pill bugs?

[Mandi]

will do, Im going to drop a few in with my rosea since it doesnt burrow, theyll probably never see each other

Im going to keep a few in a spare kk and see if i can get them to reproduce for my other tanks

any tips on how to breed them?

 

[port513]

I have a tropical species so I don't know if this apply to yours.

I keep mine in about 30C its about 86F and feed them with fish flakes, they breed like crazy in this setup

 

[Mandi]

hmm ill try that do they need to be in the dark?

 

[juggalo69]

Try this
http://insected.arizona.edu/isoinfo.htm

 

[Mandi]

Thanks ninja!!

 

[Jmadson13]

Pill bugs have been fantastic for my T. tanks. I also like to toss some nightcrawlers into my T. blondi tanks. Really keeps everything clean.

 

[Mandi]

dont night crawlers have to be kept cold? I forgot to put some in the fridge once and they all turned into this gooey white stuff by the next morning

 

[critterz]

I didn't think T's even ate pillbugs. I've used them before with avics, but never with terrestrials, so I don't have any proof of this.

 

[Rob1985]

I live in the middle of no where. My house is surrounded by woods, and a little bayou/coullie thing (uh thats a creek for you yankie people)

I am originally from Texas. Born and raised!!!! Not "Yank" not by choice :wall: BTW I am waiting till it get warm here to get some pill bugs for my T's. :razz:

 

[Elizabeth]

I didn't think T's even ate pillbugs. I've used them before with avics, but never with terrestrials, so I don't have any proof of this.

I had never seen my Ts eat the pillbugs or sowbugs, but someone had said their Ts eat them. Then, with some new tiny slings to care for, I finally saw it: Ts eating pillbugs! So, yeah, it can happen! But the larger Ts, even the larger slings, seem to ignore them.

I understand the concern about contamination, but I am not convinced that isopods collect contaminants. Is there any science behind that? Or is it just rumored?

 

[Jmadson13]

dont night crawlers have to be kept cold? I forgot to put some in the fridge once and they all turned into this gooey white stuff by the next morning

As long as the substrate is deep and moist enough they've seemed to do quite well. the surface temp of my blondi's is somewhere between 75-78 degrees and I havn't yet had a problem.

 

[MysticKigh]

What was wrong with the first link provided? That is in the US, isn't it?

You aren't asking where to collect them in the US, are you?


Personally, I do collect my own, plus I keep a thriving colony in with my crickets in a large critter keeper. I don't experience the "stinky crickets" that others mention, and I am betting it is the presence of all the pillbugs and sowbugs!

I've been using them for years and they work great. Haven't had any problems yet.

What a wonderful idea... I so loathe the cricket tank cleaning duty... maybe I could slow it a bit this way. What about dead crickets? Will they eat those as well?

 

[Elizabeth]

Yes, they pretty much eat it if it had an organic origin and it is dead. Fantastic cleaners!

By the way, for easy collection of them and also for a damp spot for them, I have a piece of bark propped near the ground. There are always a bunch under the bark.

Set-up is deep substrate (several inches), shallow fresh water dish, bark. Food thrown in. Crickets thrown in. If I am between crickets, I do throw in some left-overs for the other creatures. Smells fine, as in no appreciable smell ever.