I have fallen in love with isopods!

I love watching things grow.  I originally got some isopods out of curiosity and then I became fascinated with the variety of species.  I find that different species breed better, move faster, prefer to burrow, prefer crevices in wood. 

Today, I finally felt that I had good colony sizes that I did a mass seeding to my gecko tanks.  I am looking forward to seeing how the different species fare.  

Calicos

Calicos

dairy cows

Isopod feeding response to bee pollen

I have been reading and learning about isopods.  I have seen a few feeding suggestions.  I am trying out some new foods and monitoring for their feeding response.

Experiment #1: Bee pollen

They had a great feeding response and cleared it out in less than 30 minutes.

Amazing Isopods

I have fallen in love with my bugs.  I think it takes me back to my childhood.

I originally got them to seed my gecko tanks.  Now, I am enjoying all of the species.

 

                                          Armadillidium maculatum “Zebra Pillbug”

                                  Armadillidium maculatum “Zebra Pillbug”

Wild caught Armadillidium

Porcellionides pruinosus 'Powder Orange'

Porcellionides pruinosus 'Powder Orange'

Porcellio Scaber (Dalmation)

                                                                Porcellionides pruinosus

                                                         Armadillidium maculatum “Zebra Pillbug”

Wild caught Armadillidium

Dwarf White Isopods and Springtails

Porcellionides pruinosus 'Powder Orange'

                                                               Armadillidium maculatum “Zebra Pillbug”

                                                                Porcellionides pruinosus

Wild caught Armadillidium

Porcellionides pruinosus 'Powder Orange'

Live food- one of the wonderful things I have learned about through having my critters

I had a coworker say to me- "who knows that".   I have found that I have learned so much more than I ever intended by having my newt/salamander/gecko hobby.  The place where I suprise myself is with their food.  I have just as many types of food as I have critters.

I am dedicating this post to my critters live food.

European night crawlers- less bitter than redworms and heartier and easier to keep than Canadian nightcrawlers.

Black worms- these guys have their own mini-fridge and need daily showers.  The newts love them.

White worms- great for small newts and larvae.  They arenot wone of my favorites because they are more work.

Daphnia- fresh water crustaceans.  I tend to purchase and then can feed for a few weeks before I run out.

Brine shrimp- salt water crustaceans.  These are good for the very smallest larva.  

Isopods (aquatic)- very small freshwater crustaceans.  These are the little things that you don't see until you turn out your lights and shine a light. 

Isopods (terrestrial) & Springtails

 Fruit flies- great for new terrestrial larvae

Superworms- are exactly what they sound like.  Superworms are the super sized versions of mealworms.

Meal worms-  I grow these at home- the critters eat the worm.  The worms pupate and become beetles that lay eggs that grow more worms.

Butter worms- low in fat and high in protien. 

Pheonix worms- good in protien.  Not especially lively- I wish they moved more to draw attention.

Hornworms- an eye catching treat.  They are full of protien and soft and wonderful.

Bean beatles - Good protien and a next step up from fruit flies.  The beans lay their eggs in the beans and then the larva chew there way through the bean.

Dubia roaches- better protien than crickets and can produce them at home without noise or smell.

Crickets- easy to obtain and move in a stimulating way.