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The 3 Foods Both Roaches and Isopods Love

Feeding Roaches and

Isopods

I am often asked what I use as a stable diet for roaches and for isopods, and if there is anything that will feed both.  The answer is yes and yes.  We feed three items to our roaches and to our isopods universally.  I will go into each food type that we use.  Those are not the only food items that we feed to our roaches and Isopods.  For instance, we feed or roaches a variety of vegetables and fruits in addition the to three universal items.  Those food items vary based upon the species.  Some roaches love oranges, for instance, while others ignore them.  Some are picky and some are not.  Most roaches eat good quality cat food, which is high in protein.

The three staple food items that our roaches and Isopods receive are;

  1.  Fish food flakes.  We use tropical fish flakes and gold fish food flakes for all of our roaches and isopods.  They all seem to devour it.  Good cat food contains about 27% protein, but fish food flakes contains 42% crude protein.  The fish food also has calcium, vitamin d and various vitamins and minerals that roaches and isopods need.   We buy the brand below by the case.  You can get it in smaller containers for less, and you can also use other manufacturers but this is what we use.

 

[phpbay keywords=”Tetra Fish food” num=”3″ siteid=”1″ sortorder=”BestMatch” freeshipping=”true” templatename=”columns” columns=”3″ paging=”true”]

shadow-ornament

2.  The 2nd thing that we feed to our roaches and isopods is Brewers yeast.  We have not yet found an isopod species that does not love Brewer's yeast.  Roaches seem to eat it also.  We feed this week.  Brewer's yeast contains B vitamins and is a by-product for the beer making process.  Maybe that's why they like it.  This is the type that we use, and it smells great.
[phpbay keywords="Brewers Yeast" num="3" siteid="1" sortorder="BestMatch" freeshipping="true" templatename="columns" columns="3" paging="true"]

3.  The third food that our roaches and isopods love are leaves.  Most species of roaches and isopods love leaves.  They especially love Pecan, Oak and Sugar Maple leaves, in that order.  At least that is what our findings have been here with our 60 isopod and roach species that we grow here on our farm.

The video below is of some of our roach species eating leaves.  I apologize for the video quality.  I am still learning to make and edit video.

If you would like Pecan, Oak or Maple leaves just let us know.  We have them at great prices. Send me a message at Contact Support if you can't find them.

Please tell us what you feed to your roaches and isopods below.  Upload some pictures of your species eating eating what you feed to them.

Thank you.

Ken

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5 Reasons to NOT Throw out Your Christmas Tree!!

In a couple of days, millions of Christians will throw out their live Christmas trees.  This usually happens on New Year’s Day.  Instead, put that tree to good use.

  1. christmas tree
    Christmas Tree

  1.  Pine needles are devoured by Spanish Isopods so save those needles and get yourself some Spanish Isopods like Porcellio Ornatus, Porcellio Hoffmanseggi or Porcellio Magnificus and feed them some needles.
  2.  Chip that tree up, age it a bit and use the mulch for worm bedding, Isopod substrate or substrate for many roaches that love rotting wood like Surinam Roaches, and Zebra Roaches.
    Zebra Roaches

    Surinam Roaches

  3.  Cut the tree up and place the logs on the ground outside and attract wild Isopods like oniscus asellus (Skirted Isopods), Porcellio Scaber (Rough Isopods) and Wood Roaches.
  4.  Cut the tree trunk into 2″ disks and place in your Isopod and Roach enclosures to provide them places to hide.
  5.  If you live in an area where burning is permitted, then burn the leftover trimmings and use the potash as a fertilizer in your garden soil.  Mix it with worm castings and give your plants a boost.

Do you have other uses that you can think of for Christmas trees?  If so, Please post them below!

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Armadillidium Nasatum Peach Isopod Care Sheet

Armadillidium Nasatum

“Peach”

Nosy Roly Poly

Armadillidium Nasatum Peach Isopods, also known as Nosy Roly Poly,  are color morphs of normal Armadillidium Nasatum which originally came from Europe.

They look a great deal like Armadillidium Vulgare, but they are more sleek and smaller.  They also have a bump in the front of their anterior between their antennae.  They do roll up into a protective ball when disturbed, just like regular common roly poly’s.

Nosy Roly Poly Isopods are very easy to care for.  Please see our video and care info below.

Housing: Any container

Food Preferences: Vegetables, dried leaves, grasses, decaying matter and rabbit poop.

Temp Requirements: 65 Degrees up to about 85 Degrees. The cold and extreme heat can kill Armadillidium Nasatum

Breeding: They will breed readily if cared for properly. They will begin breeding before reaching full size

Substrate: leaf mold, coconut coir or peat moss substrate slightly damp.

Difficulty Rating: Easy

Size: .65 inches.

Humidity: slightly humid

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Armadillidium Vulgare-Rollie Pollies

Rollie Pollies

 

Armadillidium vulgare, also known as the “Pill Bug” and “Rollie Pollie” is a common isopod that rolls into a protective ball when disturbed.

The can get to be almost 3/4 of an inch long.  Vulgare is very interesting in that it can tolerate drier conditions and also is known to Sun themselves on cold days.  I have caught our Rollie Pollies sunning themselves in our greenhouse on cold days.  On hotter days they will hide under rocks and debris.

Rollie Pollies will eat decaying vegetation and have also been known to be found eating rabbit droppings.  At least I have caught them hanging out in rabbit droppings.  I am guessing that they were eating them.

Rollie Pollies were introduced into the U.S. from Europe and can pretty much be found everywhere.  They enter a state of dormancy in winter in order to survive the cold.

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Temp Requirements:  [types field=’temp-requirements’][/types]

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[phpbay keywords=”isopods” num=”3″ siteid=”1″ sortorder=”BestMatch” templatename=”default” itemsperpage=”10″ paging=”true”]

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Rolly Pollies Remove Heavy Metals From Soil, Stabilize Growing Conditions, Protect Groundwater

Armadillidium vulgare

This is very interesting.  We have heard recently that Mealworms eat plastic and Waxworms eat Styrofoam, but now the Roly Poly might actually be helping us by removing heavy metals from the soil.  Get some Isopods and save the Earth.  This give an entirely new meaning to the term “clean-up crew” when applied to Isopods in terrariums.

We will have Armadillidium Vulgare, which is the species that this story is about, when the weather warms up again.  We have some beautiful morphs. Check out the pics below.   The story is below also.

Armadillidium Vulgare
Roly Poly Isopods

 

https://www.naturalblaze.com/2017/06/study-finds-rolly-pollies-remove-heavy-metals-from-soil.html

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13 Isopods and Care Information

Armadillidium Vulgare

We have about 40 different species of Isopods here.   Trust me, that is a lot of isopods.  I made a video of three species of Spanish Isopods a few days ago.  That one covered Hoffmanseggi, Magnificus and Porcellio Ornatus “Dark South”.   That post is here. 

This video covers 13 different isopods.  Those are:

  1.   Porcellionides Floria “Flowery Blue”
  2.   Trichorhina Tomentosa “Dwarf White Isopod”
  3.   Cylisticus Convexus “Curly Isopod”
  4.   Armadillidium Maculatum “Zebra” isopod.
  5.   Armadillidium Vulgare “Roly Poly”
  6.   Porcellio Spinicornis
  7.   Porcellio Scaber
  8.   Armadillidium Nastium “Peach”
  9.   Trachelipus rathkii 
  10.   Porcellionides Pruinosis “Orange”
  11.   Porcellio Ornatus  “High Yellow”
  12.   Armadillidium S.P. “Montenegro”
  13.   Porcellio Laevis “Smooth Isopod.

I will link to care information for each one as soon as I get the chance.  I will just post brief care info now and then do more later.  I hope that you enjoy the video.  The text in the video is hard to see which is why I am duplicating that here.Thank you for stopping in.

Ken

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New Additions To Our Isopod Collection

We are happy to announce three new additions to our isopod collection.  We recently acquired groups of  Porcellio Magnificus, Porcellio Hoffmanseggi and Porcellio Ornatus “Dark South”.

All three Porcellio species are from Spain and prefer enclosures with airflow and kept on the drier side.  We have tried to mimic the dry Spanish forest floor in order to keep them happy.  The addition of Rosemary leaves seems to have perked them up a bit and they love goldfish flakes and Alfalfa grass.  We also keep them on a continuous diet of Pecan and Sugar Maple leaves.

 

Magnificus and Hoffmangessi
P. Ornatus “Dark South”
How the homes look for Spanish Isopods
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Leaves for Isopods and Roaches

The leaves of hardwood trees are eagerly devoured by Isopods and some roaches.  In fact, there are some species of roaches that cannot survive without oak leaves in their diet.  Leaves also make an outstanding substrate for many species of reptiles, snakes, spiders and invertebrates.

We grow Pecan, Oak and Maple trees on our farm and we now have freshly dried leaves for you for just $4.95 per gallon + actual shipping costs.  That is a deal and a steal.  Get your 2017 freshly picked and dried leaves today and watch your invertebrates devour them.

Pick the type of leaves you want in the drop down menu, or order our Premium Leaf Mix which contains Pecan, Oak and Maple leaves mixed in gallon bags.

We will ship your leaves out when we get your order and will will ship USPS Ground to save you money, unless you specify otherwise, and then you only pay for the actual shipping cost.

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Skirted Isopod Care Sheet

Skirted Isopods

Skirted Isopods

oniscus asellus

Skirted Isopods, are one of the larger isopods.  We have had some grow larger than Giant Scaber and to almost the size of Canyon Isopods.

They are characterized by their outer fringe which resembles a skirt.  We have developed black and brown Skirted Isopods as you will see in the pictures below.

They are found under the bark of fallen trees in nature.  They are active when disturbed but seem to enjoy spending their time in communities under bark.

 

Provide them with a large container with coconut coir substrate, peat moss or leaf mold.  Also provide rotting sticks and logs for them to climb on and eat.  They enjoy eating the leaves of hardwood trees.

 

They also love eating Brewer’s Yeast, fish food flakes and carrot and potato slices.

 

Keep them between 65 and 80 degrees for best growth and breeding.

Mist the enclosure, substrate and hiding spots but do not make it wet.

Skirted Isopods
Skirted Isopods

 

 

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Porcellio Ornatus- High Yellow

Porcellio ornatus

Porcellio Ornatus is a colorful Spanish Isopod.  It is one of the easier Spanish Isopods to raise and breed, but it still requires some care and balance.

P. Ornatus likes it on the drier side like Zebra Isopods do, but they do need a moist section, about 25%, with places to hide in that moist area.  The rest of their enclosure can and should be drier.

They will eat dead leaves, fish food flakes, bakers years, vegetables and fruits. Just be sure to feed sparingly so as not to cause mold and mite issues.

P. Ornatus likes it warmer than most isopods to.  Keeping them between 70 and 80 degrees will ensure success.

We have created higher/drier spots in their enclosure so that they can climb and regulate their own moisture requirements.

Porcellio ornatus