Starting an isopod colony is easier when the habitat and receiving plan are ready before the animals arrive. This checklist is for people considering the Armadillidium vulgare pill bugs and Porcellio scaber sowbugs currently listed by Ficarro Farms. It helps you plan a first purchase; the exact setup should fit the species, enclosure, and conditions in your home or classroom.
1. Choose the project before the pack size
- Home observation or colony: decide where the enclosure will live and who will care for it each week.
- Classroom activity: decide how many stations run at once and how many animals each station needs. Use our classroom count guide rather than assuming one pack size suits every lesson.
- Species: A. vulgare pill bugs can roll into a compact ball; P. scaber sowbugs do not. Our species comparison explains when that difference matters for observation.
2. Prepare the habitat
- Have a covered, ventilated container ready. Air holes need to be small enough to contain the animals.
- Provide moistened, not saturated, substrate and leaf litter or other suitable cover. Avoid chemically treated mulch. The habitat should offer places to shelter.
- Keep the habitat out of direct sun, and check that it stays moist without becoming waterlogged. How often you add water depends on the enclosure and local conditions; observe it rather than following a universal misting schedule.
- Have suitable food ready. Leaf litter is useful; small pieces of raw potato, carrot, or apple are among the additional foods in Carolina Biological’s care guide. Remove food that becomes moldy.
What comes with an animal pack? The isopod listings sell a stated number of live animals. Do not assume an enclosure, substrate, food, or a complete kit is included unless the particular product page says so.
3. Plan for arrival
- Arrange for someone to receive the shipment and move the animals into suitable housing promptly.
- Open and inspect the package on arrival. Transfer animals gently; check the shipping material for any animals still hiding in it.
- If there is a problem with a live order, contact Ficarro Farms with your order number and photos of the condition on arrival. See the returns and refunds policy for the process.
- Available website orders ship within one business day, Monday through Friday excluding holidays. Transit begins after carrier acceptance and varies by destination and service. Review the shipping policy; for a date-sensitive class, ask about availability and timing before ordering.
4. Keep a simple observation log
Write down the date, the condition of the moist areas, food offered, food removed, shelter use, and questions you want to investigate. This helps you notice changes in the habitat without treating every pause or hiding animal as a problem. Increase ventilation and remove moldy food if mold develops. Wash hands before and after handling living organisms. Do not release purchased isopods outdoors.
Choose an available pack
Browse the current live isopods by species and count. For a larger or time-sensitive order, send the species, quantity, destination, and preferred date so availability can be checked. A listing with an Add to cart button does not guarantee a large future quantity.
Care source and limits
Habitat, feeding, arrival-handling, hygiene, and no-release guidance are adapted in original wording from Carolina Biological Supply’s Care Guide: Terrestrial Isopods (reviewed September 27, 2026). Carolina’s guidance is for terrestrial isopods generally; it does not validate a particular Ficarro Farms enclosure or promise colony growth. Follow the needs of the species you keep, and ask about a product before ordering if its contents or suitability are unclear.