dairy cow isopods care sheet?

[rachmills]

im looking at getting some of these but there is conflicting information some say diet of just leaves n rotting wood others say 'protein' what should they be fed on a daily-weekly basis and what heat requirements do they have?

 

[Liquifin]

@Aquarimax is very experienced with isopods and can help you on them.

 

[Jurdon]

Porcellio laevis ‘Dairy Cow’ are a solid beginner species, and while I’ve not kept them myself they should be kept like most other isopods: a substrate base of soil with bits of rotting leaves/wood mixed in, a top layer of leaf litter, bark hides, moderate humidity, but always offering a moistened corner of the enclosure (laevis, I’ve heard, can handle dry spells but I offer all of my pods a corner of moist sphagnum moss that I keep more humid than the rest of the enclosure). ALL isopods need rotting leaves, but Porcellio species like dairy cows also fancy themselves some extra protein in their diets, and if not offered protein will begin to cannibalize. Protein can be offered through feeding fish flakes, dog food, dead/wounded feeder insects such as mealworms or crickets, and when your culture is big enough, scraps of lunchmeat or even whole frozen-thawed baby feeder mice typically used for snakes. All isopods should also be offered a calcium source to promote healthy exoskeleton growth, best given via a cuttlebone left in the enclosure. The pods will gnaw away at this when needed, and eventually it will need replenished. Other calcium sources include eggshells and calcium powder used for reptiles.

 

[moricollins]

Porcellio laevis ‘Dairy Cow’ are a solid beginner species, and while I’ve not kept them myself they should be kept like most other isopods: a substrate base of soil with bits of rotting leaves/wood mixed in, a top layer of leaf litter, bark hides, moderate humidity, but always offering a moistened corner of the enclosure (laevis, I’ve heard, can handle dry spells but I offer all of my pods a corner of moist sphagnum moss that I keep more humid than the rest of the enclosure). ALL isopods need rotting leaves, but Porcellio species like dairy cows also fancy themselves some extra protein in their diets, and if not offered protein will begin to cannibalize. Protein can be offered through feeding fish flakes, dog food, dead/wounded feeder insects such as mealworms or crickets, and when your culture is big enough, scraps of lunchmeat or even whole frozen-thawed baby feeder mice typically used for snakes. All isopods should also be offered a calcium source to promote healthy exoskeleton growth, best given via a cuttlebone left in the enclosure. The pods will gnaw away at this when needed, and eventually it will need replenished. Other calcium sources include eggshells and calcium powder used for reptiles.

@Jurdon has given since great advice here.
There are a number of other Isopod "how to" 's on the forum as well, a search will lead you to them...

 

[rachmills]

quite similar to millipedes then i think i'll have a go at raising a colony thanks everyone

 

[Aquarimax]

quite similar to millipedes then i think i'll have a go at raising a colony thanks everyone

Yes, their care is very similar to millipedes, and Porcellio laevis ‘Dairy Cow’ is one of my very favorite species, if you enjoy them as much as I do, you won’t be disappointed.

 

[ArachnoBoss]

@Aquarimax is very experienced with isopods and can help you on them.

Russ is great i just got a shipment in from him today 12/23/2020 and everything is alive and well, good quantity and great prices as well!