Cavedweller's Basic Millipede Caresheet

[Nephila Edulis]

Was thinking of getting some Cooktown red legs. This was really helpful

 

[7Fin]

Wait, so I shouldn't use a heat mat? My house gets pretty cold in the winter, can I use it then? I know they are dangerous if you put them at the bottom of the tank though >w>

 

[Redbarren]

is spinach okay as "treats"?

 

[terribletrexx]

Thanks for the care sheet it helped keep millipedes alive one died because of Eucalyptus leaves in the terrarium it saved the other one.

 

[maxpede]

Cavedweller’s Millipede Basics
Care tips are generalized and may vary by species.
Last updated 05-21-14

Introduction: Millipedes are slow moving, peaceful detritivores, organisms that eat dead plant matter and turn it into soil. They are not insects, but rather of the class Diplopoda. Millipedes share the subphylum Myriapoda and a similar shape with the fast, predatory centipede, but have little else in common.

Millipedes As Pets: They are not the pet for everyone. They don’t like being handled too often. They spend most of their time underground, and usually emerge at night. However, they are quiet, don’t need much space, and are very cheap and easy to care for. Millipedes can be housed together in groups, and come in a variety of colors. Some species can live a decade or more.

Diet: Rotten leaves and rotten wood. “Treats” can be offered once or twice a week (dog kibble, cucumber, melon, apple, mushroom, carrot, ect). Fruits and vegetables should be thoroughly washed and pesticide-free. Uneaten treats should be removed within a day or two. No water bowl is needed, millipedes get moisture from the substrate.

Substrate: 50% dead leaves and crumbled rotten hardwood (oak, aspen, maple, ect), 50% coconut husk bedding. Add an additional inch or two of dead leaves on top of the substrate. Never use conifers or aromatic plants such as pine, cedar, or eucalyptus, as they contain toxic resin. As the old substrate is eaten and converted to waste, add more leaves/wood. Replace with fresh substrate once or twice a year. Chemical-free hardwood sawdust or aspen shaving pet bedding can be mixed into the substrate as an additional food source, but will take some time to decompose.

Enclosure: The enclosure should be twice as long as the biggest millipede. Substrate should be at least as deep as the length of the biggest millipede. Millipedes can be kept in plastic tubs with airholes in the lid (make sure the holes aren’t big enough for the millipedes to escape). Millipedes don’t need cage decorations as they spend most of their time underground.

Environment: Room temperature (69 to 78°F/21 to 25°C). Heat pads/lamps are dangerous for millipedes. Keep the substrate moist and mist every few days as the top layer of substrate dries out.

Handling: Always your wash hands before and after handling. Don’t handle millipedes too often to avoid excessive stress. Millipedes will coil up when frightened, but can also secrete a foul-tasting poison to deter predators. This substance may stain the skin but isn’t dangerous to humans (barring an allergic reaction). Wash it off immediately and keep it out of your eyes and mouth.

Sexing: A male millipede is missing the legs on his 7th segment, instead possessing reproductive organs here. A female has normal legs on the 7th segment.

In some species, such as Narceus americanus and Chicobolus spingerus, the male's 7th segment is also noticeably enlarged.

Life Cycle: Some millipede species breed readily in captivity. The egg capsules often look like fecal pellets, so be careful throwing out waste. Newly hatched young emerge tiny and colorless, and some species take years to mature. In addition to the typical diet, the young also feed on the adult’s waste to obtain necessary gut bacteria.

Molting: Millipedes grow by periodically shedding their exoskeleton. This is usually done underground and may take several weeks, so don’t worry if your millipede retreats underground for an extended period. Do not disturb your millipede during this time.

Mites: Millipede enclosures can host a variety of mites, some beneficial and some not. Larger mites that travel over the millipede’s body or wander the substrate are usually helpful, helping to keep the host and enclosure clean. However, one must watch out for the dangerous grain mite. These tiny, white, slow-moving mites can cover a millipede and infest its enclosure if supplementary food is left in too long or the leaves/wood provided are too fresh. Grain mites can be controlled by replacing the substrate and withholding supplementary food such as fruit. A heavy infestation of grain mites can be managed by introducing the predatory mite Hypoaspis miles (available for purchase at gardening websites). Parasitic mites are rare in captivity and not covered in the scope of this caresheet.

Further reading/Sources:
Millipedes in Captivity by Orin McMonigle
petmillipede.weebly.com

---------- Post added 05-21-2014 at 09:10 PM ----------

Here's the caresheet, if you guys have any corrections or suggestions for stuff to add please let me know! I've also made a version for print but I'm not sure where to host a PDF file for sharing, you know where I can do that?

Short sweet and do the point. Awesome

 

[Luc]

Wait, heat lamps and pads are dangerous? Is there any other way to keep my millipedes warm? Because our room temp is 18*C!

 

[anders2001]

Wait, heat lamps and pads are dangerous? Is there any other way to keep my millipedes warm? Because our room temp is 18*C!

headmats are okay. but place them on the side of the tank. Not under the tank. Millipedes start digging when its to hot. If the heat mat is under the ground they will stay digging while its to hot.

I got a question as well. Why do you recommend feeding only once a week with treats? I do it daily and it seems to work.

 

[Elytra and Antenna]

Wait, heat lamps and pads are dangerous? Is there any other way to keep my millipedes warm? Because our room temp is 18*C!

headmats are okay. but place them on the side of the tank. Not under the tank. Millipedes start digging when its to hot. If the heat mat is under the ground they will stay digging while its to hot.

I got a question as well. Why do you recommend feeding only once a week with treats? I do it daily and it seems to work.

I think I can field these questions since they relate to husbandry suggestions

1. Heat mats and lights normally cause point of contact or pinpoint heat radiation resulting in moisture stratification that can harm or kill adults of most species over time and immatures quickly. Use a space heater and pay attention to the placement (height and proximity to vents or cold walls) if your home is 18C/64F. Consider getting a thermometer. There are many different temperatures in a structure that is "18C."

2. Feeding daily will result in mite and other pest problems unless you are fully removing uneaten food every day.

 

[MillipedeTrain]

A good care sheet but my only complaint is the coconut Fibre. I would never recommend anyone to use it if they enjoy their millipedes being alive. Coconut fibre in my personal experience kills millipedes. I hate the stuff. Especially never keep baby millipedes on it either.

 

[Sharkbot Jones]

Thanks for the care sheet!

 

[SilverfishMom]

Yes, so cool!

 

[Elytra and Antenna]

A good care sheet but my only complaint is the coconut Fibre. I would never recommend anyone to use it if they enjoy their millipedes being alive. Coconut fibre in my personal experience kills millipedes. I hate the stuff. Especially never keep baby millipedes on it either.

I've seen the anti-coco fiber cult show up lately in some social media but it is false in my experience (and there are few who would claim to have more years of experience, success with more species or more quantity). I've also seen the compost haters which is far worse misinformation in my experience.

 

[mickiem]

I've seen the anti-coco fiber cult show up lately in some social media but it is false in my experience (and there are few who would claim to have more years of experience, success with more species or more quantity). I've also seen the compost haters which is far worse misinformation in my experience.

I have only been keeping millipedes for 7 years (this time) and I totally agree. I think the problem is DRY coir. But then the problem is the dryness, not the coir. And as far as the compost, the problem (IMO) is the undesirables introduced with it if not sterilized.

 

[PillipedeBreeder]

Hello,
after seeing pictures of dissected pedes completely filled with coco coir/coco fiber, killed by the impaction, I don’t recommend it to anyone asking me.
That’s european standard among breeders, since it can cause impaction and holds no nutritional value, as it’s almost pure lignin, holding basically no cellulose.
I have seen usage of small amounts, up to 10-15%, which I don’t think harm millipedes, but if it’s such a small component, I don’t see the point of adding it.
I have seen a few people in Europe claim they have used it for years with zero problems, but without showing any evidence and that’s about it I have heared of those people.
That’s not so reassuring in my opinion, especially after several reports from other who had millipedes die of impaction due to coco fiber usage.
-
That different expert breeders share experience with cocofiber, with their experiences being clearly both for and against coco fiber, doesn’t make the decision any easier.
In the end it certainly safer to prepare substrate without any coco fiber, since you completely remove this risk, even if it’s that small.
Like many things in animal husbandry, here’s no definite yes or no, but I would always go the way of the least risks and potential harm for your pets.

That’s just my two cents, I‘m nothing but an a bit experienced breeder myself.
I‘m 100% for usage of newer substrates anyways, leaving the oldschool substrates mostly behind and not using coco coir either.

Cheers!
PillipedeBreeder

 

[Elytra and Antenna]

Hello,
after seeing pictures of dissected pedes completely filled with coco coir/coco fiber, killed by the impaction, I don’t recommend it to anyone asking me.
...

I believe they found a dead millipede with coir in the gut but I think in no way it proves a cause of death. For example: Nursing home food is possibly most common gut content in dead, older humans but it is not known to be a normal cause of death.

 

[PillipedeBreeder]

Hello,
after the millipedes were first observed eating coco coir, but not expelling waste, then dying, with their guts completely filled with and clogged by coco coir, I‘m quite sure it’s fair to say the coco coir killed them, and not something else like old age, disease, etc.

Best Regards,
PillipedeBreeder

 

[Elytra and Antenna]

Finding a dead millipede with coir (or any other food you feed it) in the gut does not prove cause of death. Not properly assigning cause and effect will not allow you or your animals real longevity in this hobby. Most millipede husbandry is only proven in generations and decades, not a year or two with wild-caught adults and early offspring from wild gravid females.

 

[DrT loves Ts]

Thank you very much. This has been a most useful post. I'm glad I came here for information. Other internet sites weren't as helpful.

 

[MarshallBlue]

Hi, Can we mix green and black tea(or other kind of teas) leftovers into the substrate?

 

[DrT loves Ts]

Hi, Can we mix green and black tea(or other kind of teas) leftovers into the substrate?

I wondered this as well. For the expert that answers plz say if we can use other kinds of organic material too....... I mean like chrysanthemum flowers used to make tea and carrot or potato peels. Thx.