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Pear pods are a great asset to an isopod enclosure. Serving more than just decorative aesthetics, the pits in these botanicals are ideal for springtails and smaller isopod species.  Pear pods despite their name are not affiliated with the common fruit. Also sometimes referred to as the Mohka Pod, these pear shaped pods originate from the olive tree family. 

Porcellio Bolivari is likely one of the most beautiful and elegant looking isopods in the hobby today. Their base color is a pleasant lemon yellow with the segments of the perion being separated with mottled dark striping. The edges of the skirt including the legs and antenna are white to off white. The intensity of these coloration factors can vary between individuals. The most brilliant colors typically show in sub adult to adult specimens. Porcellio Bolivari is considered intermediate to advanced in terms of care as they have specific environmental needs that must be consistently adhered to for their survival. They are also sensitive to stress and do not do well with big changes or being disturbed an excessive amount. This is a larger Spanish porcellio with big males reaching on average 1.2 inches with females only slightly smaller. With that said, they need ample space. Males can be territorial and an off balance ratio of males to females can result in the females being "harassed" by eager males which causes stress and other potential issues. A sterilite gasket sealed bin or glass tank measuring at least 18-24 long by 12 or more inches wide is ample for a starter colony with some room to grow. Enclosures can be enhanced with natural botanical items to simulate the isopods habitat in the wild. This helps them feel secure which in turn promotes their natural processes like eating and breeding. The ideal temperature range for P. Bolivari is 68-78F. Slightly warmer is desirable if you wish to see a thriving culture that is active and reproduces faster.  Moisture gradient and ventilation is where the potential challenging aspect of this species comes into play. They need a modest amount of moisture, but also an area or two that is dry to bone dry. Ideally if your set up is large enough, a few different areas that vary in this way can be beneficial. Such as having two separate moist corners and some dry area in between. They will often migrate between moist and dry areas at different times of the day to facilitate their biological processes as needed. A second layer of needs that further makes them a little more involved is that they need medium to high ventilation. This is easiest achieved with an enclosure that has some level of height up and away from the substrate. In the areas that are to be moist, the substrate can be a bit deeper which in turn retains humidity longer. A few pieces of cork bark strategically placed over some of the moist side will also help retain the humidity levels and reduce the frequency of watering needed to maintain a proper moisture gradient. They also seem to appreciate some stacked cork bark which gives them another dimension to regulate their moisture needs by climbing higher away from the substrate. Isopods are detritivores. Their primary diet in nature is leaf litter and decayed wood. Both of these should always be available in abundance. They will also happily consume any other decomposing organic plant or animal matter they come across. As such it is vital to supplement your isopods with other food sources on a semi regular basis. They enjoy food options like squash, radishes, carrots and other veggies along with commercial isopod powdered food like Repashy. Being a Porcellio, they do appreciate some protein occasionally which can be things like freeze dried minnows, shrimp, fish pellets, dried insects and other protein based food sources. Be sure to feed these on the drier side as they can spoil quickly in humid environments and attract unwanted pests. It should also be noted it's highly recommended to have some form of calcium available at all times. As these unique isopods naturally occur in the limestone caves of eastern Spain, they spend all of their lives in such environments and the closer your set up can mimic their natural surroundings, the better your chance of success. All in all Porcellio Bolivari is an absolutely amazing isopod and is among the few that can rightfully be refereed to as attractive in isopod terms. Once established with a proper and consistent care routine, they will breed readily and flourish. P. Bolivari is also unique in the fact that the females actually parent their broods. Young will cling to the underside or top of the female and only leave to scavenge and feed under her watchful eye. She will then collect them back up to move to a new location for fresh foraging. Taking young away from their mothers too soon will often result in their demise. Maturity is approximately 9 months from birth and the males are sexually dimorphic having larger overall body size with long uropods on their hind quarters. Quick Facts Origin: Eastern Spain Classification: Porcellionidae > Porcellio > Bolivari Characteristics: Bright coloring. Fast moving and delicate. Males are territorial. Protects and parents it's young. Average Size: 1 to 1.2 inches at adult size Activity level: Mostly active at night. Some day activity in large numbers. Difficulty: Advanced

Give your Porcellio Expansus Orange isopod set up the ideal finishing touch with our premium isopod bin labels! They measure 6 inches long by 2.5 inches in height and are enclosed in a sturdy 5 mil thick laminate sheet locking out dust and moisture. They include basic care details including, temperature range, moisture gradient, humidity and activity levels. They also include a few fun educational facts adding that perfect finishing touch. The label you receive will NOT include the red watermark text.

Porcellio Flavomarginatus is one of the crown jewels in the Porcellio family. Originating from Greece, they have a bright white serrated skirt surrounding a deep gray to black base. Most individuals will also display two rows of white dots or lines running the full length of the pereon section. This species as of now is fairly less common in the hobby. We have spent at least a full year growing our robust culture to what it is now and they are an absolutely fascinating isopod worth adding to your collection! Interesting abstract fact, the translation of their scientific name is "Yellow Bordered Woodlouse" which obviously conflicts with their actual appearance as there is no yellow.  Porcellio Flavomarginatus does have a few specific care requirements that set it apart from most other isopods. They need a sharp moisture gradient with good section of their environment completely dry. Like any isopod, they still need a moist area to hydrate their gills, but this should not be more than 25% of the enclosure. Next is air flow. It needs to be moderate to high. This can create challenges with keeping the moist area from drying out. A deeper moist side substrate can help with this since deeper soil will retain moisture longer. They also seem to enjoy and benefit from some extra height in the mid range and/or dry section. This is best achieved with carefully stacked medium pieces of cork bark. This unique isopod will eat all of the typical food options like various vegetables, powdered isopod diets like Repashy Morning Wood or Bug Burger. But like most Porcellio, they are very fond of protein based foods like freeze dried minnows, shrimp pellets, fish flakes and dried insects.  Unfortunately (in our experience) and perhaps the reason they are less common is that they are unforgiving in these needs and a culture will quickly crash if these aspects are neglected for more than a very short time. But, if you give them what they need consistently, they will flourish and breed readily. If you are interested but still uncertain fear not! We have a thorough Porcellio Flavomarginatus Care Guide that delves into the nitty gritty details you will need to master this rare and rewarding species! Quick Facts Origin: Greece and a handful of Turkish islands bordering Greece Family Classification: Porcellionidae > Porcellio > Flavomarginatus Morph Name: N/A, this NOT the Crete Morph Average Size: Up to 0.75 inches Activity level: Daytime active and adventurous Difficulty: Intermediate

Give your Porcellio Flavomarginatus isopod set up the ideal finishing touch with our premium isopod bin labels! They measure 6 inches long by 2.5 inches in height and are enclosed in a sturdy 5 mil thick laminate sheet locking out dust and moisture. They include basic care details including, temperature range, moisture gradient, humidity and activity levels. They also include a few fun educational facts adding that perfect finishing touch. The label you receive will NOT include the red watermark text.

Porcellio Haasi is a titan class isopod capable of reaching lengths a little over an inch long. They are a great intro species if you're new to the larger Spanish Porcellio types. This variant known as "Bright" is not a color morph, but a locale largely isolated to the mountainous areas of Northwest Spain. They are characterized by their silvery metallic mottled patterns, sometimes with a hint of yellow. A truly attractive and unique isopod species! Full grown males on average reach 1 to 1.10 inches with females only slightly smaller. With that said, they need generous space. Not only for the obvious fact they are larger, but that males can be territorial and an off balance ratio of males to females can result in fighting along with the females being "harassed" which causes stress and other potential issues. A sterilite gasket sealed bin or glass tank measuring at least 18-24 long by 12 or more inches wide is ideal for a starter colony with some room to grow. Enclosures can be enhanced with natural botanical items to simulate the isopods habitat in the wild. This helps them feel secure which in turn promotes their natural processes like eating and breeding. The preferred temperature range for P. Haasi is 68-76F. Moisture gradient and ventilation is where the potential challenging aspect of this species comes into play. They do best in a drier set up than most typical isopods but still need a moist area or two to avoid desiccating. If your set up is large enough, a few different areas that vary in this way can be beneficial. Such as having two separate moist corners and some dry area in between. They will often migrate between moist and dry areas at different times of the day to facilitate their biological processes as needed. A second layer of needs that makes them a little more involved is that they need medium to high ventilation. This is easiest achieved with an enclosure that has some level of height up and away from the substrate. In the areas that are to be moist, the substrate can be a bit deeper which in turn retains humidity longer. A few pieces of cork bark strategically placed over some of the moist side will also help retain the humidity levels and reduce the frequency of watering needed to maintain a proper moisture gradient. They also seem to appreciate some stacked cork bark which gives them another dimension to regulate their moisture needs by climbing higher away from the substrate. Isopods are detritivores. Their primary diet in nature is leaf litter and decayed wood. Both of these should always be available in abundance. They will also happily consume any other decomposing organic plant or animal matter they come across. As such it is vital to supplement your isopods with other food sources on a semi regular basis. They enjoy food options like squash, radishes, carrots and other veggies along with commercial isopod powdered food like Repashy. Being a Porcellio, they do appreciate some protein occasionally which can be things like freeze dried minnows, shrimp, fish pellets, dried insects and other protein based food sources. Be sure to feed these on the drier side as they can spoil quickly in humid environments and attract unwanted pests. It should also be noted it's highly recommended to have some form of calcium available at all times. As these unique isopods naturally occur in the limestone caves and cliff side environments, the closer your set up can mimic their natural surroundings, the better your chance of success. P. Haasi Bright is a spin off of their more common "High Yellow" cousin, but are essentially the same animal. Though they are mostly hidden by day, if you look in on them after the lights have been out for a short time, you will see them fully out and about foraging for food and exploring their surroundings. Their monochrome appearance offers something a little different for the avid hobbyist wishing to have a diversification of color and appearance in their collection. Quick Facts Origin: North West Spain Classification: Porcellionidae> Porcellio > Haasi Size: Up to 1.25 inches Activity level: Generally reclusive. Most active at night. Difficulty: Intermediate

Porcellio Haasi "High Yellow" are among the few terrestrial isopods that reach an impressive sizes as adults with large males reaching 1 to 1.25 inches in length. Males are easily distinguishable having much longer uropods than the females. This species is typically on the shy side and you won't see them out in the open moving about like other isopod species. But once their numbers are up they will be a bit more bold to show themselves periodically. They spend much of their times on the undersides of cork bark, rotting wood and thick leaf litter. Be aware that males are very territorial and your enclosure should have ample space along with multiple hides to minimize conflicts and stress. The bright yellow coloration of these individuals is a line bred trait selectively isolated and is a breath taking sight to see in real life. Originating from the mountainous areas of Spain, these titan sized isopods prefer a drier habitat but still need a damp area to rehydrate from time to time. Quick Facts Origin: Spain Scientific Name: Porcellio Haasi Family: Porcellionidae Morph Name: High Yellow Size: Up to 1.25 inches Activity level: Generally reclusive Difficulty: Intermediate

Give your Porcellio Haasi Bright isopod set up the ideal finishing touch with our premium isopod bin labels! They measure 6 inches long by 2.5 inches in height and are enclosed in a sturdy 5 mil thick laminate sheet locking out dust and moisture. They include basic care details including, temperature range, moisture gradient, humidity and activity levels. They also include a few fun educational facts adding that perfect finishing touch. The label you receive will NOT include the red watermark text.

Porcellio Hoffmanseggi is nearly the largest land isopod that exists today. Bested in size only by it's cousin Porcellio Magnificus. Hoffmannseggi isopods are sometimes referred to as "titans" and once you've handled one it's easy to see why. Their antennae can be just as long if not longer than their body length. The standard common variety in terms of color is a light to medium gray. But this "chocolate" version is the result of a genetic mutation that slightly affects certain pigments resulting in coloration ranging from light to dark browns. The young are most often a dark brown and lighten with age. They have a nice white edged skirt giving them a pleasant visual contrast. Full grown males on average reach 1.5 inches with females only slightly smaller. With that said, they need generous space. Males can be territorial and an off balance ratio of males to females can result in fighting along with the females being "harassed" which causes stress and other potential issues. A sterilite gasket sealed bin or glass tank measuring at least 18-24 long by 12 or more inches wide is ideal for a starter colony with some room to grow. Enclosures can be enhanced with natural botanical items to simulate the isopods habitat in the wild. This helps them feel secure which in turn promotes their natural processes like eating and breeding. The preferred temperature range for P. Hoffmanseggi is 68-76F. Moisture gradient and ventilation is where the potential challenging aspect of this species comes into play. They do best in a drier set up than most typical isopods but still need a moist area or two to avoid desiccating. If your set up is large enough, a few different areas that vary in this way can be beneficial. Such as having two separate moist corners and some dry area in between. They will often migrate between moist and dry areas at different times of the day to facilitate their biological processes as needed. A second layer of needs that further makes them a little more involved is that they need medium to high ventilation. This is easiest achieved with an enclosure that has some level of height up and away from the substrate. In the areas that are to be moist, the substrate can be a bit deeper which in turn retains humidity longer. A few pieces of cork bark strategically placed over some of the moist side will also help retain the humidity levels and reduce the frequency of watering needed to maintain a proper moisture gradient. They also seem to appreciate some stacked cork bark which gives them another dimension to regulate their moisture needs by climbing higher away from the substrate. Isopods are detritivores. Their primary diet in nature is leaf litter and decayed wood. Both of these should always be available in abundance. They will also happily consume any other decomposing organic plant or animal matter they come across. As such it is vital to supplement your isopods with other food sources on a semi regular basis. They enjoy food options like squash, radishes, carrots and other veggies along with commercial isopod powdered food like Repashy. Being a Porcellio, they do appreciate some protein occasionally which can be things like freeze dried minnows, shrimp, fish pellets, dried insects and other protein based food sources. Be sure to feed these on the drier side as they can spoil quickly in humid environments and attract unwanted pests. It should also be noted it's highly recommended to have some form of calcium available at all times. As these unique isopods naturally occur in the limestone caves of eastern Spain, they spend all of their lives in such environments and the closer your set up can mimic their natural surroundings, the better your chance of success. Hoffs are a rewarding species to keep and never fail to impress with their sheer size. Though they are mostly hidden by day, if you look in on them after the lights have been out for a short time, you will see them fully out and about foraging for food and exploring their surroundings.  Hoffs do require a little more care and upkeep than some other types but watching your own colony of titans grow and flourish is well worth the effort! Quick Facts Origin: Spain Taxonomy: Porcellionidae > Porcellio > P. Hoffmannseggii Size: Up to 1.50 inches Activity level: Primarily nocturnal Difficulty: Intermediate

Porcellio Hoffmanseggi is nearly the largest land isopod that exists today. Bested in size only by it's cousin Porcellio Magnificus. Hoffmannseggi isopods are sometimes referred to as "titans" and once you've handled one it's easy to see why. Their antennae can be just as long if not longer than their body length. They are generally a light to medium gray with a nice white edged skirt giving them good visual contrast. Full grown males on average reach 1.5 inches with females only slightly smaller. With that said, they need generous space. Males can be territorial and an off balance ratio of males to females can result in fighting along with the females being "harassed" which causes stress and other potential issues. A sterilite gasket sealed bin or glass tank measuring at least 18-24 long by 12 or more inches wide is ideal for a starter colony with some room to grow. Enclosures can be enhanced with natural botanical items to simulate the isopods habitat in the wild. This helps them feel secure which in turn promotes their natural processes like eating and breeding. The preferred temperature range for P. Hoffmanseggi is 68-76F. Moisture gradient and ventilation is where the potential challenging aspect of this species comes into play. They do best in a drier set up than most typical isopods but still need a moist area or two to avoid desiccating. If your set up is large enough, a few different areas that vary in this way can be beneficial. Such as having two separate moist corners and some dry area in between. They will often migrate between moist and dry areas at different times of the day to facilitate their biological processes as needed. A second layer of needs that further makes them a little more involved is that they need medium to high ventilation. This is easiest achieved with an enclosure that has some level of height up and away from the substrate. In the areas that are to be moist, the substrate can be a bit deeper which in turn retains humidity longer. A few pieces of cork bark strategically placed over some of the moist side will also help retain the humidity levels and reduce the frequency of watering needed to maintain a proper moisture gradient. They also seem to appreciate some stacked cork bark which gives them another dimension to regulate their moisture needs by climbing higher away from the substrate. Isopods are detritivores. Their primary diet in nature is leaf litter and decayed wood. Both of these should always be available in abundance. They will also happily consume any other decomposing organic plant or animal matter they come across. As such it is vital to supplement your isopods with other food sources on a semi regular basis. They enjoy food options like squash, radishes, carrots and other veggies along with commercial isopod powdered food like Repashy. Being a Porcellio, they do appreciate some protein occasionally which can be things like freeze dried minnows, shrimp, fish pellets, dried insects and other protein based food sources. Be sure to feed these on the drier side as they can spoil quickly in humid environments and attract unwanted pests. It should also be noted it's highly recommended to have some form of calcium available at all times. As these unique isopods naturally occur in the limestone caves of eastern Spain, they spend all of their lives in such environments and the closer your set up can mimic their natural surroundings, the better your chance of success. Hoffs are a rewarding species to keep and never fail to impress with their sheer size. Though they are mostly hidden by day, if you look in on them after the lights have been out for a short time, you will see them fully out and about foraging for food and exploring their surroundings. There are some color variants in the hobby like chocolate, albino and even an orange version! Hoffs do require a little more care and upkeep than some other types but watching your own colony of titans grow and flourish is well worth the effort! Quick Facts Origin: Spain Taxonomy: Porcellionidae > Porcellio > P. Hoffmannseggii Size: Up to 1.50 inches Activity level: Primarily nocturnal Difficulty: Intermediate

Give your Porcellio Laevis Dairy Cow isopod set up the ideal finishing touch with our premium isopod bin labels! They measure 6 inches long by 2.5 inches in height and are enclosed in a sturdy 5 mil thick laminate sheet locking out dust and moisture. They include basic care details including, temperature range, moisture gradient, humidity and activity levels. They also include a few fun educational facts adding that perfect finishing touch. The label you receive will NOT include the red watermark text.

Porcellio Laevis Orange is the orange mutation of the well known Dairy Cow. However this version is solid orange. Porcellio Laevis is likely the most nearly "bullet proof" isopod in the hobby today. If you are just getting your feet wet and perhaps have some reservations, this is the species fort you! Like all isopods, they do have some minimum basic care needs, but beyond that so long as you provide these things they will thrive and reproduce rapidly once settled in their new enclosure. P. Laevis is also ideal for use as feeders if you have pets that eat insects like crickets. They are daytime active and very bold. Even taking food directly from your hand with no hesitation when they're hungry!  A 6 quart gasket sealed storage bin or small glass aquarium is sufficient for a small starter culture. Be aware that they will outgrow this much sooner than other isopods so it's not a bad idea to start with a larger set up if you can. Standard or bioactive enclosures can be enhanced with natural botanical items to simulate the isopods habitat in the wild. This helps them feel secure which in turn promotes their natural processes like eating and breeding. Average room temperature in the mid 70sF will suit them just fine. Slightly warmer is desirable if you wish to see a thriving culture that is active and reproduces faster. A standard moisture gradient with around 30-40% of one side moist (not wet) with the remainder tapering off is adequate. Note though even the driest section should still have a nominal amount of moisture in it. They will not fare well if the entire enclosure becomes too dry. They will often migrate between moist and dry areas at different times of the day to self regulate as needed. A few pieces of cork bark strategically placed over some of the moist side will help retain the humidity levels and reduce the frequency of watering needed to maintain a proper moisture gradient. This hardy isopod will eat all of the typical food options like various vegetables, powdered isopod diets like Repashy Morning Wood, Bug Burger and others. But like most Porcellio, they are very fond of protein based foods like freeze dried minnows, shrimp pellets, fish flakes and dried insects. Remember that isopods in their natural elements are detrivores. Their primary diet is decayed wood and dried leaf litter which should always be available. Overall Porcellio Laevis Orange is a very low maintenance isopod that only needs 3 basic things to survive. Average moisture/humidity, food, and steady average room temperatures. Remember to be prepared once they start reproducing. You will need to either upgrade the enclosure size, use as feeders if applicable or sell/give away to friends or other interested parties. If they get too cramped this can lead to cannibalism and a total crash of the colony due to stress and ammonia build up. Quick Facts Origin: Europe & Northern Africa Family Classification: Porcellionidae > Porcellio > P. Laevis Average Size: 0.70" inch Activity level: Active both day & night Difficulty: Easy

Give your Porcellio Laevis Orange isopod set up the ideal finishing touch with our premium isopod bin labels! They measure 6 inches long by 2.5 inches in height and are enclosed in a sturdy 5 mil thick laminate sheet locking out dust and moisture. They include basic care details including, temperature range, moisture gradient, humidity and activity levels. They also include a few fun educational facts adding that perfect finishing touch. The label you receive will NOT include the red watermark text.

Give your Porcellio Ornatus Chocolate High Yellow isopod set up the ideal finishing touch with our premium isopod bin labels! They measure 6 inches long by 2.5 inches in height and are enclosed in a sturdy 5 mil thick laminate sheet locking out dust and moisture. They include basic care details including, temperature range, moisture gradient, humidity and activity levels. They also include a few fun educational facts adding that perfect finishing touch. The label you receive will NOT include the red watermark text.

Porcellio Ornatus Witch's Brew Is a beautifully patterned isopod. The common name "Witch's Brew" is a subtle nod to its distant cousin the "Magic Potion" Isopod (Armadillidium Vulgare). They have the same orange yellow splotching on a translucent white base. This coloring is not as pronounced on mancae and younger individuals, but will start to show with sizes from sub adult to adult. Set up and care for this species is similar to that of other large Porcellio Isopods.   Porcellio Ornatus Witch's Brew does have a few specific care requirements that set it apart from most other typical isopods. They need a sharp moisture gradient with good section of their environment with very minimal moisture to completely dry. Like any isopod, they still need a moist area to hydrate their gills, but this should not be more than 25% of the enclosure. A "middle area" where it's not damp as the moist area, but not completely dry is fine. Natural botanicals can be used not only for decorative appeal, but also to create micro climates within the enclosure to give your isopods more choices to regulate their moisture needs. Next is ventilation. It needs to be moderate to high. This can create challenges with keeping the moist area from drying out. A deeper substrate on the moist side can help with this since deeper soil will retain moisture longer. They also seem to enjoy and benefit from some extra height in the mid range and/or dry section. This is best achieved with carefully stacked medium pieces cork bark. This impressive isopod will eat all of the typical food options like various vegetables, powdered isopod diets like Repashy Morning Wood, Bug Burger and others. But like most Porcellio, they are very fond of protein based foods like freeze dried minnows, shrimp pellets, fish flakes and dried insects. Remember that isopods in their natural elements are detrivores. Their primary diet is decayed wood and dried leaf litter which should always be available. Porcellio Ornatus Witch's Brew is at this time still relatively rare in the hobby and is a highly desirable isopod to have in any collection. Ornatus is not overly difficult to keep, but a culture can quickly crash if it's care needs are neglected for more than a very short time. But, if you give them what they need consistently, they will flourish and breed readily. Check out our care guide for Porcellio Ornatus Witch's Brew that takes a closer look at specifics for successfully keeping and breeding this designer isopod. Quick Facts Origin: Spain Family Classification: Porcellionidae > Porcellio > Ornatus Morph Name: Witch's Brew Average Size: Up to 1 inch Activity level: Daytime active but primarily nocturnal Difficulty: Intermediate