder Orange’, Porcellio laevis ‘dairy cow’, Armidilidium maculatum ‘Zebra’, Armidilidium vulgare ‘st.lucia’, Porcellio scabber ‘Wild’, Amidilidium vulagare ‘Wild’, Oniscus Asellus, and Philoscia muscorum.

I acquired all my Isopods in the state of New Jersey either through an exotic pet store or by collecting them from the wild. I plan to get more Isopods from out of state once I get my permit.

All accept for the Armidilidium Vulgare(both types), Oniscus Asellus and Philoscia muscorum have produced tons of babies. I acquired both Armidilidium Vulgare a moth ago and the Oniscus Asselus and Philoscia muscorum a week and a half ago.

I noticed babies around the 2-4 week mark. The Porcellio Lavis ‘Dairy Cows’ babies already have color as well as the Porcellionides pruinosus ‘Powder Orange’. The Armidilidium Maculatam ‘Zebra’ don’t but I have noticed new born and large babies.

I keep the in 6 quart containers with a minimum of 25-30 air holes pokes with a tiny screw driver. I use plantaition soil, egg shell, and leaves and wood baked at 250 degrees for an hour to get rid of all pests. I spray all the containers every Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. I feed them Isopod and springtails food only in order not to attract mites. I feed this in small amounts. I also use printed labels to keep track of all my Isopod containers and know who is who.

Anyone know how to breed Armidilidium Vulgare and Porcelio Scabber. I haven’t seen any babies in almost 5 weeks. Do they simply just breed slowly?

View attachment 373786

I had a native (collected on my front porch) colony of A vulgare. I think it was about 6 months before I saw any new babies. Later on I picked up some A klugii clown isopods and they are reproducing significantly slower than my dairy cows and powder oranges. With the A klugii I never saw the all white babies (they have some name, mancae or something) except for one time I watched a birth happen. Then they all went deep into the substrate and I didn't see them again until they came out as juveniles. No special process to breed any of them, just food, water, and time.

 

[isopodgeek]

I have a colony of Oniscus asselus in a bioactive "Pennsylvania local" vivarium that additionally includes Bess beetles and a couple species of Polydesmids. I usually tend to avoid bioactive tanks but I must admit this one has been a lot of fun, and both isopods and millipedes have been reproducing. I also possess a colony of grey Porcellio laevis which is also booming. As both of these colonies were wild caught in state I don't have to worry about the headaches of isopod law, which I investigated earlier this year. That said, I am also currently applying for a PPQ permit that would allow me to acquire (from out of state) the 14 species that do not require containment facilities, as well as many exotic millipedes.

In terms of care, I use the same composition of substrate as I do for my millipedes: coco husk, oak flake soil, calcium, dead leaves, and a small amount of sand. I also add decaying wood and leaf litter on the top of both substrates. Supplemental food include apple, carrot, cucumber, really anything I have lying around. Mist once or twice daily.

I also just applied for a 526 PPQ permit. I included, the 14 species of Isopod that don’t need a containment facility, Springtails, and Grain mites. I included springtails as I want to sell some I bought in state. I put in Grain mites just in case one accidentally gets into an order when I will ship isopods or springtails in the future. I didn’t include millipedes as I thought that all exotic species need a containment facility.

Do you know exactly which exotic millipedes don’t need a containment facility?

 

[Edoggerson]

I have been keeping Isopods for over a month now and have been having some success. I currently have 8 types. Porcellionides pruinosus ‘Powder Orange’, Porcellio laevis ‘dairy cow’, Armidilidium maculatum ‘Zebra’, Armidilidium vulgare ‘st.lucia’, Porcellio scabber ‘Wild’, Amidilidium vulagare ‘Wild’, Oniscus Asellus, and Philoscia muscorum.

I acquired all my Isopods in the state of New Jersey either through an exotic pet store or by collecting them from the wild. I plan to get more Isopods from out of state once I get my permit.

All accept for the Armidilidium Vulgare(both types), Oniscus Asellus and Philoscia muscorum have produced tons of babies. I acquired both Armidilidium Vulgare a moth ago and the Oniscus Asselus and Philoscia muscorum a week and a half ago.

I noticed babies around the 2-4 week mark. The Porcellio Lavis ‘Dairy Cows’ babies already have color as well as the Porcellionides pruinosus ‘Powder Orange’. The Armidilidium Maculatam ‘Zebra’ don’t but I have noticed new born and large babies.

I keep the in 6 quart containers with a minimum of 25-30 air holes pokes with a tiny screw driver. I use plantaition soil, egg shell, and leaves and wood baked at 250 degrees for an hour to get rid of all pests. I spray all the containers every Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. I feed them Isopod and springtails food only in order not to attract mites. I feed this in small amounts. I also use printed labels to keep track of all my Isopod containers and know who is who.

Anyone know how to breed Armidilidium Vulgare and Porcelio Scabber. I haven’t seen any babies in almost 5 weeks. Do they simply just breed slowly?

View attachment 373786

I boiled some water and gave all of the leaves a rinse, would this have even worked? I did them for about a minute or so for each batch, completely surrounding each in consistently boiling water.

 

[goliathusdavid]

@isopodgeek I am trying to research containment facility guidelines around exotic millipede species (particularly Centrobolus splendidus, Dendrostreptus macracanthas, and Anadenobolus modestior as these are ones I know I can acquire) but there are very few resources on which species do, and which do not require them. That said however, I know the following species DO NOT require containment facilities, as the Mantis Menagerie was able to acquire permits for them without possessing one. They are: Acladocricus sp, Archispirostreptus gigas, Thyropygus pachyurus, Tonkinbolus caudulanus, Tonkinbolus dollfusi, Trigoniulus macropygus, and Zoosphaerium neptunus.
(It should be noted however that a couple of those species are incredibly difficult if not impossible to acquire in the US. I am thinking in particular of Zoosphaerium neptunus.)
For more info, I recommend this page: https://themantismenagerie.com/usda/arthropoda/diplopoda/

Sorry for all that latin

 

[goliathusdavid]

A minute in boiling water should definitely sterilize most leaves.

 

[Edoggerson]

A minute in boiling water should definitely sterilize most leaves.

I'm very lucky to live right next to an oak tree LOL. They just pile up and I have a free supply of hardwood litter. Might add something else to the litter.. moistened traeger pellets if i can find a small bag (not 20 lbs..)

 

[Malum Argenteum]

traeger pellets

Looked these up, didn't know what they are. Jeez, that's overpriced. *Looks at the grills* Oh. The world is insane.

Hardwood pellets for pellet stoves would work the same. They are only in 40lb bags that I've seen, but a bag is under $5 if you live in winter heating country.

Repashy Morning Wood is a cellulose (='obscenely expensive fine sawdust') based product my isopods go nuts for.

 

[Edoggerson]

Looked these up, didn't know what they are. Jeez, that's overpriced. *Looks at the grills* Oh. The world is insane.

Hardwood pellets for pellet stoves would work the same. They are only in 40lb bags that I've seen, but a bag is under $5 if you live in winter heating country.

Repashy Morning Wood is a cellulose (='obscenely expensive fine sawdust') based product my isopods go nuts for.

As far as I'm concerned, I'll just take some hardwood from stores and use that.. pellets seem excessive. I'm probably just gonna use cocofiber and egg shells in the sub and leave it at that, maybe some ABG

 

[Sterls]

I have an established Armadillidium klugii 'Montenegro' colony and recently started keeping Porcellio ornatus 'Yellow Dot' as well. Both are breeding successfully.

I use a mixture of wood pellets, organic compost, moss, and coco fiber as the base. Leaf litter mixed into the top layer. I use this for my millipedes are well. You definitely want more than just coco fiber, rotting wood of some kind is best. I feed supplemental foods every few days give or take. Repashy morning wood is a big hit.

 

[Edoggerson]

I have an established Armadillidium klugii 'Montenegro' colony and recently started keeping Porcellio ornatus 'Yellow Dot' as well. Both are breeding successfully.

I use a mixture of wood pellets, organic compost, moss, and coco fiber as the base. Leaf litter mixed into the top layer. I use this for my millipedes are well. You definitely want more than just coco fiber, rotting wood of some kind is best. I feed supplemental foods every few days give or take. Repashy morning wood is a big hit.

View attachment 373833
View attachment 373834
View attachment 373835

is it absolutely necessary to get morning wood? I can't afford it in the budget I have for now. Instead, can I buy safe hardwood from my local pet store?

 

[goliathusdavid]

Morning wood definitely helps though I wouldn't say it is absolutely necessary. I do not use it, and have done totally fine. If however, you get permitted and begin to keep higher value exotic species than it is a good investment. But again, not strictly necessary.

 

[Sterls]

is it absolutely necessary to get morning wood? I can't afford it in the budget I have for now. Instead, can I buy safe hardwood from my local pet store?

Morning wood is not essential, mine just really enjoy it.

You can't usually get wood from a store ime. A bag of traeger wood pellets is about the only workable wood you'll be able to get in a store, as annoying as it may be to have to buy an entire bag. You can try ebay, I buy leaves there - just make sure it's listed as organic / no pesticides. Even then you're taking a risk since you have to just trust the seller.