Help to a noober: isopods age & morph

Daria

Ootheca
Hello! I'm new to keeping isopods as pets so I need some help from more experienced keepers. Also, I live in Russia and there's not much info on the internet on keeping isopods (and I'm sorry for my poor English!) 

Firstly, I'm not sure about their morph (or type?). It says Porcellio Scaber O.D./O.P. on the box but I'm not sure what OD/OP stands for. Basically, they're white, seem kinda transparent, and have a silverish line on their backs:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1paut4kVVU5AHb8_y_-WXEIWHn_kkJ0As/view?usp=drivesdk

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pXfjs27oiO2OKDWrNLtiGbOvyWbWji6j/view?usp=drivesdk

Then, I have no idea how old they are. The biggest one is about 6-7mm long and there are smaller ones. How much time will it take them to mature and how long are they supposed to be as adults? 

And I also have a couple of questions regarding their tank conditions and food. There are holes on the top of their plastic tank, should I make the holes on the sides of the tank, so the ventilation would be the same as for reptiles? Or is it okay for them to have only top ventilation? Regarding food, can I feed them vegetables, fruit, and berries? Which are recommended and which are not? 

I hope I'm doing everything right and will not damage these tiny pretty creatures. Thanks for helping in advance!! 

P.S. I gave them a live leaf torn from a tree (I'm sorry for doing this) and I saw one of the isopods eating it, it seems weird to me as I've read they consume only dead leaves, I'm a bit confused, is it okay?  

 
@Daria There are various Porcellio scaber morphs with white:

  • Porcellio scaber ‘Dalmatian’
  • Porcellio scaber ‘Ghost’
  • Porcellio scaber ‘Koi’
  • Porcellio scaber ‘White Out’
Can you post pictures of yours? That will help to identify them.

They eat both dead and live leaves, also fish-food and fresh fruits and veggies. And a piece of cuttlefish bone for calcium.

They do need ventilation, and 1/3 of the tank to be moist with sphagnum moss and a piece of rotten white wood. Also a piece of cork bark for cover.

The tank needs more holes on the dry side and less on the moist side. The ventilation/humidity is a balance. Too little of each could cause problems. You need some holes also on the sides of the tank.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Back
Top