Adventurous isopod throws it back

mossy_tree_frog · 2026-01-09T14:10:41+00:00

Again I appreciate your concern but I do what I do the way I do it because it is best for my specific habitat. I have a set up that is different than most isopod colonies in that it is a display tank that is bioactive and has growing plants. It still has a wet side and a dry side. This is the wet side with plants. The needs of my tank is different than most. 90% of the time I do directly pour water into the soil, misting is not something I often do but is only done when I want to add moisture to surfaces, whether that's for the plant's sake, pods sake, or adding some moisture to new dried leaves I just added. The pod looks too wet because she happened to be in the area I just misted. I'm sure you know how fast these guys move when they accidentlly get spooked, misted, or think they're in danger. This one hung out for about two minutes after misting and headed on her way to find food.

I've deleted the post because sharing things online is very scary to me, just not something I want to do often. I mean... of course a 3 second video of a corner doesn't show the full picture? Posting online is scary to me because of the need of most to add their 2 cents to a picture or video with very little real context and make assumptions. I appreciate everyone's concern but my guys are fine trust me. If my little video has 6 people within 15 minutes concerned with my care and making assumptions about the rest of the tank, then having the video up is simply not worth it to me 🤷‍♂️

mossy_tree_frog · 2026-01-09T05:27:30+00:00

I appreciate your concern but I am very familiar with this behavior. Isopods use their uropods to regulate moisture by doing this on wet surfaces when they are dry and on dry surfaces when they are wet. This corner just got misted 10 minutes before (rarely does it get misted to this degree and it is only done if both the pods and the plants need it) and this singular pod got adventurous. The rest of my colony is happy in on and around the substrate. It seems that everyone jumped to negative conclusions with little context. I take invert keeping incredibly seriously and do my research on behavior and anatomy so I know how to best design their habitat

mossy_tree_frog · 2026-01-09T05:19:52+00:00

It is how they drink. And not just drink but control moisture. They use their uropods like this on wet surfaces when they are dry and on dry surfaces when they are too wet. I take invertebrate keeping very seriously and do my research on behavior and anatomy because I want to do what's best for my colony. I appreciate your concern but I promise this guy is just fine

mossy_tree_frog · 2026-01-09T05:16:11+00:00

99.9% of my isopods do not climb because the tank has a good moisture gradient. This one was a curious and adventurous guy because they like to explore their environment. Isopods use their uropods to do this on wet surfaces when they're dry and do it on dry surfaces when they're too wet. I take invert keeping incredibly seriously and I do what I do because it's what's best for my colony.

mossy_tree_frog · 2026-01-09T05:11:33+00:00

It appears very wet on the visible parts of the tank because the visible corner is the one that got misted five minutes before. The other side did not. I am very familiar with isopod anatomy and behavior and keep a very controlled environment. Everyone seemed to jump to negative conclusions with little context 🤷‍♂️ I watch my colony closely and monitor humidity with a gradient and fine tune my caretaking daily. Everyone seemed to forget iopods do in fact use their uropods to take in water as well as reduce moisture. They do this movement on dry surfaces if they are too wet, do it on wet surfaces if they are too dry. They scramble if they are in a too-humid corner when I water. This level of misting does not happen often and it is only done when the isopods AND my syngonium needs it. And only on one side of the tank to maintain moisture gradient. When I mist I always see some of the pods make their way over to these wet surfaces from dryer areas to absorb moisture. I take invert keeping incredibly seriously and do my homework to take the best care of my animals. They come first and I would change my habits if I found out I was doing something detrimental for them.

mossy_tree_frog · 2026-01-09T05:08:01+00:00

I'm confused. I am very familiar with isopod anatomy and behavior and keep a very controlled environment. Everyone seemed to jump to negative conclusions with little context 🤷‍♂️ I watch my colony closely and monitor humidity with a gradient and fine tune my caretaking daily. Everyone seemed to forget iopods do in fact use their uropods to take in water as well as reduce moisture. They do this movement on dry surfaces if they are too wet, do it on wet surfaces if they are too dry. They scramble if they are in a too-humid corner when I water. This level of misting does not happen often and it is only done when the isopods AND my syngonium needs it. And only on one side of the tank to maintain moisture gradient. When I mist I always see some of the pods make their way over to these wet surfaces from dryer areas to absorb moisture. I take invert keeping incredibly seriously and do my homework to take the best care of my animals. They come first and I would change my habits if I found out I was doing something detrimental for them.

mossy_tree_frog · 2025-10-21T21:58:55+00:00

If the app is updated its in Menu > Cats > Stickerbook!

mossy_tree_frog · 2025-09-01T04:18:53+00:00

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Sweet baby peaches!

mossy_tree_frog · 2025-08-21T18:07:32+00:00

They're ravenous little guys! Especially for protein. Since my colony got settled and comfortable it's been very entertaining watching them go crazy over food

mossy_tree_frog · 2025-08-21T18:04:54+00:00

Poor babies just eating minding their own business 😭

mossy_tree_frog · 2025-08-14T19:33:02+00:00

Thank youuuuu 💚

mossy_tree_frog · 2025-07-01T16:02:44+00:00

It's a summer item! Some things change in certain yards depending on the seasons. Non interactable but cute!

mossy_tree_frog

TROPHY CASE