Dairy Cow Isopod
Porcellio laevis
Harmless to people
Isopods are harmless to humans — no venom, no sting, and no bite that breaks skin. They are detritivores, so wash your hands after handling the substrate.
About
Large, fast, prolific, and the usual recommendation for a first isopod colony you actually watch rather than just use as clean-up crew. Dairy Cow and Milkback are colour morphs of this species, not separate species. Do not confuse it with Cubaris sp. "Panda King", which is a different genus with different care and a much higher price — the two are both black and white and are regularly mixed up. Give a clear moisture gradient — one end damp, one end dry — with good cross-ventilation; laevis is more prone to crashing in stagnant, uniformly wet setups than Armadillidium. They are hungry for protein compared with most isopods, and an underfed colony will scavenge weak or moulting animals, so keep fish flake or a similar supplement available. DETRITIVORE. Harmless: no venom, no bite. They cannot roll into a ball and rely on speed instead.
Taxonomy
Size & growth
Climate
Enclosure
Feeding
Times kept: 1 · Unverified community entry