Sold in micro-perforated boxes - variable quantity. Ideal for bio-active terrariums
Trichorrhina tomentosa
(Budde-Lund, 1893)
Branch: Arthropoda
Sub-branch: Crustacea
Class: Malacostraca
Order: Isopoda
Under order: Oniscidea
Family: Platyarthridae
Gender: Trichorrhina
Species: Trichorrhina tomentosa
Small white woodlouse with a granular appearance.
Cosmopolitan (tropical areas)
Very easy to breed species
Development
Fast: about 3 months
Species not very visible during the day. They tend to hide in the substrate or under bark and food.
What you need:
Trichorhina tomentosa are real cleaners! They are widely used in bio- active terrariums . They will eliminate food remains, dead insects and decomposing elements. They can easily coexist with woodlice, cetonia and other invertebrates.
They can also serve as food for certain amphibians or reptiles ( Their exoskeleton is composed of calcium, they are also very rich in amino acids)
Parthenogenetic species: there are only females. Eggs are laid easily.
Temperature
Breeding possible between 20 and 28°C .
Hygrometry
70 - 80% . Humid environment required .
Terrarium
There are many possibilities for raising them. You can use braplast boxes or other plastic boxes with ventilation, but also aquariums or furnished terrariums.
It is possible to create bioactive environments by raising Trichorhina tomentosa with other animals.
Substrate
The substrate is a mixture of decomposed oak, beech or chestnut leaves and decomposed wood. This is the litter layer of deciduous forests. The whole will be crushed as finely as possible and then placed at the bottom of the terrarium. An area with whole or coarsely crushed leaves can also be placed.
Decorations and additional elements
Bark will be placed on the substrate to create hiding places. The Trichorhina tomentosa will gather at this level or under the food. We can also add some stones, moss and even natural plants .
Lighting
Not necessary.
Food
They are detritivores and they feed on decomposing organic matter. The basic food will therefore be the substrate . Then we can add pieces of vegetables/fruit or beetle jelly . Preferably vegetables and fruits that keep over time and do not go moldy too quickly: zucchini, cucumber, squash, apple, banana, etc. It will therefore be necessary to adapt the quantity of food according to the size of your colony.
Supplements
In cohabitation: supplements not necessary because they feed on all the waste in a terrarium.
Otherwise you can use dehydrated shrimp, isopod mix or calcium.
