Feeding AGBs pellet food?

[Snipes]

I came across this site:
http://www.aqualandpetsplus.com/Bug, Millipedes II.htm
He didnt do well with veggies so he uses pellet food? Thats the first of many things that struck me as off. He looks to have some success, has anyone tried this?

 

[spydrhunter1]

I just got a new book Invertebrate Medicine, by Gregory A. Lewbart. It's supposedly the premiere book on veterinary care of invertebrates. The chapter on Myriapods suggest chicken mash as a food supplement. I'm thinking of giving it a try.

 

[gunslinger]

I use pelletized food and it works great for me. I do also supplement fresh fruits and veggies twice a week, but pelletized food is in there at all times. All of my millipede species eat it with no problem. It does not mold fast or rot really so it can be left in there without much concern for longer periods of time.

 

[spydrhunter1]

Gunslinger what type of pelleted food do you use?

 

[fangsalot]

as well as the fresh veggies and stuff,i offered my millies rodent lab blocks,lightly soaked in water(thats how they preffered it).they would devour that stuff in minutes!

 

[Snipes]

I use pelletized food and it works great for me. I do also supplement fresh fruits and veggies twice a week, but pelletized food is in there at all times. All of my millipede species eat it with no problem. It does not mold fast or rot really so it can be left in there without much concern for longer periods of time.

wow, so do you get tortoise pellet food? I took care of some tortoises for a summer for a friend and I had to get that which I think was all veggies. The stuff smelled good to me too. :}

 

[gunslinger]

I started with a type for turtles/lizards and the pedes tore it up. Right now Im just starting to try another blend (cheaper) that is for rodents I believe. I have not been using this one long enough to see how it works out yet though.

Mostly I just look at the ingredient lists of the foods and try to base my decision on whats in em.

 

[Snipes]

I looked online at petco.com and the tortoise food says its high in fat. I was thinking about the iguana pelleted dry food. Anyone tried specifically that?

 

[Drachenjager]

i would think good rabbit pellets would work

 

[gunslinger]

Snipes,

I was in error before. I found the empty container of pelletized food that I thought was for turtles/lizards and it is all natural juvenile iguana food I used before, made by Zoo Meds.

My new stuff is specifically for rabbits / guinea pigs as marketed.

 

[8+)]

I agree that this care sheet has a lot that seems "off" as you put it.

I just read "Giant Millipedes" by Orin McMonigle, and he points out that giant millis can be in a state of decline for several months before dying and decline into a state of poor health from which they can't recover before showing visible signs of stress.

We need to remember what the natural habitat of these animals is and what they most often consume in the wild. Millipedes are by and large detritus eaters. That's why Mr. McMonigle suggests that the upper layer of substrate be basically edible and serve as their staple diet, and fresh foods be given as a supplement.

He also says that the substance of the substrate is what allows and stimulates the females to lay their eggs, because they need the right substances to produce the egg encapsulations.

My point is that while the author may be able to successfully keep giant millis alive long enough to sell them, I wouldn't consider success to occur until he has kept individuals alive for several years and consistently reared babies.

The box at the top of the caresheet is horrible: Temp-Room temp fine; should give a range. Humidity-Needs good humidity; what does this even mean? Attitude-Lackadaisical; thats too relative. Substrate-Immaterial; WRONG!!! Foods-Feed pelleted foods; as you've seen by the responses, many have tried pelleted foods, including myself. I think if they eat them readily, they are fine to be given and they add to the variety of their diet. To put that as the sole food source and then say to achieve a variety by feeding various types of pellet is not IMO proper care for these animals. I'd be surprised if anyone here would suggest pelleted food as the only food source (unless the author posts here ).

He also contradicts himself in the text several times.

I guess that's part of the reason forums like this are so much more valuable than caresheets. It's like a long running caresheet with constantly updated info from many contributors.

 

[gunslinger]

Very true. Let me clarify that not only do mine have this pelletized food, but also as mentioned, a very edible amount of substrate. The substrate has a rather high proportion of rotting wood and leaves that I mix into the soil, as well as leaf cover on the surface, all in addition to the pelletized food and fresh stuff I put in there.

I agree that they should have a variety of food sources available, and all attempts at a "natural food source" should be made.........as a natural as we can give an African species from American sources that is.

 

[Snipes]

Well, I went and got some Kaytee Supreme Rabbit food and I am grounding it up. I also got a cuttlefish bone to add some shavings just in case even though i hear that they may not need it. I am having trouble finding oak since where I am its hard to find good decidious leaves and wood, but when i get some, I will mix that in.

 

[spydrhunter1]

I just got a new book Invertebrate Medicine, by Gregory A. Lewbart. It's supposedly the premiere book on veterinary care of invertebrates. The chapter on Myriapods suggest chicken mash as a food supplement. I'm thinking of giving it a try.

Well I've been using the chicken mash (essentially it's ground up chicken feed) for about a month now. It seems to be a hit with the millipedes, both AGBs and Orthoporus ornatus. The down side is that I had to buy a 50 lb. bag.

 

[Snipes]

(unless the author posts here ).

His username is "elytra and antennae" i believe

 

[Elytra and Antenna]

His username is "elytra and antennae" i believe

Wrong. Read the post again, the author reference is to the author of the caresheet, not the author of the book.
Here's the part of the post explaining the problems with the caresheet:

I agree that this care sheet has a lot that seems "off" as you put it.

My point is that while the author may be able to successfully keep giant millis alive long enough to sell them, I wouldn't consider success to occur until he has kept individuals alive for several years and consistently reared babies.

The box at the top of the caresheet is horrible: Temp-Room temp fine; should give a range. Humidity-Needs good humidity; what does this even mean? Attitude-Lackadaisical; thats too relative. Substrate-Immaterial; WRONG!!! Foods-Feed pelleted foods; as you've seen by the responses, many have tried pelleted foods, including myself. I think if they eat them readily, they are fine to be given and they add to the variety of their diet. To put that as the sole food source and then say to achieve a variety by feeding various types of pellet is not IMO proper care for these animals. I'd be surprised if anyone here would suggest pelleted food as the only food source (unless the author posts here ).

He also contradicts himself in the text several times.

I guess that's part of the reason forums like this are so much more valuable than caresheets. It's like a long running caresheet with constantly updated info from many contributors.

Here's the other part of the post using a reference to explain that bad husbandry doesn't necessarily kill millipedes right away.

I just read "Giant Millipedes" by Orin McMonigle, and he points out that giant millis can be in a state of decline for several months before dying and decline into a state of poor health from which they can't recover before showing visible signs of stress.

We need to remember what the natural habitat of these animals is and what they most often consume in the wild. Millipedes are by and large detritus eaters. That's why Mr. McMonigle suggests that the upper layer of substrate be basically edible and serve as their staple diet, and fresh foods be given as a supplement.

He also says that the substance of the substrate is what allows and stimulates the females to lay their eggs, because they need the right substances to produce the egg encapsulations.

 

[Snipes]

sorry my bad. I was searching back to find a thread and forgot i posted the caresheet. :8o