My favorite (and most successful) isopod substrate mix

[Gail]

So I've fiddled and fussed with different mixes both home made and commercially bought, and this home made one has given me the most success across the largest number of species. I figured I would share it here. Admittedly, it may be a challenge to make because super soft rotted wood can be difficult to source, but luckily I can usually find it in good quantity in the local forest (where I know they do not spray chemicals).

2 parts coconut coir
1 part organic worm castings
1 part crumbled rotted wood
----
After mixing the above well add in:
1/2 to 1 cup of vita-sand (depending on the size of the batch you are making)
2 to 3 cups of dried leaves crumbled up into tiny bits
---
Mix all of the add in stuff well - it is vitally important to mix the vita-sand in completely, you do not want large amounts of it staying together as it gets clumpy and sticky when wet. You want it so that you only see the sprinkling of grains throughout the mix.

 

[Edan bandoot]

Here's mine

100% coco fiber

Dead leaves ontop

 

[Matts inverts]

I have five parts compost soil, one part cypress with 2 quarts leaves

 

[ccTroi]

So I've fiddled and fussed with different mixes both home made and commercially bought, and this home made one has given me the most success across the largest number of species. I figured I would share it here. Admittedly, it may be a challenge to make because super soft rotted wood can be difficult to source, but luckily I can usually find it in good quantity in the local forest (where I know they do not spray chemicals).

2 parts coconut coir
1 part organic worm castings
1 part crumbled rotted wood
----
After mixing the above well add in:
1/2 to 1 cup of vita-sand (depending on the size of the batch you are making)
2 to 3 cups of dried leaves crumbled up into tiny bits
---
Mix all of the add in stuff well - it is vitally important to mix the vita-sand in completely, you do not want large amounts of it staying together as it gets clumpy and sticky when wet. You want it so that you only see the sprinkling of grains throughout the mix.

what are your thoughts on using wood pellets (used in grilling)? rus from aquarimax pets loves to use this in his substrate, but i'm unsure how effective it is. would love to know what other's opinions and experiences on this

 

[Matts inverts]

I bought a bag of them but still need to try oak pellets

 

[Edoggerson]

1 part coir fiber to 1 part ABG mix has worked just fine for me. I also included some homemade leaf litter and extra ground up sphag to really hold moisture in. My dairy cows love making burrows out of it since it's easy to move.

 

[Gail]

what are your thoughts on using wood pellets (used in grilling)? rus from aquarimax pets loves to use this in his substrate, but i'm unsure how effective it is. would love to know what other's opinions and experiences on this

I have not used wood pellets, but I did pick up a bag of apple wood chips that they sell at home depot in the grilling section. They sell several different types of wood chips (and chunks) to impart different smoked flavors. I mixed the chips into some of my substrate in a deep container - about 6" deep - put a layer of moss on top, watered it really well and let it begin to decompose with the help of a pack of Canadian night crawlers. Gave that a few months, will be pluck ing out the crawlers to add to my garden, but the substrate with decomposing wood chips was ready to go. Since this was my first time trying it, I seeded that bin with locally collected Philoscia muscorum last week to see how well it works out.

 

[ccTroi]

I have not used wood pellets, but I did pick up a bag of apple wood chips that they sell at home depot in the grilling section. They sell several different types of wood chips (and chunks) to impart different smoked flavors. I mixed the chips into some of my substrate in a deep container - about 6" deep - put a layer of moss on top, watered it really well and let it begin to decompose with the help of a pack of Canadian night crawlers. Gave that a few months, will be pluck ing out the crawlers to add to my garden, but the substrate with decomposing wood chips was ready to go. Since this was my first time trying it, I seeded that bin with locally collected Philoscia muscorum last week to see how well it works out.

i always wondered if those are safe to use in the substrate. are they safe to use for an iso colony? how are your local isos doing so far on the home depot wood chips?

 

[Gail]

i always wondered if those are safe to use in the substrate. are they safe to use for an iso colony? how are your local isos doing so far on the home depot wood chips?

I also had my concerns. It doesn't say anywhere on the bag (that I could see) that it is anything other than wood from different species of trees, but i wanted to test it first anyway. It has only been about a week with the 'pods added, but they have not shown any signs of stress and are quite lively when I lift up the moss to check. Moreover, the night crawlers have been doing wonderfully for the past months, so the wood must not be toxic. Still, I will wait to see how the 'pods are doing in another couple of months. If all seems well, then I will likely set up 'rotting bins' to age out some more chips for use in my other enclosures.

 

[Matts inverts]

Instead of releasing the night crawlers which are invasive, just use them as feeders like for tarantulas or frogs if you have any

 

[Postmalone35]

So I've fiddled and fussed with different mixes both home made and commercially bought, and this home made one has given me the most success across the largest number of species. I figured I would share it here. Admittedly, it may be a challenge to make because super soft rotted wood can be difficult to source, but luckily I can usually find it in good quantity in the local forest (where I know they do not spray chemicals).

2 parts coconut coir
1 part organic worm castings
1 part crumbled rotted wood
----
After mixing the above well add in:
1/2 to 1 cup of vita-sand (depending on the size of the batch you are making)
2 to 3 cups of dried leaves crumbled up into tiny bits
---
Mix all of the add in stuff well - it is vitally important to mix the vita-sand in completely, you do not want large amounts of it staying together as it gets clumpy and sticky when wet. You want it so that you only see the sprinkling of grains throughout the mix.

I also always add the lichen/moss that grows on the oak branches. It's one of the most important parts of the diet.

 

[Matts inverts]

I would be careful not to add a toxic lichen and poison the isopods. I do have tons of moss with mine though. All I have is pillow moss and sphag moss.

 

[Gail]

Instead of releasing the night crawlers which are invasive, just use them as feeders like for tarantulas or frogs if you have any

The only critters I keep now are isopods, but the robins do love the worms. Our entire yard is already 'invaded' with the crawlers - it is easy for me to get them as 'helpers' for my projects/tests. Once done with them, back to the garden they go, and often, they don't get a chance to return to the soil before a bird snatches them up... yet there are always more.

 

[Matts inverts]

Why were you using wild worms that have tons of parasites? Just make sure to sanitize the wood you use

 

[Gail]

Why were you using wild worms that have tons of parasites? Just make sure to sanitize the wood you use

I do sanitize the wood and leaves that I use for my non-native isopods via oven or boiling. But I don't sweat it too much for the locals. Maybe I have been lucky, but I've not really seen any difference between setups that I've cooked the living daylights out of the substrate, wood and leaves - and those that I use as is, collected from the areas where the locals came from. Actually, that is a lie - I get mold more easily in the sterilized set ups, and it is harder to establish spring tails in a sterilized setup to have them help take care of the mold. Mold spores are everywhere, you can't get rid of them all, and when you remove any competing organisms, so much easier for it to take hold. When you upset the balance by trying to make everything germ free and parasite free, well, worse things happen. No one faint, but studies have shown that at any point in time, up to 50% of Americans - from all financial brackets - are host to some form of parasite. The world is full of dangers, and yet, life goes on

I can understand why someone who raises inverts for business reasons might be more concerned with a spotless colony, but honestly, you can give your most spotlessly set up colony parasites just from food you feed. I personally feel that we humans often tend to over complicate things and over react. That is just my thoughts on it, but I do tend to be pretty laid back about such things.