There are a number of reasons to establish an Isopod (woodlouse) colony. Isopods make a high calcium feeder for some invertebrates and an excellent vivarium custodian for most enclosures. Easy to establish, cheap to maintain and very low maintenance – the Isopod is often wrongly overlooked as a tool in the exotic invert keepers arsenal.

Isopods come in a variety of shapes and colours – from the temperate to the tropical. The species I currently raise are as follows.

A very fast moving reclusive species which favours a more damp and darkened environment. Slow to establish but larger than the similarly soft bodied tropical species. Rich glossy brown in colour with reddish legs, has an unusual twopronged “tail”. Adult approx 10mm in length.

Looks very much like a miniature Porcellio scaber in appearance, pale brown to almost translucent white in colour with faint stripes along the length of its back. Relatively quick to establish and hard bodied. Adult approx 7mm in length.

A stunning rich orange mutation of the common grey garden woodlouse. Quick to establish, large in size and hard bodied. Tolerates a range of humidities. Adult approx 12mm in length.

A translucent white tropical species which thrives in a dark damp enclosure. Slow to establish but once the colony has settled will thrive. Soft bodied and tiny an ideal feeder for small nymphs/hatchlings. Adult approx 5mm in length.

All species will act as vivarium custodians, feeding on decaying detritus and mould within an enclosure. Snails in particular benefit from this 24/7 cleaning service, which serves to prevent the build up of waste products which would otherwise attract unwanted pests such as mites and fruit flies. Likewise P. scaber readily live alongside roach colonies cleaning up excess waste.

Regardless of which species you opt for, care is essentially the same when establishing the base culture from which to seed your enclosures.

For housing the culture I would recommend a shallow plastic container with some ventilation (if drilling holes you only require a few as restricted ventilation will maintain the level of humidity required). The 4 litre really useful box is ideal for this purpose. Its lid does not fit snug which allows adequate ventilation without the need for drilling additional v vents. Shallow and stackable the culture can be easily maintained over several tubs in a limited space.

Isopods require a light open textured substrate which provides them with adequate humidity and nooks and crevices in which to live. A coir cardboard mix provides the perfect texture to create this environment. The coir has a soft open texture retaining humidity and offering a burrowing material whilst the cardboard opens up the coir layer giving the substrate structure, gaps and crevices forming a platform for mould growth and a food source in itself.

The ideal mix is a 50/50 split of coir and Isopod Card. Use damp reconstituted coir, the moisture from the coir will be absorbed into the cardboard leaving you with a moist but not wet final substrate. Apply a single layer one inch think to the bottom if the rearing enclosure. An inch is an adequate thickness to support a large culture: due to the texture of the medium the surface area is much greater than a compacted compost.

Sprinkle your starter culture of woodlice over the substrate, they will quickly burrow into the substrate later out of sight.

At this point you want to apply your first feed. Sprinkle a very fine layer of Isopod Meal over the substrate later. Too much and you will attract pests and the feed will foul before it is consumed. A fine sprinkle on a regular basis is ideal.
The feed will dampen and eventually produce mould, the mould and the feed will be consumed. Remember it is important not to overfeed, but you must not allow the culture to go without or it will reduce the rate of reproduction.

Finally you require a hide under which the Isopods will feed. For this I recommend a natural material which will not be broken down quickly and be easy to lift for future feeding. The Isopod Shelter Sheet is a coir based mat providing the perfect hide. Soak the Isopod Shelter Sheet and shake off excess moisture. Lay this directly over the sprinkling of Isopod Meal. This layer helps retain the moisture of the substrate and provides a dark location which will encourage the woodlice to feed. Always apply the Isopod Meal beneath the Shelter Sheet.

Keep your culture in a warm dark place, and it will thrive – although not adversely affected by light due to the presence of the shelter sheet, cultures grow quicker in a darker location.