Armadillo officinalis "Orange Crush"

Armadillo officinalis "Orange Crush" isopods for sale!

You didn't read that wrong.  These are indeed Armadillo and not to be confused with Armadillidium.  These are commonly referred to as "the hissing isopod", not because they actually hiss, but they do occasionally produce a "hissing" like noise when in large groups and are rolled up due to their legs rubbing against their shells. Officinalis grow to an impressive size, therefore, they will do best in a large bin with heavy ventilation that is kept semi-arid.  They aren't real shy and will mostly be found in large groups on the surface especially when their population grows, but some will burrow.  They do breed at a fairly steady pace so it's best to start them out in a larger enclosure since they are not only a quick breeder, but also a very large species.  They will benefit from a constantly available calcium source such as a cuttlefish bone that is replaced as needed and on occasional protein snack.

This local of Armadillo officinalis was isolated in the US and displays a deep orange color.  They are known to make the "hissing" sound like the traditional A. officinalis, just in a different coloration and still reproduce at the same rate.  They are rarely kept in the hobby, and in my opinion, are very underrated.

Origin: Isolated in the US.

Humidity: Semi-arid

Ventilation: Moderate to heavy  (See our ventilation guide in the isopod care sheet under the "Care Sheets" tab.)

Housing and Care:  A 12 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 50% 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.)