Party Mix Isopod

Party Mix Isopod Care Guide
🦗 Common Name: Party Mix Isopods
🌟 Difficulty: Beginner to Intermediate
Habitat and Enclosure
🏠 Enclosure Requirements:
Size: Start with a shoebox-sized bin for small colonies.
Ventilation:
Drill plenty of ventilation holes on the sides for cross-ventilation.
This helps prevent mold and ensures a healthy environment.
Scaling Up:
If the colony grows and the isopods start crowding, upgrade to a larger bin.
Substrate Options
🌱 Substrate:
Pre-Made Mixes:
Tailored isopod/millipede substrates work well.
DIY Mixes:
Use organic topsoil as a base.
Mix in additives like earthworm castings, chopped dry leaves, peat moss, rotting wood, and horticultural charcoal.
Ensure the base is free of chemical fertilizers.
Moisture Gradient:
Create a moisture gradient by misting one side of the bin 1–3 times a week, leaving the other side dry.
Adjust the gradient based on your home’s temperature and humidity.
Hides and Decor
🌿 Hiding Places:
Cork Bark:
Provide at least two pieces, one at each end of the moisture gradient.
Dried Leaves:
Essential for both hiding and nutrition.
You can purchase pre-cleaned leaves or prepare your own by baking leaves from your yard.
Additional Decor:
Add items like moss corners, limestone, magnolia pods, or lotus pods.
For aesthetics, you can include bones, fairy garden pieces, and stones, but avoid toxic materials like decorative crystals.
Diet and Feeding
🍽️ Food:
Primary Foods:
Fish flakes are a popular choice.
Other options include dried minnows, river shrimp, freeze-dried peas, bee pollen, dog chow, and dried insects.
Commercial Diets:
Pre-made isopod diets are available online and in stores.
Calcium Source:
Always provide a calcium source like a cuttlebone, calcium block, oyster shell, or calcium powder.
Fresh Vegetables:
Offer small bits of fresh veggies, but remove uneaten pieces the next day to prevent mold.
Diet Preferences:
Different species have different preferences, so observe and adjust according to what your isopods enjoy most.
Care Tips:
Ventilation: Ensuring proper airflow is crucial to avoid moisture buildup and mold growth.
Substrate: Remember that isopods are detritivores, so their substrate should be nutritious and moisture-retentive.
Feeding Routine: Offer a variety of foods and monitor their consumption to prevent waste and mold issues.
👉 Need supplies? Visit our store for the best care products and more tips on keeping your Party Mix Isopods thriving!