Do isopods climb?

[Azhael]

I´m preparing everything for when my cultures arrive and i suddenly came up with this doubt....do woodlice climb plastic surfaces? I´m assuming they don´t...but maybe the tiny offspring do?
The container i was hoping to use has a non perfectly fitting lid....there´s some space left...will this be a problem?

 

[TristanH]

Hi Rodrigo,

Woodlice can and do climb - I often look for them on old wooden posts in my garden, where they are at a convenient height to collect. Whether they can climb your plastic container will depend on the texture of the plastic. Also woodlice are nocturnal, so if you introduce them by day they are more likely to seek shelter.

Tristan

 

[Jennewt]

I've never seen my woodlice climb the sides of the plastic containers, but they might be able to. You can probably prevent them from climbing the same way roach breeders do - put a thin layer of petroleum jelly (vasoline) around the upper part of the walls of the container.

 

[tonymontanaflows]

i've never seen them climb my plastic tanks even when the sides are wet or covered in substrate. as mentioned the texture of the plastic may determine that, but i believe with the right amount of cover, leaf litter, and food(carrots are good and are superslow to rot) they'd shouldn't be tempted to escape. anyway they most likely die outside that tank given their moisture requirements. i keep mine in the tanks with my pets and the substrate is a mix of crushed leaves, cocofiber, topsoil, and cypress mulch. they wander the entire tank allthought they mainly group in areas where i have rocks,sweetgum balls, and larger cypress mulch peices piled up.

 

[Azhael]

Thank you all, i guess i´ll just use another container with tight fitting lid just in case and find another use for the one i had in mind.

 

[Azhael]

They indeed climb! xD
Thankfully the container i used in the end is scape proof.
I´ve only used about 5 as food as i want to let them become stable and reproduce...but my graecus love them!!! I hope they start breeding so that i can use them as a nice part of the diet in about two months...my graecus and ophryticus will sure thank me for the new food items haha.