# Millipede



## jwb121377 (Apr 3, 2003)

Well after the school visit today I think it would be nice to broaden my invert keeping a little by getting some millipedes. I have a few questions on them though:
1. What speceis are easiest to care for?
2. How would you set said speceis encloser up?

Thanks for any help you can give me.


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## Gillian (Apr 4, 2003)

Jeremy,
    Millies are awesome! I'd say African Giant Blacks are you best bet. My set up was amazingly cheap. I went to Wal-Mart (wallyworld), and got a couple of those underbed storage thingys (Tupperware).

   Mine are 22 inches long, 18 inches wide..12 inches high. They have locking lids. Why so big/ Wishiful thinking they'll reproduce.. 

   For bedding, I use regular peat. I mix in dried oak leaves, and that green gardening moss..(what's it called?) Oh yeah..all it says is Green Moss..(sorry)

   I provide a small water dish, but, have a rock in there, for escaping help. (I've heard they can drown easily) To keep the humidity up, I pour water into the bedding, at one end.

Need any more help...please, let me know..
Peace,
Gillian
p.s., I've heard they need rotted bark to eat. How would I start this? Anyone?


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## sunnymarcie (Apr 4, 2003)

My millies are in a small tank, with a screen top.
Just pouring water in the substrate is not a good idea,
mist them a little each day. Not on the millies just the moss, or
substrate.
My mix is: Pure peat, orchid bark, oak leaf (mould)~ I know it sounds bad, but that's what they call it. It's just chopped, sterile
oak leaves and long fiber moss.
All of these things can be found in the garden center. The oak
leaf stuff is a soil amendment for house plants.~I get my stuff
at Frank's Nursery, they have all of it in bags.
I have found that my millies drink tons of water, so keep the dish full. Make sure their substrate is not too wet. Wet substrate=TONS OF MITES!  
I also use a calcium powder, once a month, I just put it in the substrate when I clean the box.
Cleaning is simple, I just take out my millies and stir up the 
substrate, and pick out the garbage, then put the millies back.
Not too hard
:}


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## Wade (Apr 4, 2003)

I use a layer of spagnum moss (probably the green moss Gillian was talking about), which is what peat moss is before it decays and breaks down in a bog. Over that, I spread a layer of dead hardwood leaves (oak or maple) and even some broken-up rotten hardwood chunks. The total depth should be at least 2-3 inches or more, to allow the pedes to go underground to molt. I moisten it periodically as Gillian describes, but I let it dry out pretty well in between. Not totally dry, but just enough to keep mold, mites, flies etc. in check. A few flat slabs of cork bark on the surface provide hiding areas as well as moisture-retention areas. How much you moisten the substate will depend on how well ventilated the container is. In a plastic box with holes, you don't need to moisten very much or you will develop unhealthy conditions quickly. In a tank with a screen top, moisture will evaporate more quickly (obviously).

The pedes will nibble on the leaves and rotten wood, mine even eat the cork! You will also want to feed them veggies of various types, cucumber is very popular. I often use the cheap frozen mixed veggies (thawed) when I don't have any left over produce around. They're not picky, mine get all sorts of wilted greens, overripe fruits, peelings etc. from the fridge.

In response to Gillian's question about rotting bark, I'm guessing that in New Mexico you don't have a ready source for rotten wood, I guess there are some advantages to living on the damp east coast! I got a nifty tip from Darrin (Golden Poenix Exotica)regarding a substitute: aspen bedding. Yes, the same bedding sold for reptiles and small mammals. This is a non-pine bedding that is apparently safe for use with invertebrates, and may be a good addition to the substrate for wood-eating inverts like millipedes. I've been experimenting with it, and have found it to work well so far.

Wade


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## sunnymarcie (Apr 4, 2003)

I have seen my red millie eating the orchid bark,
such an odd diet. I also feed them various veggies,apple peel, what ever is around. They
really like zuchini (squash) I keep it frozen until I need it, and mix it with their salad.
Freezing breaks down the food and when thawed it
is easier for them to eat.(real mushy!) They appear to prefer it that way. Other items left
to sit just turn fuzzy and have to be removed.
Someone posted information about their diet and
said not to feed them cabbage, I think it prevents
them from absorbing vitamins properly, or something like that. I have not been able to find
out anything about it, can someone help out with this? :?


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## Code Monkey (Apr 4, 2003)

I saw the cabbage bit discussed on one of the invert mailing lists. The consensus among the "gurus" is that it was probably just harmless misinformation. A lot of millies won't eat it, but there's no known reason why they shouldn't be able to safely, either.


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## jwb121377 (Apr 4, 2003)

Wow Everyone thanks for the great replys, it was a lot of help. I think I will get some Archispirostreptus gigas/Giant African Black Millipedes , mostly due to thier large size and ease of care. I think everyone here has covered any questions I may have had.


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## sunnymarcie (Apr 5, 2003)

@Code, Thanks for clearing that up, I didn't think it was true.
But, I did want to be sure:?


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## Professor T (Apr 11, 2003)

*AGBs*

Jeremy,
             I have two large AGBs in a 30 gallon Wal-Mart tub that costs $5 with locking lid. I have a substrate of potting soil, leaves, and dead lichen coverd branches. I have a small water bowl and two food dishes (one for wet food, one for dry food). They eat cucumber and apple really well. They also eat cricket chow from Armstrong Crickets really well (I sprinkle it with calcium powder). I have never seen them eating rotten wood or dry leaves. They do eat romaine lettuce somewhat, but its not their favorite.

When they curl up  ,crawl =D , climb  , burrow ;P , hide under leaves  , and eat :}  you feel like you have a mood ring. Their leg movement are comical and tranquil at the same time. They are cool to hold, but they sometimes get you with their hydrogen cyanide. if you wash it off its OK, but it could trun your fingers reddish brown if you leave it on. :8o


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## phoenixxavierre (Apr 14, 2003)

Potting soil is an extra you might add to the substrate, especially in the case of breeding millis, as they encase their eggs in potting soil which they eat (dirt in nature). 

Also, millipedes are omnivores and will eat off of carcasses as well. I was keeping some agbs and some african Bufo species together. When a toad would die the millis would gladly remove the remains, literally picking the bones! So apparently protein? is another important dietary factor. I imagine in the wild they dine regularly on any rotting animals or vegetation they come across. Not a real pretty thought, but an indication of their dietary needs. 

Cheers,

Paul


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## Professor T (Apr 14, 2003)

Eating the carcasses of dead animals makes them scavengers, as well as herbivores. I did not realize they would eat dead animals. Anyone have luck feeding AGB millipedes meat? I don't have spare dead toads.  I am very interested in this. 

If they eat rotten wood and dead leaves too, they have a decomposer niche...very resourceful!



> _Originally posted by phoenixxavierre _
> *Potting soil is an extra you might add to the substrate, especially in the case of breeding millis, as they encase their eggs in potting soil which they eat (dirt in nature).
> 
> Also, millipedes are omnivores and will eat off of carcasses as well. I was keeping some agbs and some african Bufo species together. When a toad would die the millis would gladly remove the remains, literally picking the bones! So apparently protein? is another important dietary factor. I imagine in the wild they dine regularly on any rotting animals or vegetation they come across. Not a real pretty thought, but an indication of their dietary needs.
> ...


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## phoenixxavierre (Apr 15, 2003)

Hi Professor T,

Yeah, I found this really interesting too since everything I read about millis on the web makes them out to be vegetarian.

To be honest, I wonder if they were starving, whether they would go so far as to be predatory toward animals smaller than themselves, such as toads. 

I have fed them chicken, meatloaf, hamburger, etc. in small portions. They always go for a protein source over other foods. Maybe because they are fed fruits and veggies most often and the meat provides a nice change. Not to be gross but the toad one particularly large female was eating the Bufo with relish. First the skin was eaten. Then the milli went through the mouth of the toad and began to feast on the innards. Yuch!! 

  

Take care,

Paul


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## Professor T (Apr 15, 2003)

> _Originally posted by phoenixxavierre _
> *Hi Professor T,
> 
> Not to be gross but the toad one particularly large female was eating the Bufo with relish. First the skin was eaten. Then the milli went through the mouth of the toad and began to feast on the innards. Yuch!!
> ...


Paul,

That was pretty gross, but very descriptive. Apparently AGBs are great decomposers. I'm going to try some meat and see if it works for my AGBs. However, I'm not going to try road kill.


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## phoenixxavierre (Apr 15, 2003)

Lol! Sorry if I grossed you out, Professor T :8o   

The Bufo species toad they ate was part of a setup, not roadkill. When I went to check on the setup, and to feed the toads and millis, that's when I found what was occurring. Just didn't want you to think I was scraping possum off the road and tossing it in with my millis, lol!  

Take care,

Paul


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## kellygirl (Apr 16, 2003)

Okay, what is this stuff that can turn your hands brown?  Is there such a thing as a "venomous" milli?  Are all millis handleable?  I've held one at the pet store before and it just stayed curled up... would it be safe to, say, let a child hold one with no possible harm?  I have a school visit on Friday... and I'm getting my new millis in tomorrow (thanks Paul!!!!) so I thought I might bring them along.

kellygirl


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## Professor T (Apr 16, 2003)

> _Originally posted by kellygirl _
> *Okay, what is this stuff that can turn your hands brown?  Is there such a thing as a "venomous" milli?  Are all millis handleable?  I've held one at the pet store before and it just stayed curled up... would it be safe to, say, let a child hold one with no possible harm?  I have a school visit on Friday... and I'm getting my new millis in tomorrow (thanks Paul!!!!) so I thought I might bring them along.
> 
> kellygirl *


Kellygirl,

I'm only going to comment on African Giant Black millipedes, I know some other millipedes are poisonous, but not sure which species have which poisons.

AGB millipedes secrete Hydrogen Cyanide. If you leave this on your hands in turns them a brownish red color. It really isn't stain, it is actually burning a thin layer of skin. If you wash your hands after they squirt you its not a problem. However, little kids shouldn't handle AGBs because they can't keep their hands out of their mouth or away from their eyes.

Other species could be safer than AGBs with young kids, but you need to be 100% sure with the species you have before they go on the school visit. Nothing wrong with the kids looking without touching...although touching is COOL, safety first.


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## phoenixxavierre (Apr 17, 2003)

Kelly,

I've found the yellow footeds to be quick to excrete their yellow stuff, lol! 

The white legged arboreals are capable of squirting their ooze a few feet. There is a person that went to the hospital because the white legged milli squirted him in the eye. It irrepairably burned his cornea. So those I would suggest wearing safety glasses with. Most other millis I've handled haven't really oozed on me, and that includes red leggeds, blacks, and various smaller dwarf millis, pink millis, striped millis, etc. The only ones I've had a problem with personally are those yellow legs, and I was told to pass the word on about the white leggeds too. 

I always wash my hands after handling, even if it appears they didn't ooze on me, just to be sure.  

Take care,

Paul

Oh, and you're most welcome!


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## XOskeletonRED (Apr 17, 2003)

Kelly,

 Because you are in North Caroline (I noticed), you probably have the red and black plated millis natively around you (pics avail on Swifty's site). They are poisonus and can kill a good sized invert in only a matter of seconds if they are upset and release the substance. I have not noticed any similarities between their secretions and the AGBs. They seem to be of a completely different make-up as the AGB's secretion do not seem to have any severely adverse effects on other inverts, other than making them leave quickly.


adios,
edw.


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