Isopods

Isopods are great low maintenance pets that come in thousands of colors, shapes and size combinations, there really is a type for everyone! Many hobbyists will have a portfolio of many different kinds, whether they're rare and exotic, or just ones they think are neat.

They come in combinations of almost all colors, even bright pinks and greens, and can be the size of a grain of rice or larger than a U.S. quarter!

They've been used as clean up crews for reptiles and other critters for as long as the hobbies have existed, but recently exploded in popularity to keep on their own when people realized just how unique each type can be, and more are being discovered and created via selective breeding all the time!

Most Americans can go outside, flip over a couple of logs or sticks, and see at least one isopod. Armadillidium, also known as pill bug, roly poly, woodlouse and dozens of other common names, are literally all over America! 

Different regions can have differences, known as morphs, in even the common roly poly, over 200 have been officially documented, and that's not counting the other 5000 kinds of isopods worldwide that don't conglobate! (roll into a ball)

Ready to start collecting?

With incredible variations in species and preferred natural climates, this will serve as a general guide that will get you started with pretty much all types, though you may research your particular species to see if they prefer tropical, or more arid environments.

Isopods don't need a whole lot of space, a 6 quart plastic container with a secure lid works great if you have fifteen or fewer isopods, but when they breed, upgrade them to a larger container, whatever size container you put them in, they will breed to fill it up.

Isopods don't require light, they actually prefer darkness, and will be just fine with ambient light from the room they're placed in, though you're welcome to add LEDs so you can view them, give them some darkness during the night.

Your little friends will need air, so make some air vents on the sides of the container, you can also add vents to the lid, though only having vents on top will not be sufficient as they will suffocate, even if you're not stacking the containers, because carbon dioxide will sink to the bottom, and without air flow it will stay there. Having too much ventilation is far better than not having enough. You can use a mesh screen such as what is put on windows to keep them in, and flies or other pests out.

Isopods need moisture, but also may want a place to dry out, most keepers will create what's called a moisture gradient in the container, where on one side of the enclosure there is a large chunk or sheet of moss settled into the dirt, where water is poured on occasion and will be misted with water, then the other side will be left dry, so that the center will be a happy medium.

Substrate.

Not only will they live in this, they'll eat it too, so like millipedes or snails, avoid using coco coir or synthetic substrates.

You'll need dirt, so some organic, pesticide and fertilizer free topsoil or compost is great. Mix in shredded wood and leaf litter and you're good to go. Other helpful fillers you can use are sphagnum moss, calcium carbonate powder, worm castings or powdered eggshells. Then sprinkle more leaf litter all over the top, this will be their largest source of food.

Isopods like to dig around, so having several inches for them to explore is good, if the substrate becomes compacted and tough to move, you can gently mix it around with your hands without fear of hurting them, they'll move.

Isopods love to congregate under things, like logs, bark sheets and even rocks, so place things in there for them to crawl under, just like you see when you flip a log over in the forest, all the isopods are clumped up underneath!

These little friends really don't need any extra meals other than some protein via fish food or dried blood/meal worms, although you can feed them all sorts of organics like fruits, vegetables, rotting wood, even fingernail clippings if they're clean! They'll eat just about anything. They don't require this, and can live just fine on leaf litter that you refill from time to time as you notice it gets depleted.

Feeding your isopods special treats is a great way we can interact with them, especially when colonies grow larger and any extra food is destroyed like piranhas will do in cartoons, they are voracious scavengers and will even eat freeze dried minnows or pinky mice, bones and all! There's a reason they're used in clean up crews with other creatures because they will eat any organic waste, in fact, snake skin is a popular treat for isopods! Seeing them happy with whatever extra food we throw in makes us happy, it's a common sentiment in the hobby.

Other organics will often be grazed on, like empty lotus seed pods, bits of wood, algae, lichen and flowers.

When colonies become larger you'll notice leaf litter gets eaten faster and faster, isopods will breed more if there is an abundance of food, which causes an explosive cycle, you feed them, they breed, they require more food, you feed them more food, this will continue until you have an enclosure overflowing with mancae, or baby isopods.

Springtails are great tank mates for isopods, they'll be a little more efficient at dealing with mold and any intruder larvae like gnats and fruit flies, isopods break down larger debris, the springtails will take care of the rest.

Isopods can be kept with snails, but keep their population in check, if they explode in numbers, they'll outcompete the snails for food and the more protein hungry types may begin nibbling on your snails when they get hungry. They'll always eat any snail eggs they find, so keep that in mind if you're planning on breeding your snails.

Isopods should NOT be kept with millipedes, as millipedes will dig down and begin molting, their shedding exoskeleton is dead organic matter, this will attract isopods to their location, and millipede exoskeletons are protein based and haven't hardened yet when they're still fresh. Millipedes are immobile and defenseless in this state, and the isopods will cause the death of the millipede.

For reptiles, amphibians, arthropods and even some mammals, research each type specifically to see if they are good pals for isopods.