So, you decided to get some isopods, but where should you start?
Do you have everything you need?
This article is a basic checklist for you to ensure you have a great start in isopod keeping.
- Enclosure of your choice:
- Free of chemicals.
- Must have ventilation.
- Must maintain desired humidity (make adjustments to vents as needed).
- Here's how we make ours:
- Good substrate:
- Pesticide free with organic material.
- Rotted Wood
- Leaf Litter
- Calcium Source (preferably crushed/powdered):
- Calcium Carbonate Powder
- Oyster Shells
- Eggshells
- Bone
- Cuttlebone
- Sphagnum Moss (Hydration Station)
- (Clean) Spray Bottle for misting
- Isopods
- You can check out our recommendations here.
Typically, this is enough to get started. You can monitor, maintain, and create the schedule that works best for you and your setup. Depending on your setup, you may need to water (mist) 1-2x per day or 1x each week.
With the start of a good substrate, wood, and decaying plant material (such as leaves) you should have enough food to get the colony started. Below are some optional additions (which may not be needed immediately but optional starts and occasional add-ons).
- Supplemental Food (as needed):
- Pre-packaged isopod food (typically dry powder mix)
- Organic veggie scraps
- Organic protein scraps
- Hides (or Hideouts)
- Magnolia Seed Pods
- Lotus Seed Pods
- Sweetgum Balls
- Acorn Caps
- Egg Cartons
- Cork Bark
- Springtail Culture
- Springtails assist keeping the enclosure clean.
Please check out our other Care Tips for more details on these items. We are working to bring starter kits to our shop in the future, until then we have linked a few of our products to assist your start! We hope this helps you jumpstart into isopod keeping and thank you for stopping by!