Pill bug cost.

polDurna

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Mar 28, 2017
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Location (City and/or State)
New Castle, PA.
Right now in Pennsylvania, USA, we are too frozen, but when the temps climb into the 50*f I seed for my own colony in a small corner of my garden.

1.) buy a small can of goldfish flakes
2.) break a cardboard box and place it in a shady corner where it will not be bothered
3.) sprinkle some flakes into some grass cuttings or leaf mulch on top of cardboard
4.) cover with an old piece of cloth or rag
5.) wet cloth daily for a week or so to keep moist
6.) After the week when you remove the cloth you should have a colony ready to be harvested...

I have been able to refresh my biocleaners for my indoor habitat pretty regularly this way.
 

CarolM

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Oct 30, 2017
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Location (City and/or State)
South Africa - Cape Town
Right now in Pennsylvania, USA, we are too frozen, but when the temps climb into the 50*f I seed for my own colony in a small corner of my garden.

1.) buy a small can of goldfish flakes
2.) break a cardboard box and place it in a shady corner where it will not be bothered
3.) sprinkle some flakes into some grass cuttings or leaf mulch on top of cardboard
4.) cover with an old piece of cloth or rag
5.) wet cloth daily for a week or so to keep moist
6.) After the week when you remove the cloth you should have a colony ready to be harvested...

I have been able to refresh my biocleaners for my indoor habitat pretty regularly this way.
Wow. Thank you. I am definitely going to try this.
 

CarolM

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South Africa - Cape Town
I found a supplier here in Cape Town who can supply me with 120 isopods and 100 earthworms. For both it works out to about 13 - 14US$. And I will also do the above exercise, so I will or should be sorted. Let the fun and games begin. [emoji3]
 

natureguy

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May 27, 2013
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Why do Pill bugs cost so much? I've Dee them as much as $1.00 per bug. Is this normal or am I looking in the wrong place for them.

Dan
This sounds pretty outrageous to me! The only consideration is that it may include shipping. Still...! Pill and sow bugs are part of my landscape by the millions! They are very easy to breed and care for. All it takes is a sweater box sized container with holes drilled in the cover, some partially composted vege material, with pieces of bark or small unfinished boards, a small dish with pebbles for water and another tea-cup platter for food and regular misting to maintain humidity. They need leafy materials as well.
Even a dozen or so would be enough to begin with.
I have never shipped anything. Make me an offer for say a two or three dozen. Shipping would be the major cost.
 

Pastel Tortie

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I'm willing to take a couple TFO members on the offer to send pillbugs... Just need to figure out on the shipping specifics.
 

Toddrickfl1

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I'm willing to take a couple TFO members on the offer to send pillbugs... Just need to figure out on the shipping specifics.
Pm me if you like I'll send as many as you want, flat rate priority is $5 Like I said not interested in making money.
 

CarolM

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South Africa - Cape Town
Pm me if you like I'll send as many as you want, flat rate priority is $5 Like I said not interested in making money.
They would either never pass customs or will take so long to arrive by me that they would not survive. I am going to try the method mentioned with the cardboard box and see what happens. The guy who I was supposed to get some from never pitched so now I'll need to try get them in another way. [emoji26] The silver line is if I can get them by harvesting them myself, then I should have a continuous supply and save some money at the same time.[emoji3]
 

Toddrickfl1

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They would either never pass customs or will take so long to arrive by me that they would not survive. I am going to try the method mentioned with the cardboard box and see what happens. The guy who I was supposed to get some from never pitched so now I'll need to try get them in another way. [emoji26] The silver line is if I can get them by harvesting them myself, then I should have a continuous supply and save some money at the same time.[emoji3]
Oh I know I wouldn't be able to send them internationally unfortunately.
 
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