What Are the Most Active Isopods?

[ArtisticAardwolf]

Hello! I am currently looking into other animals to add to my millipede terrarium, as it feels a bit empty at the moment.

It has two giant desert millipedes and I will be moving my four Florida Ivories in shortly. Aside from other millipedes I am curious about isopods...

My greatest enjoyment in a pet is to observe them walking around, eating, climbing, and just doing millipede things. I am under the impression that most, if not all, isopods spend their time hiding somewhere dark and damp. This would make it very difficult for me to observe them in all their glory.

So, are there any species that tends to be more surface active?

I'd also be interested in the general behavior associated with each species, and anything else you think someone thinking about getting isopods should know!

 

[Aquarimax]

Hello! I am currently looking into other animals to add to my millipede terrarium, as it feels a bit empty at the moment.

It has two giant desert millipedes and I will be moving my four Florida Ivories in shortly. Aside from other millipedes I am curious about isopods...

My greatest enjoyment in a pet is to observe them walking around, eating, climbing, and just doing millipede things. I am under the impression that most, if not all, isopods spend their time hiding somewhere dark and damp. This would make it very difficult for me to observe them in all their glory.

So, are there any species that tends to be more surface active?

I'd also be interested in the general behavior associated with each species, and anything else you think someone thinking about getting isopods should know!

It is hard to beat Porcellio laevis’’Dairy Cow’ for activity. They are also fairly large, have a striking pattern, are prolific, and have hearty appetites. You can’t go wrong with them if you want an isopod you can readily observe.

 

[Mini8leggedfreak]

I would suggest an armadillidium species, my zebras are quite active and usually out. I think they are less skittish because they can just roll into a ball if they feel threatened and they don’t need to run.
The dairy cows I have will scatter like cockroaches at the slightest disturbance, they are an impressive size though.

 

[SamanthaMarikian]

Porcellio species are very active. My Porcellio scaber, pruinosus, and laevis are the most active that i own and sell since they reproduce so quickly as well lol. If there’s food out they’ll find it and devour it fast. All that running around builds up an appetite for them lol. They’re always climbing around too and will take advantage of all the space that you give them. also keep in mind with Porcellio species they LOVE protein so i feed mine a lot of krill. They sell it in a big ish tub for feeding turtles and i toss in a small handful every week or so in each of my tubs.

 

[Kaden Bryant]

I would be weary of mixing isopods and millipedes, at least if you want babies. Isopods have been known to eat baby millipedes despite them being poisonous. I agree with dairy cows being very active, but Porcellio species love protein, so they will surely cause problems for any babies that pop up. I’d stick to Armadillidium sp. if you do decide to add some, but like I said I would be cautious of doing so. There’s nothing wrong with having two separate terrariums, one for the pedes and one for the pods

 

[Aquarimax]

I would be weary of mixing isopods and millipedes, at least if you want babies. Isopods have been known to eat baby millipedes despite them being poisonous. I agree with dairy cows being very active, but Porcellio species love protein, so they will surely cause problems for any babies that pop up. I’d stick to Armadillidium sp. if you do decide to add some, but like I said I would be cautious of doing so. There’s nothing wrong with having two separate terrariums, one for the pedes and one for the pods

I agree! I overlooked the part about these being inhe same enclosure. I would definitely not keep most isopods and millipedes together if you want them to breed.

 

[moricollins]

If the question is most active Isopod , of the 22 species/morphs I keep, my Porcelliio ornatus "yellow" are by far the most active and likely to be visible, then Porcelliio laevis dairy cow,

As an example here's how my ornatus colony looks right now, with lights on in the room and me working there

 

[Moroes]

Hello! I am currently looking into other animals to add to my millipede terrarium, as it feels a bit empty at the moment.

It has two giant desert millipedes and I will be moving my four Florida Ivories in shortly. Aside from other millipedes I am curious about isopods...

My greatest enjoyment in a pet is to observe them walking around, eating, climbing, and just doing millipede things. I am under the impression that most, if not all, isopods spend their time hiding somewhere dark and damp. This would make it very difficult for me to observe them in all their glory.

So, are there any species that tends to be more surface active?

I'd also be interested in the general behavior associated with each species, and anything else you think someone thinking about getting isopods should know!

Of all my isopods the dairy cows are the ones I never see. Only time I see them is if I flip log over lol. They are cockroach fast. My zebra isopods are always out on display. Half my colony is out at all times, and they move slow. They aren’t skittish. My Canadian wild caught isopods are decently visible. Always a few on the go. I’m so confused how dairy cows are everyone’s most visible isopod, and for me I’ve never seen a single one out on display in my entire time keeping them.

 

[MrGhostMantis]

Of all my isopods the dairy cows are the ones I never see. Only time I see them is if I flip log over lol. They are cockroach fast. My zebra isopods are always out on display. Half my colony is out at all times, and they move slow. They aren’t skittish. My Canadian wild caught isopods are decently visible. Always a few on the go. I’m so confused how dairy cows are everyone’s most visible isopod, and for me I’ve never seen a single one out on display in my entire time keeping them.

Year old thread, OP hasn’t been active since last December.