Mous

I finally have somewhat solid proof that my isopods are taking well to their habitat: Mancae! Even though they've just emerged, these are actually the juvenile stage. Isopods carry their eggs with them in a little membrane on their chest, where they hatch and go through the first couple stages of their life cycles without ever leaving. They finally bust out in their postlarval, very nearly adult forms! And they are itty bitty as fuck. Specks of dust. Microscopic jellybean sprinkles. At least a few more of my isopods are visibly carrying pouches right now so I expect I'll be completely overrun soon.

I also discovered this ABSOLUTE FUCKING UNIT while gardening the other day. I'm pretty sure it's just armadillidium vulgare, but look at the SIZE!! It's nearly as big as my thumbnail!!! I moved The Unit and a few more normally sized companions into a plastic tub habitat, as I've been wanting to cultivate a population of local isopods to join my worm bin. Hopefully it works out!

In other news, raising isopods has made me really aware of how much they resemble other crustrations and it is crossing some weird wires in my head. On one hand I'm getting sad when I see the little eyes of cooked shrimps. On the other hand I'm wondering if giant marine isopods are good eating...

My isopods were all being really active and a little aggressive with each other today. I was really confused by it until I noticed one actively guarding a partial molted shell - and realized they'd cleaned out almost all of the eggshell I'd given them. Sprinkled in some more and they're instantly all calmly grazing on little calcium nuggets.

Also had a fun little interaction with one that happened to be hanging out near the top of the terrarium - it didn't run away when I lifted the lid, so I gently put my finger out towards it without actually touching it. It proceeded to sniff at me with its lil antennae, and I think investigate how edible my fingernail is. Didn't seem stressed by the interaction at all. It's cool to be able to non-intrusively interface with such a different creature than I am.