● Keeper guides
Guides
Short, practical guides from the people running the directory: buying safely, shipping live animals, and getting colonies started.
Buying from invertebrate sellers safely
How to vet an isopod or invertebrate seller before you pay: reviews, red flags, and the payment methods that actually protect you.
Buying botanicals: sterilize before they go in the bin
Leaf litter, cork bark, sphagnum and seed pods can carry mites, mold and predatory springtails. How to treat botanicals before they reach your colonies.
How live invertebrates should be shipped
Overnight or two-day only, heat and cold packs by forecast, Monday–Wednesday ship days, and what a live arrival guarantee really covers.
How to start an isopod colony: the first 90 days
A beginner's setup for an isopod culture — bin, substrate, leaf litter, moisture gradient, food — and what to expect in the first three months.