Sevilla Giant Isopod
Porcellio sp. 'Sevilla'
One of the largest Porcellio in the hobby. Native to Spain, it boasts a powerful grey-brown coloration and an impressive escape speed.
Ambiente
Terrestre
Umidade
60 - 85 %
Temperatura diurna
21 - 29 °C
Temperatura noturna
21 - 29 °C
Descrição da espécie
Porcellio sp. 'Sevilla':: One of the largest Porcellio in the hobby. Native to Spain, it boasts a powerful grey-brown coloration and an impressive escape speed.
Geographical Origin and Habitat: Widespread worldwide thanks to humans, prefers humid woods, rotting wood, damp cellars and agricultural compost heaps.
Taxonomy and Genetics: Family Porcellionidae. Terrestrial crustaceans (they are NOT insects). The nominal species is completely gray/pale brown, but the mutations on the market ('Dairy Cow', 'Orange', 'Milkback') have made P. laevis a real display animal.
Behavior and Habits: Soil piranhas. Hyper-active, bold and ravenous. Unlike other shy isopods, 'Dairy Cows' literally swarm over food in broad daylight, forming moving mountains. They do not roll up if frightened (they cannot conglobate), but run like rockets to hide. They devour any source of protein and calcium at record speed.
Morphology: Massive and wide crustacean (Up to 1 inch / 2.5 cm), smooth (Laevis means smooth). The Dairy Cow variant is transparent milky white with asymmetrical black spots similar to ink stains. Equipped with 7 pairs of very agile legs and sensitive antennae to scan the dark.
Cuidado, criação e companheiros de tanque
Terrarium Setup: PLASTIC BINS OR HUMID BIOACTIVE TERRARIUMS. They need a deep layer (2-3 inches) of pure organic soil mixed with crushed dry oak leaves, crumbled rotten wood (Flake soil) and pieces of cork bark to hide. Always insert a cuttlefish bone for calcium.
Lighting and Heating: TOTAL DARKNESS. They hate intense light. No Basking. Domestic room temperature (72-79°F / 22-26°C). At higher temperatures they explode demographically reproducing in mass; below 64°F (18°C) the colony goes into stasis.
Humidity and Hydration: Gradient Humidity (60-80%). CRITICAL: The bin must have a constantly wet corner (where they take refuge to breathe with modified humid gills) and a dry corner to regulate osmosis. If the whole bin dries out, they will die asphyxiated in 24 hours.
Feeding and Supplementation: Shredding Machines (Very voracious Omnivores/Detritivores). The base of the diet MUST BE dry foliage and decomposing white wood. BUT: for P. laevis MASSIVE PROTEINS are needed (Flake fish food, dried shrimp, freeze-dried, cat kibble) or they will start cannibalizing each other stripping the live newborns. Calcium powder is indispensable or they will literally melt during molting.
Compatibility: Lethal cleaning crew. Excellent in terrariums of large reptiles (Pythons, Bearded Dragons, Iguanas) to eat feces and fungi. NEVER put them with fragile frogs, slow geckos or soft invertebrates (like snails or molting tarantulas): their appetite will push them to bite and devour soft animals alive.
Health and Common Diseases: Decay from branchial asphyxia and cannibalism. They will die en masse crumpled dry ('Dessiccation') if you do not moisten at least one side of the soil, or they will explode liquid leaks if there is a total lack of ventilation (Air must circulate, it must not be a smelly swamp).
Origem e distribuição geográfica
Widespread worldwide thanks to humans, prefers humid woods, rotting wood, damp cellars and agricultural compost heaps.
Origem
Melhoramento seletivo e cultivaresEuropa, Mediterrâneo e Ásia OcidentalCosmopolita ou apresentado
Perfil de invertebrados terrestres
- Dieta
- Detritivore
- They are highly voracious eaters with a massive appetite for both decaying organic matter and protein. Their staple diet of dried hardwood leaves and rotting wood must be generously supplemented with calcium, fresh vegetables, and frequent protein offerings like freeze-dried shrimp or fish pellets to prevent them from eating their own young.
- Tamanho adulto
- 2.7 cm
- Estilo de vida/Microhabitat
- Terrestrial
- They thrive in a surface-active, terrestrial lifestyle, favoring environments with generous amounts of ventilation and moderate dryness. While they require a localized moist corner to regulate their hydration and facilitate molting, they spend the vast majority of their time navigating the dry leaf litter and climbing over cork bark.
- Ciclo de atividades
- Diurnal
- These very large, impressive isopods are remarkably active and quite bold compared to many other species. While they forage most extensively at night, it is not uncommon to see them actively wandering around the surface of their enclosure during the day in search of food or more favorable microclimates.
- Socialidade
- Gregarious
- They are a highly gregarious and social species that flourishes in large, active colonies. However, because they are so protein-driven, a lack of dietary protein or severe overcrowding can occasionally lead to individuals preying on soft, freshly molted conspecifics or young mancae.
- Reprodução
- Viviparous
- Under optimal conditions of high ventilation, warm temperatures, and abundant food, they are incredibly prolific breeders. Females carry massive broods in their ventral pouch. A single healthy female can produce a surprisingly large number of offspring, quickly filling a terrarium if their needs are consistently met.
- Venenoso
- No
- Tolerância de tratamento
- Tolerant
- Because of their large size, they are somewhat easier to handle than smaller species, but they are incredibly fast and can easily scramble out of a careless hand. They should be handled low to the ground to prevent fatal falls, as their large bodies can be easily ruptured by an impact.
- Brumação
- Não obrigatório
- Hailing from the warm, arid regions of southern Spain, they absolutely do not require a brumation period. They perform best when kept at consistently warm room temperatures year-round. Exposure to prolonged cold or excessive, stagnant humidity will quickly prove fatal to a colony.
- Muda
- Regular
- Like all terrestrial isopods, they undergo a distinct two-part molting process to minimize vulnerability. Due to their large adult size, molting can be energetically taxing. A secure, moist retreat is critical during this period, and their shed exoskeleton should always be left for them to consume and recover lost calcium.
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