Roly Poly (Pill/Sow bugs), Closed Chamber Cleanup

tinytortoise

Active Member
Joined
Oct 22, 2018
Messages
142
Location (City and/or State)
Austin, Texas
Hey there,

I've read around on this topic and am on the verge of incorporating Roly Polys as my cleanup crew.

My current concern is that my Western Hermann's is a herbivore, and if my population of Roly Poly becomes too high, I won't have a place to put them. I'm looking to see what other people do to manage their indoor cleanup crews in bio-active enclosures.

A few people had mentioned them being good food for omnivorous species, and even other reptiles, maybe there would be a demand? Currently I'm considering either local species I find outside, or possibly Armadillium maculatom (Zebra Pillbug), which are absolutely adorable.

If local, I'd feel less guilty about catching, captive breeding, and releasing back into wild if I have too many. But if I had a captive bred species I'd like to know all options for population control without killing them off with no purpose.

So what are you experiences with cleanup crews, does their population become problematic?
 

Toddrickfl1

Well-Known Member
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 7, 2018
Messages
7,103
Location (City and/or State)
Ga
Hey there,

I've read around on this topic and am on the verge of incorporating Roly Polys as my cleanup crew.

My current concern is that my Western Hermann's is a herbivore, and if my population of Roly Poly becomes too high, I won't have a place to put them. I'm looking to see what other people do to manage their indoor cleanup crews in bio-active enclosures.

A few people had mentioned them being good food for omnivorous species, and even other reptiles, maybe there would be a demand? Currently I'm considering either local species I find outside, or possibly Armadillium maculatom (Zebra Pillbug), which are absolutely adorable.

If local, I'd feel less guilty about catching, captive breeding, and releasing back into wild if I have too many. But if I had a captive bred species I'd like to know all options for population control without killing them off with no purpose.

So what are you experiences with cleanup crews, does their population become problematic?
I threw a few in my Redfoots enclosure a couple months ago and the population doesn't seem to have grown. Once in a while I still see them but not that often.
 

ascott

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Apr 10, 2011
Messages
16,138
Location (City and/or State)
Apple Valley, California
Hey there,

I've read around on this topic and am on the verge of incorporating Roly Polys as my cleanup crew.

My current concern is that my Western Hermann's is a herbivore, and if my population of Roly Poly becomes too high, I won't have a place to put them. I'm looking to see what other people do to manage their indoor cleanup crews in bio-active enclosures.

A few people had mentioned them being good food for omnivorous species, and even other reptiles, maybe there would be a demand? Currently I'm considering either local species I find outside, or possibly Armadillium maculatom (Zebra Pillbug), which are absolutely adorable.

If local, I'd feel less guilty about catching, captive breeding, and releasing back into wild if I have too many. But if I had a captive bred species I'd like to know all options for population control without killing them off with no purpose.

So what are you experiences with cleanup crews, does their population become problematic?

I don't think ovepopulatation should be a prob....I mean, if the tort gets a munchie the critters don't stand a chance...and if they begin to add up, simply give then their own set up until you can add then back in the tortoise enclosure right?
 

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