Armadillidium vulgare- rolly polli's

[Gaerei]

See nothing toxic about them. Only thinking that they may be a bit hard. I can find these literally on my front porch. I figure they'd be an easy, quick colony. No intentions on making them a staple, but something to subsitute the crix with maybe 1 or 2x a week. Any thoughts?

 

[Lizardlover]

Isopods make good food sources for once in a while basises(sp) just keep them in a critter keeper with places to hide organic soil and food (shed superworm skin, or cricket skin, lettuce, anything crix would eat) and in a short while you will have a fresh colony, they are high in calcium because of their shells too.

 

[kylerenz]

Isopods make good food sources for once in a while basises(sp) just keep them in a critter keeper with places to hide organic soil and food (shed superworm skin, or cricket skin, lettuce, anything crix would eat) and in a short while you will have a fresh colony, they are high in calcium because of their shells too.

How hard is it to start a colony of these because they are all over the place in Washington?

 

[Gaerei]

Isopods.... Perhaps thats why nothing came up in a search for "rolly polli" with a y, ey, or double i.

 

[Lizardlover]

Just supply the necessary materials and keep it nice and moist (they breathe through gills) and you should have a nice colony going if you collect the right amount of wild one to make sure you have males and females, its not that hard one youve started it.

 

[kylerenz]

Good to know that will be another feeder to offer once it warms up around here. I could probably find 100 hundred of them in my yard just lifting up rocks.

 

[ciafardo 4]

They are kinda small though do veileds panthers etc. take them or just the smaller species?

 

[sandrachameleon]

My adult panther LOVE them. Excellent enrichment feeder.

Better to start your own colony than to use wild caught ones (ok to start with your colony with wc ones), because isopods are heavy metal bioaccumulators.
Very easy to keep and breed.

I posted some info about them here: https://www.chameleonforums.com/isopods-16457/

 

[Gaerei]

Good to know that will be another feeder to offer once it warms up around here. I could probably find 100 hundred of them in my yard just lifting up rocks.

You dont even have to wait that long! Im not sure if there is a ton of snow in WA right now, but they're probably "sleeping" under that same rock they'll ne under all summer. Its below 30 here in PA, but I figure I can still gather a good amount tomorrow. I saw some today under some old wood I was moving around in my boss' yard. Thats what made me ask in the first place.