Isopods are arthropods of the Class Crustacea (though they look insect-like, they are related to crabs, lobsters, and shrimp!). They are known by many regional names – sowbug, woodlouse, pillbug, potato bug, armadillo bug, and roly poly. Some species roll up, and others do not. There are both aquatic and terrestrial isopod species, and this care sheet deals with terrestrial species.
Isopods are amazing both as unique pets and for their abilities as terrarium/vivarium clean-up crews. There are many different species available both from the wild (check with your local laws before collecting) and available for purchase, and even many captive bred color variations that have been developed. They are extremely easy, low-maintenance creatures with just a few very specific requirements.
Enclosures can be elaborate or simple.
The most important aspect of isopod habitats is the humidity. Isopods breathe using gills, and if their habitat is too dry, they will desiccate and die. Even if humidity is restored after a dry period, their gills may be damaged and not work as well afterwards, so it’s important that the humidity stays consistently high.
A small to medium sized Rubbermaid, Sterlite, Ziploc, or other similar container would be fine. You can simply poke a hole or two in the lid. Some species have very little need for air exchange and do fine if you just open the lid once a week; others, like A. vulgare, require more ventilation.
They are a popular way to house isopods for people have trouble with soil mites (which are harmless to reptiles but may out-compete isopod cultures and are considered unattractive). A hole can be cut in the lid of a watertight storage container (Ziploc Weathertight boxes work for larger cultures, for example, and for smaller cultures, any of the reusable-disposable food storage containers seem to work fine – if they hold water when you flip them over you’re good), and a .3 micron filter pad which allows air to pass can be glued over the hole. Hot glue works best. This allows air to pass but no mites can get in, and can keep your culture nice and humid. (Unfortunately I don’t have any pictures of this as I’m not keeping any of my cultures like this currently.)
I personally prefer to use small plastic animal carriers (such as Lee’s Kritter Keepers or Exo Terra Faunariums) because I like to be able to see my isopods, especially the adorable little babies. You can also use any small aquarium, glass or acrylic.
However, with a plastic or screen mesh lid, they do not hold in enough humidity for most isopod species on their own. Modifying them couldn’t be simpler!
Place plastic wrap over the entire top of your container.
Snap your lid over the plastic wrap.
Use your ultra-cool Badtz-Maru pushpins to poke some holes in the plastic wrap. If you don’t have ultra-cool Badz-Maru pushpins you can use any other kind of pin you have to poke your holes.
There are many options for substrate for your isopods. Some species burrow, and some species live mostly on top of the substrate but hide under leaf litter and other detritus. There are two general schools of thought on substrate.
One is to keep them on a basic moisture-holding substrate such as coco fiber (Eco Earth) and provide all their food.
The other is to keep them on a diverse substrate that also provides them with decaying wood, leaf litter and detritus to form most of their diet.
Both methods work for most species, but in some cases the latter is vastly preferred, as some species feed almost exclusively on decaying wood and leaves. I have kept them both ways with great success and tons of babies. I prefer the diverse substrate technique because it’s easier and less maintenance.
They must also have something to hide under, such as leaf litter (live oak leaf litter, magnolia leaf litter), cork bark, or even a couple layers of cardboard. They will go under the hides to keep moist and regulate their humidity.
Whatever choice you go with, the substrate should be kept slightly damp, to keep the humidity in the enclosure up.
This is the inside of my Giant Canyon Isopod (Porcellio dilatatus) enclosure. The substrate is made up of a mix of composted soil, coco fiber, a little bit of sand, fermented oak sawdust, decaying leaves, long fiber sphagnum moss, and hardwood (aspen shavings). The aspen shavings will slowly decay into food for the isopods as well. In addition, I’ve included live oak leaves as a hiding place and additional food source. They are harder for isopods to eat (and decay slower) but high in nutrients. (This is a bioactive substrate in and of itself, as it has not been “cooked” to kill bacteria.)
Whatever hide you use should not be subject to molding (though isopods will feed on some fungus; I once had a mushroom pop up in one enclosure and they swarmed it and devoured it completely in one day, it was adorable!). Although cork bark works well in humid habitats, and I use it in some of my enclosures, it should be noted is very hard to get them out of the little crevices if they hide in them and you need to transfer them between habitats
Isopods are detrivores, and feed primarily on decaying leaves and wood. For most species, other food works best as a supplement, and you will experience fewer problems with mites, fruit flies, and other pests. Avoid plain grain entirely. Too much “fresh” food of any kind can crash your colony.
Repashy Morning Wood Gel Food
Fish Food (high quality pellets)
Some people raise isopods entirely on coco fiber and feed their isopods nothing but potato and seem to do just fine, but with many species you will have much better luck (and fewer pests and mold) if you offer primarily leaf litter and hardwood with a sprinkle of other food occasionally, and do not offer excessive amounts of fish food or vegetables.
Leaf litter should be varied, and preferably naturally fallen, brown and aged. Soft leaf litter is easier to eat, while harder leathery leaf litter is higher in nutrients. I leave some leathery leaf litter whole to provide hiding places and grind some of it into a powder and mix it into the substrate as an easier to eat food source.
In addition to a substrate containing a copious amount of leaf litter and decaying wood, I personally offer my isopods (certain species) just a smidge of Morning Wood, a sprinkle of New Life Spectrum fish food pellets once every couple of weeks, and vegetables rarely (more often to certain species). In terms of vegetables, I feed only as much as can be consumed in a day or so, which is a minuscule amount in even my largest colony. I offer the same vegetables I offer my feeder insect colonies, which are the same healthy vegetables that I would feed to a herbivorous lizard. The exception to this list is I also sometimes offer them a bit of mushroom!
Feeding too much fish food or vegetable matter is a sure way to grow mold. (Carrot and potato, though not the most nutritious, will be eaten, and can often last for a long time, but may suddenly go bad in the worst way in the humid, warm habitat. I don’t feed them.)
Be extremely careful moving and handling isopods. They are actually quite delicate. Their carapace (exoskeleton) will be crushed and cracked if you pick them up with your fingers. They may survive for a short time but will succumb later.
It is best to use enclosure decor such as leaves or pieces of cardboard to transfer them. If you need to move a bunch, you can place a piece of cardboard, egg carton, or paper towel in the enclosure for a while and then move that, or tap them off into the new location.
There are many species available to the hobbyist, and among those species there are many color varieties available which breed true. Each has unique traits which make them better suited to different vivariums when used in bioactive substrates, and influences their care requirements in captivity. These are just a few common species.
Porcellio sp. “Orange” (also called “Spanish Orange” or “Giant Orange”) – A bright colored, true-breeding color morph of Porcellio (normally grey), these are extremely hardy and very prolific. They do great in a variety of terrariums. They do not roll up and grow to 15mm. Other morphs include “Calico” and “Dalmation” (Porcellio scaber), and of course the normal grey Porcellio scaber. (Note that if you mix color morphs like Orange and Calico [derived from Orange] they will interbreed and lose their distinctness.)
Armadillidum nasatum “Peach Pillbugs” – This is the peach morph of the normally grey A. nasatum roly poly (14mm). I’ve found that they will ignore most fish food and feed primarily on decaying leaves, but they love a fresh leaf vegetable as well. I give them a tiny torn piece of collard green and they will swarm it and devour it in a day. Slow growing (take a year to mature) but mine are very prolific in terms of babies. Both the peach and wild morphs are well suited to a variety of terrariums as clean-up crew and can tolerate low ventilation. This is a rolling species, though primarily the babies do so.
Armadillidium maculatum “Zebra Pillbugs” – Black and white stripes set these little roly poly isopods apart. Like A. nasatum, they seem to ignore fish food over a diet of wood and leaf litter, and their care is similar. They grow slowly to 15mm.
Porcellio dilatatus “Giant Canyon” – These are one of the biggest terrestrial isopod available commercially at 19mm. Captive specimens traded in the hobby come from Southern California, are more resistant to desiccation than other species of isopod, and are thus quite suited to dryer bioactive setups, such as those for leopard geckos and bearded dragons. However, they can also tolerate higher humidity. They also curl up readily.
Porcellionides pruinosus “Powdery Blue Isopod” – This isopod is sometimes used as a feeder for reptiles, amphibians, and other invertebrates due to its softer carapace and grows to 12mm. They are generally orange but some have a waxy blue bloom that gives them their common name.
Trichorhina tomentosa “Micro White, White Micropod, Dwarf White” – Used as a feeder for small amphibians and inverts, and as a clean up crew in terrariums, these also have the benefit of being ignored by larger terrarium inhabitants like geckos and other lizards at only 5mm (rarely more than 4mm). They are voracious in large colonies. Micro whites are from Central and South America, though they have now been introduced to Florida. As a tropical isopod they do best in warm and humid terrariums. They are faster growing than larger isopods, and reproduce through parthenogenesis, making them exceptionally prolific despite having fewer babies at a time.
Isopoda sp. “Jungle Micropod, Micro Purple, Dwarf Purple” – Not actually purple, but they kind of look a little grey-purpley from a distance. Specimens in the hobby come from a collection made in Costa Rica. They don’t burrow and rarely cling to things, but like to hide under leaf litter and other detritus, which makes them good feeders for small herps. They are also easy to raise and prolific, and like warmth and humidity.
There are many other species, each of which may be suited to different situations and vivariums.
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