Questions about substrate

[sierraluck00]

So for my millies I have been using Zilla Jungle Mix bedding, but I realized now that its a mixture of fir and peat moss, and I know that millipedes don’t like soft woods. But I have mixed in it a few bags of Zoo Med creature soil and also nepco bird and reptile litter which is basically just small pieces of shredded hard wood, as well as some calcium powder for their exoskeletons. On top of the soil is crushed dead oak and maple leaves. Will this be okay for them even though there is fir in the main part of the substrate? Will the acidity be a problem?

If it’s a problem I’ll redo the substrate and buy an organic potting soil (any brand suggestions?) and have the same mixture just replacing the jungle mix with it. And finally would I have to bake it beforehand, or is baking it unnecessary?

 

[Krosskaos23]

I wouldn't say baking is necessary unless your using stuff you found outside. but try to aim for organic soil or ones with no added chemicals. I have a friend that keeps pedes and he uses jungle mix and cactus soil. They balance each other out quite well and he has not suffered any losses yet. You could give that a try. I think it's called cactus, palm, and citrus potting mix or something like that. It is a fast draining formula but with the jungle mix combined they sort of contradict each other. But maybe you could try putting more jungle mix in the bottom and less at the top since pedes dig anyways. Hope this helps!

 

[mickiem]

Here is a recipe I use (I have tweaked it a few times, but I have been using this or a version for 2-3 years). You can search for "Fussy Substrate" and some threads will come up with lots of comments and some variations.

33% TEXTURE LAYER
Coir & Peat: Coir (coco fiber) holds moisture and texture better than anything else I have found. Peat is a close second. Both are great for tunneling and making molting and brooding chambers. Color lightens as they dry making a good indicator of substrate moisture content. I use ORGANIC sphagnum peat moss available at building type stores. Coir can be purchased in pet stores or online. I sift through both for foreign matter. Coir is inedible and has no nutritional content and should never be allowed to dry out; peat is edible but should be used in smaller quantities.


33% LEAF PORTION
Green Envy Leaf™ Compost: (Or any other ORGANIC leaf compost). I bake it at 250° for two hours. Any bagged product may have plastic and metal pieces in it, so I go through it thoroughly. This compost makes up about 2/3 of the leaf portion.

Leaf Litter: I rinse in water; then I let the leaves air dry. After they dry, I bake them for two hours at 250°. I cover the pans (to prevent flyaway leaves, for safety sake) with foil (shiny side out to reflect more heat). Then I crumble them into the mix. I use all or mostly oak, but also small quantities of apple, beech, birch, hickory, maple, rose, viburnum, walnut and other hardwoods. This is the other 1/3 portion of the leaf portion.

33% WOOD PORTION

Traeger Oak Pellets: Since these are very small chips, they decay more quickly than other wood sources. I soak them first. They increase 3 X their volume when soaked. Anything that adds variety can’t be a bad thing; possibly adding trace nutrients.

Aspen Shreds: I think this adds a good texture to the overall mix. It also decays quickly. (If my enclosures become too wet, I add aspen to help dry them out.)

Hardwood: I use apple, cherry, hickory, maple, oak and other hardwoods – NEVER pine, cedar, juniper or other resinous woods. It should crumble nicely. I use both light and dark rotting wood, but only wood that had isopods or others living within it. If not close to decay where I can hand shred it, I run the wood through a small chipper reserved for “millipede safe” woods only. I treat it the same as I treat my leaves: rinse and then bake at 250° for two hours.

*Each of the wood components are of different sized particles and so all break down at different time intervals; adding a “time release” characteristic. By that I mean each source will become available for food at different periods.

1% CALCIUM ADDITIVES
Random mixture of Ground Cuttlefish Bone, Bird Grit (check ingredients – avoid copper), Oyster Shell Flour, caliche, egg shells (rinsed, boiled, crushed & baked at 200˚ for 20 minutes). I also crumble shed skins from healthy reptiles into the mix. I add this to the fussy mix and I also sprinkle it on the substrate about twice a month. Again, variety can add trace nutrients.

 

[scoloclown]

anybody know if wood and leaves from Poplar trees is ok? tons of those around here, but not oak so much.