Kernow Isopods
Your Cornish home for rare and beautiful isopods. We're not just keepers, we're obsessed with these little armoured characters.
Everything here is captive-bred in small bioactive colonies in Truro: Cubaris, Nesodillo, Troglodillo, Armadillidium and more. Whether you're building your first tub, need a clean-up crew for a reptile or frog vivarium, or are hunting a collector rare, you're in the right place.
Online Store
Every species we breed, with data sheets and pack sizes.
Shop nowThe Clean-Up Crew
Isopods that keep vivariums and terrariums spotless.
Read moreCare Notes
Enclosure, substrate, humidity and food, in a nutshell.
Read moreWho Are We
A small Cornish breeder and a house full of inverts.
Meet AlexCornish bredRaised in Truro, never wild-caught
Weather-awareOnly shipped when it's safe
Correctly labelledTracked by species & line
Friendly adviceBeginners very welcome
Bred here, in Kernow
Every culture is raised in-house in Cornwall. We only list a species once its colony is thriving and breeding well, so what arrives at your door is strong and healthy.
Rich natural substrate, leaf litter, cork bark and moss: as close to the forest floor as a tub gets.
Every line is tracked by species and locality name, so you know exactly what you're getting.
Insulated packaging and next-day courier, sent only when the weather is safe.
Shop the collection
Every culture is sold out while our colonies build up. First batches are coming soon. Tap any species for its data sheet.
Tap to combine filters, e.g. Beginner + Cubaris
Which isopod is right for me?
Three quick taps and we'll suggest the best species for you.
1. How much isopod experience do you have?
2. What are they for?
3. What's your budget for a starter group of 5?
The best clean-up crew money can buy
Isopods turn a terrarium into a living, self-cleaning ecosystem. They eat waste, shed skin, mould and leftover food, and keep your substrate healthy for years.
- Eat the mess: waste, mould and uneaten food disappear
- Healthier soil: they aerate and recycle your substrate
- Great for: geckos, frogs, tarantulas and bioactive vivs
- Our picks: Magic Potion and Mandarin (Cubaris murina), both hardy and fast-breeding
Cubaris care, in a nutshell
The basics we use for our own cultures.
Enclosure
A plastic tub with small ventilation holes is perfect. Cubaris like stable conditions more than space.
- Size1.5–3 L for a starter culture
- AirflowA few small vents on the sides
- HidesCork bark flats and caves
- LocationSomewhere dark-ish, away from direct sun
Substrate
Deep, organic and full of food. They eat their bedding, so make it rich.
- BaseOrganic topsoil + coco fibre
- Mix inCrushed leaf litter and decayed hardwood
- TopOak or beech leaves, sphagnum moss
- Depth5–8 cm
Humidity & heat
Most Cubaris want a moisture gradient: one side damp, one side drier, so they can choose.
- TempAround 22–26 °C
- HumidityHigh, with a drier end
- MistingKeep the wet side moist, never flooded
- WinterA small heat mat on one side helps
Food
Leaf litter and rotting wood do most of the work. Extras help colonies boom.
- StapleLeaf litter and decayed wood, always
- CalciumCuttlebone or crushed eggshell
- ProteinA pinch of fish flakes or dried shrimp weekly
- VegSmall bits of squash or carrot; remove before mouldy
Care guides
Straightforward guides from our own tubs in Cornwall.
Hi, I'm Alex
Kernow Isopods started the way most invert obsessions do: with one tub, which quickly became a shelf, which quickly became most of the house.
I'm based near Truro, and what began as a few cultures of colourful Cubaris has grown into a collection of over twenty isopod lines, a tub of pink dragon millipedes, two tarantulas, a couple of mantises, a family of regal jumping spiders and a velvet spider called Tax Evasion. (Don't ask.)
Every colony here is kept in a properly set up bioactive tub: deep substrate, leaf litter, cork bark and moss, with the right warmth and humidity for each species. I only offer a culture once its colony is thriving and breeding well, so what arrives at your door is strong, healthy and properly labelled.
Whether you're setting up your first tub or hunting a collector rare, I'm always happy to help. Drop me a message any time.
Alex · Kernow Isopods
What keepers say
Meet the rest of the crew
The family behind the tubs. Catch them on Instagram and TikTok.
LoganPinktoe tarantula
PatriciaMexican red rump
SunniOrchid mantisFAQ
When will cultures be available?
As each colony grows big enough to split without stressing it. Keep an eye on our Instagram and TikTok for release news.
Do you post?
Yes, within the UK by next-day courier in insulated packaging. We only ship when the weather is safe, so very hot or freezing weeks may be paused. See Shipping & Live Arrival Guarantee.
What if something arrives dead?
Our Live Arrival Guarantee covers you: email a photo within 2 hours of delivery and we'll replace or refund the losses. Full details on our shipping page.
Can I collect locally?
Collection near Truro may be possible. Just email us at hello@kernowisopods.com.
I'm new to isopods. Where do I start?
Mandarin (Cubaris murina) and Magic Potion are great first species: hardy and fast-breeding. Check the care notes above, and ask us anything.