Armadillidium maculatum “Zebra woodlouse”

Brief description:

Armadillidium maculatum, also known as the zebra woodlouse, is a medium-sized isopod species from the Mediterranean region and southern France. The animals grow up to 1.8 cm in size and owe their name to their appearance. It takes about 6 months from juvenile to adult. This species is robust and easy to breed. A female can give birth to up to 4 litters of up to 300 young isopods per year. The species is quite showy, but in a large tank you should choose a correspondingly higher initial stocking to be able to observe the animals. Like all woodlice, Armadillidium maculatum can also curl up into a closed ball when threatened.

Armadillidium impresses with its really beautiful, name-giving appearance. The animals’ carapaces are black and white striped. The individual segments of the carapace are rounded at the edges. The antennae and legs of the zebra rhinoceros are light to dark gray in color. The animals appear quite stocky and the antennae are somewhat shorter than is the case with other isopod species.

It is possible to keep a group of Armadillidium maculatum in containers with a capacity of 5 liters or more. It is important to know that this isopod species will not reproduce if there is not enough space. As the natural habitat of the zebra woodlouse is the litter layer in deciduous forests, particular attention should be paid to this. If you want to create a terrarium that is close to nature, choose a 10 cm high layer of deciduous forest humus, leaves and white rotten wood as the substrate. Moss, pieces of bark and leaves should be spread over this layer of substrate. On the one hand, these things serve as shelter, on the other as food and to keep the humidity in the tank. The tank for Armadillidium maculatum should always be kept moist. However, waterlogging should be avoided at all costs. A humidity level of 60-80 % will normally settle quickly by itself with regular spraying. The temperature in the tank should be between 22 and 26°C. The animals need lime to build up their shell, which can be given in the form of cuttlefish, crushed eggshells or similar. White rotten wood and leaves in the substrate serve as food. Vegetables, fruit, flowers and isopod food are also readily accepted.