Porcellio scaber ‘Wild’ Isopods - Woodlouse Culture
Looking for the most versatile isopod in the hobby? The Porcellio scaber (Rough Isopod) is a global favourite for its incredible hardiness, bold surface activity, and ease of care.
Beyond their charm as a display species, their prolific breeding and high nutritional value make them an excellent sustainable source of live feed for reptiles and amphibians.
At EntoScapes, our P. scaber are UK captive-bred and raised on our nutrient-dense substrates to ensure a healthy, thriving colony.
Explore the sections below for our biology-led guide on their adaptable environmental needs, dietary range, and how to maintain a successful "feeder" population
- Appearance: P. scaber have rough textured bodies with smooth skirting, and come in a variety of morphs like wild, lava, calico, ghost, dalmatian and orange. All morhps are hardy, active and bold and can tolerate a range of environments from dry to humid. This culture will include ‘wild’ and occasional other morphs like ‘calico’.
- Origins: Porcellio scaber are a cosmopolitan species which are believed to have spread from Europe. They are considered an anthropophillic species as they can be found living in great numbers around houses, gardens and greenhouses, as well as parks and forests.
- Substrate Enrichment: This species does well with a good layer of leaf litter and lots of surface area where they are active and prolific if conditions are right.
- Excellent Clean-up Crew: This species is a very popular clean-up crew with scaled reptiles due to their ravenous appetite and tolerance of a variety of conditions, whilst not being so protein hungry as Porcellio laevis. Due to their abundance and affordability they are also a perfect live feed for reptiles and amphibians.
From £4.50Price
