Porcellio laevis
PORCELLIO
Porcellio laevis originate from Southern Europe and the Mediterranean region but can be found in parts of the Americas, Oceania, and East Asia, after being accidentally introduced. They are popularly kept for their morphology, fast reproduction, voracious hunger, and easy care. They make for a great beginner species.
Species Characteristics
Morphology:
Size - Large, 1.5 - 2.5 cm long as adults.
Porcellio laevis can come in a variety of morphs (colourations). The morph featured in the photos is the “Dairy Cow” morph, sporting black and white spots randomly mottled throughout the body, resembling the pattern of a cow.
Rest assured, the exact same care requirements apply for other P. laevis morphs, including grey, orange, and white, amongst several other variations. Several morphs under the name of P. laevis can interbreed while some cannot, indicating that they may be cryptically distinct from true P. laevis.
Activity Level:
Medium - High.
P. laevis are generally shy during the day, spending much time burrowed in the substrate or underneath moss and bark in the enclosure. However at night, they can be seen moving around and aggregating in social groups.
Reproductive Rate and Maturity:
Dairy cows generally establish quickly, reproducing within one month of entering a new setup.
Dairy cows take 6 - 8 weeks to reach sexual maturity and produce around 20 - 40 mancae (babies) per clutch. The gestation period before the mancae are born is around 2 - 3 weeks. During this time, they develop in the mother's marsupium, a temporary water-filled pouch on the underside of the mother's thorax, before being born.
Most isopod species are capable of reproducing once they hit 50% - 75% of their adult size.
Additionally, clutch size generally correlates with the size of the gravid (pregnant) female, meaning the larger the female, the larger the potential clutch size.
Diet:
An isopod’s main diet is the leaf litter and substrate in their setup but it is recommended to supplementally feed your colony once or twice a week to ensure they get additional nutrition.
P. laevis love protein almost as much - if not more than - vegetables.. It is also observed that an abundance of protein boosts reproductive rates, useful when establishing a new colony.
Because this species is so protein hungry, a protein source should always be offered regularly or else they will cannibalise mancae and weaker isopods within the setup.
Always be mindful and ensure no pesticides were used before feeding fruits and vegetables and remove any uneaten food after 1 - 2 days to prevent the onset of mold.
General Setup:
Enclosure Size:
Our recommended enclosure size for starting a colony of 12 - 24 isopods is a transparent 5 litre bin with three or four cross-ventilation holes along the length, each hole measuring roughly ½ mm.
Substrate:
Provide 2 - 3 inches of substrate that consists of a 60% vermicompost to 40% coco peat ratio. Substrate should be refreshed once or twice a year to prevent harmful frass (waste) buildup and maintain overall colony health.
Humidity, Hydration, and Temperature:
Adequate humidity is essential for all isopod species as they rely on respiration through the pleopodal lungs on the underside of their abdomen which must stay moist to function. The best way for isopods to regulate their humidity requirements is through a moisture gradient.
P. laevis are a hardy species and can generally tolerate a wide variety of humidity levels, making them great candidates for both dry and tropical terrarium setups. A good gradient for keeping P. laevis is to keep roughly half of the enclosure moist.
Around ¼ - ⅓ of the enclosure should contain sphagnum moss which helps hold humidity. The dampest point of the setup should be on the far side of the enclosure under the moss.
Additionally, always keep the substrate slightly damp, never allow it to become bone-dry, even on the drier side of the setup.
Maintain these parameters by gently pouring and/or spraying water once a week or whenever the setup begins to dry out.
Dairy cows are also hardy when it comes to temperature, doing well in room temperature conditions (21 - 29° ideally).
Leaflitter, and Hides:
As dried leaf litter serves as one of their main food sources, it is important that your isopods always have a plentiful layer covering around 80% of the enclosure. We provide dried leaves from mango and almond trees but as a general rule, any leaves from hardwood trees are safe for isopods. Periodically replenish as needed.
P. laevis enjoy sitting underneath sticks and bark. They also enjoy burrowing in the substrate.
Calcium:
All isopods need a calcium source to maintain their exoskeleton and prevent issues when moulting. Common sources of calcium are cuttlefish bone and egg shell refined into small pieces. A calcium source should be scattered around the enclosure at the time of setting up and periodically refreshed when needed.
