Checklist for new isopod keepers

Starting any new pet-keeping journey is both exciting and a little nerve-racking. Do you have everything ready? Are you doing the right things? Will they be safe, or are you going to get it wrong?

So here's a properly comprehensive checklist to work through to see if you're on the right track. Each section covers the questions to ask yourself, plus what to do if the answer needs work.

Enclosure

Is the enclosure safe and secure? There are properly many things that can be used as an enclosure for isopods, but several things to double-check.

Chemical Safety

Have any chemicals been used that might be harmful? Some wood enclosures might have been treated, or you might have cleaned a tub with something toxic. If it's a ready-made vivarium, or made of glass or plastic, it should be properly safe.

What to do: Wipe out with a damp cloth or use a mild vinegar solution (vinegar is acetic acid, properly safe once rinsed). After cleaning with vinegar, rinse thoroughly with clean water and let dry — residual vinegar can affect substrate pH and stress isopods.

Security

Is it escape-proof? We send out a variety of ages and sizes of isopods, and once they start breeding there'll be tiny little creatures running around inside the enclosure. Are the air vents secure? Do the doors or lid close all the way?

Critical point for premium species: Cubaris and Ardentiella mancae (baby isopods) can properly climb smooth vertical surfaces including glass and plastic. If you're keeping these species, all ventilation needs fine mesh (insect mesh, not coarser ventilation grilles), and any gaps where wires or tubes enter must be sealed.

Position

Have you put it in the right position? Is there a draft? Is it in full sun? Both of these cause large temperature fluctuations that stress isopods. Is it in a high-traffic area where it might get knocked? Is it accessible enough for you to enjoy watching and easy to maintain?

What to look for: Stable temperatures, no direct sunlight (even brief sun exposure can cause overheating), somewhere you'll actually look at regularly rather than tucked out of sight where you'll forget about it.

Substrate

Substrate is properly one of the most important things to get right. It's their home, their food source, the way to maintain correct humidity, and choosing the wrong substrate may even harm them.

Safety

Are all the components safe? Soil from garden centres often contains insecticides, pesticides, and systemic fungicides that persist for months and can kill isopod colonies.

What to do: Use organic, pesticide-free substrate. Browse our flake soil and crushed leaf litter substrate for properly safe options. If using your own collected materials, sterilise by freezing (48+ hours at -18°C), baking, or boiling.

Moisture Retention

Does it hold enough moisture for your species? Different species need different humidity levels — Mediterranean Porcellio prefer drier substrates with moisture gradients, tropical Cubaris need consistent high moisture.

What to do: Most isopod-suitable substrates are organic mixes of coconut fibre (coir), flake soil, and decaying hardwood. The substrate should hold moisture without dripping when squeezed. For species-specific guidance, see our humidity guide.

Depth

Is it deep enough? Isopods burrow during moulting and to escape disturbance. Substrate that's too shallow leaves them exposed during the vulnerable moult period.

What to do: Minimum 3-5 cm depth for most species; 5-8 cm for burrowing species or larger Porcellio.

Leaf Litter and Decaying Wood

What isopods eat depends on the species, but leaf litter is properly a huge part of most isopods' diet.

Leaf Litter Source

Have you got a good source of safe leaf litter? This means oak, beech, magnolia, or similar hardwoods from pesticide-free areas. Avoid conifer needles (acidic) and tree leaves from urban environments (likely pesticide-contaminated).

What to do: Use our pre-prepared leaf litter for guaranteed pesticide-free material. If collecting your own, gather from rural woodland, sterilise by freezing or baking, and avoid any source within 50m of agricultural fields or sprayed gardens.

Decaying Wood

Have you provided rotting hardwood? Isopods properly need both food and habitat structure. Decaying wood provides both — they graze on it and hide within it.

What to do: Add shredded rotten wood mixed into the substrate, plus larger pieces of cork bark as hides.

Calcium Sources

One of the most properly important checklist items that beginner guides often miss. Isopods need consistent calcium for exoskeleton development and successful moulting. Without it, moulting failures accumulate and colonies decline.

Have you provided calcium? This means always-available sources, not occasional offerings.

What to do: Cuttlebone in the enclosure permanently — they'll graze as needed. Optionally add crushed eggshell or limestone pieces. Properly essential for all species, particularly important for premium morphs.

Cleanup Crew: Springtails

Springtails are properly essential alongside any isopod species. They consume mould, process fine organic debris, and prevent problems before they become visible.

Have you added springtails? Ideally introduce them 2-3 weeks before the isopods so they establish properly.

What to do: Browse our springtail collection for tropical and temperate options. They're properly affordable and one of the highest-impact additions to any isopod setup.

Hides and Structure

Isopods need places to hide for security, breeding, and moulting refuge.

What you need:

Cork bark pieces — both flat hides and vertical surfaces
Decaying wood pieces — food and habitat
Lotus pods or similar natural hides for moulting refuges
Sphagnum moss patches — humidity refuges

More structure is properly better than less — well-furnished enclosures support stronger breeding and reduced stress.

Heating

Many species will thrive in an unheated enclosure assuming your house is warm enough, but some need supplemental heat — especially at night or during cooler months.

Species Temperature Needs

Do you know the temperature requirements of your species?

Rough guide:

UK-native and temperate Mediterranean species (most Armadillidium, native Porcellio scaber) — 18-24 °C is properly fine, matching UK ambient
Mediterranean species from warmer islands (gestroi, depressum) — 20-25 °C, occasional supplementary heating helpful
Tropical Cubaris — 22-26 °C; supplementary heating typically needed through autumn-spring
Tropical Ardentiella — 22-27 °C; supplementary heating typically needed year-round in cooler UK homes

Room Temperatures

Do you know the minimum and maximum of the space? UK homes typically range from 16-22 °C in winter (with heating) to 18-28 °C in summer (heatwaves can push higher).

Heating Solutions

Can you provide heating if the room is cooler than needed?

What to do: Use a low-wattage heat mat on a thermostat, mounted on the side of the enclosure (not underneath, which dries out burrow substrate). Don't use heat lamps — they desiccate enclosures and provide problematic light for isopods.

Lighting

Lighting is a varied subject. Isopods don't properly need lighting themselves — most species prefer low-light conditions.

When you need lighting:

If you keep live plants in the enclosure — plants need adequate light for photosynthesis
If you want to watch the isopods (a soft LED or natural ambient room light is enough)

There's some evidence that most animals benefit from some form of UV exposure, but little evidence specifically that isopods properly utilise UVB lighting. Most keepers don't bother with UV for isopod-only setups.

Acclimatisation

One of the most properly missed checklist items. Don't just open the postal package and tip the isopods into the new enclosure.

What to do when your isopods arrive:

Open the package in a calm, ventilated area
Let the transport container sit at room temperature for 30-60 minutes to equalise
Gently transfer the isopods and their transport substrate into the prepared enclosure
Provide food and moisture but don't disturb them for the first 2-3 days
Expect to see relatively little activity for the first week as they explore and settle

Settling-in Period

Are you prepared to be patient? New colonies don't immediately breed. Expect 4-8 weeks before you see mancae (babies) appearing, longer for premium slow-breeding species like Cubaris and Ardentiella.

What to do: Don't disturb the enclosure excessively in the early weeks. Light misting, food offerings, and observation — but no major rearranging or "checking on them." Settled colonies breed; constantly-disturbed colonies don't.

Choosing the Right Isopods

There are around 10,000 species of isopod globally — though only a few hundred are properly available in the UK hobby. Here are recommendations at different experience levels.

For Genuine Beginners

Armadillidium granulatum 'White Pearl' — I've chosen these because of how easy they are to care for, but they're one of those species sometimes overlooked. Their colouration is subtler than other morphs of this species — a pearl-like shimmer that makes them that bit special. Adaptable to a range of habitats, not fussy in terms of food or what else is in the enclosure with them. Properly the ultimate low-stress pet.

Dairy Cow Isopods (Porcellio laevis) — properly hardy, fast-breeding, large enough to be visible. Black-and-white piebald patterning. Genuinely one of the best beginner species in the UK hobby.

Yellow Zebra Isopods — if a subtle pearl isn't to your taste, a bright black body with vibrant yellow stripes should be. Adaptable, easy to breed, and a properly great start for a breeding project. There's always a little variation in the stripes, so you can carefully select colours to get the perfect breeding lines.

For Beginners Wanting Something More Distinctive

White Gestroi 'Zinger' Isopods — something that bit special. These are perfect for the slightly drier setup, although they do need some wetter areas. Unfussy in terms of diet. The species (Armadillidium gestroi) is properly endemic to Sardinia and Corsica — Mediterranean island species rather than mainland European — and tolerates warmer conditions, so they'll thrive in a typical UK home without needing extra heat.

Porcellio scaber Mix — UK-native species with selectively-bred colour variety. Properly hardy and beginner-friendly with visual interest from the colour mix.

For Intermediate Keepers Stepping Up

Once you've successfully kept beginner species through their first breeding cycle, consider:

Powder Orange Isopods (Porcellionides pruinosus) — properly fast-breeding, hardy, with attractive orange colouration
Mediterranean Porcellio species — larger Spanish endemics from our Porcellio collection
Larger Armadillidium morphs — Magic Potion, Jelly Bean, A. depressum

For Advanced Keepers (Don't Start Here)

Premium tropical species — properly fascinating but not beginner-friendly:

Cubaris — Rubber Ducky, Panda King, Crazy Horse, and similar premium Thai and Vietnamese morphs
Ardentiella (formerly Merulanella) — Scarlet, Yellow Phoenix, Lava, and similar Vietnamese tropical morphs

These need specific tropical conditions, careful humidity management, escape-proofing for climbing mancae, and patience for slower breeding. Properly worth waiting for until you have isopod experience.