My wife brought up a really good question that I was unable to answer so I wanted to pick the brains of the more learned. We were looking at all of the babies in our isopod colonies and she asked if we should ever need to add adults to the colonies in order to add more diversity to the bloodlines. Would that be an issue?
Seeing that most isopods are just selectively bred and have ancestry from very few individuals I don’t think so. Isopods can go many generations before harmful effects (and it might actually strengthen them, I’m not sure).
So instead of buying new isopods of the same species you can buy new isopods of a new species, lol.
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I kinda figured that, but wasn’t sure. Never hurts to ask, though.
Also, can different Armadillium species interbreed, or different Porcellio? Just wondering what interesting colors I could come up with in a controlled environment.
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You don’t need to add more. Although if you want too you can. Never heard of any issues just letting them all stay and breed together.
Breeding together isn’t really done, atleast in Uk. I’ve seen orange/dairy cows together. But with the price of some of the isopods etc it’s usually frowned upon, you will get some variety in them anyway!
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I wouldn’t recommend breeding together because I’d think you wouldn’t get as good of results as you’d think (for example, zebras x an orange species wouldn’t be orange and black stripes).
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Yep, for example, I believe it was Orin McMonigle that produced “Twisted Clowns” by crossing A. kluggi X A. versicolor.
It is usually frowned upon though, but I think if you explicitly stated that they are not the pure species if you decided to sell a few, it could be fun! (Mixing localities is also usually frowned upon.)
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Not sure about Porcellio though because you can’t even mix P. laevis Dairy Cows with P. laevis Orange. I guess no harm in trying to mix some!
At some point inbreeding could have negative effects, but P. ornatus “Witch’s Brew” was created in an inbreeding culture! You could find some pretty weird stuff. 
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Many thanks all for the knowledge! I’m just getting more and more invested and interested in these little things.
Plus I’ve been looking at new tarantulas too!
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You can mix, been done and some for sell here in the uk. 
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Wow, I guess I am behind the curve! I have heard the rumors of Milkback X Orange crosses, but not Orange Dairy Cows!
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I feel so proud…
I’ve circled and put an arrow. If you zoom in on the circled one you can see it’s eyes 🥲
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Nice! Congrats! Cubaris Panda King?
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That it is!
First baby I’ve seen so I’m quite happy haha
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Isopods don’t need to have more added, they are a species that diversely regulates themselves so that should never be needed, another neat thing about them, though you can switch some from cage to cage if you are worried. Good topic by the way 
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So precious, like a little tiny snow white 
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So, by the responses, I have a question. Would you be able to selectively isolate a certain type of isopods (dairy cows for example) and breed and isolate them to appoint were they became distinctly different from other dairy cows?
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It would take a while and a lot of nit picking for what pattern you like and it may never be the exact same pattern every time there is a new baby, but you can create new “morphs” if you put a higher white group together for example and pulled out the lower ones that were still bred from the background genetics.
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When I have enough of the higher whites and the browns and the orange tints, and the reddish, I will be separating them to produce them alone, I know others would most likely pop up but it’s line breeding I suppose isn’t it! From what I know and spoke to people about it works very well!
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Can’t wait til the colour change! I was told they’re a tight pain to breed so hopefully they’re happy, they seem it! 
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This fascinates me greatly. If I ever get them, I know what I’ll be doing. Lol 
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