# How many rolly pollie's????



## Elohi (Feb 8, 2014)

So I found a big group of pill bugs, rolly pollies, whatever ya call them and am not sure how many to put into my Leo enclosure for cleanup. I found about 40. I put 20 in. Should I put the other 20 in as well or put those into the boxie enclosure?


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## bouaboua (Feb 8, 2014)

Elohi said:


> So I found a big group of pill bugs, rolly pollies, whatever ya call them and am not sure how many to put into my Leo enclosure for cleanup. I found about 40. I put 20 in. Should I put the other 30 in as well or put those into the boxie enclosure?



May I ask you to take a photo of this rolly pollies bug? What they looks like? 

I have no idea of how many you should put it in your enclosure but curious to see what they looks like. Are you worry they may multiply too fast in your enclosure? and why you need those bugs in there?

Thanks! ! ! !


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## Team Gomberg (Feb 8, 2014)

Stick with the 20. Most likely they'll increase in numbers on their own 

Then you'll have a clean up crew for the Leopards that doubles as a food supply for the boxie!


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## bouaboua (Feb 8, 2014)

Elohi said:


> So I found a big group of pill bugs, rolly pollies, whatever ya call them and am not sure how many to put into my Leo enclosure for cleanup. I found about 40. I put 20 in. Should I put the other 30 in as well or put those into the boxie enclosure?



I just asked my daughter. 

Now I know what you are talking about. It is a little bug that will roll-up in a ball in protection of themselves. But still wondering the purpose to having them in you enclosure with coco coil as substrates I assuming.................


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## Elohi (Feb 8, 2014)

bouaboua said:


> Elohi said:
> 
> 
> > So I found a big group of pill bugs, rolly pollies, whatever ya call them and am not sure how many to put into my Leo enclosure for cleanup. I found about 40. I put 20 in. Should I put the other 30 in as well or put those into the boxie enclosure?
> ...





Yep, these guys. I was so stoked when I found them because I have looked for them multiple times and come up with nothing but spiders and ugly beetles lol.


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## bouaboua (Feb 8, 2014)

Elohi said:


> bouaboua said:
> 
> 
> > Elohi said:
> ...



Thank you very much. I have to give you lots credit as a lady that can handle those bugs like you are, holding them in the palm of your hand. LOL.......

So they can clean the coco coil substrate in the indoor enclosure? What? they will eat the food dropping and poops in the substrates? What if they multiplied too fast?????? 

Of cause, the worse case, changing new substrates.......


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## Elohi (Feb 8, 2014)

I had 20 in my hand before my husband brought me a jar. Hahahaha. I can't handle most bugs but rolly pollie's aren't very offensive to me for some reason lol. 
Yet I can barely stand the bugs I feed my boxie. I have long tongs for that task HAHAHAHAHA. 

I guess if they start to over populate I can just throw them in with my boxie. I'm sure she will find them snack worthy. LOL


Ummm...Lylah just ate most of the 20 I put in her enclosure. She was thrilled to see a new treat. Whoops.


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## Evy (Feb 8, 2014)

Hi, where did you find them at? The store or under the dirt. I been looking for them too for my sulcata's enclosure. The store Armstrong nursery only sells ladybugs.


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## bouaboua (Feb 8, 2014)

Elohi said:


> I had 20 in my hand before my husband brought me a jar. Hahahaha. I can't handle most bugs but rolly pollie's aren't very offensive to me for some reason lol.
> Yet I can barely stand the bugs I feed my boxie. I have long tongs for that task HAHAHAHAHA.
> 
> I guess if they start to over populate I can just throw them in with my boxie. I'm sure she will find them snack worthy. LOL
> ...





What kind of boxie you have that can be a bug control for tortoise enclosure? Maybe I should also get one, just for that purpose.........LOL.

Another excuse to get another Turtles....or Tortoises.

I like it.


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## Team Gomberg (Feb 8, 2014)

I've had the rolly polly bugs multiply like crazy in my closed chambers. I just remove some when it gets to be "too much". They eat green tid bits that are left behind and any tortoise poop I've missed. 
I love having these guys around


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## AnnV (Feb 8, 2014)

Can these be purchased somewhere?


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## bouaboua (Feb 8, 2014)

Team Gomberg said:


> I've had the rolly polly bugs multiply like crazy in my closed chambers. I just remove some when it gets to be "too much". They eat green tid bits that are left behind and any tortoise poop I've missed.
> I love having these guys around



Thank you Heather for the tip. Now on the hunt in my back yard for rolly pollies.........


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## Team Gomberg (Feb 8, 2014)

AnnV said:


> Can these be purchased somewhere?



Good question.. I have no idea. 

Maybe rolly polly bugs can be added onto the "goodies to trade" list from the other TFO thread? LOL


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## lynnedit (Feb 8, 2014)

AKA 'pillbugs'
http://www.carolinapetsupply.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=64&products_id=277

If Spring would ever come around here, I could go look outside :/


Just looked; they are on back order


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## Team Gomberg (Feb 8, 2014)

25 pill bugs for $16.95??? 

I wonder how they need to be packaged for shipping.. Maybe that could be my new business..lol

But seriously, I'd consider shipping some out to TFOers for straight shipping costs. I just collected a bunch from my yard 2 days ago.


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## Elohi (Feb 8, 2014)

Team Gomberg said:


> 25 pill bugs for $16.95???
> 
> I wonder how they need to be packaged for shipping.. Maybe that could be my new business..lol
> 
> But seriously, I'd consider shipping some out to TFOers for straight shipping costs. I just collected a bunch from my yard 2 days ago.



I saw that price and cringed. OUCH. I moved one big rock and found 40 for free. I should collect a bunch more before the scorpions become active.


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## bouaboua (Feb 8, 2014)

Elohi said:


> Team Gomberg said:
> 
> 
> > 25 pill bugs for $16.95???
> ...



40 under one rock! ! ! ! WOW. You been rich soon. hahahahah......


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## Elohi (Feb 8, 2014)

Well it was a big rock but yes, one rock hahaha! I was excited and shocked because I usually find dead rollie pollies it spiders lol.


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## lynnedit (Feb 9, 2014)

It is expensive, but worth it, I suppose, if there is 3 feet of snow on the ground.

Personally I am going to wait for early Spring.


Or...Heather, I sent you an email.


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## Evy (Feb 9, 2014)

I got a job for today! I let you guys know how lucky I get.


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## TortoiseRN (Feb 9, 2014)

Team Gomberg said:


> Stick with the 20. Most likely they'll increase in numbers on their own



Lol you said most likely. My daughter put five in six months ago. I just changed the soil a few weeks ago. Thousands!! Not kidding. Kind of gross lol. They are effective cleans though.


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## lynnedit (Feb 9, 2014)

TortoiseRN said:


> Team Gomberg said:
> 
> 
> > Stick with the 20. Most likely they'll increase in numbers on their own
> ...



That is kind of gross. But fungus gnats flying in your face aren't fun either. Maybe my box turtle will keep them in check :/


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## bouaboua (Feb 9, 2014)

Evy said:


> I got a job for today! I let you guys know how lucky I get.



So! Any luck??




TortoiseRN said:


> Team Gomberg said:
> 
> 
> > Stick with the 20. Most likely they'll increase in numbers on their own
> ...



Thousands! ! ! ! 

WOW. That is scary..........I may have second thought of putting them in now.


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## finnigan98 (Feb 9, 2014)

My house is full of them. When it gets warmer outside I can catch them and charge a small fee and maybe ship? There are millions in my yard. (No pesticides/fertilizer) it won't be until spring/summer though


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## Elohi (Feb 9, 2014)

TortoiseRN said:


> Team Gomberg said:
> 
> 
> > Stick with the 20. Most likely they'll increase in numbers on their own
> ...



Ohhhhh snap. Thousands? I guess I better keep a look out and pull them out from time to time to feed to my boxie.


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## bouaboua (Feb 9, 2014)

bouaboua said:


> Evy said:
> 
> 
> > I got a job for today! I let you guys know how lucky I get.
> ...





Or to have a Boxie..................


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## Team Gomberg (Feb 9, 2014)

My numbers did get kinda high at one point. But its easy to pull them out.

Elohi, to monitor your numbers take a flash light to your enclosure at night. Wait a few hours after the lights go off and then look. They will ALL be out and about at that time. You'll be able to see if you have 20 or 200. Its easy to pick them out as needed 

Lynne, I responded to your email. We can experiment with the polly mail


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## Wartortle (Feb 9, 2014)

$16.95.....Never knew I've been sitting on a gold mine this entire time....Cool to know though!!!


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## Elohi (Feb 9, 2014)

Team Gomberg said:


> My numbers did get kinda high at one point. But its easy to pull them out.
> 
> Elohi, to monitor your numbers take a flash light to your enclosure at night. Wait a few hours after the lights go off and then look. They will ALL be out and about at that time. You'll be able to see if you have 20 or 200. Its easy to pick them out as needed
> 
> Lynne, I responded to your email. We can experiment with the polly mail



OMG heather LOLOL. 
You know if these babies multiply like...well...like bugs, I'll have to post pictures hahahaha.


It's a REALLY good thing it's rolly pollies and not crickets. I can hand pollies with no problems but I can't even touch a cricket. I can hardly stand feeding them to my boxie. Crickets freak me out. BAD. 
Tortoises are much easier on my phobias than my bug eating ornate LOL


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## T33's Torts (Feb 9, 2014)

I have a jar of these under my dresser for my little cousins. They race them 
I dont have a boxie so when they over populate, I just toss them into the yerd.


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## Madkins007 (Feb 10, 2014)

My experience was that they really did not 'overpopulate'- there were sometimes LOTS of them, but the population tended to wax and wane over time. The benefits of the animals (rolly polly, pillbug, sowbug, wood louse or woodlice, isopod, etc.) are that they eat some of the waste products and are really good at controlling the snow fleas and fungus gnats that bother a lot of people. 

The isopods will do well in most soil-like substrates but not so hot in things like cypress mulch. 

As far as shipping them... I'd check with your local county extension service- lots of bugs are illegal to import in non-native areas. They could probably hook you up with local options.


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## Elohi (Feb 10, 2014)

OMG they control fungus gnats? Ohhhhhhhhhh!!!!!! Well guess what I'm going to be doing the next warm day?? Hahahaha. Hunting for rolly pollies! I have a massive fungus gnat problem. Drives me batty!


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## TortsNTurtles (Feb 10, 2014)

Elohi said:


> OMG they control fungus gnats? Ohhhhhhhhhh!!!!!! Well guess what I'm going to be doing the next warm day?? Hahahaha. Hunting for rolly pollies! I have a massive fungus gnat problem. Drives me batty!



Yes, they will take care of the fungus gnats!


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## Eltemp (Feb 11, 2014)

Now i just need to get them inside from the backyard without my wife knowing I am releasing bugs into our basement.


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## TortsNTurtles (Feb 11, 2014)

Eltemp said:


> Now i just need to get them inside from the backyard without my wife knowing I am releasing bugs into our basement.



Lol that could be a problem for many. .


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## Saleama (Feb 12, 2014)

TortsNTurtles said:


> Elohi said:
> 
> 
> > OMG they control fungus gnats? Ohhhhhhhhhh!!!!!! Well guess what I'm going to be doing the next warm day?? Hahahaha. Hunting for rolly pollies! I have a massive fungus gnat problem. Drives me batty!
> ...



I asked an expert about this as I had thousands and thousands of fruit fly/gnats in my house and all over my enclosure. They suggested that while pill bugs can control populations because they eat what the gnat larve eat and the gnats tend to starve, they might not be the best option if your problem has already reached epedimic proportions. I used DE. 
I have not had the success that Elohi has finding pill bugs but I can't wait. They are natures little gardeners. Combined with red worms, they will keep an enclosure sparkling clean! I just wish we had more of the rollie pollie kind uo here in Dallas and less of the trillibyte looking ones.


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## TortsNTurtles (Feb 12, 2014)

The little fungus white mites I am guessing she is referring too do not fly like the fruit flys so the pill bugs do a good job of keeping the population down but they will always be there. Fruit flies sounds like a food for a small frog or toad  worm farms ... Pill bugs... Toads a house can get full of critters and plants fast before you know it with tortoises and turtles!


Oh I see they are a flying gnat missed that. Ya, pill bugs may only help a little. I thought it was those tiny white mites that over populate in a moist environment.


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