The Care Guides below are intended as starting points - they reflect how I keep my colonies, and you may find slightly different methods and husbandry work better for you, your enclosures and your living environment. If you have any questions at all about species, set ups or specific care, please don't hesitate to reach out!
Armadillidium vulgare
Overview
A. vulgare are the classic pillbugs we all remember from our childhood - they are hardy, easy to care for, and full of variety. They’re no-fuss, and prefer to take life at a slower pace, but are very rewarding pods.
Care
They like things a bit drier than some isopods, but still need a moist hide to retreat to. Provide good ventilation, ideally with cross ventillation and high airflow, and a thick layer of leaf litter for cover. They’ll happily eat decaying leaves, wood, veggie scraps, and a touch of protein now and then. Breeding is easy, but they grow slowly, so colonies take time to build up.
Why Keep Them?
Low-maintenance and slow-growing, they’re perfect if you want a colony that won’t explode in population in a few months. Ideal for keepers who want a steady, manageable population without constant attention.
Ideal Parameters
Temperature: 18-24°C
Humidity: 60-70% ambient
Ventilation: High
Tip: Be sure to provide a deep substrate - they love to burrow!
Porcellio scaber
Overview
P. scaber are the definition of bulletproof. Adaptable, fast-breeding, and found in a plethora of colours, they’ll thrive in almost any setup. Perfect for beginners or anyone who occasionally forgets to water the enclosure.
Care
Maintain a moisture gradient (one side moist and the other dry) with moderate ventilation. They’re not fussy eaters but are notoriously protein-hungry - offer leaf litter, decaying wood, and regular protein snacks like fish flakes. Breeding starts quickly once they’re settled, and colonies can grow fast under the right conditions.
Why Keep Them?
They are tough, active, and full of variety. Whether you’re using them as a clean up crew, starting your first colony, or collecting morphs, P. scaber are the dependable all-rounders that won’t give you any trouble.
Ideal Parameters
Temperature: 18-24°C
Humidity: 60-80% ambient
Ventilation: Moderate
Tip: Stability is more important than perfect parameters for scabers!
Porcellionides pruinosus Complex
Overview
P. pruinosus are lively, fast-moving, and endlessly entertaining to watch. Extremely adaptable and beginner-friendly, they adapt well to a variety of setups and are great for keepers who enjoy an active colony. They are also one of the most efficient clean up crews you can get!
Care
They thrive with a moist-to-dry gradient and plenty of humidity, plus leaf litter and bark or cork to hide under. These little sprinters will eat anything in sight, and will appreciate snacks like fish flakes, cucumber and sweet potato. They are very prolific, and colonies can grow rapidly once established.
Why Keep Them?
Fast, hardy, and constantly on the move, they’re a perfect if you want a lively, self-sustaining colony or clean up crew that’s low-maintenance but never boring. Their powdery, velvet like appearance is also very cool!
Ideal Parameters
Temperature: 18-24°C
Humidity: 60-75% ambient
Ventilation: Moderate
Tip: Avoid handling these - their bodies are softer than other common pods!
Porcellio dilatatus
Overview
P. dilatatus are tough burrowers that spend much of their life out of sight digging tunnels. Once established, they become bolder and more visible, but may not be the best display isopod. They can handle more arid set ups as well as humid enclosures.
Care
Provide deep substrate for tunneling, along with leaf litter, bark, and natural clutter like rocks and seed pods for hiding spots. Keep a moist-to-dry gradient that leans more on the dry side, and provide good ventilation in the dry zones. They enjoy decaying leaves, wood and veggie scraps. Breeding starts slow but ramps up once the colony feels secure.
Why Keep Them?
Giant Canyons grow to be quite large, are built like bricks and are fascinating to watch once they become established and more active. They are the ultimate digging enthusiasts with some interesting behaviors.
Ideal Parameters
Temperature: 18-24°C
Humidity: 60-70% ambient
Ventilation: Moderate
Tip: They will eat their substrate more than other species, so make sure it is nutritious!
Eluma caelata
Overview
E. caelata are very surface-active once established. They require stable conditions, making them best for keepers who can provide consistent care and maintain enclosures that fit their niche. Their carapace is covered in tiny hairs which makes them quite unique!
Care
They thrive in deep, fluffy substrate with leaf litter, bark and moss to hide under. Will mostly consume decaying leaves and wood, and occasionally enjoy vegetable scraps, and fungi. They are slightly fussy about stable temperature and humidity, so require the right set up and careful husbandry, and are not suited to all enclosure types. Aim for semi-arid substrate with lots of micro-climates in the low horizontal space, but high overall humidity.
Why Keep Them?
E. caelata reward patience with unique surface activity and surprising personality. Find the sweet spot and they will always be out exploring or hanging upside-down off sticks. A good species for those who enjoy a more hands-on colony or want a display species that you will actually see during the day.
Ideal Parameters
Temperature: 20-22°C
Humidity: 70-75% ambient
Ventilation: Low
Tip: We’ve found them to be quite arboreal, they appreciate vertical spaces like sticks to climb on!
Trichoniscus pusillus
Overview
T. pusillus are small, shy, and like to spend most of their time beneath the surface. Perfect for small, densely planted terrariums, they prefer dark, damp conditions and are happiest out of sight. They are only slightly bigger than common springtails!
Care
They can handle minimal airflow or ventilation for decent periods of time and require little input. Feed them primary diet of decaying wood, and provide deep, moist substrate for tunneling and hiding. Their small size makes them excellent cleanup crews for enclosed setups like jar terrariums.
Why Keep Them?
Tiny but good at their jobs, they quietly maintain your terrarium while by recycling detritus. Low-maintenance and unobtrusive, they’re ideal for keepers who want efficient little clean-up crews in compact spaces.
Ideal Parameters
Temperature: 18-24°C
Humidity: 70-80% ambient
Ventilation: Minimal
Tip: Don’t worry if you don’t see them often, they are great at hiding and offspring look like springtails until mature!
You can dump your entire starter culture straight into your terrarium/enclosure, or keep a culture separate to breed for top ups or future uses.
Isotomidae sp.
Overview
Isotomidae are the springtails most people picture when they think of springtails - elongated bodies, super jumpy, and always on the move. They’re the classic clean-up crew and a staple in humid enclosures, helping keep mold and decay under control.
Care
These springtails need consistently high humidity to thrive. They perform best on soil-based substrates, but can also be successful on waterlogged charcoal. They will quickly establish themselves in enclosures with moist soil and good ambient humidity. They readily feed on fish flakes or simply decaying organic material like dead plants and fungi. While they can tolerate limited ventilation for a time, occasional air exchange is important to keep cultures healthy long-term.
Why Use Them?
Fast-breeding, hardy, and effective, Isotomidae are perfect if you want a reliable clean-up crew that gets established quickly. They’re especially well-suited to bioactive terrariums where moisture is high and organic matter is plentiful.
Culturing Tips
Medium: Organic topsoil, worm castings, chunk charcoal sitting in a few cm of water
Foods: fish flakes, decaying organics, fungi, rice
Entomobryidae sp.
Overview
Entomobryidae are very busy, fast-moving springtails - in fact it’s rare to spot one sitting still for more than a few seconds. With their constant activity and adaptability, they’re a great choice for mixed-environment enclosures where conditions vary across the setup.
Care
They do best with a moisture gradient, providing both moist areas and drier zones to explore, but can handle anything south of arid. This flexibility makes them easy to keep in a wide range of enclosures. They’ll readily accept most common springtail foods, including yeast, fish flakes, and vegetable scraps. Maintain overall humidity, but avoid waterlogged substrate.
Why Use Them?
Another excellent option for fast-establishing colonies, Entomobryidae are hardy, versatile, and highly effective as a clean-up crew. They’re great for reptile enclosures and isopod terrariums where conditions aren’t uniformly humid. A great 'set-and-forget' springtail.
Culturing Tips
Medium: Organic topsoil, worm castings, chunk charcoal sitting in a few cm of water
Foods: fish flakes, yeast, vegetables, decaying organics
Onychiurinae sp.
Overview
Onychiurinae are primarily soil-dwelling springtails with a very different vibe - slow-moving, a bit clumsy, and happiest burrowing in soil. They spend most of their time underground, making them a subtle but effective clean-up crew in soil-heavy setups.
Care
They thrive in enclosures with a deep, soil-rich substrate that stays somewhat moist. Light, fluffy soil that allows easy burrowing is ideal. They accept most common springtail foods, particularly enjoying cucumber. Moisture in the soil is far more important than overall humidity for these. They can tolerate relatively low ambient humidity as long as the substrate itself never dries out.
Why Use Them?
Perfect for soil-heavy habitats, Onychiurinae are a great choice if you want a long-lasting, low-profile springtail species. Their ability to persist with minimal ventilation makes them especially well-suited to closed terrariums and stable, low-disturbance environments.
Culturing Tips
Medium: Organic topsoil, worm castings, coco coir
Foods: fish flakes, yeast, cucumber
Hypogastruridae sp.
Overview
These Hypogastruridae are vibrant, wriggly little springtails - most are a striking bright purple colour, though yellow, orange and white individuals are sometimes present in colonies. They adapt well to a wide range of environments and are frequently seen both buried in the soil and active on the surface.
Care
Provide a soil-based substrate that allows for easy burrowing. While they prefer moist conditions, they’re surprisingly tolerant and can handle slightly drier soil as well (though it should never be bone dry). They breed best when moisture is consistent. Spirulina and yeast are ideal staple foods, though they’ll readily accept most common springtail foods and decaying material.
Why Use Them?
Their bold colour, high surface activity, and prolific breeding make Hypogastruridae a fun choice for your terrarium or bioactive setup. They’re perfect if you want a springtail that’s easy to establish, visually interesting, and effective across a wide range of enclosure types.
Culturing Tips
Medium: Organic topsoil, worm castings
Foods: fish flakes, spirulina, yeast, vegetables, decaying organics
Lepidocyrtinae sp.
Overview
Lepidocyrtinae are shiny little springtails with a metallic silver look that really stands out as they dart around, especially under light. They’re comfortable in both moist and semi-arid setups, making them a versatile and visually interesting species to keep.
Care
While they’ll happily hang around moisture, they strongly prefer having drier zones to gather on away from wet substrate, and will happily roam dry areas. Good airflow is important, as they don’t tolerate stagnant air well. With the right balance of moisture, dryness, and ventilation, they’re quite easy to breed.
Why Use Them?
If you enjoy catching flashes of silver movement across your enclosure, Lepidocyrtinae are a great choice. They’re especially well-suited to isopod bins where moisture gradients are already present.
Culturing Tips
Medium: Organic topsoil, worm castings, leaf litter
Foods: fish flakes, yeast
Tomocerinae sp.
Overview
Tomocerinae are large springtails with dark silver to black colouring and an iridescent sheen. Their impressive size and constant surface activity make them stand out compared to most other springtails, especially in well-established, naturalistic setups.
Care
Keep them in soil-based enclosures rich in decaying organic material. Provide plenty of leaf litter, rotting wood, and mosses to mimic their natural habitat and support strong populations. High ventilation is important, as they prefer fresh airflow. They tend to thrive best in cool conditions.
Why Use Them?
Great as a display springtail, you’ll see them often thanks to their large size and constant surface activity. Watching them dart around leaf litter and wood is entertaining, and they add a lot of visible life to larger terrariums and frog tanks.
Culturing Tips
Medium: Organic topsoil, leaf litter
Foods: fish flakes, leaf litter, rot wood
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