Heat and Mite solutions?

[Bob Lee]

I am planning on getting some millipedes later on(Yes, in a communal, I really love communals). But I can't seem to find WHY heat mat/lamps are a danger to them . I know that they are I just don't know why, can't find any explaintion. Is it because they dig to cool(Like centipedes) or is it because of someting else?
Also, raising millipedes seem to come with lots of mites and mold because of their diet, I know that springtails and isopods can be used but I'm wandering if any else would work? I've seen harvestman in a millipede communal before and I happen to have quite a few on my fence. Would they be good at regulating mold and mites? Is there other ways of preventing mite/mold?

 

[Dovey]

Honestly, I can't imagine needing anything beyond springtails and isopods. They do such a marvelous job of cleaning up any mold and gunk. Don't keep your substrate too moist, and make sure you have both reasonable air exchange and plenty of pieces of bark, Etc to hide under for more moisture if needed.

As far as heat mats/lamps are concerned, exactly how cold is it going to get where these creatures will be habitating that you are concerned? In a temperate room, there are very few species that would require additional heat.

 

[SFA]

I use heat mats for my tropical species. I just position them up on the sides of the tank (glass enclosures) above the substrate level. Millipedes will burrow when to get to cooler areas (and for other reasons too of course) but what you don’t want to do is put a heat mat on the bottom and then have them burrow down and be right against it and cook themelves. I also use digital thermometers in my setups with heat mats so I can make sure it’s not getting too hot.

 

[Bob Lee]

Honestly, I can't imagine needing anything beyond springtails and isopods. They do such a marvelous job of cleaning up any mold and gunk.

I was trying to be creative with this one . It would be nice to have a communal with many contributing members.

 

[Galapoheros]

I haven't kept many millipedes but mold should not be a problem with them, the eat some molds and algae. I sat and watched them in a park one time. Living in dead logs where fungi/molds break down the cellulose, mold is natural for them.