# millipede housing fungus an issue?



## jonah (Mar 16, 2005)

howdy do!  first post, and i'm very happy to have joined the community.

i picked up a couple of millipedes from a local pet shop after reading about their care for a while.  they simply said "millipede" and sold for 11$ a pop.  I have two of them, they're brown with very light yellow bands between their segments.  they have beigey-yellow ish legs.  they are maybe 6 inches and 9 inches respectively.  i don't have my cam right now, but i'll submit pics later for id.  i like them both a lot, and i think they're simply the most charming little animals ever.

I have them caged in a tupper-ware ish container that is twice as long as they are, and not so tall.  for their bedding, i have them in peat moss with a little bit of orchid sphagnum mixed in.  a bit of leaf littler (oak) and some orchid bark.

i've been trying to mist it down about once a day, and give them a little bowl for food and water.  i'm offering cucumber with a bit of iguana food, which is what the petstore was feeding them.

My question is that the peat moss is devloping a cobweb mold problem.  I don't know if this may be harmful to the babies or no, so i thought i'd ask.  it started out on a peice of orange that i left in their cage, and has spread to their peat.  it isnt very thick at this point, but it is definately spreading fast.

i'm not sure if this is going to cause problems for the 'pedes or no.  So i thought i'd ask. 

if this is a problem, what can i do to avoid it?  
are there any problems with my cage set up?

do they need a heat source?  how hot?

-j.


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## fantasticp (Mar 16, 2005)

Honestly, I get that spider-webby mold all the time. I used to pull it out, but One day I saw my pink milli babies eating it like candy! Now I just bury the fluffy mold. If I ever get the kind that looks like fuzzy white dots though, I take it out right away. The babies are doing fine, so maybe it is good for them in some way. BTW, there wasn't food under the mold, JUST MOLD, so I'm sure that's what they were eating.


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## fantasticp (Mar 16, 2005)

Oh, and watch out. That mold is fast spreading, and can take over a whole tank in a night.


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## jonah (Mar 16, 2005)

cobweb mold or the fluffier white stuff?  is the other kind harmful to the millipedes?

-j.


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## fantasticp (Mar 16, 2005)

Is "cobweb mold" the official name? The mold I bury/saw them eat is fluffy and white, like long thin hairs, and does somewhat resemble a cobweb, or an old, balding tribble. I don't know about long term effects of other mold, but burying some types does not stop it so I would remove it.


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## jonah (Mar 17, 2005)

that's a perfect description of what's in their cage right now.
you say they eat it, and it doesnt make them sick or anything?

what about rotting fruit and veggies?  do you leave it in with the litter and let them process it, or keep it in a dish and remove it with it gets toooo funked?

-j.


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## Magician (Mar 17, 2005)

*Hello*

I keep A. gigas.

I have my two girls on peat moss with leaf litter, and i also mist. No problem with mold let, besides on thier food. (I dont use a food dish) I remove all fruit/vegetable food (cukes, apples for example) after they develop mold. Rotten food is just a bad look if your animals are display animals in the first place, plus it creates so many problems; espesically if it can get into the water dish. However, when it comes to letteuce and leaves and other leafy foods; i let it rot and add to the litter on the cage's "forest floor". This seems to benefit my mill's in the long run, they like to burrow around where all the rotted leaves/letteuce is; but i can't speak for other speicies or yours in paticular, and i would assume it would simulate thier natural habitat..

There's something else i REALLY want to say here that's biteing at the back of my mind, but i can't seem to grab a hold of it. I'll post back if it ever occurs to me.


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## Milli-maniac (Mar 17, 2005)

**

Hi i get the same problem some times with my 4 A.Gigis'  Tank i started pullign ti out but since then ive just ignored it and now i hardly ever see it anymore and when i do iots only on REally old Cuke. P.S. i found a new food for milli's that mine just love and that hold up for a long time without going liquid as in the case with cukes its called STARFRUIT and i seeit all the time at the grocery store i bougt it curios of the taste and hated it but  my milli's love it
                              Good luck with mold,   
                                             Ben     :drool:


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## J Morningstar (Mar 17, 2005)

Mold the creepy ick....
 No really, I have had the (most of the time) pleasure of raising and breeding millipedes for 3 or so years. In that time I have had mold from time to time but I have found by covering the mold with dry fresh substrate and not misting that it takes care of itself. Also if you ever want baby millipedes you should never remove food. They eat it from the underside while it rests on the substrate. You may even inadvertently throw out young millies mistaking them for "maggots or fruit fly larva".
  Please get them a glass tank. They will be much more interesting to watch.
 I have found 1 heat pad at the back corner of the tank is sufficent for winter, no heat in summer. You should have 3 to 5 inches of substrate deep. Pebbles or rock layer underneath. Misting once a week to not at all depending on humidity. There is nowhere near enough air in a tupperware container for them either they will expire if you keep the lid shut.
 As I re-read your post I am getting more concerned they are desert millipedes. This would mean misting everyday is whayyyyy too much.
 Get a photo so we can give the right care.
J


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## jonah (Mar 17, 2005)

there are many many holes punched in the top of their container.
i will try to get pics up very soon.

-j.


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## jonah (Mar 18, 2005)

alright, i got some pics for identification





































thanks!

-jonah.


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## Wade (Mar 18, 2005)

It looks like Orthoporus ornatus, sometimes called the "pumpkin millipede" in the trade. This is the largest millipede native to the US. Lucky for you if the USDA really starts siezing the exotics   

They're from desert regions of the southwest. Althoungh they need humidity and moisture like other millipedes, they seem to fare poorly unless given decent ventilation. You might want a few more holes in the lid.

Wade


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## jonah (Mar 18, 2005)

Any second opinions?

Also, i plan on going home right now and giving them more holes in their housing.  thanks so much for your help everyone, i really appreciate it!

newbie love!

-j.


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## Elizabeth (Mar 18, 2005)

Not that you shouldn't ask for more opinions and not that you won't get them.  However, Wade's opinion is usually worth about, oh, ten of us people with less knowledge! LOL!  Glad you're going to put more holes in the lid!

I love the pics! Nice looking millipedes!


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## jonah (Mar 18, 2005)

oh my.  sorry, didnt mean to step on any toes.
so i guess the case is closed!

how did you identify them as pumpkin 'pedes?  what do you look for?

-j.


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## Elizabeth (Mar 18, 2005)

Hey, I don't think you're stepping on anyone's toes either.  Don't want you to worry!  Wade is a really nice guy!  There's quite a few very knowledgeable people on these boards, and the ones with the most knowledge seem to be very laid back about it, IMO.  I just thought it was funny, the situation.  How could you know if you are new?


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## Wade (Mar 20, 2005)

Elizabeth-

Thanks for the kind words, although I don't know if I always deserve them!

Jonah-

Don't worry, no toes stepped on  , it's always good to get other opinions!

ID'ing a specimen from a photo is tricky at best, and even in person it can be difficult for a non-specialist. I am definately a non-specialist!

The reason I guessed Orthoporus ornatus is simply appearance, nothing more. I am not aware of any other pedes in the trade that look like that, orange and dark brown banded (there's also an all brown "chocolate" form). There could certainly be other millis out there that look like that, but based on what's typically available, the "pumpkin" is my best guess. The only way to know for sure would be wait until it dies, pop it in a jar of formalin, and send it to one of the two millipede researchers in the US that I'm aware of. And even then, it would be best if it was a male.

Wade


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## jonah (Mar 21, 2005)

thanks so much for your help with them.  should i something other than peat moss for their bedding, since they are desert pedes?

where i got them from they were on something like shredded corn cob, but they didnt have anywhere to hide.  they seem to really enjoy hiding themselves in the soil.

what do you think would be ideal for these?  can you link me to a caresheet or something?

-j.


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## Crunchie (Mar 21, 2005)

I always thought Orthoporus ornatus was the Texas desert millipede (or at least that's what comes up in the search engine). I've never kept these and so I don't know how big they get so your millipedes could be those.
I've never heard of pumpkin millipedes so assume that this is another common name for them.
If they are Orthoporus ornatus then the cage should be kept a bit more dry than if A.gigas was being kept due to it being more a desert species. While mould and such might not be a problem to African species like A.gigas it may be that these millipedes have never encountered it in the environment much and it might cause more harm than if a more tropical species was being kept.
I have also seen this species for sale in the US but it's an African one (which I know as the African bronze). However it doesnt get as big as far as I know and there are a few other differences as well. So it looks similar but I don't think it's the same...


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## bugsnstuff (Mar 21, 2005)

yeh Crunchie, when i used to import in the UK i used to get quite alot of those millis.
the 'dealer' used to list them as 'Ghanaian Banded Millipedes', with no Latin name at all.
i guess, them being so common in African shipments, that they probably do have a scientific name, but i never got around to having them formally id'd as i had enough on my plate with the spiders


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## Schlyne (Mar 21, 2005)

It's exceptionally hard to identify millipedes, in the pet hobbyist world it seems.  The milli's I have are "Ghana Red Banded", with no latin, as far as I can tell.

I'd definately put some more holes in that lid.

They look nice though


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## Elizabeth (Mar 21, 2005)

Just for the fun of it, here's a link to some photos of the desert millipede.  They are rather nice, in that they show some of the variability in coloration. Looks like they are on soil or peat/soil?

http://www.bugweb.dk/orthoporus_ornatus.htm


Out of curiosity, do you think those common african ones (the Ghanaian Red Banded) would sell for $11 a piece?  Are they common enough to go for that in the US? What did you owners pay for yours? (and did you get them at a shop or online?)


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## Crunchie (Mar 21, 2005)

Elizabeth said:
			
		

> Just for the fun of it, here's a link to some photos of the desert millipede.  They are rather nice, in that they show some of the variability in coloration. Looks like they are on soil or peat/soil?
> 
> http://www.bugweb.dk/orthoporus_ornatus.htm
> 
> ...


My first two I paid £8 each for the (about $12 I think). My second lot I paid £5 each (about $7.5).


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## Wade (Mar 22, 2005)

Joanah's millipedes do look a lot more like the Ghana millipedes in the pictures Crunchie posted than the common forms Orthoporus ornatus. See, it's always good to get a second opinion! I wasn't familliar with the Ghana ones. I'ding from photos is always a tricky affair!

I've found natural, partially decoposed hardwood leaf litter, including some chucks of rotten wood, to be a great substrate for most millipedes. They actually eat it and it's closer to their normal diet (I give them some veggies too). The peat makes a good bottom layer since it has a good consistancy for them to molt in. They could probably live on it alone, but you'll have a better shot of getting babies if you lay a nice thick layer of natural dead leves on top.

I freeze this material for a week or so prior to using in order to kill off most pests. The only univited animal I find in my millipede tanks are springtails, which are harmless and possibly bennificial since they may out compete mites for food.

Wade


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## Crunchie (Mar 22, 2005)

> Joanah's millipedes do look a lot more like the Ghana millipedes in the pictures Crunchie posted than the common forms Orthoporus ornatus.


Id'ing is a pain in the neck with millipedes but I'm not sure if Joanah's millipedes are the Ghana bronze. The Ghana bronze I dont think gets as big and is also a bit more longer legged I think it's more of an aboreal species as mine seem to like to stay off the ground. They are also a bit thinner bodied than Joanah's millipedes.

Here are some better photos of mine, they look quite different...












I'm afraid I've never kept the Texas millipedes so can't compare them but they look quite big to me. I think they may be some other African millipede as
the diversity over there is so much richer, it's not unreasonable to think that this is just a species which is rarely offered.

Millipedes are great animals to keep, it's just a shame they are so difficult ti ID.



> I've found natural, partially decoposed hardwood leaf litter, including some chucks of rotten wood, to be a great substrate for most millipedes. They actually eat it and it's closer to their normal diet (I give them some veggies too). The peat makes a good bottom layer since it has a good consistancy for them to molt in. They could probably live on it alone, but you'll have a better shot of getting babies if you lay a nice thick layer of natural dead leves on top.


Sound advice, this is what I do as well.


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## fantasticp (Mar 22, 2005)

Just for reference, here are some more Texas millipedes. They are much more slender, and get so long, they almost seem floppy when you pick them up. The millipedes in question are definately something else.

http://img236.exs.cx/img236/408/real6ks.jpg


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## Schlyne (Mar 22, 2005)

Elizabeth said:
			
		

> Just for the fun of it, here's a link to some photos of the desert millipede.  They are rather nice, in that they show some of the variability in coloration. Looks like they are on soil or peat/soil?
> 
> http://www.bugweb.dk/orthoporus_ornatus.htm
> 
> ...


I got a deal on mine. The guy was selling his for $9 a peice, and 3 for $20.
So I bought three for the price break  

As for "more common" I've only ever seen these guys for sale by the guy I bought them from.  I've seen one caresheet on the net, haven't seen anybody else really selling them.

Oh, btw, my milli's are different from crunchies.
http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=40622


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