Porcellio werneri

Note: This species is currently undergoing active breeding in our facility. It will be made available once we have a healthy and sustainable number of offspring.

Porcellio werneri

is a distinctive isopod species known as the Greek Shield isopod. It features a broad, flattened body with dark grey to brown coloration and a contrasting pale skirt at the edges. Originating from rocky, calcareous regions in Greece, it is surface‑active, social, and suitable for display and cleanup colonies under consistent care.

These isopods are medium‑large (up to 25 mm), moderately paced reproducers with seasonal breeding patterns. Males can be territorial; colonies benefit from sufficient space and environmental stability.

Environment:
Use a ventilated terrarium or storage container. Provide a substrate layer of 4–10 cm comprising organic topsoil or coconut fiber, sphagnum moss, leaf litter, and decaying wood. Include cork bark, egg crates, lotus pods, or rock pieces for hiding and climbing.

Humidity:
Maintain a steep moisture gradient with about 25–33 percent of substrate moist and the rest kept drier. Overall humidity should be moderate, around 50–65 percent.

Diet:
Staple food includes decaying leaves, rotting wood, and forest litter. Supplement twice weekly with root vegetables (carrot, squash), fish flakes or dried shrimp for protein, and provide a constant calcium source such as cuttlebone, oyster shell, or crushed eggshell.

Behavior:
Surface‑active and social. They hide under bark or litter during the day and emerge at night or early morning. Flat bodies enable tight surface contact. Territorial behavior in males can occur; provide adequate hiding spaces.

Temperature:
Ideal range is 17–26 °C (62–79 °F). They tolerate short‑term variation to 28 °C or down to 15 °C but avoid prolonged extremes.

Shipped as a mix of healthy juveniles and subadults
Weather appropriate packaging with insulation or cooling if needed
Shipping only when temperatures allow safe delivery