First time millipede keeper

mossymilli

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jan 20, 2022
Messages
1
Hi everyone! I’m a first time millipede keeper. I was originally going to get rhino roaches (Macropanesthia rhinoceros) but the store I had a gift card didn’t have any in stock and I’ve always admired the beautiful big millipedes I’ve seen overseas keepers with. I didn’t go in totally blind! Don’t panic!
I bought a juvenile giant scrub millipede (spirobolida) I believe they’re also known as Cooktown black millipedes.

I have a few newbie questions! I was in a myriapod fb group but left because I felt like the members weren’t very nice and most things I posted were met with instant criticism, even when I was doing things the group members suggested.

I’d like to add one more giant- does it have to be the exact same species? I have access to red leg giant millipedes (no scientific name other than spirobolida sorry 😅) which from what I understand are from the same sort of environment. The red legs are also supposedly more hardy and breed easier than the cooktowns. I know millipedes can be considered social, will they ‘socialise’ (I know they won’t inter-breed) between species?

in the Facebook group I was in I was told that coco peat is dangerous for millis, true or false? I noticed the care guide in this forum recommends 50% peat and 50% soil/wood etc and that’s what I had done anyway. I couldn’t source any fertiliser free soils at my local hardware so I ordered a millipede and isopod mix and added peat, extra leaves and extra rotting wood. All of the Australian invert keepers I spoke to swear by coco peat as well.

3rd and final question…can I add some surface dwelling inverts (I was thinking isopods or pie dish beetles) ? Or maybe more smaller millipedes?

now for the ~fun~ part, pics of my enclosure.

I’ll obviously be adding more substrate as she grows and will probably need to upgrade at some point.

thanks in advance for any answers, advice or suggestions :) 46D52664-EB25-46F0-9F17-2F1323195D58.jpeg
 

mickiem

Arachnoprince
Active Member
Joined
Jul 23, 2016
Messages
1,652
Welcome to a "nicer" group of people! I think FB groups are notoriously harsh because they don't get to know each other. Even though there are a lot of members here, most have been around for years and they don't "punch and run"; they want you to be successful.

I'm not familiar with the species you have and I don't personally mix species - not saying I think it's wrong; I just don't do it. But I will speak to coir (cocoa fibre). Millipedes need a high substrate humidity, nearing the point of saturation. They will die a slow death in a dry environment. There are pros and cons to using coir. The main reason I like it is that is helps to form tunnels and molting/breeding chambers. I also like that the color lightens if it begins to dry, so you can tell by looking that your substrate is not moist enough. There were some photos circulated that shows something crumbly, reported to be coir, in the intestines of a dead millipede which is the basis of a lot of the criticism or bad reputation coir has received. The claim is that it was the cause of the millipede death. There isn't substantial info to support this, IMO. But I do know coir absorbs a LOT of water. So if dry coir enters a millipede's digestive system, it would likely draw water from the intestines which can cause impaction and inhibit nutrition absorption. But how would DRY coir be ingested unless a keeper let their substrate dry out? I will say DRY COIR is detrimental but I will say with confidence that moist coir will not hurt a millipede. Coir cannot be used alone as it has no nutrition but is wonderful as a texture layer as a component of a nutritious substrate. I have been keeping millipedes for several years and have used coir as 20-50% of my substrate and have been successful with long term breeding and keeping of more than 3 dozen species. I know others are convinced that coir will kill your pedes but I believe in the benefits of it.

Good luck with your new pets, and welcome to Arachnoboards!
 

Farouche

Arachnosquire
Joined
Dec 23, 2021
Messages
55
I'm in Europe and I've used one of the millipede substrates sold in my country. It's 70% white rotten wood, 15% finely crushed leaves, 10% humus, and 5% mycelium; not counting the leaf litter above and whatnot. I've kept a different millipede-safe substrate with more soil and some grit just around the roots of the few plants I've planted so that they don't suffocate and they've been doing great. I haven't felt the need to use coco coir. My pedes haven't had any issue digging into the substrate there from what I can tell.

I don't know what species you're talking about, I've seen different species being called red legs. Some species get along fine but I wouldn't cram too many in one setup. I would also be wary of size disparancy between species where a very large milli could hurt babies or egg chamber of the other, but since I've always kept my critters in distinct setups so far (not counting springtails, which I introduce in all setups) I can't tell for sure. Just stuff I've read around. In particular I've read some species of isopods can be quite protein-hungry and go after millipede eggs or disturb pedes that are molting, but some other people have reported no incident or not enough damage to hurt their colony once it was established.

You're doing fine, don't worry.
 

Arthroverts

Arachnoking
Joined
Jul 11, 2016
Messages
2,462
Nice to see an Australian millipede enthusiast here! I have long wondered what interesting species could be found down your way.

@mickiem and @Farouche have answered your questions pretty well, the only thing I will add is that I would not recommend keeping isopods with your millipedes (too many potential problems with them eating the millipedes during molts), and that mixing species is generally fine; only really large specimens will injure smaller specimens when kept together, and irregularly even then.
Also, I would recommend checking out this site for further info on millipede care; it doesn't have anything on Australian millipedes specifically due to a paucity of info on species from that region, but it'll cover the general bits of millipede husbandry.

Thanks,

Arthroverts
 

Ajmndza

Arachnopeon
Joined
Feb 7, 2022
Messages
1
Can i ask of you have to sterilize compost or anythings that you'll add for the substrate?

Thanks.😊
 

Arthroverts

Arachnoking
Joined
Jul 11, 2016
Messages
2,462
It is definitely recommended to use some method to remove larger pests, whether through baking at a low temperature (around 150-200°F/65-93°C), boiling, or, what I prefer to do, just spreading everything out in the sun and allowing it to sit and dry for a few days.
Freezing is generally ineffective, and baking at higher temperatures tends to kill everything and allow for undesirable molds to grow without any competition.

Thanks,

Arthroverts
 

mickiem

Arachnoprince
Active Member
Joined
Jul 23, 2016
Messages
1,652
If you ever have to remove centipedes, earthworms, etc. from a substrate you'll wish you had been more careful to begin with! Easier to throw it all out which stinks. Earthworms don't harm the millipedes but they devour the substrate so quickly it would leave your millipedes to starve.
 

Dry Desert

Arachnoprince
Active Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2016
Messages
1,552
Can i ask of you have to sterilize compost or anythings that you'll add for the substrate?

Thanks.😊
As @Arthroverts says, sterilisation is not necessary or good, it just leaves a sterile, virgin substrate with signs saying, " all clean and fresh, all parasites etc welcome".
 

mickiem

Arachnoprince
Active Member
Joined
Jul 23, 2016
Messages
1,652
As @Arthroverts says, sterilisation is not necessary or good, it just leaves a sterile, virgin substrate with signs saying, " all clean and fresh, all parasites etc welcome".
It also leaves the eggs of most parasites. I agree that sterilizing kills beneficial subfauna in the substrate but the trade off is worth it to me. When possible, I set up new enclosures and add springtails. Once they are thriving, I add the intended occupants. Everything mentioned in this thread, IMO is inadequate but I would rather wait on a new enclosure to balance than trying to remove undesireables from an enclosure or throwing it all out and starting over. Just my 2 cents.
 

Dabugboi

Arachnopeon
Joined
Apr 13, 2020
Messages
34
It is definitely recommended to use some method to remove larger pests, whether through baking at a low temperature (around 150-200°F/65-93°C), boiling, or, what I prefer to do, just spreading everything out in the sun and allowing it to sit and dry for a few days.
Freezing is generally ineffective, and baking at higher temperatures tends to kill everything and allow for undesirable molds to grow without any competition.

Thanks,

Arthroverts
Anywhere down south, just train-stopping amounts of introduced Portuguese millipedes. Up north has some nice ones though, some attractive red-banded and red-legged ones and some very large blue-black looking ones
 

Arthroverts

Arachnoking
Joined
Jul 11, 2016
Messages
2,462
Ay, I recently learned of the Ommatoiulus in Australia, was quite surprising really to me. I'm sure even in areas with them there can be found the native species though, it's just a bit more difficult to track them down.

Thanks,

Arthroverts
 
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