Euryurids are easy-to-care-for attractive millipedes

[ErinM31]

I have both Auturus evides and Euryurus leachii. I keep each species in its own 16 oz clear deli-style container filled with a mixture of coir, fermented oak sawdust, and any other decaying hardwood that I've baked and can crumble into dust and small bits. Keep all of it moist but not water-logged (the coir helps in judging this). After getting the initial moisture level right, a spritz or so of water a few times a week is all that is needed, depending on ventilation (the lid can be well ventilated as long as the substrate is DEEP). They'll be happy with this food but also seem to appreciate the occasional fish food bit. They do well at room temperature which at present means varying between 75 and 82F. (@Harlequin had abundant success keeping A. evides at 72F.) The are lively millipedes which you may often see on the surface or burrowing. They also brightly fluoresce under blacklight. And pedelings! If you have both genders and maintain conditions as described above you'll have the pitter patter of little feet before long!

All-in-all, a very enjoyable and easy species to keep! BugsInCyberspace sells them -- generally E. leachii or E. maculatus (which Orin McMonigle describes as an even hardier captive than E. leachii) or possibly A. becki (it would take dissection to tell apart sympatric Euryurids but they all have the same care requirements).

Here are my Auturus evides with pedelings. There are usually fewer young on the surface but I crumbled in a fish food pellet this morning.


Here is their enclosure:


One formed a molting chamber against the wall:

 

[Aquarimax]

Great info! What is the maximum size for these diminutive species?

 

[ErinM31]

Great info! What is the maximum size for these diminutive species?

I would say about 3.5 cm or just under 1.5 inches.

 

[SDCPs]

Those young are insanely small. Like springtail size

 

[ErinM31]

Those young are insanely small. Like springtail size

Yes, they are, but easily differentiated by shape, manner of moving and number of legs. It is definitely a reason to keep these millipedes with deep substrate as the young can easily desiccate or alternately drown in a condensation droplet. As far as I can tell, my pedelings are doing well and I keep seeing more and more of them!

 

[ErinM31]

Update: The pedelings have grown a LOT in 4.5 months!

Auturus evides (two adults are on the left while the rest are immatures, the largest of which are showing the first sign of their adult colors):

 

[Staehilomyces]

When I first saw this title I thought t said Eurypterids

 

[Staehilomyces]

*it

 

[ErinM31]

When I first saw this title I thought it said Eurypterids

Lol! Those would be interesting to see, if only we could bring them back, but probably difficult to keep as pets!

 

[NMWAPBT]

I was hoping you could tell me how to differentiate between the two. I'm keeping a species I thought was auturus evides but recently someone said might be euryurus leachii. I had found these guys in northern Illinois if that helps any.

 

[NopusNatus]

I was hoping you could tell me how to differentiate between the two. I'm keeping a species I thought was auturus evides but recently someone said might be euryurus leachii. I had found these guys in northern Illinois if that helps any. View attachment 338465 View attachment 338466

It’s impossible to tell the 2 apart by appearance. The only true way to tell them apart is a difference in the male gonopods. Location can also give us a better idea of the species. Unfortunately Northern Illinois will have both species. Auturus evides is found in Iowa and Euryurus leachii is found in Indiana. If you live in Northwest or Northeast Illinois you can better estimate what species you have, but it would still just be a guess.

 

[NMWAPBT]

It’s impossible to tell the 2 apart by appearance. The only true way to tell them apart is a difference in the male gonopods. Location can also give us a better idea of the species. Unfortunately Northern Illinois will have both species. Auturus evides is found in Iowa and Euryurus leachii is found in Indiana. If you live in Northwest or Northeast Illinois you can better estimate what species you have, but it would still just be a guess.

I gotcha! Kind of what I've been finding out trying to Google pictures of the two. I'm in Freeport ....north western Illinois btw but not far enough west I think it would make a difference. Thank you for your help!

 

[ArthropodLegs]

Hi @ErinM31 do you still raise polydesmids? Have you changed anything about their care? How do you ferment the wood? Thanks!

 

[Godzilla90fan]

Hi @ErinM31 do you still raise polydesmids? Have you changed anything about their care? How do you ferment the wood? Thanks!

I've been raising 2 species of polydesmids, they are fairly easy to take care of. They prefer the wood bits, but also eat substrate and leaves like other millipedes, and mushrooms. Mine live under almost identical conditions to my american giants, aside from being slightly warmer and more ventilated, and are thriving. They just started mating last week.

 

[ArthropodLegs]

Oh nice, congratulations! Hope you get some millipede bebes soon

Now I'm gonna pepper you with questions, hope you don't mind!

What species of polydesmid? Are they from a breeder or wild caught?
What species of wood and leaves do you use? Store bought or foraged?
What species of mushrooms? Store-bought or foraged? Also that's so awesome/adorable that they eat mushrooms
Do you bake/freeze the substrate to remove potential parasites?
If not, have you had the polydesmids for a few years, and they don't die/get sick?
Are there any other critters in with them like isopods or springtails?

Thanks so much for any help

 

[Godzilla90fan]

Oh nice, congratulations! Hope you get some millipede bebes soon

Now I'm gonna pepper you with questions, hope you don't mind!

What species of polydesmid? Are they from a breeder or wild caught?
What species of wood and leaves do you use? Store bought or foraged?
What species of mushrooms? Store-bought or foraged? Also that's so awesome/adorable that they eat mushrooms
Do you bake/freeze the substrate to remove potential parasites?
If not, have you had the polydesmids for a few years, and they don't die/get sick?
Are there any other critters in with them like isopods or springtails?

Thanks so much for any help

No problem at all, I'll answer any questions, I know there's not much info on polys.
They are Sigmoria Aberrans. I'll post pics of my breeding female, freshly molted.
All of my millipedes are wild caught, except my bumblebees, and ones bred from my wild caught.
I forage leaves from nearby trees, just no needles. I keep them in a container for several days, preferably weeks, before I feed them to my buddies. And even then I inspect for mites, spiders, etc. After that I'll spray them down for extra security and that batch of leaves is good for them. Do small batches so it's easy to sift through.
I always use store bought wood, from a local pet store. He sells bark from oak trees, and larger pieces. I'm one of the only ones that buys rotten wood, so I get good deals on his older stuff. I do it this way because I've never had pests, just the occasional seed or moss that survived. I've also gotten mushroom sprouts from spores on leaves I forage.
I use storebought portobello mushrooms. They absolutely love them, as do the snails they share a tank with (an experiment, they don't seem to mind the cyanide). Typically I can find about 3 millipedes under a mushroom in their tank. They seem mold resistant as well, but keep an eye out.
I use substrate from condensed bricks, and mix in wood as I go. I dont sterilize it. I've had them for a long time, and have only had one die because im stupid and left a beetle in with it that ate him. My other species have all lived years. My garden polys have been through several life cycles.
And I pretty much only allow snails and small slugs in with any of my millipedes, and not with tiny babies (they can get caught in the mucus trails). They get along perfectly well and have the same living conditions.

 

[ArthropodLegs]

Thanks so much!


What substrate in a brick do you use, coco fiber?

 

[Godzilla90fan]

Thanks so much!


What substrate in a brick do you use, coco fiber?

Yep! For all my millipedes. My hermit crabs even have it in a quarter of their tank. The bricks have never had contamination that I've seen or heard of.
Also, little side note, if you use whole portobello mushrooms, make sure no pedelings are inside of it when you throw them out. I've noticed even decent sized millipedes that just live in a portobello mushroom

 

[ArthropodLegs]

Do the polydesmids eat the mushroom? Or mostly just the round millipedes? Just wondering because the pictures only looked like round millipedes on the mushrooms?

EDIT: k maybe I see the poly eating the mushroom in the first picture?

 

[Godzilla90fan]

Do the polydesmids eat the mushroom? Or mostly just the round millipedes? Just wondering because the pictures only looked like round millipedes on the mushrooms?

EDIT: k maybe I see the poly eating the mushroom in the first picture?

They both do, but only the round ones burrow into them, so I give them large mushrooms. My garden millipedes are occasionally inside a piece as well. The polys get small pieces. I just like showing off pics of my sigmorias rearing up on the glass. In the first picture you can see her munching on a portobello.