RecoveryColonies
Isopods care guide
Cubaris / Porcellio / Armadillidium spp.
A ventilated bin run as a moisture gradient: one wet end, one dry end, hardwood leaf litter throughout, and cork or bark for surface area.
Terrestrial — floor space first
Isopods enclosure size
Terrestrial — floor space first. An adult isopods should live in at least 16" L × 11" W × 8" H; we build toward 24" L × 16" W × 12" H (2 × 1.3 × 1 ft, roughly 2.7 sq ft of floor and about a 20-gallon glass equivalent).
A 6–16 qt bin per producing colony; keep a backup bin so one crash never ends the line.
- Starter culture
- 8" L × 6" W × 5" H recommended · min 6" L × 4" W × 4" H
- Establishing
- 14" L × 10" W × 8" H recommended · min 12" L × 8" W × 6" H
- Producing
- 24" L × 16" W × 12" H recommended · min 16" L × 11" W × 8" H
Temperature and heating
Heat the room, not the enclosure. If the room drops below 68 °F use a thermostatted space heater or a heat mat on the outside of a side wall (never under the substrate) — heat mats under a burrow cook the animal.
- Basking / warm surface
- None — no basking site, no heat lamp
- Warm side (ambient)
- 72–80 °F ambient room temperature
- Cool side (ambient)
- 70–75 °F ambient room temperature
- Night
- Room temperature; a 5–8 °F night drop is fine
Lighting and UVB
UVB: None — invertebrates need no UVB and bright light stresses them. Run lights on a Ambient room light on a normal day/night cycle; keep the enclosure out of direct sun photoperiod, on a timer, and replace UVB bulbs on the manufacturer's schedule even while they still emit visible light.
Humidity
Target 60–70% ambient. Dampen one corner of the substrate every week or two and keep a water dish full — never soak the whole enclosure.
Substrate and depth
Coco fibre and topsoil with hardwood leaf litter and a piece of cork. Depth: 2–3 in.
- Ventilation: One mesh vent plus a partly cracked lid — humid at the wet end, breathing everywhere else.
Enclosure tips and furnishing
- Hardwood leaf litter and rotten wood
- Cork bark for hiding and surface area
- Cuttlebone / calcium source
- One wet corner kept damp, the rest dry
Build list
- Ventilated plastic bin with a mesh-panel lid — Ventilation prevents the mite and mold blooms that crash colonies.
- Hardwood leaf litter or grain-based feeder chow — Colony output is a direct function of diet quality — this is what your animals eat next.
- Digital thermometer / hygrometer — Inverts are kept at room temperature — you need to know what the room actually does, not guess.
- Long feeding tongs and a catch cup — Every interaction — feeding, water top-ups, rehousing — should happen without your hand near the animal.
Isopods FAQ
How big should an adult Isopods enclosure be?
At least 16" L × 11" W × 8" H, and we recommend building to 24" L × 16" W × 12" H — about 2 × 1.3 × 1 ft, or a 20-gallon glass equivalent. Terrestrial — floor space first.
What temperatures does a Isopods need?
Basking or warm surface None — no basking site, no heat lamp, warm side 72–80 °F ambient room temperature, cool side 70–75 °F ambient room temperature, night Room temperature; a 5–8 °F night drop is fine. Heat the room, not the enclosure. If the room drops below 68 °F use a thermostatted space heater or a heat mat on the outside of a side wall (never under the substrate) — heat mats under a burrow cook the animal.
Does a Isopods need UVB?
None — invertebrates need no UVB and bright light stresses them. Photoperiod: Ambient room light on a normal day/night cycle; keep the enclosure out of direct sun.
What humidity does a Isopods need?
60–70% ambient. Dampen one corner of the substrate every week or two and keep a water dish full — never soak the whole enclosure.
What substrate is best for a Isopods?
Coco fibre and topsoil with hardwood leaf litter and a piece of cork, at a depth of 2–3 in.
How big does a Isopods enclosure need to be for a hatchling?
Starter culture: 8" L × 6" W × 5" H recommended, minimum 6" L × 4" W × 4" H. Scale up to the adult footprint as the animal grows.
How much ventilation does a Isopods enclosure need?
One mesh vent plus a partly cracked lid — humid at the wet end, breathing everywhere else.
Sources
Put this guide to work
Apply these targets to your own isopods record, then log feedings, sheds and weights against them.