Papaya Isopods (Cubaris murina) 10 Count

See the care specifications above and check out our full guide to Cubaris murina for more nuanced care advice.

A staple diet of leaf litter is essential, so you’ll need to provide a regular supply. Cubaris murina also appreciate a calcium-rich food source, so a pinch of our Superfood powder is recommended every 4 days or so. If keeping these in a bioactive terrarium, you can likely reduce your feeding frequency. See our full guide to isopod food for more information.

Cubaris murina is a species that are commonly thought to like to nibble on live plants. We've not personally seen this (any more than we see with other species), but maybe don't put these isopods with any plants you're overly attached to?

That said, having plenty of decomposing leaf litter and supplementary foods (like our Superfood powder) can help, but may not fully prevent this.

A standard 10 count will need at least a 3 gallon terrarium container or a shoebox.

For isopods in closed terrariums we always recommend looser fitting lids and regularly opening for feeding to maintain some level of air exchange.

When kept in culture boxes, our isopod partners, RDI, suggest that regularly opening for watering/feeding alone may provide enough ventilation. Alternatively, drilling holes in the (plastic culture) container is a popular method in the hobby, though it makes it more difficult to maintain the necessary humidity levels (and brings an increased risk of pests).

How frequently you need to spray your isopod enclosure will depend on the species, the setup, and the ambient humidity in your home. RDI recommends every 3-4 days as a loose rule of thumb (checking daily for the first week after receiving them). These isopods are a species that prefer a high-humidity setup, so they will lean towards more regular watering.

Naturally, isopods in tropical terrariums should have no need for extra moisture top-ups beyond watering your terrarium (as long as you’re maintaining tropical conditions).

We recommend opening your order immediately after it arrives and checking them over. For best results, put your isopods into their new home right away; we recommend gently tipping them in along with the contents of the tub.

If that’s not possible, isopods can stay in the tub they’re in for up to a week, provided they have a leaf litter supply and you open the tub up at least every 2 days minimum for air exchange.

Generally speaking, isopods cannot climb glass. Some isopods are better climbers than others and may be able to climb cracks and/or dirty glass to some extent (but Cubaris species aren't particularly... agile).

Clean up crew isopods are species selected for their large appetites and high activity, making them particularly good at breaking down and recycling organic matter in a terrarium.

Pet isopods are those that are especially interesting to look at, but waste management skills and terrarium suitability vary from species to species.

Cubaris murina isopods are arguably a happy medium.

Springtails and isopods serve different functions in a terrarium, with springtails primarily tackling mold and isopods breaking down larger decomposing organic materials.

While neither are strictly necessary, they individually bring a number of benefits and offer even more as a bioactive combo working synergistically together. 

Cubaris species may not be the best cleanup crews, but they're still a good fit for tropical terrarium setups, so we'd still recommend a springtails culture too.