Powder White Isopods For Sale

Powder White isopods are one of the most beginner-friendly isopods in the pet world. They work great as beginner-level pets for children and young adults. Their ability to quickly establish a colony distinguishes them from the other isopods. 

These quickly adapting groups of creatures can be a great addition to any pet isopod collection. With the proper care and attention, Powder White isopods can even breed before reaching their prime adult size.

A Glimpse

• Origin: Mediterranean
• Scientific Name: Porcellionides Pruinosus
• Difficulty Level: Low
• Size: Upto 1.25 cm
• Rarity: Low
• Temperature:70℉ to 85℉
• Humidity: 45% to 80%
• Favourite Foods: Carrot, Dried Shrimp

An Overview

Powder White isopods are the common name for the otherwise scientifically called Porcellionides Pruinosus isopods. These isopods are particularly popular for their quick-growing nature. Even with moderate care, these isopods are known to  multiply quite quickly.

Generally, Powder Whites can live in various environments, including harsh ones. They can withstand different climate regions, including tropical and semi-arid. These beginner-friendly pet isopods only grow up to 1.5 centimeters long. Due to its small size and very minimal needs, it is extremely easy to care for them.

Powder Whites are relatively affordable. As they are quite common to find and easy and fast to breed, they are sold at a budget-friendly rate worldwide. They are widely used in terrariums as the clean-up crew.

Powder Whites are primarily suitable for pet rearing because of their diurnal character. Diurnal creatures are mostly active during the day. So, in its enclosure or terrarium, it is possible to witness them being active throughout the day.

Basic Care

Following instructions are considered ideal for caring Powder White isopods by isopod experts.

• Powder White isopods require very minimal care as they naturally adapt to various environments.

• Powder White isopods are great to be used as feed for other small animals. These isopods usually remain on the surface of any enclosure, making them easy prey for any pet animal.

• The Powder White isopods colony needs a constant supply of food. So, the pet owner must refill their food source almost constantly. The isopods primarily consume organic matter, including animal feces. Providing organic matter can aid the quick growth of the Powder White isopods.

• Keeping the Powder White isopod enclosure under a moderate temperature is crucial. Excessively high or low temperatures can harm the survival of the isopods.

• The Powder White isopod enclosure should be kept partially moist. It is advisable to water a portion of the habitat now and then.

Feeding

These isopods require a nutritious diet to grow and reproduce correctly. A fibre-rich, protein-rich diet is considered ideal for the well-being of the Powder White isopods. For fibre content, you can use food items like leaf litter, decaying wood, magnolia pods, etc.

For high protein content, it is advisable to provide foods like shrimp pellets, yeast, insect frass, etc. Experts also advise keeping a good amount of vegetables in the diet of Powder Whites. Under the vegetables category, you can feed them sweet potatoes, peas, mushrooms, beans, etc.

However, the most favourite foods of Powder Whites most people would say iscarrots and dried shrimp. One of the most important things to note while feeding Powder White isopods is never to overfeed the creatures. Leftover food particles can easily cause fungal growth in the enclosure, which is very harmful to the isopods.

Appearance and Behavior

Powder White isopods have their name from their shell's powdery or shimmery white color. They appear white in color. During their younger phase, they are bright white in color. But once they reach their adult phase, the color shifts to more of a shimmery white. 

When it comes to behavior, Powder White isopods are highly active. They are constantly on the move and are considered a great cleaning crew for any enclosure. Their active nature is one of the reasons why they are regarded as great food for other pets. Because they cause the pet to chase around them before being caught for eating.

Although Powder White isopods are highly active during the day in unfamiliar conditions, they tend to hide under leaf litter. They come out of their hiding spot only once they are sure of the safety of the surroundings. 

 Habitat

Powder Whites are naturally found in the Mediterranean region. They were later moved to Europe and various parts of Asia. So, there are no fixed natural habitat traits that they prefer. 

The buyers are expected to use plastic or glass containers to inhabit the Powder White isopods. As these isopods are highly active, it is better to have transparent enclosures to watch them better. 

Keeping the enclosure highly ventilated is necessary for the survival of the isopods. There needs to be no soil in the enclosure. Powder White isopods can survive on all kinds of surfaces. However,providing them with the nutrients they would otherwise have gotten from living soil is essential.

The enclosure should always be kept within a healthy temperature between 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. As these isopods prefer to live in highly humid habitats, care should also be given to that aspect. That is, the buyer should keep the humidity levels up in the enclosure.

When it comes to the moisture content in the soil or the substrate mix, a partially wet condition can work. It is better to keep a portion of the enclosure moist always. You can spray water into one half of the enclosure to prevent the enclosure from being dry.

Keeping enough hiding spots in the enclosure for these pods is essential. Some of the hiding spot options are as follows.

• Cork bark

• Lotus pods

• Coconut halves

• Egg cartons

Powder White Isopods: Substrate Mix

The ideal substrate mix for the Powder White isopods includes the following elements.

• Coconut coir
• Peat moss
• Leaf litter

It is advisable to always keep the substrate mix's upper layer as leaf litter. It is also essential to keep the substrate mix a bit moist.