Isopod & Pill Bug Care

General care instructions for small isopods such as isopods and pill bugs.

There has been a growing demands for tropical and unusual woodlice and pill bug species. These small crustaceans are a great and non harmful additional to the larger species enclosures. They act as a natural cleaner getting rid of rotting materials, old food and even faeces. There is now a range of tropical woodlice available in all sorts of colours, sizes and patterns.

TEMPERATURE

Room Temperature 18-22 C. Spray ever few days, with wet areas

LIGHTING

Well lit enclosures.

Avoid direct sunlight

HOUSING

This species will do well in a shoe box sided enclosure or any suitable sized enclosure with good floor space. They do prefer a coco fibre or soil base with sphagnum moss as a nice additional. Provide lots of hiding places such as bark hides, cork tubes and leaf litter. There is very little maintenance required other than to remove any old uneaten food. They should keep themselves quite clean.

FEEDING

Isopods will eat a wide variety of dead and decaying plant material including old pieces of fruit and veg, leaf little, dog or cat biscuit and fish food flakes. Potato is a good source of food and water as well as good to encourage breeding.

SEXING

Isopods can be very difficult to sex. When turning onto their underside, male have obvious sex glands where as females do not have these. We also find that they breed best in larger groups. Once mating occurs the female will lay her eggs into a pouch and carry this around for around a month.

GENERAL

Isopods moult throughout their life, reaching maturity around 1 year old. they can live for 2-3 years generally.