Advice on Keeping Polydesmids and "Millipeds in Captivity"

[ErinM31]

I love polydesmid millipedes and would appreciate any advice on keeping them happy, healthy, and eventually, reproducing! I had a dozen Eurymerodesmus melacis that I found -- always on top of the soil and usually under a layer of wet leaves. The substrate is a couple inches of BugsInCyberspace millipede substrate mixed with coco fiber and peat (partly because I ran out of substrate and need to buy more and partly because I thought the initial substrate had become too moist and both dry coco fiber and dry peat have good absorbance. There is also some sphagnum moss which, as I typically do, is where I add moisture and let it radiate out from there. There is also LOTS of hardwood in the substrate in various states of decay -- one piece came apart like butter. Initially, I had the first two E. melacis I found in a much smaller but deep container with mostly sphagnum moss and wood. They were active, but whether that was a good thing or meant they were searching for something they needed, I do not know. Sadly, I recently had a few die. I think it may have been the few juvenile specimens I found. I wish I knew what was wrong. I got the substrate a bit drier -- especially since what was supposed to be the drier side as a quite moist. I also increased the leaf litter since this is how I found them. But tonight, while searching I found this:

It is probably from the genus Pachydesmus or Dicellarius, Polydesmus is relatively tiny and has very different looking sculpturing on the tergites. With this group you'll want to keep it on a bed of damp rotten wood. Compost, leaves, and other materials will result in an early demise. Happy Millipede Keeping!

Of course, this is speaking of a particular genus, not the whole order, right? So it may not apply at all to Eurymerodesmus and it seems more rational to keep the leaf litter when I found them under the same such leaves.

Do any of you have "Millipeds in Captivity: Diplopodan Husbandry and Reproductive Biology"? I have Orin's book on Giant Millipedes and was wondering if the larger book contained more information on polydesmids, including the smaller ones such as Euryurus or Eurymerodesmus.

Thank you!!!

 

[Cavedweller]

Do any of you have "Millipeds in Captivity: Diplopodan Husbandry and Reproductive Biology"? I have Orin's book on Giant Millipedes and was wondering if the larger book contained more information on polydesmids, including the smaller ones such as Euryurus or Eurymerodesmus.

I've never kept any polydesmids but I do have the book. It says E. leachii should be kept on a substrate of well-rotted wood, and nothing else. "Wood should be dark brown and easily crumbled when wet, not black or mushy. Some cottonwood sawdust can be mixed in and after a few months this appears to be colonized by fungi and partly consumed by the millipedes". It also says they live about a year and a half. It says E. maculatus is hardier than leachii and lives longer.

 

[ErinM31]

I've never kept any polydesmids but I do have the book. It says E. leachii should be kept on a substrate of well-rotted wood, and nothing else. "Wood should be dark brown and easily crumbled when wet, not black or mushy. Some cottonwood sawdust can be mixed in and after a few months this appears to be colonized by fungi and partly consumed by the millipedes". It also says they live about a year and a half. It says E. maculatus is hardier than leachii and lives longer.

That you very much! It sounds like the book would be well-worth my purchasing!

 

[Cavedweller]

That you very much! It sounds like the book would be well-worth my purchasing!

It definitely is, it's a fantastic resource to have on hand. Seeing all the photos of exotic pedes no longer available in the US hobby makes me so envious, though hahaha

 

[Hisserdude]

I love polydesmid millipedes and would appreciate any advice on keeping them happy, healthy, and eventually, reproducing! I had a dozen Eurymerodesmus melacis that I found -- always on top of the soil and usually under a layer of wet leaves. The substrate is a couple inches of BugsInCyberspace millipede substrate mixed with coco fiber and peat (partly because I ran out of substrate and need to buy more and partly because I thought the initial substrate had become too moist and both dry coco fiber and dry peat have good absorbance. There is also some sphagnum moss which, as I typically do, is where I add moisture and let it radiate out from there. There is also LOTS of hardwood in the substrate in various states of decay -- one piece came apart like butter. Initially, I had the first two E. melacis I found in a much smaller but deep container with mostly sphagnum moss and wood. They were active, but whether that was a good thing or meant they were searching for something they needed, I do not know. Sadly, I recently had a few die. I think it may have been the few juvenile specimens I found. I wish I knew what was wrong. I got the substrate a bit drier -- especially since what was supposed to be the drier side as a quite moist. I also increased the leaf litter since this is how I found them. But tonight, while searching I found this:
Of course, this is speaking of a particular genus, not the whole order, right? So it may not apply at all to Eurymerodesmus and it seems more rational to keep the leaf litter when I found them under the same such leaves.

Do any of you have "Millipeds in Captivity: Diplopodan Husbandry and Reproductive Biology"? I have Orin's book on Giant Millipedes and was wondering if the larger book contained more information on polydesmids, including the smaller ones such as Euryurus or Eurymerodesmus.

Thank you!!!

Yes, definitely get Orin's book, I have it and I don't even keep millipedes! It's full of useful information, as are all of his books, and it is a invaluable resource for the millipede hobbyist.

Orin was talking about the whole group, most Polydesmids like a substrate of almost 100% rotten wood, mixed in with some dead leaves. Other materials probably should not be used as much as you would use with other millipedes.

Let us know how these do, I don't think I've heard of anyone keeping this particular species, so if you could breed them it could be a first for the hobby!

 

[ErinM31]

Yes, definitely get Orin's book, I have it and I don't even keep millipedes! It's full of useful information, as are all of his books, and it is a invaluable resource for the millipede hobbyist.

Orin was talking about the whole group, most Polydesmids like a substrate of almost 100% rotten wood, mixed in with some dead leaves. Other materials probably should not be used as much as you would use with other millipedes.

Let us know how these do, I don't think I've heard of anyone keeping this particular species, so if you could breed them it could be a first for the hobby!

I shall definitely buy it; I had only wanted to know first whether additional species (especially smaller polydesmids) were covered that were not in his smaller Giant Millipedes booklet which I have. (He should add that "Look Inside" feature on Amazon!)

I will rehouse my E. melacis. I feel a bit of trepidation about making their enclosure less like where I find them than more -- which on dirt under wet leaves -- but these are only the ones that are easy to find and may not be where they spend most of their time (I amlost never find more than one in a given spot).

When I find the conditions that keep these guys happy, healthy and reproducing, I definitely intend to make them available -- ideally through BIC if Peter is interested in carrying them. They are beautiful under both natural and blacklight. Photos rarely do them justice; the adults have varied dark patterning under translucent orange paranota that become brightly opaque around the edges, creating lovely contrast and an opalescent quality. They are small millipedes but truly little gems.

 

[zonbonzovi]

Nice find! As I'm sure you've read by now, there has not been a lot of success with polydesmids(with a couple of exceptions although nothing consistent). Be that as it may, I do believe that having a range of decaying matter is important in reproduction as well as providing a surface to attach eggs(species dependent). Through numerous failures I've noticed a few consistent things when eggs have been laid/hatched. One is that there must be something to attach or lay eggs in...this is typically a piece of decaying hardwood. Some species build a chamber on the surface of this and lay eggs singly inside these chamber. Sometimes they are laid en masse in the wood and sometimes attached to decaying leaves. Two is there must be an area than consistently retains moisture. Hatchlings can be found congregating where there is a fine "paste" of decayed wood that stays moist. This may also be frass or a mix of both. I havent' managed to get anything to live beyond a couple of early molts but that means little. If not allowed to overheat, if ample and varied sources of their primary food are offered and moisture levels maintained I'm sure that someone will finally see real success.

 

[ErinM31]

Thank you all for the advice! What hesitation I had about rehousing them vanished as I carefully went through all the substrate as I removed it to replace it with wood; nearly every millipede that was still alive was in the moss and NOT in the dirt. I am sad to have lost several and this is one of the frustrations of keeping millipedes I suppose -- don't dig and disturb them, especially if they happen to be molting, but no way to know if they're doing well or not if they're out of sight most of the time. All those that survived are adults, but had only a few juveniles. The first small enclosure that I had the two I'd found in was mostly moss and wood as I didn't know what type of wood they might like best and I moved them to a larger enclosure both in preparation for finding (and eventually breeding!) more and so that they could have more dirt which I thought they needed too. Now they have a variety of suitable wood, mostly oak and some mesquite, some so decayed that it was soft and easily crumbled apart. They have some larger pieces too including a "log" of well-decayed wood which had lichens and a brown fungus growing on it. All wood was boiled and then dried a bit in the oven at 275ºF. I also returned the moss to the corner I'd had it in along with the millipedes. Several quickly ventured out to explore the new substrate. I will be sure to keep an area especially moist, none of it completely dry. I will also try different supplemental foods, especially now that they don't have a source of calcium. Unlike my other millipedes, they did not touch any of the vegetable pieces I gave them.

Thank you all again and I shall keep you posted on how these do!