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    Legendary isopod pull

    11/28

    I was digging in an overgrown planter and found this tiny dude, Trichoniscus pygmaeus!! First one seen and posted on iNat in my state also, so I hit both goals of 10+ unique species and being the first to see a species here. They seem to be coming from from the northeast, down through VA and through the mountains. This individual was the only one I saw and have seen since (i've been checking every other day). He wasn't much bigger than a snout mite and was surprisingly shiny with super cute little eyes. I wonder if the rest were burrowed a little deeper. At first I thought it might be a young Trichoniscus pusillus but definitely not. I still want to see one of those eventually though. LOVE pygmy species they are so precious

    Goals and dream pods

    Get an oreo crumble and a powder orange pruinosus to breed together
    Cubaris sp. 'soil'

    Pic from rubberduckyisopods

    Clips

    Photo gallery

    ★ for the ones I have as pets

    Armadillidium nasatum

    ★ Armadillidium vulgare

    Cylisticus convexus

    Ligidium elrodii

    Miktoniscus medcofi

    Trichoniscus pygmaeus

    ★Trichorhina tomentosa

    ★Porcellio laevis

    ★Porcellio hoffmannseggii

    ★Porcellionides pruinosus (oreo crumble)

    ★Porcellionides pruinosus (powder orange)

    Trachelipus rathkii

    Porcellio scaber

    Useful links

    Why isopods??

    What's not to like? Simple pet care plus the fun of collecting pokemon irl! They're very Shaped, completely harmless AND so overlooked that there's plenty of new stuff to learn about them. I got totally invested after waking up one day to see one of my dwarf whites freshly molted and remember showing my geology lab TA (who also thought it was really cool). The community is also super welcoming!

    Books: Isopod Zoology and Isopods in Captivity (both by Orin McMonigle), Pet Isopods: The Ultimate Guide to Keeping and Caring for Your Tiny Crustacean Friends (Dr. Gerard Benjamin Phillips),

    Wait...

    You're not an isopod!!

    Supplies

    Substrate: bugzy's isocare and rolydirt, Container: Large critter tote from petsmart

    Keeping updates

    Not much to report. Lot of pruinosus babies running around and the tomentosa are getting more day-active.

    My photo of the namesake nose on a. Nasatum. Not all isopods have this!

    First species: T. Tomentosa as a cleanup crew for my corked vivarium

    Favorite species: Tie between Porcellio hoffmannseggii and Ligia pallasii

    Least favorite species: Whatever flat aquatic one (genus lirceus) that lives by my house bc I can't identify them or get good pics without hurting them

    Easiest species: The dairy cows w/o question. First to breed and big eaters

    Currently looking for irl: ligidium blueridgense