It's coming up to that time of the year, 6 long weeks of summer holidays, and you are already searching Google for something to do with your wonderful offspring. But it can get expensive getting craft supplies to make things, or toys to keep them occupied, and even a trip to the local animal park can drain your wallet. So here are some ideas for projects that you and the children will enjoy with isopods.
Setting up an isopod enclosure.
This is a great project as you can alter it to suit most ages. This can be as simple or as complex as you like.
Choosing a container.
There are a couple of things to consider here: how nice do you want it to look, and what's your budget?
You can pick up a 20cm long glass vivarium on Amazon for less than £20. This is more space than you need for most isopods, but the extra space is great for plants and any other decorations you want in there. If that's more than you were looking to spend, then have a look for second-hand fish tanks. I've seen them at car boot sales for a few quid, or look on places like Facebook Marketplace, you can pick up small tanks cheap or even free. Even a large plastic container can be made into a great enclosure.
If you're looking for a real centre piece terrarium, then the sky is the limit. Don't forget that you need to be able to control the humidity, but other than that, go wild. Assuming that these are your first foray into isopods, then I'd go larger rather than smaller. You can get 10 and 12L enclosures that are suitable.
If you want to work out the size of your enclosure in litres, just multiply the height, width, and depth in cm, and then divide by 1000, if it is a cuboid shape.
Substrate
This is an important step, and a bit of extra effort here will make things much easier in the future.
I would avoid soil from your garden in case there are any pesticides or other contaminants. You can buy reptile and invertebrate substrates, or there are a lot of recipes online. Check out our other articles for more info.
Leaf litter
It can be a bit trickier to find leaf litter in the summer, but a walk in a local woods may still provide what you need. The recent heat waves mean that some trees are already dropping their leaves. Otherwise, you can order leaf litter online.
Decorations
Here is where you can really let loose. You want to avoid anything toxic to the isopods, so avoid painted cardboard as the isopods might eat the cardboard, or at least have a nibble.
For younger children
Use some of the larger leaves and help them cut out shapes. Collect rocks and pebbles for going into the enclosure.
For older children
Try to replicate the environment the isopods would have come from. Research the area where the isopods you are going to choose have come from, and then try to replicate it. Delve into the biology of these fascinating creatures, look at how they help recycle nutrients into the soil, and how they are more closely related to crabs than insects.
Choosing the best isopods
Dairy cow isopods (Porcellio Laevis)
If you want something that is incredibly adaptable to different conditions, breeds readily, and looks interesting, then look no further. If you're on a budget, all the better. Their only downside is how fast they breed, but many reptile keepers will take any excess off your hands.
Given how fast they breed, it's important to keep them well fed or they might start to snack on your plants, or other isopods, including their own young. This is also why it's not a good idea to keep them with other species of isopod.
High Yellow Spotted Giant Isopods (Armadillidium Gestroi)
A larger isopod, with a vibrant yellow colour, these are almost as forgiving as Dairy Cows, but don’t breed as fast. Being a larger isopod, they will need a larger container, but a slower breeding rate means that the colony won't outgrow their enclosure as quickly.
Magic Potion Isopods (Armadillidium Vulgare)
Known to be bold and outgoing, these are a wonderful choice for kids who might want to see their new pet out and about. Easy to care for, there is a good chance that you might see your colony grow as they breed. The reduced pigment in the shells means that the yellow and black seem to stand out and, in the right light, almost shimmer.
Powder Orange isopods (Porcellionides Pruinosus)
Smaller than some other species, these are the same species as powder blue and several other species we have. They're easy to care for, although it's recommended not to handle them, although isopods aren't really suitable for frequent handling at all. These are an amazing budget option and a brilliant start to an isopod collection.