Spanish Pill Bug

Armadillo officinalis

IsopodbeginnerHarmlessCommunal OK

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

A Mediterranean pill bug that rolls into an almost perfect ball. Keepers report a faint hissing sound when one is disturbed — the source of the "Hissing Isopod" trade name. Care is straightforward: keep about two thirds of the substrate moist with moss, bark and leaf litter, and the rest drier. It likes a little more protein than most (about twice a week) and needs calcium always available. Growth is slow. The trade sells cultivated colour morphs of this species (Orange Crush, Pink, Pink Dalmatian, white forms) and wild locales (Israel, Sicily, Tamarix). Keep locales and morphs separate and labelled — mixed colonies can't be told apart later. DETRITIVORE, harmless.

Taxonomy

FamilyArmadillidae

GenusArmadillo

Native regionMediterranean region

TypeTerrestrial

Temperamentharmless, slow, mostly nocturnal

Size & growth

Adult sizeabout 0.4-0.8 inches (sources vary)

Growth rateslow

Life stagesNo distinct stages

Climate

Temperature64–80°F

Humidity55–70%

Enclosure

Adult sizeshoebox tub or larger

Substratetopsoil and coco fiber, about two thirds kept moist; moss, bark and leaf litter

Substrate depth2-3 inches

Water dishOptional

Moisture gradientRequired — keep one end damp, one end dry

Feeding

Feeding modeDetritivore (decaying matter)

Food & scheduleleaf litter always available; protein about twice a week

Supplemental calciumRequired — cuttlebone or a calcium powder

Times kept: 0 · Unverified community entry