Armadillidium nasatum 'White' Isopods for Sale

Armadillidium nasatum 'White' is the whitish selectively-bred colour morph of the Nosy Pill Woodlouse — a properly distinctive pale isopod that shows the classic nasatum "nose" feature combined with the visual interest of off-white to pale cream colouration. The result is a hardy, easy-care, properly visible cleanup crew that stands out beautifully against dark naturalistic substrate.

This is the standard 'White' variety, not the rarer 'Whiteout' albino. The distinction matters: 'White' shows whitish to pale cream body colouration with normal dark eyes — selectively bred for reduced pigmentation but not full albinism. The 'Whiteout' morph (also documented in the hobby) is the true albino with solid white body and white eyes; that's a genetically distinct line, typically commanding higher prices. The product here is the 'White' line — off-white tones, sometimes with a slight yellow tinge, occasionally appearing nearly translucent on individual specimens.

One properly important taxonomic fact: A. nasatum is a UK native species, occurring naturally in patches across southern England and sporadically in Ireland. Your White morph is a captive-bred selective form of a species you could genuinely find in a British garden — the natural type would be dark grey with pale longitudinal stripes. Browse the full Armadillidium collection for the standard 'Peach' nasatum and other species.

Quick Care Summary

• Scientific Name: Armadillidium nasatum nasatum Budde-Lund, 1885
• Trade Name: White
• Common Names: Nosy Pill Woodlouse, White Nosy Isopod
• Family: Armadillidiidae
• Origin: Captive-bred colour morph of a Western European species (UK native, including southern England)
• Adult Size: 12–15 mm typical (species reaches up to 21 mm at full potential per published sources)
• Lifespan: 2–3 years typical
• Difficulty: Easy — one of the most forgiving isopods available
• Temperature: 20–25°C (comfortably within UK room temperature year-round)
• Humidity: 50–75% — broad tolerance with moisture gradient
• Ventilation: Medium to high — tolerates drier conditions than most isopods
• Conglobation: Yes, but imperfect — forms a defensive ball with antennae often protruding (diagnostic of A. nasatum)
• Appearance: Off-white to pale cream body, sometimes with subtle yellow tinge or near-translucent quality; normal dark eyes (not albino); the diagnostic "nose" (scutellum) at the front of the head visible on close inspection
• Behaviour: Active and visible; primarily ground-dwelling; gregarious in colonies
• Breeding: Prolific; line-breeds true (white × white produces white offspring)
• Rarity: Rare morph of a common species

What Makes A. nasatum 'White' Special

The "nose" feature visible despite the reduced pigmentation. Even in pale specimens, the diagnostic scutellum at the front of the head — the species's namesake "nose" — remains visible on close inspection. The British Myriapod and Isopod Group describes this projection as "reminiscent of the peak of a base-ball cap" — once you've seen it, you can't miss it.

The line-bred trait. White × White breeding produces white offspring reliably — this is a properly stabilised colour line, not a one-off mutation. Introducing wild-type individuals would dilute the white over generations, so colonies should be kept pure to preserve the morph. Selective breeding from the palest individuals can intensify the white expression over successive generations.

Genuine taxonomic and natural-history depth. A. nasatum was first described by Danish zoologist Gustav Budde-Lund in 1885, with type specimens at the Natural History Museum of Denmark. Five recognised subspecies, well-documented English distribution, and 140 years of continuous scientific documentation — properly substantial provenance for a beginner-tier isopod.

The drier-tolerance advantage. A. nasatum handles lower-humidity conditions than most hobby isopods — properly suited to bioactive setups housing animals that prefer it on the dry side (leopard geckos, bearded dragons, ball pythons). Wherever tropical Cubaris would struggle, nasatum thrives.

Imperfect conglobation. Unlike most Armadillidium species, A. nasatum doesn't form a perfectly closed ball when threatened — the antennae remain visible, and there's a small gap. Shared only with A. depressum among the genus. A genuine taxonomic feature, not a defect.

Visual standout against dark substrate. The white colouration makes the morph properly photogenic and easy to observe — useful for both display purposes and population monitoring. Particularly attractive in bioactive vivariums with dark naturalistic substrate.

How A. nasatum 'White' Compares to Other Pale Isopods

• vs A. nasatum 'Peach': The natural sister listing — same species, different selectively-bred colour line. Peach shows warm peach/orange/cream tones; White shows pale off-white/cream tones. Identical care, identical hardiness, just different visual identity. Many keepers collect both for variety.
• vs A. nasatum 'Whiteout' (when available): Whiteout is the rarer albino variant — solid white body and white eyes, genetically distinct from White, commanding higher prices. The standard White morph (this listing) has the white body with normal dark eyes. If you specifically want the full albino, look for "Whiteout" listings.
• vs A. vulgare T-Minus Albino: Both are albino-pattern Armadillidium morphs but in different species. T-Minus is the albino A. vulgare line; A. nasatum 'White' is the whitish-pigment-reduced A. nasatum line. T-Minus typically rolls a perfect ball; nasatum rolls imperfectly. Both pale, both Armadillidium, slightly different species traits.
• vs P. scaber 'Whiteout': Different genus entirely. P. scaber Whiteout is the white morph of the native British Rough Woodlouse (non-conglobating Porcellio); A. nasatum White is the white morph of the native British Nosy Pill Woodlouse (conglobating Armadillidium). Both UK-native species, both pale morphs, very different body forms and behaviours.

Setting Up the Enclosure

A 5–10 litre plastic container with a secure clip-lock lid suits a starter colony. A. nasatum are primarily ground-dwelling and don't climb smooth plastic readily, so enclosure security is straightforward. Drill ventilation holes on opposite sides for cross-ventilation, covered with fine mesh.

Provide cork bark flats, decaying wood, and a few flat hides. Place cork bark over the moist area to retain humidity locally. The species appreciates multiple retreat options during moulting periods. Keep the enclosure out of direct sunlight — particularly relevant for pale morphs which can stress under bright lighting.

Important husbandry note: A. nasatum do not need a standing water dish. Light misting one corner of the enclosure provides all the moisture they need — open water risks drowning small individuals. Skip the water dish.

Substrate

Use a substrate mix that retains moisture but drains well:

• Organic topsoil base (pesticide-free) as the foundation
• Sphagnum peat moss mixed lightly throughout
• Composted hardwood leaf litter (oak, beech, magnolia)
• Flake soil mixed in for added nutrition
• Crushed limestone or eggshells distributed throughout for calcium
• Rotting hardwood pieces (nutrition source)

We recommend a topsoil and sphagnum-based mix rather than coco coir. Substrate depth around 5–8 cm is sufficient — these are small ground-dwelling isopods that don't need deep burrowing space.

Top layer: generous hardwood leaf litter plus a few flat cork bark hides. The white colouration shows particularly well against dark substrate.

Humidity and Temperature

Maintain humidity around 50–75% with a clear moisture gradient — keep one-third of the enclosure consistently damp using sphagnum moss while the rest stays drier with leaf litter coverage. A. nasatum migrates between moist and dry areas throughout the day, seeking the conditions it prefers at any given moment. This is why the gradient matters more than precise humidity targeting.

Temperature should be 20–25°C — comfortably within UK room temperature year-round. They don't need supplementary heating in heated UK homes and handle minor variation without difficulty.

Diet

A. nasatum 'White' are enthusiastic generalist detritivores:

• Primary diet (always available): Mixed deciduous leaf litter (oak, beech, magnolia), rotting hardwood, decaying organic matter
• Vegetables (1–2x weekly): Carrot, courgette, squash, cucumber, sweet potato. Replace within 24–48 hours.
• Fruit (occasionally): Small amounts of soft fruit — sparingly due to sugar content
• Protein (weekly): Fish flakes, dried shrimp, dried daphnia, occasional bloodworm. Feed protein on the drier side of the enclosure to prevent it spoiling or attracting pests.
• Calcium (essential — always available): Cuttlefish bone, crushed limestone, oyster shell, eggshells. Important for healthy moulting in a calcified-exoskeleton species.

Note: A. nasatum can secrete defensive compounds when handled or stressed. Always wash hands after handling — these aren't harmful, but the secretion is part of the species's natural defence.

Breeding

A. nasatum 'White' breeds reliably and prolifically once established. Females develop a marsupium (brood pouch) and produce 15–30 mancae per brood, with multiple broods per year under stable conditions. Sub-adults often begin breeding before reaching full size — properly productive species.

Critical note on mancae (juveniles): Newborn isopods require higher humidity than adults and are more sensitive to drying out. The moisture gradient in your enclosure matters most for the young — they retreat to the damp area during their vulnerable early stages. Don't let the damp side dry out completely, especially when mancae are present.

For colour breeding: the White morph is line-bred and breeds true (white × white = white offspring). Introducing wild-type individuals would dilute the colour over generations. Keep colonies pure to preserve the morph.

Who Should Buy Armadillidium nasatum 'White'?

Ideal for:

• Beginners wanting an easy, forgiving first isopod morph at accessible pricing
• Display keepers drawn to pale colouration against dark substrate
• Collectors building a UK-native isopod cluster
• Bioactive setup builders needing cleanup crew for drier-environment animals (leopard geckos, bearded dragons, ball pythons)
• Keepers collecting different nasatum morphs (pair with Peach for variety)
• Anyone wanting a white isopod without paying full Whiteout albino premium

Not ideal for:

• Keepers specifically wanting full albino (eye and body white) — buy Whiteout, not White
• Very humid tropical setups — A. nasatum tolerates a range but isn't optimised for high humidity
• Truly arid setups — they still need access to moisture
• Display keepers wanting bold vivid colour — White is subtle, not vivid

Realistic Expectations

It's "White" not "Whiteout." Set expectations toward off-white, pale cream, sometimes with subtle yellow tinge — not pure ghost-white. The eyes are dark, not white. If you want the full albino aesthetic, the Whiteout line is what you're after (separate listing, separate price tier).

The "nose" is real but subtle. The scutellum is small — visible on close inspection. Don't expect a dramatic projection; expect the small diagnostic bump.

The ball is imperfect. Antennae remain visible when rolled. This is a species feature, not a defect.

They breed fast. Within months you'll have far more isopods than you started with. Plan for colony expansion.

They're properly active. A. nasatum is one of the more outgoing Armadillidium species — expect to see them exploring during the day as well as at night, not just hiding constantly.

Watch the mancae. The biggest mortality risk for this species is juveniles drying out. Get the moisture gradient right and they're properly bulletproof.