Scientific name
Armadillidium versicolor
This European species appears in a study comparing water loss in several Armadillidium. This work does not provide a complete captive protocol. [1]
Origin
Southeastern Europe; the individuals studied in Hungary came, among other places, from a Danube site. [1]
- Europe
- Variable colours
- Humid shelter
Experimental study used for its ecological limitations, not translated into a humidity target.
At a glance
A European species studied for water loss; laboratory experiments do not constitute terrarium settings [1].
| DOCUMENTED SIZE | Up to 15 mm Descriptive value from Insektenliebe [2]. |
|---|---|
| LIFESPAN | To be documented No supported individual lifespan in the selected sources. |
| LIFESTYLE | Ground-dwelling Humid shelters and activity observed in captivity [2]. |
Adult size
Up to 15 mm at Insektenliebe; a descriptive breeding value. [2]
Lifespan
Individual lifespan is not established by the selected documents; no numerical value is extrapolated.
Lifestyle
Insektenliebe reports activity that is easy to observe and stresses maintaining humid shelters. The observation concerns its collection, not every wild population. [2]
Housing
SETUP AND SHELTERS
Soil and litter — Soil, leaves and wood in the commercial husbandry described; keep the enclosure layout documented [2].
Ventilated enclosure with food-providing soil, decaying hardwood and leaf cover; maintain moisture beneath shelters. [2]
Care parameters
BREEDER REFERENCE
21–25 °C — Insektenliebe account, not a validated optimum [2].
Humidity
Distinct zones — Accessible humid shelters and a less humid part in the cited practice [2].
Temperature
21–25 °C in Insektenliebe’s account [2] A practice value when attributed to a breeder; no universal safety threshold is inferred.
Humidity and ventilation
Accessible humid shelters and a less humid location [2] Examine substrate beneath shelters and record the enclosure’s actual conditions.
Feeding
DIET AND CALCIUM
Leaves, decaying wood and calcium, with limited supplements according to Insektenliebe [2].
Scope of this profile
Experimental study used for its ecological limitations, not translated into a humidity target.
Colour does not define a subspecies
The trade presents a ‘Slovenia’ lineage among others. [2] Keep this as declared provenance without automatically giving it taxonomic rank. A colony photo on arrival and the supplier’s identity form a useful starting point. Different colours alone cannot reconstruct crossings or the individuals’ geographical origin.
Choosing repeatable checks
Soil, leaves and wood are both habitat and resources. [2] Recording substrate depth, shelter locations and vent arrangement helps explain moisture retention. Prefer an accessible check point to repeated digging: monitoring should describe the environment used without reconstructing it on every visit.
Foods and calcium
The breeder consulted supplies leaves, decaying wood and calcium, with limited supplements. [2] Identifying the place where these are deposited allows leftovers to be observed. Entering additions and interventions in their actual order avoids attributing a behavioural change to a new food when it began before that food was offered.
What the water-loss study shows
The study compares species during limited experimental exposures; its conditions are not terrarium settings. [1] Above all, it recalls that two species in the same genus are not interchangeable. In the log, distinguish room temperature, temperature measured inside the enclosure and moisture observed beneath a hide: these observations answer different questions.
Tracking generations
The commercial account reports reproduction as possible, but no universal frequency is adopted. [2] Record the first observation of young and the persistence of small size classes. If the colony has just been split, keep the division date: visibility can change simply because animals have a new area and new shelters.
Risks of interpretation
A colourful, active species can attract overly frequent checks. Compare brief observations at similar times, then let the environment function. The selected data justify neither a target weight, a diagnosis based solely on immobility nor an acceptable mortality rate. If losses occur, document events and seek advice based on conditions actually recorded.
Checklist
- Keep the group’s provenance and identification.
- Prepare resources and shelters before arrival.
- Define a simple check without regularly dismantling the environment.
Observations to record
- Manual intervention log
- Substrate and food condition
- Young, moults and deaths observed
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Sources
Document-based overview; not a substitute for veterinary advice.