Description
Dwarf Purple Isopods – (Trichoniscus sp.) are a very small species of arthropods that make great feeders for many dart frogs. The are an excellent food for the frogs and positively contribute to the overall well being and health of your Vivarium’s ecosystem. For this reason people use Dwarf Isopods to help create a Bioactive Terrarium.
Dwarf Purple Isopods are also known as Dwarf Costa Rican Purple Isopods or simply as Jungle Micropod.
What do Dwarf Isopods do
In nature, isopods are decomposers and are commonly found in and around dead and decaying organic matter on the rainforest floor. Once in your vivarium they will help to cycle the leaf litter, decaying plant material, and fecal material (poop) from your frogs, geckos, snakes or other small animals.
Once a population is established in your tank, they will reproduce all on their own and create a steady supply of snacking food for your Dart Frogs.
Keeping Dwarf Purple Isopods in a terrarium
Dwarf Purple Isopods should be able to keep up with most of the decomposing needs of the tank. However some frogs will forage more than others and you may be required to add more isopods to you vivarium as needed.
Dwarf Isopods should not be used as your only food source for you amphibians or reptiles, as they cannot be dusted with the supplements that your animals will need. However they make a great treat and are important in the overall health of your vivarium. Dwarf Isopods require a high humidity maintained from 60-80%
What to expect when buying Dwarf Isopods
A starter culture of Dwarf Purple Isopods is sold in an 8 oz deli cup filled with our Calcium Rich Isopods Substrate. The culture contains approximately 20-30+ isopods. When you receive your starter culture, you can dump it directly into your Bioactive Vivarium, or start a master culture of your very own.
When you first receive your culture of dwarf isopods, please allow them a chance to settle. It is common for them to hide in the substrate, and due to their color, makes them very hard to see. After a few hours you’ll find them coming back to the surface to forage on some of the food we have provided for them.
Check out our Dwarf White Isopods, if your looking for an isopod that is very similar, but more visible.
Dwarf Purple Isopods are available for sale and shipping in Canada Only, or pick up in Calgary by appointment
How We Ship Your Isopods And Other Live Goods Within Canada
We ship our Isopods and Springtails all over Canada using Canada Post. Any order with live goods (such as fruit flies, isopods and plants) will be held for pick up at your nearest Post Office. Tracking info will be sent via email when we ship you package, and you can pick them up when available. Your local delivery person should leave a notice in your mailbox, notifying you of time and location.
We ship live goods year round, with exceptions during the peak busy season around Christmas Holiday Season , and extreme temperatures over 28C Daytime in summer and below -25 at night in winter along the shipping route
During the cold winter months we insulate and heat the box, in addition to holding the package for pick up. (Winterizing fee applies)
Please check delivery times at check out, and select a speed that arrives within 2-3 days, to avoid the package being held up over the weekend. (especially in winter!)
We ship live goods from Calgary Alberta on Monday – Wednesday depending on your location
We DO NOT recommend delivering directly to your home or mailbox. This dramatically increases the risk of DOA, due to wild temperature swings on trucks, mailboxes and doorsteps, wrong delivery location and other reason out of our control.
