rolli polli bugs food?

Longbord1

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 13, 2003
Messages
1,217
are those little bugs in my backyard that roll up into balls good food for my baby obt also are little milipedes also good?:? :? :confused:
 

nemesis6sic6

Arachnoangel
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 1, 2003
Messages
809
Hello

Hi I use Pill bugs only for my big T's but for maintinace not for eating but my big Ts eat them any ways and they are fine yet I dunno if its good for them. Although watch out for hitchhickers on the pill bugs might have some mites on it and we dont want that thrust me. any ways have a nice day
geo
 

Paladin

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 20, 2002
Messages
535
well i put in a somewhat large wood louse (i think thats the name, its kinda like a rolli polli but its more flat and doesnt curl thing in my rosies's tank. For weeks it stayed alive somehow and was doing a good job of eating cricket legs that left over. this was cool until it died and left behind billions of babies.

so i dont think they'll cause any harm IMO
 

luther

Arachnodemon
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 8, 2003
Messages
679
Shultz suggests in TKG that pill millipedes may be able to cohabit with Ts, cleaning up food bolus and remains and keeping the tank stable. I've not tried this. He reports rumors that Ts are less likely to attack pill millipedes for some reason, allowing them to live in peace and harmony.
Giant Pill Millipedes have a reputation for being difficult to keep alive in captivity more than a few months, seemingly starving to death because they can't digest their food. I'd therefore recomend against them. Pill millipedes from your back garden or house may be tainted with all manner of toxins, so I'd stop if the T eats them.
That's my thoughts. Good luck. Please report back on any results you get, 'cos I'm interested in this possible mini ecosystem as a simple way to keep my tanks clean.
 

Mendi

Arachnowolf
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 19, 2002
Messages
1,385
I've kept thm in a couple of my enclosuers for their cleaning abilities and they do a wonderful job. But they like a moist loving species to keep them going, so are perfect for a T.blondi and that type T. But, if you are needing an expendable cleanup crew they will last a week or so in other enclosures. The only ones that were ever eaten were the ones that I put in with my Emperor scorpions... But, they are pigs and ate everything ;)
 

Harry

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jul 4, 2003
Messages
40
would anyone know where you could buy pill bugs so you don't have to risk poisoning your T?
 

deifiler

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Feb 22, 2003
Messages
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[johnnyjohnjohn voice] Wildcaught food isn't too bright an idea, I learnt the hard way... [/johnnyjohnjohn voice]

I actually posted a friend some woodlice (pill bugs?) so they could live with the spider, as they eat the fungus. He seemed pretty pleased with them anyway
 

LCDXX

Arachnosquire
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 10, 2003
Messages
136
I've read about this in different forums for a long time and I took it upon myself to try it out. I use pill bugs (grey ones that curl and brownish-grey ones that don't) with a great success, although cleaning up major boluses is still a necessity: my A. seemani will naw on up to 5 crix in one feeding leaving behind a rather unsightly mess of a bolus.

I have them in all of my tanks (5), some partitioned others not, and they seem to do a remarkable job particularly where high humidity and mold factors are involved. They don't seem to do well in dryer environments, though.

As for collecting these bugs in the wild, my only recommendation (should you pursue it) is to collect yer specimens in or around a woodpile that is not in any direct contact with a well-maintained lawn. I use a number of fertilizers on my grass, but I have a natural compost area a good 10 yards from where my lawn starts. Sure there is a cross-contamination factor to consider, but I took the chance, progessively with each setup, and have found no ill effects with them. I've used this cohabitat method for over 2 months.

LCDXX
 
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