Armadillidium marmoratum "Marmorated Pill Isopod"

Armadillidium marmoratum "Marmorated Pill Isopod" isopods for sale!

Commonly called the "Marmorated Pill Isopod".  They are native to Greece and one of the smaller of the Armadillidium genus reaching only about 5-8 mm at adulthood.  Although they may be small, they have a beautiful range of colors and have mottling of white across their backs.  They aren't seasonal breeders but are definitely on the slower end. As with other armadillidium, they do best in arid to semi-arid environments with lots of leaf litter and consistent calcium source.  They are very uncommonly kept in the hobby and are only offered by one other breeder in the US that I've come across, so they can be more challenging to acquire.

Origin:  Greece

Humidity: Arid to semi-arid

Ventilation: moderate (See our ventilation guide in the isopod care sheet under the "Care Sheets" tab.

Housing and Care:  A 6 quart shoe box or similar is sufficient to start a 10 count culture in and get established, and then will need to be moved to a larger enclosure once their population outgrows it. Provide a moisture gradient of about 40% moist and 60% dry. Use sphagnum moss on one end of the enclosure to help retain moisture between spraying (frequency of spraying will depend on amount of ventilation you provide and atmospheric conditions, just as long as the moss is always kept moist. Aim to spray down the sizes and make sure the water is reaching the bottom layer to make it last longer), a couple inches of substrate is sufficient, add a good amount of leaf litter, a hide such as cork bark or edible hardwood bark or both, a calcium source such as a cuttlefish bone, eggshell or calcium powder is a healthy addition for all isopod species. Rotting wood is also highly encouraged as well. You can supplementally feed them once a week with a small piece of sweet potato, carrot or squash and a protein source such as our own Bug Buffet Haus Blend, fish flakes, freeze dried shrimp/minnows or other commercialized isopod diet (small enough amount that they can consume it within 2 days to help minimize mites and mold.