Hardwood vs. Softwood and other Millipede Questions

[zonbonzovi]

OK, thanks. I'm still thinking I should cover part of my screen lid with clear tape to keep in moisture. Should I?

You should cover most of your screen lid and monitor it to see how fast things dry out. Many of those species will buy the farm if it's too dry. Don't forget pics

 

[Tarantel]

My mom thinks the tape has toxins on it or something that will hurt the millipedes. It won't right? Also I have a 2.5 gallon tank which I'm going to put my pinkleg millipede in but it just has a solid glass lid with no/next to no ventilation. Can I use it do I need to find something else? I'll post some pictures later.

 

[ScarecrowGirl]

Do you have plastic wrap or wax paper that you could tape to the lid instead of using just clear tape? Tape does have a funky smell in quantity, especially packing tape, I dont know about scotch tape.

 

[Tarantel]

One of the millipedes I'm getting is a giant pinkleg millipede. Do they have a seperate care requirement from the others? Is their diet mainly leaves or the vegetables I give them? I have a 2.5 gallon tank and a critter keeper about the same size, a little taller. The 2.5 has almost no ventilation and the critter keeper has a lot of ventilation. Which should I use?

 

[zonbonzovi]

Almost no ventilation. Screen tops/high ventilation are trouble for creatures that breathe in the manner that these do. Almost all millipedes will be found in moist leaf litter which implies lower ventilation but you already knew that because you've been reading up extensively on your new pets, right? More reading will answer the food question and I wouldn't want get in the way of your motivation to read by simply answering that particular question. Good luck and gawdspeed!

 

[Tarantel]

I was kind of concerned because the "almost no ventilation" I mentioned was a solid glass top. I've read that stagnant air can kill them.

 

[Tarantel]

Alright, so I was microwaving some leaves and I took them out of the microwave. I went to tell my dad something and when I came back THE BAG OF LEAVES WAS ON FIRE! Thankfully we put it out but me and my dad both agreed that that would be the last time we microwaved a bag of leaves. However my millipedes are still coming tomorrow and I need to sterilize the leaves. Would boiling or freezing work just as well as microwaving?

 

[jt39565]

Freeze them, malking sure they are room temp when introducing the millies.

 

[Tarantel]

So CAN stagnant air kill them? Will the glass top be safe?

 

[KyuZo]

Alright, so I was microwaving some leaves and I took them out of the microwave. I went to tell my dad something and when I came back THE BAG OF LEAVES WAS ON FIRE! Thankfully we put it out but me and my dad both agreed that that would be the last time we microwaved a bag of leaves. However my millipedes are still coming tomorrow and I need to sterilize the leaves. Would boiling or freezing work just as well as microwaving?

Lol, i think that it's better that we learn from our mistakes sometime. good time ehh?

 

[Tarantel]

Lol, i think that it's better that we learn from our mistakes sometime. good time ehh?

Yeah. :U it was actually kind of funny after it happened because nothing was damaged and because of how crazy it was. I probably should have known what was about to happen because the bag was smoking when I took it out (that's what I was telling my dad).

 

[catfishrod69]

i did the same thing...only McDonalds fries, and went to the crapper.....

Alright, so I was microwaving some leaves and I took them out of the microwave. I went to tell my dad something and when I came back THE BAG OF LEAVES WAS ON FIRE! Thankfully we put it out but me and my dad both agreed that that would be the last time we microwaved a bag of leaves. However my millipedes are still coming tomorrow and I need to sterilize the leaves. Would boiling or freezing work just as well as microwaving?

 

[Tarantel]

Alright. I froze the leaves, and put them in the 2.5 gallon with the glass top. I also added some plastic wrap to the top of my normal milli enclosure. However it doesn't seem to have any effect. Should I tape it over some more so it blocks more air and/or cover another 10 or 15 %?

 

[Tarantel]

I got my millipede order from BIC today. Everything seemed to be in order except for one Sonoran desert 'pede who seemed very clumsy and couldn't get a good grip on my hand. I had him on my hand and was walking towards the cage to put him in with the others in the communal tank, and he dropped off my hands and onto the floor. He seemed OK before I dropped him but now he's just rolled into a ball and not moving. I left him in the little cup he came in and went to make this post. Will he be alright? Should I just put him back in the cage or leave him in the cup? Please help.

 

[KyuZo]

if he is not alright, is there anything else that you can do for him? and why are you keeping him in the cup?

 

[Tarantel]

I don't know I thought it might be safer for him. Maybe it was a mistake. He's dead now I think. I don't know what else I can do for him that's why I posted on the boards.

 

[Camden]

Put it in the tank...it's just shook up from shipping. it's fine. (Should be.)

 

[Tarantel]

It is completely limp and does not recurl when I uncurl it. It has no reaction when I pick it up. It's dead.

If it was fine, it wasn't after I dropped it and most certainly isn't now.

 

[KyuZo]

i'm sorry to hear that.

 

[Tarantel]

Yeah, totally my fault. I don't blame BIC for the death. I handled one of the larger Sonoran desert millipedes a few minutes ago and it didn't seem to have a similar problem hanging on, though it did slip a bit once. Anyone know how to tell a male from female?