Armadillo Isopods for Sale

Armadillo isopods are one of the most frequently misidentified genera in the hobby. The name, the conglobation, the pill-bug shape - everything about them invites comparison with Armadillidium, and the two genera are indeed related. But Armadillo is a distinct genus, and one of its species has a characteristic that sets it apart from every other isopod commonly kept: Armadillo officinalis hisses.

When threatened and rolled into a ball, Armadillo officinalis rubs its legs against the inner surface of its shell in rapid circular motions, producing an audible stridulation - a subtle rattling or hissing sound that becomes more noticeable as colony numbers grow. Research has shown the sound peaks around 9 kHz and likely functions as both a defence signal and an alarm to other colony members. No other readily available isopod is known to do anything like it. If you want an isopod that surprises people, this is the one.

Currently we stock two species across three listings. The Armadillo officinalis Red Brick and Armadillo officinalis Brown are colour morphs of the same Mediterranean species - A. officinalis originates from Southern Europe and the western Black Sea coasts and prefers low to medium humidity (around 55-70%) with a clear moisture gradient. The Armadillo tuberculatus is a Greek island species, ours a slate blue-grey covered in tubercles, with a slower breeding rate and a preference for even drier conditions (40-60% humidity); our Armadillo tuberculatus care guide covers it in full. The officinalis forms are rated easy on our care panels and tuberculatus medium, and all of them need good ventilation and should not be kept in uniformly wet conditions - excessive humidity causes moulting problems across the genus.

One practical note for enclosure setup: unlike Ardentiella or tropical Cubaris which need high humidity, Armadillo are Mediterranean species that actively suffer in very damp environments. If you're used to keeping Armadillidium, the care is broadly similar - think moisture gradient, good airflow, plenty of leaf litter and cork bark - just err drier rather than wetter, and ensure calcium is always available for healthy moulting.

Livestock is posted Monday to Thursday by Royal Mail Tracked 24 or Next Day, with the live arrival guarantee on every livestock order and a 20% overcount as standard. Check our new arrivals page for updates, and visit the accessories collection for leaf litter, cuttlebone, and cork bark for your enclosure setup. Any questions before buying, get in touch - we're always happy to help.