# just curious- snakes and millipedes: compatible y/n?



## maverickavenger (Aug 30, 2010)

please post your opinions. it is a wild caught garter snake that i currently have in isolation.he is relatively small and although my millipedes are still juveniles i believe the snake isn't a threat to them. i've researched it and found that they have similar needs in terms of coverage, i would only need to add a water source for the snake.
they say millipedes are number one in terms of clean up crews for other animals, but would a snake fall into that category?

please discuss!


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## LeilaNami (Aug 30, 2010)

maverickavenger said:


> please post your opinions. it is a wild caught garter snake that i currently have in isolation.he is relatively small and although my millipedes are still juveniles i believe the snake isn't a threat to them. i've researched it and found that they have similar needs in terms of coverage, i would only need to add a water source for the snake.
> they say millipedes are number one in terms of clean up crews for other animals, but would a snake fall into that category?
> 
> please discuss!


Depends on the species of garter because some will make a meal of your millipede.


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## maverickavenger (Aug 30, 2010)

i have no idea. i can post some pictures probably, i only found it in the backyard a few hours ago.


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## ZephAmp (Aug 30, 2010)

I've never ever heard of/ had a garter snake even attempt to eat a millipede. Just make sure you have a basking spot for the snake, a water bowl, and plenty of good, deep substrate for the millipedes. 
Garters do well on a mixed diet of earthworms, fish, (not too many goldfish or rosies; they can cause thiaminase-related health problems) and the occasional pinkie mouse (not too often as these can cause obesity.)


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## maverickavenger (Aug 30, 2010)

thanks very much for the advice!


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## stevetastic (Aug 30, 2010)

Millipedes need damp substrate.  If you keep garter snakes in a damp environment they will get terrible scale rot.  I would not try it.


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## Crysta (Aug 30, 2010)

stevetastic said:


> Millipedes need damp substrate.  If you keep garter snakes in a damp environment they will get terrible scale rot.  I would not try it.


I was just going to mention this, it's not fun!


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## pouchedrat (Aug 31, 2010)

I wouldn't, honestly.  I admit I have isopods as a cleanup crew in with my egg-eaters and in the paludarium with my red eye tree frogs, but I wouldn't mix millipedes in there with garters.  At least isopods don't secrete anything that could be dangerous.  

I currently feed my garter babies chopped up pieces of salmon from the grocery store powdered with supplements, until they're old enough for f/t silversides.  They're pigs, lol....  and one little girl has serious attitude!


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## pitbulllady (Aug 31, 2010)

Ditto on the scale rot; Garter and Water Snakes, in spite of the latter's name, need a very DRY, clean substrate, and any natural soil substrate is going to either retain moisture, or cause abrassions to the snake's skin, or be ingested and cause impactions.  The environmental needs of milli's and Garters are so drastically different, it just would not work.  Some milli's secrete a toxin that contains cyanide for protection, which would probably kill a small snake.

pitbulllady


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