Panda King Isopod

Cubaris sp. "Panda King"

OtherintermediateHarmlessCommunal OK

No venom, no sting

This species is considered harmless to humans, with no medically significant venom or sting. Handle gently and wash your hands afterward.

About

Bold black-and-white banding on a burrowing Cubaris, and one of the more available species in a genus known for being expensive. NOT the same animal as Porcellio laevis "Dairy Cow", which is also black and white, much cheaper and much faster — the two are confused constantly, including by sellers. If it is inexpensive and breeding quickly, it is almost certainly the Porcellio. Care follows the genus: consistently high humidity with deep substrate it can burrow through, permanent access to limestone, and a moisture gradient that never fully dries. It reproduces slowly and stays buried most of the time, so a healthy colony can look like an empty tub for months. Resist the urge to dig. DETRITIVORE — leaf litter and rotting hardwood continuously, protein sparingly. Harmless.

Taxonomy

FamilyArmadillidae

GenusCubaris

Native regionThailand

TypeTerrestrial

Temperamentharmless, secretive

Size & growth

Adult size0.4-0.6 inches

Growth rateslow

Climate

Temperature70–80 °F

Humidity75–90%

Enclosure

Adult sizesmall tub; deep substrate matters more than floor space

Substratecoco fiber and topsoil over a damp base; limestone essential, leaf litter

Substrate depth3-4 inches

Water dishOptional

Feeding

Feeding modeDetritivore (decaying matter)

Prey sizen/a (detritivore)

Adult cadenceleaf litter and rotting wood always available; protein sparingly

Times kept: 0 · Unverified community entry