Making Easy to Maintain Isopod Bins and Care

I've been keeping isopods for a few years now, but I haven't showcased them on the channel quite like this. That's partly because I usually just use them as part of the cleanup crew, but also because I was trying to figure out how to maintain a proper Rubber Ducky colony.

I've wanted to make a video like this for years and now was finally the time. Jaden randomly sent me a bunch of isopods (I didn't ask for them, nor did he ask me to make a video about them) which meant I had to make a bunch of new colonies. Since I was doing it anyway, I felt that this could be a great way to illustrate how I successfully keep isopods in current day.

As always, keep in mind that this is what works for me and what I'm keeping. I may have downplayed it slightly, but care for each species is specific, even if it's usually just about how wet their home is. Either way, research and considerations should be made accordingly.

Casuarina Cones provided by Fritz Aquatics w/ Paid Promotion

Isopods provided by Featured Creatures

Isopod Substrate Mix
½ Part Charcoal
1 Part Coco Chips
½ Part Coco Fiber
1 Part Orchid Bark
½ Part Sand
1 Part Sphagnum Moss
3 Parts Topsoil

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[SerpaDesign]

MANY of you have been requesting more isopod content for awhile. Hopefully this is what you had in mind. I've been meaning to do something like this for years and now seemed like a great time to do it. I can't wait to show you more about this soon because I'm working on some big things for them in the new animal room. Stay tuned! Thanks for watching and have a great weekend SerpaSquad!

[AntScapes]

I run a store and sell around 40/50 species of isopods alone, I would definitely advise on giving the isopods available calcium in the soil, like egg shells or adding calcium carbonate! Another great video Tanner ❤

[sourcererseven]

for hot-gluing the screen over the holes: silicone mats are great for squishing down the glue as they don't stick to it and are quite heat-resistant. I use a mat made for baking.

[LeTushie]

A little over two years ago I put together a terrarium in a gallon-sized glass jar turned on its side. I gathered advice here for a couple weeks beforehand, and gathered all my ingredients I guess from the back yard. I keep it on my kitchen counter, near a window, so the plants get a little sunlight in the evening. At first, it wasn’t doing great, so I added 13 isopods, also from the back yard, and added a couple little wood sorrels ☘️, and for the next two years I’ve been basically watching my little ecosystem live. I’ve seen countless batches of baby isopods, and I’ve trimmed back the plants that overrun the thing every once in a while. The beetle has since died, but I’ve seen a worm and mushrooms pop up regularly. I have one random isopod, I’ve named Gerald, which is half black and half white, and I’ve been watching it interacting in there for a bit over a year now. Didn’t even know they could live that long!Every few months I give them a small organic purple carrot (they prefer it to orange or non-organic), but I think the last time I used one way too big. In the last couple months or so, this has been the slowest they’ve eaten a carrot, I’ve watched part of it like slowly deflate almost, the sorrels are taking longer to bounce back from the last trim, and the soil looks muddier than ever. I guess I’m glad this video is up because it’s on Monday’s agenda to get the little guys sorted out because I can’t stand to see a jar of bugs just slowly get extinguished in front of me. I guess it’s somewhat of a childhood dream to have pet rollie pollies. I think the plan moving forward is to start feeding leaf litter (what they started with is long gone), maybe throw in a new piece of bark, and add some ventilation…I guess I figured before that they were giving out enough Co2 to keep the plants going and vice versa…anyway, wish me luck, and thanks again ❤

[scisher]

I have followed your bin/substrate method, and I have a classroom with three super productive bins of Isopods. (1. Dairy Cow, 2. Orange Cream, 3. A Local species mix)

This set up works GREAT!

[henrystp]

It’s like you said, Tanner. Roley poleys instill a child-like wonder in us. Thank you for this video!

[zeejacks]

tanner you have amazing timing, i have just been looking into caring for some simpler to maintain pets like isopods or jumping spiders! having you as a guide makes me feel so much more confident

[carloslucena]

Man, I wish I was an isopod only to live in one of those boxes made by you. I love how much you care about every detail.

[CobraCreates]

I love my isopods! I have a colony of zebras and a colony of yellow spotted (and a wild type colony that lives with my gargoyle gecko). They're so cute and so easy to take care of. The yellow spotted isopods live in a terrarium that I made to look like a bamboo forest, so they look like giant bugs wandering the trees. The only reason I don't have more colonies is because of space. I'm so jealous of your new animal room, I look forward to how you fill it in :)

[thatsleepybirb]

These little guys are great. I used to go in my garden and let em walk on my hand sometimes. Also, in Dutch, they’re called “Pissebed” which, if you mix it up a bit to “Pisse bed” it’s roughly translates to “Pee bed” lol

[empressakitla]

We always called them rollie-pollies. Though, once I discovered that more than the wild gray Armadillidiums exist, my dad decided that Porcellios are called flatty-splattys.

I started with Zebras and eventually got Dairy Cows and now have A. nasatum “peach”. One day I’d love to get a hold of some Rubber Duckies. You’re so right. Telling people that there’s such a wide variety of isopods opens up some interesting conversations.

Thanks for the video! It helped me to recognize some areas I can improve in with my isopod care.

[erinverity]

My 7-year-old daughter absolutely loves roll pollies and I am excited to see they can be kept. This is a great first pet with help. Thank you for the video!

[Letycs]

I've always wanted this kind of information, there's a large colony that lives in the brick pillar next to my house. When I take my dogs out at night I watch them do their thing and love to see the ity bity babies. They do look less flat like these here and more rounded though.

[angei]

I've been waiting for a new video about your Isopods. 😍✨Me and my friend have gone through all your old videos from you like a million times. Proud to say that all my darlings are now thriving, they been alive and well two whole years. Thank you so much, it's people like you who help others find their passion.

[ProximaCentauri]

FINALLY! I miss your isopods Tanner! You're the person wo introduced me to isopods through your channel. Thanks a lot for this video! I'm excited for more.

[plantpodpalace]

This is the video I needed when I started keeping isopods. Thorough with good explanations. I would’ve been able to skip so much trial and error if I’d used this guide from the beginning.

[TheSeptemberRose]

YAY! Isopods!!!! After watching this video, I realize that I bother my isopods too much. I feed them almost every day and mist them. I have them in a couple of glass tanks with mesh lids meant for reptiles. I do block off part of the lids though to hold in moisture and I installed hygrometers because last year I lost 2 colonies due to a very dry winter. Thank you Tanner for all your valuable

[jmarshal]

This is great! I just got my first pods and made them a little home and I’m hoping they will be happy! They’re mostly for terrariums but I’ve always loved isopods so I’m happy just to have them hanging about. Thanks for the informative video 😊

[mfhex]

Putting a lot of thought and care into those often overlooked little fellas, just awesome imho :) Looks like they are living their best life!

[parmerapps]

Can anyone else totally see 8:39 becoming a GIF? It's niche, but we're a niche Serpasquad. . . 😅

Anyways, looks like my next project is keeping Isopods. It excites me to see you establishing so many long-term vivarium supply sources, Tanner. I get the sense that big things lie up ahead!