Flame Leg Millipede Care (Trigoniulus macropygus)

[hexapoda]

Hello all,
I got a a T. macropygus a bit ago and I'm having a difficult time finding care information. I'm under the impression they eat oak mulch/detritus, but I am having a difficult time finding any. I have so far had some success feeding it bits of bananas (it also came with about an inch of oak much substrate). How often do I need to change the substrate/add more? Any information will be helpful.
Thanks!

 

[darkfyre]

Hi there! Bugs in cyberspace sells a millipede composite substrate that should be the right amount and composition. They will mostly eat the substrate, but they love treats such as bananas and cucumber. IMPORTANT: keep humidity at 80 percent and heat at 76 degrees. They need correct conditions to truly thrive.

 

[SDCPs]

I would be considered the "expert" on this species since I've been raising it for several subsequent generations and selling the offspring directly and to retailers such as Bugs in Cyberspace.

I don't bother with humidity measurements or heat measurements, but the temperature is best in the mid 70s as darkfyre says although all the humidity meters I've gotten have a hard time reaching 80%. I think that's probably too humid. The temperature and humidity can vary.

My substrate at the moment is 40% oak leaves that I collect myself + 50% cocofiber and 10% sand...or something like that. I don't bother collecting wood anymore since its not needed and has helped cause problems in the past. Now this is not to say you couldn't use potting soil and oak leaves provided you don't let that get too wet. I've just found that a "leaner mix" allows you to exhaust the substrate more thoroughly without the millipedes dying.

Flamelegs eat their substrate and enjoy apple (which is nice because it lasts a relatively long time) and other fruits including mango pits and avocado. Feed them scraps! They do not like raw veggies that much from my experience. You might also consider feeding some fish food, turtle food, dog food or something since they probably will eat it and it gives them some protein.
You need to change the substrate when it starts looking like it is mostly millipede feces...or the animals look unhappy.

With one millipede your substrate should last a long time and you don't need a big container either. Also feed very tiny bits of stuff. With more millipedes things get more exciting! (several hundred young): The substrate volume visibly decreases over the course of a few weeks, and they will completely consume large chunks of food, and you have to change the substrate often or they start dying.