Cubaris sp. Panda King Isopod Care Guide

Panda king isopods have their ancestry from Vietnam. These creatures originated from Vietnam’s humid caves and are rare.

If you are a lover of Cubaris species, these are wonderful options. They have a unique reproduction system and procreate faster than their cousins. They are very beautiful creatures and available in many colors.

Their preferred housing and habits are container bins and glass vivarium. When it comes to feeding, they love dried leaves and wood rotated matter. You could also consider some isopods’ feast, limestone, and cuttlebone for their calcium sources. They are lovers of protein and you could sprinkle their colonies with some eggshells. Moreover, when you purchase them, ensure you keep them between 65-85 degrees. 

Avoid putting them in extreme cold and heat temperatures, it is very harmful. If you want them to adapt quickly, ensure you put them in moderate humid conditions. Get moss on their moist area and avoid allowing the moss to dry completely. While feeding them regularly is important, they can also use some supplements to keep them in good condition. 

Calcium sources and granite, are sources of extra protein that can be added to their meals. This species of isopods is a good feed for many pet reptiles such as tortoises, snakes, frogs, and fishes. 

Size, Appearance, and Behavior

It has a small physique that ranges from 1cm to 1.2 cm, however they are bold and have much visual contrast. It is a recent isopod that hasn’t been properly classified, however it has different stripping patterns and colors. It isn’t as popular as the radiant Rubber Ducky Isopod, when you buy it, the price is cheaper. 

These creatures are easier to keep and breed, so it’s suitable for new keepers who want to avoid stress. If you want a worm pet or a bioactive creature in a container or vivarium, this is what you would like to buy.

Their body glows and when you buy them, you will notice how their skin texture changes as they mature. They are one mysterious worm that needs more study to know their system. 

Caring for Cubaris sp. Panda King Isopod

• Habitat

It can thrive in various habitats depending on which you prefer. You could use an average shoebox container to start a colony. Also, they cope well in a Tupperware box, however, there should be holes. The holes should be small to allow easy flow of air around the habitat. 

Luckily, unlike some other Cubaris species, this creature isn’t as sensitive to ventilation. 

However, ensure you still puncture holes to preserve the humidity level. Make sure these holes are spread properly around the enclosure. 

• Substrate

Talking about substrates, just make sure you maintain a good humidity level by selecting a Mixture with ideal water retention. I suggest you use versions of the classic ABG mix in your bioactive terrariums and it could be also ideal for isolated colonies. 

This creature can also make use of hides like Cork bark, lotus pods, and coconut halves. You could also add some extra hides to their substrate which provides a better environment for them to thrive m. This species is gaining popularity in the breeding industry because they create the right ecosystem which helps everyone. 

They help limit feces, and decay material and help improve the overall substrate furthermore, you could begin with a coco coir base before supplementing with orchid barks and sphagnum moss. Another solution for these earthlings’ substrate is earthworm castings. This is a good foundation to keep it in a good condition.  They burrow a lot, so you need an ideal substrate depth to contain these creatures. 

The burrowing of the isopods helps replenish the substrates, I will advise you to add them to your bigger setups to increase the quality of the ecosystem. Don’t forget to add many softwood branches such as a Cork barn and leaf litter. This creature loves natural hiding soft as it offers a good source of nutrition to them. 

• Feeding

There are many hungry worms and they eat voraciously. They consume an array of diets from food scraps and detritus. The core of their meals is rotten woods and leaf litter which keeps them in great condition. These meals however can be supplemented with veggies, calcium, and protein food sources. 

When thinking of a protein meal to feed these minions, consider dry shrimp prawns or fish flakes. Note though, while they eat quickly, ensure you only feed them with what they can finish at a sitting. If you do this, you will suffer huge losses. Be vigilant when it comes to meals with these creatures, because they are always hungry. Ensure you put enough feed into their habits to avoid them drying out. 

Like other isopods, they love crushed limestone as a regular diet. Supplements that are great for their well-being include cuttlebones and eggshells as they are great sources of calcium. 

• Temperature and Humidity

Since they originate from a tropical location like the Vietnamese caves, this creature loves high humidity. An ideal humidity that it adapts to easily is 75%. This is an easy temperature to achieve if you can follow a habit guide diligently. Avoid putting it in a place with low humidity as this kills them off quickly. 

Moreover, they adapt more when it comes to temperature, as they can cope with different temperatures. The best range for it is 70-80 Fahrenheit. Their high humidity comes with some drawbacks which are they draw pests. 

To avoid this, ensure you add some springtails to their habitats. This would help keep away pests and remove all traces of mold. A modest temperature/humidity is good for this isopod because it helps them breed better and elongate their lifespan. 

Are they good feeders?

Yes, these little creatures are good feeds for pet reptiles. They are a good source of protein for these pets and if you feed them properly, they multiply quickly. Unlike other feeds for your pets, when you buy these are easy to breed and a cheaper alternative. Getting a good feed for your pets will make them look better and nourished. When you buy this Isopod, you are assured of a better feed for your pet.