Whip Spider and Isopods for food

[Rinfish]

Hey guys!

I was considering getting some isopods for the bottom of my whispider's enclosure. I thought they would be a good solution for the humidity and potential mold problem. Reading that they quickly reproduce however, I was wondering if they might become a good food source for my spider.

I've got her in an exoterra nano tall enclosure with one huge piece of cork bark that she switches sides on. Isopods do climb sometimes, so do you think she'd be able to make good use of them?

 

[chanda]

I don't know if she'll eat isopods or not, but whip spiders will come down to the ground to hunt at night.

 

[pannaking22]

What species of whip, how large is it, and what species of isopod are you thinking of getting? Whips will eat the isopods if they need a snack, but the size of the isopod will influence whether it's edible or not. Too many isopods could cause some stress for the whip if they're always climbing up the bark. Some isopod species don't reproduce very quickly though, so that wouldn't be a cause of concern for a long time.

 

[Rinfish]

I dont know the exact Genus but its the same type in the photo (which I found online) below. Her abdomen is only and inch, maybe less, i'm unsure of how big she'll be full grown.

I was looking at this page: http://shop.bugsincyberspace.com/Isopods_c15.htm and thinking of either the Zebra or Calico varieties.


You're right that they might cause her stress, I figured she'd be happy to eat them as they came but if there are too many, that would definitely be an issue. The starter back for Zebras comes with 8 individuals, do you think they would grow to be too many?

 

[pannaking22]

Ok, genus Damon then, probably D. diadema. I'd recommend against the zebras just because they are rather expensive for a cleanup crew, though I agree they're one of the prettier species. The 15 ct of gray Porcellio will be best I think for what you need and for price. You should get a variety of sizes and that species is still relatively slow growing/reproducing. Adults will be the perfect size for an adult D. diadema to eat and they should make an easy snack when they are smaller too.

 

[Rinfish]

Ok, genus Damon then, probably D. diadema. I'd recommend against the zebras just because they are rather expensive for a cleanup crew, though I agree they're one of the prettier species. The 15 ct of gray Porcellio will be best I think for what you need and for price. You should get a variety of sizes and that species is still relatively slow growing/reproducing. Adults will be the perfect size for an adult D. diadema to eat and they should make an easy snack when they are smaller too.

Yes! Actually, that is her species, I couldnt remember the name of it. Thank you, your reply has been incredibly helpful. =)