# How bad is mould for millipedes really?



## musihuto (Dec 5, 2006)

Just wondering, has anyone actually ever witnessed the death of a millipede where mould was the most likely cause?  :? 

              thanks! 
                         - munis


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## Kasha (Dec 5, 2006)

Not I.  I am just to chicken to risk it when more experienced keepers tell me its bad.  Although I understand there are different kinds of mold, some good, some not.  Its a good question though and I am interested in the answer as well.


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## Katronmaster (Dec 13, 2006)

I've never directly heard of it killing a pede, but I'd not want to risk it.  

Though a time or two I have seen pedes eat fruit mold (last time I let my mum pede-sit), so I'd imagine some kinds can't be too bad for them if they're scavengers. The only time I've seen mold involved with pedes that wasn't eating was a dead one in an enclosure that was starting to get fuzzy, i don't know f the mold killed it, or if it died and got moldy. 

Though a profuse amount of mold is pretty much bad for anything. Great, now I'm curious as to if anyone's lost a pede to mold.


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## Wade (Dec 17, 2006)

When you're mixing organic materials (especially leaf litter and detritus) and keeping it moist, you're gonna get some mold, especially deep in the substrate. I do not think this is harmful (and may actually be bennificial for some species that may prefer fungi as food), but if the ventilation is too poor the air can become stagnant and combinerd with the mold it can eventually kill a millipede. The key is finding the balance between maintaining adaquate humidity without sacraficing air quality. Ambiant conditions can vary form place to place, house to house, and even room to room, so there's no set formula. Getting it right requires attention on the part of the keeper, if the cage drys out every day there may be a need to restrict the ventilation, while if it never seems to need more water no matter how long it's been since the last watering then it may need more ventilation.

I know some like to keep millipedes in dryer cages with a water bowl, but I don't think this is good for longevity and makes breeding difficult if not impossible. 

Wade


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## SouthernStyle (Dec 23, 2006)

Can't say that any of mine ever died from Mold...But I ATTEMPT to keep it pretty well Mold Free


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## cacoseraph (Dec 24, 2006)

i don't keep many millipedes, but i do keep lots of other bugs.

i used to be quite worried everytime i saw a spot of mold or fungus or fuzz or bioslime or whatever. but i thought about it... in nature there are probably hundreds of species of organisms our little buddies come in contact with on a daily basis. from microscopics on up, they live in almost contant contact with *all kinds* of other er, stuff...

so i started being less paranoid and i can honestly say it seems fine.
oh, i have a cute pic to demonstrate 





zoom that is a baby Hottentotta hottentotta scorpion. it's mom lived under a piece of Eucalyptus bark i stole (ooh, i mean borrowed!) from my work... that had at least 7 different kinds of thigns growign on it. those black dots are some kind of organism.


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