What are isopods?

[Spidercrazy]

I keep hearing people talk about them but i have yet to find out what they are. So a few questions before people answer.

1) What are they?
2) Are they harmful to tarantula's?
3) if so what ones aren't safe and are safe?
4) what do they do?

:?:?

 

[hassman789]

i am not entirly sure. i think they kinda clean up your tank. i think they are unharmful. they look like rolly pollys... i think. but i kind of have the same question as you

 

[Spidercrazy]

i am not entirly sure. i think they kinda clean up your tank. i think they are unharmful. they look like rolly pollys... i think. but i kind of have the same question as you

Well let's both hope someone helps because i really need to know.

 

[pouchedrat]

land crustacean. harmless to tarantulas completely, but they possibly eat millipede eggs. They eat up mold, dead leaves, and such in the tank, great for wet terrariums. I love using them in everything, and I've notice significant decrease in mold whenever they're added, within days.

I don't think any readily available isopods are harmful.... even giant ocean ones if it were even possible to keep them, lol

 

[fangsalot]

http://www.vwreducation.com/glencoe/pdf/Land-Isopods.pdf and they are safe for your T.they help keep there substrate clean from mold and fungus and other things you dont want like dead crickets.ive heard some T's eat them so sometimes you have to replenish the numbers

 

[fangsalot]

you beat me to it pouch

 

[Spidercrazy]

land crustacean. harmless to tarantulas completely, but they possibly eat millipede eggs. They eat up mold, dead leaves, and such in the tank, great for wet terrariums. I love using them in everything, and I've notice significant decrease in mold whenever they're added, within days.

I don't think any readily available isopods are harmful.... even giant ocean ones if it were even possible to keep them, lol

what about "large white springtail" and its 50 for $8 and i was wondering if thats safe for my T? and another question.
Will my tarantula eat them? and if so will it harm them?

 

[kripp_keeper]

I know there is one case of isopods eating the fangs off a freshly molted T. blondi. I'm to lazy to search for it now though.

Edit- found the link- http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=121315&highlight=isopods,+fangs

 

[Richard McJimsey]

1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oniscidea
2) Generally no, although there has been occurances on preying upon a vulnerable (ie molting/freshly molted) T.
3) If they're CB, they're almost surely safe.
4) They eat leftover food, mold, and other unwanted debris.

 

[Spidercrazy]

so i could go into my back yard and pull them out from under a rock? and theyd be fine?

 

[super-pede]

what about "large white springtail" and its 50 for $8 and i was wondering if thats safe for my T?

Why would they sell them here if they would harm your T's?:?:wall:

 

[Spidercrazy]

Why would they sell them here if they would harm your T's?:?:wall:

well as stated in a post i read "if they get hungry enough they will kill and feed on a molting tarantula..." thats why i was asking...

 

[Galapoheros]

I wouldn't worry much about pill bugs harming larger Ts while they are molting, but I can def see some problems with slings molting out in the open. Ime, it also seems to me that the faster isopods people call sow bugs are a little more aggressive than the slower pill bugs that can roll up into a ball. So I prefer the slower pill bugs. I have 100s of the faster ones in my roach containers but my supply of feeders is doing fine.

 

[BrynWilliams]

it depends if your rock could've come into contact with pesticides...

I've read it's much safer to start a colony with the ones from outside and then wait for the second or third generation to use in enclosures

so i could go into my back yard and pull them out from under a rock? and theyd be fine?

 

[Spidercrazy]

it depends if your rock could've come into contact with pesticides...

I've read it's much safer to start a colony with the ones from outside and then wait for the second or third generation to use in enclosures

well i live in a secluded part of the woods for from a lot of people,so is it safe because i have had neither:
1) my parents spray pesticides
2) or any of my neighbors

 

[GiantVinegaroon]

well i live in a secluded part of the woods for from a lot of people,so is it safe because i have had neither:
1) my parents spray pesticides
2) or any of my neighbors

As long as you are 100% positive that no one in the area uses pesticides, then they'd probably be safe. I have an isopod colony in the works. I'm not sure if the area I got them from was exposed to pesticides(it's by a beekeeping house) but I'm just gonna let them breed and feed and I'm sure eventually any pesticides in there will eventually go away.

 

[flyguycolorado]

So last weekend for mother’s day I was working on the yard with my mother and found a good amount of iso’s, about 30; I put them in a deli cup with moist substrate/eco earth. I am waiting for them to reproduce for safe use but does anyone know how long this can take? Also what are the best thing/things to feed them? I just dropped them in and left them to eat dirt. I know for a fact that in the last three years there has been no use of pesticides in the yard do you think I need to wait for them to colonize? I know I need more than I have so I would like to get them started; any advice?

 

[GiantVinegaroon]

So last weekend for mother’s day I was working on the yard with my mother and found a good amount of iso’s, about 30; I put them in a deli cup with moist substrate/eco earth. I am waiting for them to reproduce for safe use but does anyone know how long this can take? Also what are the best thing/things to feed them? I just dropped them in and left them to eat dirt. I know for a fact that in the last three years there has been no use of pesticides in the yard do you think I need to wait for them to colonize? I know I need more than I have so I would like to get them started; any advice?

It took me about a month before I noticed babies running around. Feed dead leaves, fish flakes, dead bugs, veggies, fruits, etc.

 

[cacoseraph]

you are also watching out for diseases, not just pesticides

 

[flyguycolorado]

thanks, thats what i was thinking but just wanted to be sure- THIS IS A SIDE THING SO IF IT WORKS GOOD IT IF DOSN'T THEN O-WELL.