Florida Ivory and Pedeling Help!

[Cathi]

Hello!
I'm new to millipedes--I've always wanted one, but it was only this past spring that I was finally able to get my first, a Florida Ivory (thanks to Bugs in Cyberspace!)
She has a pleasant setup, and shares the terrarium with an assortment of isopods, and until now has been just fine. This morning however I noticed her acting really odd... In addition to discovering half a dozen day-old pedelings which was a surprise in of itself, she has had these weird unprovoked fits where she starts twisting and curling up.

In addition to not knowin how to care for the babies, I'm concerned that something is wrong with the adult. Should I be worried?
All help is greatly appreciated--I absolutely love having her. Cheers!

 

[mickiem]

Congrats on the pedeling! I would check her closely for mites and make sure the substrate is moist enough. Did you ever have a male or did she come in gravid? How deep is your substrate?

Isopods?! I only had isopods in two Millipede enclosures. I never had babies until I took the isopods out. Actually, I set up two new enclosures. I know a lot of people say they are ok and don't have problems, but I won't do it again!

As far as taking care of the babies, they aren't much different that the adults. Make sure there is plenty of edible substrate and offer fresh foods a few times a week. My Ivorys like corn, apple, cucumber, avocado, mushrooms, melon for starters.

 

[Cathi]

Congrats on the pedeling! I would check her closely for mites and make sure the substrate is moist enough. Did you ever have a male or did she come in gravid? How deep is your substrate?

Isopods?! I only had isopods in two Millipede enclosures. I never had babies until I took the isopods out. Actually, I set up two new enclosures. I know a lot of people say they are ok and don't have problems, but I won't do it again!

As far as taking care of the babies, they aren't much different that the adults. Make sure there is plenty of edible substrate and offer fresh foods a few times a week. My Ivorys like corn, apple, cucumber, avocado, mushrooms, melon for starters.

She was very breifly housed with 2 Narceus but other than that she's the only millipede I've ever had, so she must have come gravid.
The substrate is just over 3 inches deep. I just got back from vacation and wanted to change it since it's in need of some fresh substrate, but now with the pedelings I'm afraid to... I'll make sure to put some fresh food in there today (mine really like mango)

My isopods pretty much ignore the millipede, and I haven't seen them go after the babies at all. I'm not sure how to go about moving them out, but I'll keep my eyes open.

What would the mites look like? I haven't seen anything living on her, but now that I'm looking there are a bunch of incredibly small white bugs on the sides of the terrarium.

 

[Cathi]

The white bugs look and act like spring tails, but I find it odd that they would be climbing up the sides of the enclosure.

 

[mickiem]

Just check her legs and head for mites. If that's clear then I wouldn't worry. Springtails are ok and the only mites I see on the sides are predatory mites; nothing to worry about I think the biggest danger with the isopods are that they can damage a molting pede or eat eggs. Obviously that's not a problem with these guys !

 

[Cathi]

Thank you so much for your help!
I will definitely be sure to monitor for mites in the future, even if that's not the issue now. It's good to know what to know what to look out for.
They're all munching on green beans right now, and very content.

Just check her legs and head for mites. If that's clear then I wouldn't worry. Springtails are ok and the only mites I see on the sides are predatory mites; nothing to worry about I think the biggest danger with the isopods are that they can damage a molting pede or eat eggs. Obviously that's not a problem with these guys !

 

[7Fin]

As mickiem said about the isopods, those thing are absolutely brutal! They eat anything they can, from eggs, to pedelings, to molting animals (rarely). Make sure you bake any leaves or humus you use off, to get rid of any pests or whatever.