# Breeding Woodlice



## Miss Lily (Oct 3, 2008)

My young Jacksons chameleon LOVES woodlice, but I am wary of feeding him too many straight from the garden. Is there anyone that sells the larger woodlice that have been captive bred, or is it only the tropical ones available?

I have started my own colony a few weeks ago and they seem to be doing ok, but does anyone know how long it takes for them to start breeding? I have heard it could take up to a year!


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## colinm (Sep 20, 2008)

Woodlice from the garden will be fine as long as you dont use pesticides.


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## Miss Lily (Oct 3, 2008)

Not keen on using too many straight from outside though as I've been told that they are heavy metal bio-accumulators and not good to feed too many. I know Jacksons eat different stuff to other cham species though, so they may be alright. Woodlice are the only things that really get him going, lol!


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## colinm (Sep 20, 2008)

I didn`t realise that about woodlice.The only ones that I have seen for sale are small and intended for dartfrogs,so are not really suitable for our chameleons.I have a friend who breeds sand Lizards for release and he swears by woodlice and earthworms.
My two like flies,if you fancy getting a few maggots from the fishing tackle shop they will enjoy them.


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## Ron Magpie (Oct 11, 2009)

So long as you collect them from areas away from roads and pesticides, they should be fine.


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## Ben.M (Mar 2, 2008)

Or get a starter culture from DartFrog, they do various types but I'd check that they would be ok with your Cham first 

Dartfrog - Livefoods


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## Miss Lily (Oct 3, 2008)

Thanks everyone for your help! I shall check out some online shops. I think the tropical woodlice may be too small though. The reptile shop I go to said they have never seen the larger native woodlice available as a feeder option. I posted a video of Monty enjoying a woodlice in the Lizard Photos section if you want t check it out.


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## garlicpickle (Jan 16, 2009)

Native woodlice breed pretty fast. If you collect some big ones from outside, almost certainly some will have babies soon. I have woodlice living with my hissing roaches and there's quite a few babies in there just now.

Keep them in a tub of damp soil with some rotting leaves and wood mixed in.


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## Ron Magpie (Oct 11, 2009)

Mine breed in the tanks- the ones that don't get eaten straight away, that is.


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## 1930sam (Sep 12, 2011)

In practical reptile keeping recently there was an article on flying dragons and the author described how he mass produced woodlice. It was pretty much a plastic bin with some soil, manure some leaf letter and bits of wood in it. 
Might be worth a look at the article.


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## Miss Lily (Oct 3, 2008)

1930sam said:


> In practical reptile keeping recently there was an article on flying dragons and the author described how he mass produced woodlice. It was pretty much a plastic bin with some soil, manure some leaf letter and bits of wood in it.
> Might be worth a look at the article.


Thanks for this! Any idea which issue it was in?

Gathered loads more from my Mum's garden today! She doesn't use pesticides of any kind as she has guinea pigs that use the lawn frequently. I'll post pics of my set up in a bit.


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## 1930sam (Sep 12, 2011)

March 2012 I think.


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## Miss Lily (Oct 3, 2008)

Cool! Thank you.:2thumb:


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## garlicpickle (Jan 16, 2009)

Or if you've got a garden, start a compost heap, I must have about a million of them living in mine :lol2:


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## Miss Lily (Oct 3, 2008)

*Update!*

Looking at a few of them today, I see quite a few females with brood pouches! SO, it looks like they'll start producing babies sooner rather than later. :2thumb:


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## sharpstrain (May 24, 2008)

old thread I know - but a quick question - do you keep your breeding colonies of european woodlice inside or outside?


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## vukic (Apr 9, 2010)

sharpstrain said:


> old thread I know - but a quick question - do you keep your breeding colonies of european woodlice inside or outside?


I keep mine inside, keeps them more consistent throughout the year.. 

Sent from my ST26i using Tapatalk


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## jarich (Mar 23, 2012)

The warmth will help with breeding year round. 

Just going back over this thread...do not use manure in culturing any live food.


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## darrengodzilla (Sep 30, 2009)

Are these any good for beardies? If other lizards eat them I guess they must be ok?


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## jarich (Mar 23, 2012)

If you can get your dragon to eat them, sure. Even the bigger isopods are still quite tiny though, so I think youll have a hard time getting your dragon to pay any attention to them.


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## RoachPoacher (Nov 8, 2013)

*Try ebay, looks for british woodlice*

EURO WOODLICE SP 100 LIVEFOOD AMPHIBIAN CLEANERS GECKO HIGH CALCIUM HOMEBRED DIY | eBay


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