pill bug and or rolie pollie care?

[codykrr]

hey i just went and got some of these guys and was wondering how do i get them to breed and just plain keep them? their wild caught so i want to get some babies before i use them to keep my T tanks clean. so any tips or good reads on them.

 

[elportoed]

i got some from the yard (i guess that's wild caught). i put them in a large delicup with dirt on the moist side. as far as food go, any fruit or green will do. i put the bolus from my Ts in there too. so far they are thriving.

 

[RoachGirlRen]

I find this website very helpful. The main things to remember are higher humidity, a source of detritus, and temps on the cooler side (at least in the substrate; they burrow to escape heat).

 

[codykrr]

whats detritus? and ive been feeding them fish flakes....there going nuts over the stuff.

 

[RoachGirlRen]

Organic decaying matter, in this context; in the wild they feed on rotting wood, leaves, frass from other animals, carcasses of other inverts, etc. While they'll eat just about anything, from what I can gather, having leaf litter can be important to their gut flora long-term.

 

[codykrr]

well considering im goingto try and eventually flush them out of all chemicals and or anything bad, i dont think i want to go collecting rotting wood or leaves from outside....never know whats on it you know? they seem to be loving the fish flake and carrot i gave them yesterday though.

 

[GiantVinegaroon]

I really wouldnt be too concerned if they were frmo an area you absolutely know hasn't been treated with pesticides. If they're from the woods they should be ok, unless you see posts on the trees about how the woods are getting treated to kill gypsy moths...

 

[kharmakazy]

I have a small colony that seems to thrive on only a moist paper towel. I have about 50 of the little guys in a small steralite container with nothing but a paper towel I moisten every day.

You have to remember to keep it moist as they are isopods and they get their oxygen from the moisture.

 

[Miss Bianca]

There's a post on here in the classifieds that their
website has care-sheets and materials (legit leaf litter)..
I think it was called double Ds???
Not sure, but they're worth looking at.. and their prices were not half bad.