What Do Pill Bugs Eat?

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The Armadillidiidae vulgare, known commonly as a potato bug or pill bug, has a diverse diet that includes decaying matter, vegetables, cardboard and even their own fecal waste. Eating their own fecal matter provides them with a consistent recycling of the mineral copper, which they need to survive.

The pill bug is actually a crustacean and belongs to the subphylum crustacea family, which also includes crayfish and shrimp. They obtain air through bodily structures that are similar to gills.Their average lifespan is 3 to 5 years, provided that they are able to prevent premature predatory death or viral infections, signified by an outer color change, typically blue or purple.