Care tips
An overview for each genus. Care for each individual species may vary but these guides will get you started. This is a living page and updated as new information is proven.
A hardy species that can be very forgiving. It is a very good group for first time keepers.
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Temperature range: 68 - 85
Growth Rate: Moderate
Moisture: Low
Reproduction: Moderate to Fast
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Housed on organic soil which can include aged bark, leaf litter, crushed/whole charcoal, and hardwood bark hides like oak or cotton wood.
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Substrate should have a moist area and never be kept dry.
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Ventilation/Airflow is needed as population grows to avoid off gas build up and potential colony crash.
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Feeding is fairly simple with either fresh vegetables like squash or carrots. You can use dry powders like pangea or repashy. Species will consume leaf litter, soil, and bioactive material offered.
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A hardy species that is somewhat forgiving. Porcellio scaber and morphs can be a very good beginner species. Larger species from Spain tend to have varied requirements. This is a considered a protein hungry species
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Temperature range: 68 - 85
Moisture: Low
Growth Rate: Moderate
Reproduction: Moderate to Fast
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Housed on organic soil which can include aged bark, leaf litter, crushed/whole charcoal, and hardwood bark hides like oak or cotton wood.
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Substrate should have a moist area and never be kept dry.
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Ventilation/Airflow is needed but more airflow is needed to keep larger Porcellio content.
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Feeding is fairly simple with either fresh vegetables like squash or carrots. You can use dry powders like pangea or repashy. Species will consume leaf litter, soil, and any bioactive matter offered.
Cubaris
A hardy species that can be forgiving but has its own specific requirement. First time keepers should ask plenty of questions before purchasing any Cubaris species.
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Temperature range: 68 - 78
Growth Rate: Moderate
Moisture: Medium - High
Reproduction: Slow - Moderate
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Housed on organic soil which can include aged bark, leaf litter, crushed/whole charcoal, and hardwood bark hides like oak or cotton wood. Limestone chunk or dolomite powder may be added to the container for consumption.
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Substrate should have a large moist area and never be kept dry. A large area of leaf litter is recommended.
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Ventilation/Airflow is key to keep moisture from become stagnate becoming a fruit fly breeding ground.
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Feeding is fairly simple with either fresh vegetables like squash or carrots. You can use dry powders like pangea or repashy. Species will consume leaf litter as well.
Merulanella
Species that is newer to the hobby hat has some know and unknown requirements. Can be a but finicky and possibly not the best beginner species
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Temperature range: 68 - 78
Growth Rate: Moderate - Fast
Moisture: Medium - High
Reproduction: Slow - Moderate
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Housed on organic soil which can include aged bark, leaf litter, crushed/whole charcoal, and hardwood bark hides like oak or cotton wood. Species need plenty of space to climb on and over. This is not a burrowing species.
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Substrate should have a large moist area and never be kept dry. Long fiber sphagnum moss and lichen may be added to improve survival and reproduction rates.
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Ventilation/Airflow is key to keep moisture from become stagnate becoming a fruit fly breeding ground. Higher temperatures can prove to be fatal
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Feeding is fairly simple with either fresh vegetables like squash or carrots. You can use dry powders like pangea or repashy.
Isopoda - Dwarf
Very interesting group that has equally interesting husbandry. Cultures should be kept in smaller groups to improve chances of reproduction until large groups are established
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Temperature range: 68 - 85
Growth Rate: Moderate
Moisture: High
Reproduction: Moderate to Fast
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Housed on organic soil which can include aged bark, leaf litter, crushed/whole charcoal, and hardwood bark hides like oak or cotton wood. Ability to offer moss and lichen is a plus
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Substrate should have a moist area and never be kept dry. Moisture should be accumulated on side of housing to improve and monitor humidity.
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Ventilation/Airflow is needed as population grows to avoid off gas build up and potential colony crash.
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Feeding is fairly simple with either fresh vegetables like squash or carrots. You can use dry powders like pangea or repashy.
Ventilation vs. Airflow
Let's first understand the concept.
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Let's take sharks as an example. A shark will constantly move in order to pass water through the gill and provide oxygenated water of the them for the exchange process to work. So, if you translate this to an isopod environment, airflow is key.
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Ventilation is the process of air exchange. Basically, it is the defined process by which the lungs pull in air into the lungs and allows the alveoli to exchange CO2 for O2. This is helped by way of the diaphragm.
Now, the understanding makes sense because isopods have no diaphragm to engage the flow of air into the lungs. This is where airflow is key. You can provide 100% ventilation but without airflow there cannot be air exchange.
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