What to do when it’s too hot - Isopods For Sale UK | PostPods

What to do when it’s too hot

 I’m writing this from a rare warm day in the UK, and when it gets hot, it’s unbearable, for us, but also some of our isopods may start to struggle.


One of the main issues for isopods will be the change in humidity, or more accurately the amount of moisture in the air. Luckily the UK tends to have humidity along with the heat. But if the enclosure is exposed to direct sunlight the humidity might drop. In my opinion, this is more of a concern than the rise in temperature.  


Potential other issues


 Among all the other issues our changing temperatures can have leaving a window open is one. Not that having some fresh air is an issue, but you might forget to close it and allow the temperature to drop. Leading to the opposite issue. On the same lines if you have air conditioning in your house watch the temperatures around the enclosures. If you have your heating on a thermostat consider one that can alert you if temps get too low or too high.


The most important piece of advice


 Don’t panic

 

Yes, it gets warm, often a bit too warm for us humans, but most species of isopod we keep are from tropical, subtropical, or at least warm temperate regions. That means that the temperature itself is unlikely to harm them, although for some temperate species, they can suffer if kept too warm for a long period of time.


Also, check the temperature in the spot where they tend to live. You may well find that the damp soil under the leaf litter is a few degrees cooler, meaning that they are able to escape the worst of the heat. If they are a burrowing species check what the temperature is like in the substrate itself.


Keeping the humidity up


Pop a container of water in the enclosure to help keep the humidity up, you can also mist everything regularly. Depending on your substrate and the drainage you can often just make sure that the substrate is wetter than normal. But again keep an eye on the parameters as you might find the humidity goes too high, or alters as temperatures fluctuate during the day.


Actively cooling the enclosure


Place a damp towel over the enclosure assuming it’s safe, as the water evaporates it will draw off the heat. If you have a fan, point it to blow across the towel. Again keep an eye on the temperature as this can be surprisingly effective in cooling things down.


Close curtains of a morning


The main source of heat inside the house is from the sun. If you close the curtains in the morning you will trap the warmer air outside. 



Adding ice to your enclosure


In general, this is a bad idea, in the very short term this will rapidly cool a small area, but almost immediately the temperature will start to rise. Instead, focus on the other ideas to cool the entire enclosure.


Choosing species that can tolerate a wide range of temperatures.


Choosing the right species is the key part of ensuring that you have a stress-free summer and winter.


Dubrovnik Isopods (Armadillidium Klugii)


With a range of temperatures from 24-32 ºC you might need to provide heat for these isopods in the colder parts of the year, but they shouldn't struggle even the warmest part of the year in the average home. A stunning-looking isopod to boot these should definitely be on your list if you struggle with heat in the summer months.


Armadillidium Beieri Isopods


With a range from 17-28 ºC these are ideal for the average home. Unless your home gets far too hot or far too cold these are likely to thrive. Think of the temperatures in their native range of Greece, and across other areas of Europe and you can imagine how versatile these are in terms of temperature.


Armadillo Officinalis Red Brick Isopods


Originating from Spain this is one isopod with the widest range of temperatures that it can cope with, think chilly winters and hot summers, and these Armadillo will keep on going. These are a brick red morph of Armadillo Officinalis, but that doesn’t impact their rugged adaption to a huge range of temperatures.

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