Gestroi
Armadillidium gestroi
Origin: Coastal Italy and France
₹100.00 1 piece
5 pcs ₹500 (+1 free = 6 pcs) · 10 pcs ₹1,000 (+2 free = 12 pcs)
Minimum order: 5 pieces per species
100 available
A showpiece pill bug with a dark charcoal shell covered in rows of bright yellow spots. Rolls into a perfect ball and is one of the most photographed isopods in the hobby.
- Striking yellow-on-charcoal spot pattern
- Rolls into a ball (true pill bug)
- Prefers drier conditions: good for arid and semi-arid setups
- Collector-favourite display species
Armadillidium gestroi comes from coastal Italy and France, where it lives among rocks and leaf litter. Its deep grey body is marked with bold yellow patches in neat rows, giving it a look few other isopods can match. Like all Armadillidium species it rolls into a tight ball when disturbed, which makes it a favourite with children and new keepers. It prefers a slightly drier, well-ventilated setup than most isopods and breeds at a steady, moderate pace. A great centrepiece species for display terrariums and collectors.
Use a well-ventilated tub with coco peat mixed with crushed limestone or chalk, plus leaf litter, bark and a few flat stones. Keep most of the substrate dry and only one corner damp; stagnant humidity causes losses. Feed leaf litter and rotting wood, with vegetables and a protein source weekly. Calcium is important: provide cuttlebone at all times. In summer, keep the culture in the coolest room of the house.
View Full Isopods Care GuideThe Offer
Buy a culture of 5, get 1 free. Buy a culture of 10, get 2 free. Minimum order: 5 pieces per species. Free pieces are added automatically to your order.
What You Receive
- Mixed-size culture: juveniles, sub-adults and adults, selected from our own breeding colonies
- Sexes are not guaranteed, but a group of 5+ almost always includes both males and females (Dwarf Whites are all-female and self-reproducing)
- Packed in a ventilated container with damp sphagnum moss, leaf litter and a food source for the journey
- A printed care card with the species' temperature, humidity and feeding notes
Shipping & Live-Arrival Guarantee
We ship Monday to Wednesday only, so your isopods never sit in a courier hub over the weekend. During peak summer (April to June) we may hold orders for a cooler shipping window and will message you on WhatsApp before dispatch. Every order is covered by our live-arrival guarantee: if any isopods arrive dead, send an unboxing video within 2 hours of delivery and we will replace them or refund you for those pieces.
Acclimation Tips on Arrival
- Open the box as soon as it arrives and keep it out of direct sun.
- Gently tip the moss and isopods into their enclosure; do not pick them out one by one.
- Mist one corner, offer leaf litter and a small piece of vegetable, and leave them undisturbed for 48 hours.
- Some stress losses in the first week are normal for any live shipment; a stable, lightly humid setup keeps them to a minimum.
