FAQ

At Isopods.co.uk, we strive to serve our customers across the British Isles. We ship to all UK postcodes within this region. Unfortunately, due to various legal restrictions and to ensure the safety of our Isopods, we are unable to ship internationally. If you have any doubts about whether we can deliver to your specific address, we highly encourage you to contact us before placing your order. This will help prevent any inconvenience or delays. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

We are committed to ensuring customer satisfaction. If you no longer want the items you ordered, we are happy to refund your order, provided it has not yet been posted. Unfortunately, we cannot process refunds for items that have already been shipped. Please note that refunds can take up to 5 business days to process. In some cases, it could take longer depending on your bank's procedures. If you have any further questions or need assistance with your order, please don't hesitate to contact our customer service team.

We'll try to keep this section as short as possible so you aren't here all day and begin forgetting things you had only just read! ------ Isopod Tubs We house 95% of our isopods in BraPlast 3L tubs, as they are perfect for starting a culture or using several to manage multiple of the colonies. Even if you're not using our recommended container, it should still be large enough to create both a wet and dry side, while small enough to keep the culture manageable and encourage breeding. The container doesn’t need to be airtight or sealed, as isopods can’t climb smooth surfaces. Ventilation holes should be placed along the sides, unless you’re using 3D printed vents (which we offer!). Just ensure you're comfortable using a drill if you choose that option, If you're not comfortable using a drill and prefer the look of multiple small holes, you can heat up small metal objects like a fork to make several at once! Just be sure to do this in a well-ventilated area, as inhaling melting plastic fumes is harmful to your health. Proper ventilation is crucial to prevent mold growth in the enclosure. However, we also recommend adding springtails to help control mold outbreaks. Without sufficient ventilation, though, it's a battle they won’t win! ----- Inside The Containers Isopods typically hide beneath objects like cork bark, lotus pods, or leaf litter, which provides them with a sense of safety and security, helping to reduce stress. They also need access to a moist area to keep their lungs hydrated for proper breathing. This can be easily achieved by covering one side with sphagnum moss, with a substrate-to-moss ratio of 70% substrate and 30% moss, as we typically use. ----- Humidity When it comes to humidity, many people get it wrong, especially with genera like Cubaris, because it’s not often explained properly. Humidity isn’t about how damp the substrate is or how warm the inside of the container is, it’s all about the warmth of the air. So, how do we achieve this? After discussing it with my good friend Daniel (IsoKing), he shared the correct method: misting the lid of the container. The goal is not to have water running down or dripping onto the substrate, but rather a light mist that will stay on the lid once it's flipped and placed back onto the container. ----- Substrate Requirements Without being biased, we always recommend our own substrate, but we understand that not everyone can afford pre-made options and may prefer to create their own. So, what will you need? Most people use organic topsoil and add materials like rotten wood, leaf litter, and a form of calcium. This combination works fine for the most part, but if the mossy side becomes too wet, the topsoil can clump together, becoming heavy and unsuitable for burrowing species like Cubaris. The ideal substrate should be fluffy provide nutrition, and allow for burrowing. However, one product to avoid is coco-fiber. While some people swear by it, it lacks beneficial nutrients, and some claim it can clog the isopods' stomachs, leading to a slow and painful death.

We have teamed up with an amazing gentleman named Tony, who runs https://podfatheruk.co.uk/ The link above is a AI website based for anything related to Isopods! The following is copied from his website so you can get an understanding of what the AI is! Dr. IsoPod is the ultimate 24/7 AI assistant for isopod enthusiasts, hobbyists, and researchers. Always free and always on, he is trained on over 2,000 scientific papers and 19 different journals and websites, making him your go-to source for accurate and up-to-date information on isopod species, habitats, breeding, and ecosystem care. Whether you need care tips for rare morphs, guidance on bioactive enclosures, or insights into isopod behaviour and breeding, Dr. IsoPod is here to help. With expertise drawn from peer-reviewed research and trusted sources, he delivers scientific, practical, and reliable advice tailored to your needs. No subscriptions, no waiting—just instant, expert knowledge at your fingertips!