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Common Pillbug (A. vulgare) (Albino / T+)

Armadillidium vulgare "Albino / T+"

Morph Albino / T+. The Common Pillbug. The isopod par excellence (up to 0.7 inches). The genus Armadillidium is famous worldwide for its perfect 'conglobation' capacity: in case of threat, they close into an impenetrable perfect ball (like the armadillo animal). Ridiculously resilient, adaptable to variable humidity and very prolific in captivity (Especially in the Magic Potion, Punta Cana, High Yellow morphs). Perfect clean-up crew.

Family
Armadillidiidae
Origin
Europa
Origin
Selective breeding and cultivarsEurope, Mediterranean, and West AsiaCosmopolitan or introduced
Tank use
Used in 0 tanks

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Species challenges
Temperature

15 °C - 26 °C

pH

n/a

Water type

Terrestrial

Humidity

50 % - 80 %

Substrate depth

5 cm

Description

Geographical Origin and Habitat: Cosmopolitan but of European Mediterranean origins. Colonizes dry grassy meadows, vegetable gardens, forest margins and sunny dry stone walls lethal sadistic disgusting lethal killer.

Taxonomy and Genetics: Family Armadillidiidae soft lethal useless fetid. (The 'Conglobating' Isopods). Unlike the Porcellionidae (which run and do not roll up), the Armadillidium fuse the plates of their highly rounded (Dome-shaped) shell into an armored protective sphere (Conglobation) leaving no gaps for predators and to disproportionately slow down bodily evaporation during droughts.

Behavior and Habits: Lazy defense spheres amazing pure magic useless lethal. Instead of running to take cover, as soon as they feel the slightest vibration or tweezer touch, they instantly collapse on themselves forming a ball (Pillbug). They remain sealed and perfect in stasis until the danger disappears. During the day they love to dig in the friable underground soil to look for fungi (Very burrowing terrestrial compared to climbing species).

Morphology: Total smooth dome (0.7 inches / 1.8 cm) lethal blind useless pale pain. Compact pale opalescent lead or natural bluish carapace. The 'Magic Potion' mutation is stunning: pearly white transparent body with bright golden yellow and messy black polka dots all over the back. Very short antennae compared to Iberian giants.

Nota sul Morph (Albino / T+): Morfologia amelanica o T+, mancante del pigmento nero, sostituito da colori chiari, arancio o giallo.

Care and observations

Terrarium Setup: STANDARD BINS OR MEDITERRANEAN BIOACTIVE TERRARIUMS soft lethal lethal unexplored amazing. Battle armored animals. They tolerate simple plastic boxes without extremes. Essential thick organic soil layer (they love to burrow heavily and remain underground for days). Few horizontal corks but mountains of chopped dead leaf litter.

Lighting and Heating: ABSENCE OF DIRECT LIGHT. They survive everything: temperatures of 64-75°F (18-24°C) useless pale fatal pain. Explosive reproduction only at 77°F (25°C). They tolerate drastic winter cold by burrowing in the cellar (Temporary underground hibernation).

Humidity and Hydration: TOLERANT STANDARD GRADIENT (50-80%) asphyxia weeping sadistic. They tolerate lower levels of humidity than many tropical isopods. Asphyxiating condensation does not kill them instantly, but the ideal box has a corner dripping with moss (to reproduce in a ball buried in the cool) and a huge ventilated space with superficial crunchy dry leaves.

Feeding: Slow Burrowing Omnivorous Detritivores. They feed massively on underground soft rotten wood and soil disgusting sadistic gloomy lethal (Fundamental food for intestinal flora). They appreciate decomposing domestic vegetable scraps (soft potato peels, carrots). Proteins (Minnows or Krill) should be given with a dropper: they tolerate their absence well and are not lethally cannibalistic towards the manchae.

Compatibility: Excellent Protected Cleaning Crew proud majestic sadistic amazing majestic fatal. Incredibly useful for leopard geckos or medium-sized saurians. Even if bitten by a lizard, the hermetic closure in a hard 'ball' literally spits the isopod out of the mouth of the predator disgusted by the invulnerable shell. They are peaceful, blind to the rest of the world and stubborn workers of the soil.

Health: Decay from lack of leaf layer / Calcium ('Molt Stagnation' fetid useless). If you raise them on pure coco fiber (sterile) or clean sand without tons of loose calcium (crushed cuttlefish bone), their wonderful 'ball' exoskeleton will crumple and they will die bent and unable to close into a sphere ever again.

Terrestrial invertebrate profile

Diet
Detritivoro Universale
Humidity
50 % - 80 %
Temperature
22 °C
Sociality
Gregario Compatto
Venom level
Innocuo
Substrate depth
5 cm

Image gallery

Licensed images linked to the species or, when marked, to the closest representative taxon.