# Millipede food ideas



## Jerry (Dec 4, 2016)

I have smokey oaks and bumblebees in the same in closer they seem to like Apple cores and grapes just tried some avavodo tonight looking for some different variety to feed them what would you  guys recommend I try


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## mickiem (Dec 4, 2016)

Mushrooms, melon, bananas - those are some of my pede's favorites.  (along with apple and avocado)


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## ErinM31 (Dec 4, 2016)

Carrots and sweet potato are enjoyed by many of my millipedes.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Ratmosphere (Dec 5, 2016)

Awesome, thanks for this thread!


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## mickiem (Dec 5, 2016)

Mine also love pieces of cooked potato.  Forgot that one!  I have to cook potato and also carrot.  I tried finely grating the carrot but they didn't eat it as well as when I steam or bake them.  @ErinM31  do you cook your carrot?


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## Marika (Dec 5, 2016)

Apples, sweet potato, bananas, zucchini, melon, mushrooms, fish food - those are what my pedes like to eat. Sometimes they like cucumber too, sometimes they don't even touch it. They don't seem to like carrot, but I haven't tried cooking it. 

Apples, sweet potato and fish food are probably their favorites.


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## mickiem (Dec 5, 2016)

Marika said:


> Apples, sweet potato and fish food are probably their favorites.


I have to put the tiniest portions of fish or turtle food in - it molds over night in the humidity.  Does yours mold that fast?  Do you use a dish or put it on the substrate?  I put mine directly on the substrate but am looking for options.


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## ErinM31 (Dec 5, 2016)

mickiem said:


> Mine also love pieces of cooked potato.  Forgot that one!  I have to cook potato and also carrot.  I tried finely grating the carrot but they didn't eat it as well as when I steam or bake them.  @ErinM31  do you cook your carrot?


No, I hadn't thought of that and have always given them the produce raw. It seems to me to depend on the species as well as whether I've given them produce recently as to whether or not they'll be interested -- same with my roaches. Apple quickly went from being devoured to being ignored. 

Overall, among my millipedes, after decaying hardwood and leaves, the foods most consistently liked are sweet potato, carrot, and various kibble supplements. Apple, pear, melon, cucumber, zucchini, mushroom, and greens such as kale are also nibbled on (or eaten with zeal depending, lol). None of my inverts appreciate beets. (The Whole Foods I go to offers spiraled sweet potato, zucchini, butternut squash and beet at the salad bar. Butternut squash breaks down too quickly in my experience. I regularly offer the first two.) I try to make sure all the food I give them is organic, but I think this especially important for foods such as grapes as the pesticides used on them are strong.



mickiem said:


> I have to put the tiniest portions of fish or turtle food in - it molds over night in the humidity.  Does yours mold that fast?  Do you use a dish or put it on the substrate?  I put mine directly on the substrate but am looking for options.


I've always put mine directly on the substrate but most of my enclosures are not humid enough for it to mold that fast (the jar I have harvestmen, isopods and other microfauna in maybe) -- usually two days or more (and uneaten food should be removed then, but sometimes I leave it in a bit longer as the springtails enjoy it).


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## Jerry (Dec 5, 2016)

Thanks guys that's a big list I appreciate all the info my millipedes used to ravenously eat the Apple now they show little to no interest witch is why I asked and am trying to give more variety has any tried oranges or grapefruit limes that kind of stuff we always have them around my house


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## Marika (Dec 5, 2016)

mickiem said:


> I have to put the tiniest portions of fish or turtle food in - it molds over night in the humidity.  Does yours mold that fast?  Do you use a dish or put it on the substrate?  I put mine directly on the substrate but am looking for options.


I usually put the fish food flakes on the substrate, and no, they don't mold fast. Sometimes I give them tubifex cubes and they have molded faster, but not over night.



Jerry said:


> Thanks guys that's a big list I appreciate all the info my millipedes used to ravenously eat the Apple now they show little to no interest witch is why I asked and am trying to give more variety has any tried oranges or grapefruit limes that kind of stuff we always have them around my house


I have given them mandarin. It doesn't seem to be their favorite, but they have eaten some.


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## Marika (Dec 17, 2016)

One of my giants ate a dried cricket and seemed to love it. It would be interesting to try fresh, pre-killed crickets or other insects, but I don't have any feeders.


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## InvertsandOi (Dec 17, 2016)

mickiem said:


> I have to put the tiniest portions of fish or turtle food in - it molds over night in the humidity.  Does yours mold that fast?  Do you use a dish or put it on the substrate?  I put mine directly on the substrate but am looking for options.


I've noticed that mold isn't nearly as much of a problem in my millipede enclosure since a springtail population has taken a strong hold.


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