Porcellio scaber "Orange Dalmation"

Porcellio scaber "Orange Dalmatian" is a highly popular, vibrant, and strikingly patterned color morph that brings an incredible splash of brightness to the invertebrate hobby. A beautiful genetic combination of the famous "Spanish Orange" and "Dalmatian" lines, this variety features a clean white or pale translucent base body heavily splattered with irregular spots, blotches, and flecks of vivid, fiery orange. True to its common name of the "Common Rough Woodlouse," its dorsal surface is covered in prominent microscopic bumps and tubercles, giving it a beautifully textured, matte finish rather than a glossy shell. They are flat-bodied, moderately sized isopods that are unable to roll into a perfect ball. Instead, they rely on their camouflage and ability to play dead when startled, making them an absolute joy to watch as they colonize an enclosure.

This species is the ultimate entry-level choice for absolute beginners, while remaining a staple favorite for advanced hobbyists due to its incredibly unique aesthetic. Thanks to their extreme hardiness, adaptive nature, and highly active behavior, they are absolutely ideal for keepers wanting an isopod that is constantly out and about rather than hiding beneath the soil. They double as an exceptional, relentlessly hard-working clean-up crew for temperate, semi-arid, or subtropical bioactive terrariums, easily managing waste from small to medium-sized reptiles and amphibians. If you are searching for a bulletproof starter isopod that establishes rapidly and injects a stunning, high-contrast pop of color into your collection, the Orange Dalmatian is the perfect candidate.

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Porcellio scaber "Orange Dalmatian"

ORIGIN: Originally native to Western and Central Europe, though the wild type is now globally naturalized; this specific color morph was selectively isolated and perfected in captivity.

DIFFICULTY: Very Easy / Beginner

TEMPERATURE RANGE: 18-26°C. They adapt effortlessly to standard room temperatures and tolerate typical seasonal indoor temperature variations with total ease.

HUMIDITY & MOISTURE: 50-60% humidity. They are highly drought-tolerant compared to more sensitive species but still require a dependable moisture gradient. Maintain a strict layout where one-third of the enclosure features a damp, well-misted sphagnum moss patch, while the remaining two-thirds stay completely dry and covered in shelter. They prefer moderate cross-ventilation and will struggle in stagnant, swampy tropical environments.

DIETARY NEEDS: Their foundational diet rests upon a permanent, deep supply of organic deciduous leaf litter and crumbling white-rotted wood. They have a notably high craving for animal matter and should be consistently supplemented at least twice a week with protein sources like dried fish flakes, shrimp, minnows, or insect frass. A continuous source of calcium, such as cuttlefish bone or limestone chunks, is absolutely vital to support their heavily calcified carapaces during their frequent molting cycles.

ACTIVITY LEVELS: Bolder and more surface-active than many cryptic species, they can frequently be seen clumped together under bark or exploring the dry zones of their habitat during daylight and evening hours alike.

REPRODUCTION RATE: Prolific and fast. They are incredibly reliable breeders that establish dense colonies very quickly, producing healthy broods of 12-20 mancae per clutch that rapidly grow to maturity.

SIZES: You will receive a healthy, robust mix of sizes ranging from developing juveniles to young adults, providing an optimal demographic mix to jumpstart your culture. Please note that young juveniles often appear mostly white at first, developing their rich, intense orange spotting as they mature. Newborn mancae are never intentionally counted or shipped, though some may emerge naturally during transit.

PACKAGING: The isopods are packed with great care inside well-ventilated plastic travel tubs layered with damp sphagnum moss to ensure stable transit humidity. These containers are securely nested inside a sturdy shipping box padded with eco-fill, paper, or thick cardboard to completely insulate the culture from movement and extreme outdoor temperature spikes.

100% LIVE ARRIVAL: At TerraPods, we offer a 100% live arrival guarantee

20% OVERCOUNT: All isopod packages will come with a 20% overcount