Bumblebee millipede care?

[mantisfan101]

I want to try keepig millipedes but never took the plunge. I was seriously considering getting some of these but their seemingly smal size kind of puts me off but I’m trying gto get over that. What’s care like for these guys? J have a 50/50 mix of fermenting hickory sawdust and rotten hardwood leaves. I believe they need warmer temperatures as well so I’ll be providing them with a heat mat. Also, in terms of millipedes are these easier to care for? Do they reproduce and grow quickly? I wanted to get some florida ivories as well since they are apprently more active and larger than bumblebees but bumblebees seem to be more available compared to chicobolus.

 

[MasterOogway]

I'd actually avoid the heat mat; millies first real instinct if if gets hot is to bury themselves, at least the ones I've worked with. If you have a heat mat and it overheats, they're gonna toast themselves.

 

[davehuth]

Bumblebees are not demanding. I don't see mine often, but the surface of the substrate in their enclosure doesn't give them much reason to come up. if I offered more supplemental foods they may show themselves more often. Mine have always reproduced readily in all conditions in which I've kept them. Two main waves of pedelings over the past year. the argest are about 1.5" now, but I keep them on the cool side and they might grow quicker if the room were warmer.

I agree about staying away from a heat mat, especially on the enclosure bottom.

Keeping them with Ivories is a good idea, because their requirements are similar but the Ivories do indeed spend much more time active on the surface. Of course, Ivories are also not difficult to reproduce, so for the first year it will be difficult to tell their young apart. At least it has been for me, though a more trained eye would likely have less trouble.

 

[Scarlet Skies]

You can keep bumblebees and ivories together, and when you use the heat mat make sure you put it above the substrate (and inch or two if you can) and mount it on the side of the tank

Both species are really easy to care for (most of them are) and it will be hard to tell the young apart at first

I have recently seen that there has been ivories for sell in lots on some Facebook groups

 

[mantisfan101]

Thanks for all the help, and if you don’t mind me asking hownwpuld csre for tylobolus sp be like, specifically for uncigerus? How big do these get? Thanks!

 

[mickiem]

I have Tylobolus castaneus and they are about midway between bumblebees and ivories. Care is the same; they seem to eat more supplemental food than most. I echo the concerns about the heat mat. Never put one below the level of substrate in a millipede enclosure. I do use them but only on a few species in the winter. I place them about 2" above the substrate level.

 

[mantisfan101]

That’s good to know then; in that case would a heat lamp suffice instead? Also, do tylobolus prefer cooler temperatures than other species? Thanks again!

 

[Polenth]

What temperature is the room and what temperature are you trying to reach with the heat sources?

 

[mantisfan101]

Around low 70s to maybe high 60s; I want to achieve around 75-78 degrees

 

[Polenth]

Around low 70s to maybe high 60s; I want to achieve around 75-78 degrees

Mine are kept at 68-70F (20-21C). I've seen warnings before that bumblebees can overheat fairly easily, but I've never tested it. If you're going to heat, one of those really weak heat mats in the right place would be better than things like heat lamps, which will probably cook them.