Common rough woodlouse

Porcellio scaber has a rough, bumpy back and varies in colour. It is widespread in Britain and Ireland and can climb. Its greater dry-site tolerance than some other woodlice does not mean it can live without moist shelter.

Plan for a continuing colony with overlapping generations. The reviewed evidence does not establish a reliable pet lifespan. Hidden animals make surface counts a poor measure of success. Arrange population space, surplus management and holiday checks.

Use secure ventilation, low cover and soil with decomposing leaves. Provide a damp shelter alongside less damp ground and enlarge usable floor space as the colony grows. Check lids and vents carefully: this woodlouse climbs.

Measure conditions near the cover and protect the damp refuge. Research on different isopods cannot be combined into one prescribed temperature or humidity target for this species. Avoid direct sun and unregulated heating.

Ordinary room light and a day-night cycle support observation. Keep shelters shaded. A pet-specific basking or UVI target has not been established here, so additional reptile lighting is not a default requirement.

Inspect sheltered soil directly and keep it damp without soaking all the substrate. Leave less damp litter available and retain clear ventilation. When activity or survival changes, check moisture before simply adding food.

Maintain decaying leaves as the main resource, with calcium and small supplementary portions. Laboratory feeding work does not validate every commercial powder as a complete diet. Remove spoiled extras and replenish depleted material while retaining some undisturbed habitat.

Lift one inspection shelter rather than excavating the whole culture. Transfer animals on cover or in a small container and avoid squeezing them. The visible adults share their habitat with fragile young and newly moulted animals.

Females carry developing young in a brood pouch; this species reproduces sexually. Repeated deaths, failed moults or sustained population decline need a review of moisture, food, contamination and additions with an experienced keeper. Do not respond with indiscriminate chemicals.

Keep the scientific name, supplier and transfer history. Avoid mixing uncertain stock and do not release captive animals or substrate outdoors. Consult APHA before importing: isopods are crustaceans and excluded from the ordinary pet-invertebrate import guidance.

Prepare a labelled culture with leaf food and damp shelter before arrival. Check consumption and unusual losses, remove spoiled supplements and inspect escape gaps. Keep simple records so problems can be traced to recent changes.