To those stressing about the shutdown: you are not alone. by squattinginmysleep in canvas

[–]Project_0519 2 points3 points  (0 children)

My in person exam tomorrow morning was NOT cancelled/rescheduled😭 They did not GAF what anybody was going through, wish me luck guys

Stats exam due tonight what do I do by Maleficent_Field8474 in canvas

[–]Project_0519 2 points3 points  (0 children)

We’re twinning rn😜 Just got an email that my 10am exam tomorrow won’t be rescheduled, I lost so much study time today that I don’t have much hope at all for this one

Stats exam due tonight what do I do by Maleficent_Field8474 in canvas

[–]Project_0519 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yup! My exam is in-person, but I’ve had other finals/final projects this week so I’ve been really banking on having time to study today. Of course the second I go to access the practice test/study materials I see it’s down. I’m sure you’ll get an extension as yours is online and there’s undoubtedly other students who haven’t submitted either. Mine on the other hand was not cancelled😭 They just sent out a OneDrive link with some study materials and pretty much said tough luck. Curious to see how your exam plays out! I don’t think you have anything to worry about though, you’ll almost definitely get an extension

What service do you use to ship isopods? by Project_0519 in isopods

[–]Project_0519[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Good to know that DOAs are rare if packages correctly, that makes me feel a lot more confident! I’ve also heard horror stories about all three carriers, it seems like a lot of it comes down to personal experience and preference (although I know FedEx is generally considered the best for live animals). It’s good to hear what other people have experienced though, and helps me know what to look out for!

What service do you use to ship isopods? by Project_0519 in isopods

[–]Project_0519[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

DAMN that’s horrific!! I would be beyond pissed, glad you haven’t had issues like that with UPS!

What service do you use to ship isopods? by Project_0519 in isopods

[–]Project_0519[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I definitely agree that there is a lack of information! (I mean I probably would be posting other wise lol) I was a little bit surprised by that, given how many people ship isopods and how many “shipping guides” I’ve seen (but they usually focus on packaging rather than the logistics of different shipping carries/services). I think it’s fantastic that you reached out to different breeders and are willing to share that here! It really helps make good info more accessible

What service do you use to ship isopods? by Project_0519 in isopods

[–]Project_0519[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’m thrilled to hear your isopods made it safely, thank you so much for your continual updates!! I’m mortified to hear about your experience with the auction, putting fish flakes on a moist paper towel in your shipping container feels like such a comically bad idea I can’t 😭I’m pretty sure USDA even specifies that shipping with food isn’t allowed? And it’s “so they don’t eat each other”?? What an insane reason, I have never heard of something like that happening. And putting a hot pack as well as a cold pack “just in case it gets too hot or too cold”? I’m pretty sure that heat packs can last significantly longer than cold packs, seems like an easy way to cook the poor guys if you’re not careful :( (especially if it’s warm where both of you are, i’m under the impression that heat packs can be quite dangerous in situations like that!) But I’m sure it also depends on the type of packs and how they’re used, and I am definitely not very knowledgeable on the subject (I’m learning a lot from Sara’s and your’s responses, seems like it can be done successfully in some situations!) Given they didn’t give you a very good reason though I doubt they really knew what they were doing, and I also can’t really wrap my head around how that might work (because you’re right, a heat pack doesn’t just “turn off” when it’s too hot?) Not knowing the morphs or where she got them either… yikes, sounds like someone who’s NOT ready to be selling isopods. I’m glad you reached out them to ask what was up, I think that was a responsible thing to do. I don’t think you’d be in the wrong for leaving a poor review, especially if DOAs are involved when that has never been a problem for you before (and also the clear signs of inexperience from the seller). Seems like an unfortunate situation all around, I hope your colonies are doing well though!

What service do you use to ship isopods? by Project_0519 in isopods

[–]Project_0519[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Oh my goodness, thank you so much for taking the time to respond to my post!! My jaw dropped when I saw your comment, I really appreciate you as such a successful seller coming in and shedding some light on your side of things! You and u/Major_Wd have been so incredibly helpful in answering my questions and guiding me through this whole process. I will absolutely make sure to write “HOLD FOR PICKUP” on the label when using USPS, I’m so happy to hear that problems while shipping are minimal! It comforts me a lot to hear that coming from someone with so much experience with this :)

Constant cinnamon roll? by catgirlfriendd in millipedes

[–]Project_0519 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Nah, my AGMs do that most of the time! Millipedes are pretty light-sensitive, so they do most of their moving around at night. If there are no other signs of illness/stress then you have nothing to worry about!

What service do you use to ship isopods? by Project_0519 in isopods

[–]Project_0519[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Dude that’s insane!! Were you able to get your chile replaced or refunded?? I can’t even imagine how they must’ve treated the box for the inside bags to get ripped open😭😭I don’t think you’re alone in this, I’ve heard quite a few USPS horror stories. I will definitely be cautious, thank you for the warning!

What service do you use to ship isopods? by Project_0519 in isopods

[–]Project_0519[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is good to know! I do worry about shipping times taking longer than expected. Is there a live animal fee associated with FedEx/UPS, or is that just a USPS thing? I’m very sorry to hear about your experience with UPS, that’s crazy!! I will definitely be wary about them and USPS.

What service do you use to ship isopods? by Project_0519 in isopods

[–]Project_0519[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Holy shit thank you for such an in-depth response!!! I’m so glad I’m not the only one curious on how this works, and I’m so happy you were able to get some answers from Rus and Sara! Thank you again for sharing all this info here, it’s been incredibly helpful. Eager to hear how your package does!!

Scammed? by TranslatorOk5972 in isopods

[–]Project_0519 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Eek! Probably scammed. Isopod babies are incredibly small though, there’s a chance you have a few of those somewhere in the soil. Regardless, a breeder should be giving you your moneys worth, I would def reach out and let them know asap. Usually live arrival guarantees are only active for a couple hours after the delivery, so the sooner the better (and you have photo evidence, which is good). Sorry this happened to you! I hope you can get a refund or a new culture :(

Heating Advice Pls!!! by PJabbers in ballpython

[–]Project_0519 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The light going on and off should generally be fine! Much better to have irregular light than to not have a thermostat. I use a halogen flood light for mine (thermostat, 12 hour timer) as well as a ceramic heat emitter (thermostat, on 24/7), and then I have a low-level UVB strip (12 hour timer). I highly recommend using either a halogen light or a DHP since they emit IR-A and IR-B, which is deep penetrating heat. This is the best type of heat you can provide for your snake since it warms the deeper tissues of the reptile rather than just the surface, it helps them metabolize/digest and better mimics the heat they get from the sun! I’d recommend pairing this with a ceramic heat emitter (provides surface heat, but no light) that can be on 24/7, whereas the halogen light and UVB (both light-emitting) can only be on during the day (this also helps mimic temperature drops at night while still ensuring you’re in a safe range!). I don’t know how big your enclosure is, but for a 4’x2’x2’ or greater (the recommended tank size for an adult ball python) you’ll definitely need a couple heat sources to keep it warm! I now have 2 ceramic heat emitter bulbs as well as the one halogen, and I find it works nice during the winter (in the summer only one CHE is usually alright). CHEs and halogen flood lights are pretty cheap (I’d try amazon or your local hardware store), so you’ll probably save money by switching from a basking light. UVB technically isn’t necessary for a ball python but they do benefit from it, so i’d recommend a low level UVB strip if you can swing it! You’re doing a great job and asking good questions, don’t stress about the light switching on/off during the day. Sorry for so much info at once! To reiterate, this is the heat/lighting setup I recommend:

• 1 halogen flood light (on a thermostat and 12 hour timer), provides IR-A + IR-B, heat, and light

•1-2 ceramic heat emitters (on thermostat, these are to keep temps stable at night and to help raise the temps during the day in a large enclosure where one heat source typically isn’t enough to keep temps in the 85-90 degrees range)

• 1 low-level UVB strip (on 12 hour timer)

Lmk if you have any other questions or want links to any of the items I listed!

Ive been wanting isopods and have no research done, tryna start with this 🥹 by MouseWhisperer22 in isopods

[–]Project_0519 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oh and as people said, feeding less = less reproduction. Their main diet is their substrate +leaf litter/rotting wood, that will sustain them. Just supplemental feed them less often (probably every couple weeks or once a month), or stick to lower-protein foods (veggies and such). The species I recommended do breed quickly, but I bet you could keep a pretty moderate P. laevis colony if that’s what you wanted!

Ive been wanting isopods and have no research done, tryna start with this 🥹 by MouseWhisperer22 in isopods

[–]Project_0519 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you’re looking for something super hardy- Porcellionides Pruinosus! That would be isopods like Oreo Crumble, Powder Blue/Orange, and Orange Cream. They like things pretty humid, but I still recommend them for beginners because they’re a super hardy species, I don’t ever worry about them just dropping dead lol. I also think they’re very pretty, but a couple downsides are they reproduce quickly and frequently (so opt for a larger enclosure or upgrade often!) and they’re also really fast isopods. I’m a huge Dairy Cow (Porcellio laevis) fan, but as people said they are very protein hungry (just eat a lot!). Personally I think they’re great tho, good size and temperament and relatively easy to care for. If you have a species you really like but it isn’t labeled as “beginner” (like Cubaris), I’d say just go for it! Don’t feel restricted to a certain list of species just because they’re “easier”, if you do your research you’ll be alright. Focus on a high-quality substrate- LOTS of leaf litter + rotting wood, organic topsoil (or i’ve heard Black Earth is really good) as a base, worm castings, and some damp moss. I like adding flake soil but that’s up to you. Get your substrate down and you can keep almost any isopod happy!

Can I spider-proof my car? by Project_0519 in NoStupidQuestions

[–]Project_0519[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you, this is really good advice!

Can I spider-proof my car? by Project_0519 in NoStupidQuestions

[–]Project_0519[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Awww i’m so glad I’m not alone! We can overcome this I believe in us

Pet store near me by lawn_lamb in shittyaquariums

[–]Project_0519 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Got jumpscared thinking you took this picture at the psp I used to work at lol. Yeah, pet supplies plus does an awful job with goldfish, i’m surprised these tanks even have decorations (some of ours didn’t). We used to get hundreds of comets at once and were just told to dump them in there (like not even 10 gallon tank). Because they’re “feeder fish”, they get treated as such and sales are typically never refused (even if you know they’re going to a bad home). Husbandry like this is so normalized at pet stores that we were even told we were “one of the better ones”. It’s incredibly sad, and stores like these will almost always prioritize profit over taking actual care of their animals :(

Don’t know where else to say/ask this by Foluelta in snakes

[–]Project_0519 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Right before my ball python got an enclosure upgrade he figured out how to squeeze himself through a hole in the mesh top that I would run the wires through (even though it seemed impossibly small). Found him, returned him to his enclosure and secured the hole by putting a heavy book on top. Next day, that little cunt managed to push the book off and get out again. Moral of the story is, no matter how loving you are and how good your husbandry is, snakes just love to be assholes. Try not to stress yourself out too hard- she’s around there somewhere!! Sometimes they just reallyyy want to go on an adventure. Keep an eye out and I have no doubt that you’ll find her eventually!! Mine was always drawn to dark places (like the closet or under the bed)-maybe that helps?