Question 1

What is their scientific name?

Accepted Answer

The ones in the photo (I haven't purchased any yet, but will be buying some soon) are Porcellio dilatatus. Here in the US, they are known as Giant Isopods, Giant Canyon Isopods, or Great Canyon Isopods. They can grow larger than any other North American land isopod I'm familiar with (and are broader relative to their length), but won't reach their potential full size unless you keep them at fairly low population densities and give them optimal care. They are believed to have been introduced to the U.S. from the Old World (probably from Western Europe), but now occur through most of the temperate world.
Their usual food in the wild, as with other land isopods, is mostly dead and decaying plant material and humus, along with less hygienic substances such as partly decayed manure and even (rarely) carrion. Leaf litter from fallen deciduous tree leaves (NOT from oaks or conifers!) makes for a good (and more hygienic) basic diet, supplemented with slices of zucchini, carrots, and raw potato (which is not toxic to them). They won't eat live mites, though the mites will eat some of their food if you don't remove it when it spoils badly, or feed them too much. They MUST have some calcium available, as this a major component of their shells (they are malacostracan crustaceans, and relatives of shrimp, crabs, and crayfish, not insects).
They can't roll into a ball like real roly polices  (Armadillidium) can, so they're really sowbugs (woodlice on the other side of the Atlantic).

Question 2

Will they be able to eat the mites in my hermit crab cage like the smaller wild pill bugs do?

Accepted Answer

Hi Louise, I do not believe they will eat mites.

Question 3

I plan to have them in my classroom, then my house. Both are sprayed for insects. Do I need to remove the habitat the day they spray?

Accepted Answer

Always remember,remove ALL PETS & live being during spraying.

Question 4

What do they eat?

Accepted Answer

Hippos will eat about anything organic. They love zucchini, carrots, strawberries, chia plants, pasta, or even small pieces of chicken. Mine love peanut butter.

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Pocket Pets 10 Live HippoPolyus! Giant Roly Poly Isopods

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