# Hardwood pellets for isopods



## fishingguy12345 (Apr 7, 2019)

Hi everyone, I was watching a YouTube video on making substrate for some exotic beetles, and the guy uses oak pellets as the basis for the substrate as something the beetles can also eat. It for me to thinking, would isopods be ok on a substrate of hardwood pellets (assuming no chemicals)? What about using it as a part of their food?

(Sorry if this is a crazy question)


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## Socratic Monologue (Apr 7, 2018)

Though I don't really see the advantage of it (since other substrate mixes are easy to get/make), it would be interesting to try. Isos eat cardboard, which is ultimately just wood, also. Google tells me that (most?) pellets are 100% wood, so there shouldn't be contamination worries.

We use wood pellets for cat litter (no tracking!) and I've used them as rodent bedding. The pellets don't deal with moisture nearly as well as the usual substrates (that's why I don't use them for rodents anymore), so that might be an issue.


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## Tinc Tank (Jun 29, 2019)

I am not sure there would be a benefit to manufactured wood pellets over something such as Repti-Bark (orchid/fir bark) which is in ABG mix that most people use for isopods. My dwarf white isopods also prefer leaves over the bark. You have to think, leaves or cardboard must be way easier to consume then a hard, rigid piece of wood.


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