Isopods?!

[Froggiefressh]

So people use these isopods to clean there tanks correct? Also if a frog were to eat one is it safe for the frog? Is there certain species that are better other species to have? Wild caught Isopods (rollie pollies is what I'm use to calling them), is it okay to put inside tanks as long as you know it didn't live in pesticides or herbicides? and does the size of the isopod matter? I'm new to these cleaning bugs and I wanna make sure my information is correct! If anyone could get back to me I would greatly appreciate it! Any other comments and concerns are welcomed too!

Thanks,
Greg =)

[JeffreH]

Yes, wild caught isopods are perfectly fine as long as they are harvested from a location that you are 100% confident is safe. The size does not matter either; they all feed on decaying organic matter, fungi, etc. You'll most frequently find them in and around decaying wood that has been laying in the woods, usually in areas that stays fairly damp or wood that almost always stays saturated (they do have gills and require a high moisture content in the environment to thrive).

Isopods are crustaceans, so they differ a bit from the other arthropods we are used to feeding our reptiles. Similarly, they have a shell composed heavely of chitin, but if eaten they can provide a variety of unique micronutrients that would otherwise not be obtained from your traditional feeder insect. I wouldn't advocate feeding them as a primary food source, but if your herp happens to munch on one that is cruising around the viv it shouldn't be an issue.

[Froggiefressh]

Yes, wild caught isopods are perfectly fine as long as they are harvested from a location that you are 100% confident is safe. The size does not matter either; they all feed on decaying organic matter, fungi, etc. You'll most frequently find them in and around decaying wood that has been laying in the woods, usually in areas that stays fairly damp or wood that almost always stays saturated (they do have gills and require a high moisture content in the environment to thrive).

Isopods are crustaceans, so they differ a bit from the other arthropods we are used to feeding our reptiles. Similarly, they have a shell composed heavely of chitin, but if eaten they can provide a variety of unique micronutrients that would otherwise not be obtained from your traditional feeder insect. I wouldn't advocate feeding them as a primary food source, but if your herp happens to munch on one that is cruising around the viv it shouldn't be an issue.

Thank you very much for all the information Jeff! I want to start a colony of them, Would you happen to know a easy way to do it and what it requires?

[JeffreH]

No problem = )

They are incredibly easy to breed - I honestly had them producing in a small sterilite with pretty minimal care kept on some moist soil and some rotting wood. They'll eat a wide variety of decaying and organic matter.

For best results: keep them somewhat moist. Use a potting soil substrate with no fertilizers, spray them daily, and keep some pieces of rotting wood and/or egg flat in there with them to hide in and under and to munch on. Feed them salad items; they'll readily consume a wide variety of greens and veggies, fruits, etc. It also seems like oak leaves are universally good items to add to almost any feeder regimen. I started adding oak leaves to a variety of my roach colonies and used it with isopods as well and they would nibble on them.

[Kristen]

Just curious, if you had wood in your tank would they eat that too?

[JeffreH]

I've never noticed any kind of substantial damage the rotting wood even with large amounts of them in a very small space - I think they actually feed on fungi that may be starting on it or bits that have decayed to a point where they are very, very soft. I wouldn't be concerned at all about wood structures in the vivarium with them = ) I probably made them seem like termites or something by saying they "munch" when in reality it just more of a hiding and moisture resevoir that also serves as a place where food may grow.

[kueluck]

I raise them also, and like Jeff said they are super easy to raise. My toads and frogs won't eat them. If they grab one they spit it out when it rolls up.