If you are a fan of unique pets or love discovering nature’s tiny wonders, Rubber Bee isopods will surely grab your attention because they are colorful and lovely. With their striking appearance and armored bodies, they stand apart from other species and give you a chance to own a pet so rare that you cannot find it in the wild anywhere else but Thailand, the origin country.
Rubber Bee Isopods: A Glimpse
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Origin: Thailand
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Scientific Name: Cubaris sp.
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Rarity: Rare
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Difficulty Level: Moderate
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Temperature: 21-27°C
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Size: Up to 15 mm
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Humidity: 70-80%
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Favorite Foods: Rotting wood, Decaying leaf litter, cork bark, lichen, moss, and gammarus shrimp
An Overview
Rubber Bees otherwise named as Rubber Ducky isopods are small, colorful creatures native to Thailand. Popular for the yellow-and-black markings on their bodies, it also sets them apart from other species in the region.
For being a land ispods, the Rubber Bee has moderate care requirements, and it means that it need of more attention than entry-level species and need an experienced care-taker.
To have them as your pet translates to hard work and start with creating a bioactive terrarium followed with an ideal environment mimicking their natural habitat in the wild. These isopods are colorful and fun to watch, making them a great addition to any setup.
Rubber Bee Isopods: Basic Care
Here are some basic care tips to get you started with your journey as a keeper:
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Like other isopods, Rubber Bees cannot tolerate high temperatures and may become ill if the temperature is not kept between 21 °C and 27°C, the ideal range for their survival.
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Since they need high humidity, you should mist the enclosure regularly to prevent it from becoming excessively dry.
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Adding plenty of hiding spots can make the setup more comfortable. This encourages natural behavior and gives your isopods a place to rest and seek cover.
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Make sure there is proper airflow within the enclosure. Otherwise, your isopods will struggle to breathe and even suffocate.
Rubber Bee Isopods: Feeding
Since Rubber Bee Isopods are scavengers, they eat dead plants, old wood, and fallen leaves, so you must include all that in their diet in captivity. Feeding them is not a dreadful task and a combination of dried leaves, pieces of rotting wood, and special isopod foods sold in pet stores to balance their diet is indeed the best. They also love occasional treats like slices of carrots, cucumbers, or fish flakes, but make sure not to overfeed them, or else it will harm their health.
Rubber Bee Isopods: Appearance & Behaviour
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Rubber Bee Isopods are tiny but striking, mainly because of their black bodies and bright yellow bands that make them look like little bees. Their shell is also soft and flexible, unlike any other species.
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They are pretty much social in nature and like to socialize in their colony, but you won’t see them before night because, during the daytime, they hide and rest underneath the leaf litter.
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They love to burrow in the soil and hide under leaves or wood, which is why you need to add plenty of substrates so they can carry on with their natural behavior without constraints.
Rubber Bee Isopods: Habitat
When creating the perfect habitat, you must mimic their natural environment so they can thrive in moist, shady places and have many hiding spots to seek cover. Only opt for the terrarium that has holes in the lid which ensures the proper airflow. Check on the humidity level as it is crucial as well. To maintain the same, mist the enclosure regularly and avoid placing it in direct sunlight because it can dry out the habitat quickly.
Rubber Bee Isopods: Substrate Mix
A good substrate mix can hold moisture and contains 50% organic topsoil, 25% coconut fiber, and 25% leaf litter, but without any fertilizer or harsh chemicals. Otherwise, your isopods can fall sick or even die. You can also add small pieces of rotting wood and crushed oyster shells so they can have their calcium fill and their exoskeleton can develop better and stronger.
