How to ensure old millipede substrate is millipede-free?

alapides

Arachnopeon
Joined
Apr 10, 2021
Messages
8
When changing a millipede substrate, how do you ensure that the old substrate is completely free of millipedes (including babies)? I live in northern California but all 3 species I'm looking at (N. americanus, N. gordanus, and Chicobolus spinigerus) are local to the southeastern U.S. I'd hate to accidentally introduce a non-native species when dumping out soil.

Thanks in advance!
 

Elytra and Antenna

Arachnoking
Arachnosupporter +
Joined
Sep 12, 2002
Messages
2,506
First, you never dump the soil outside. You can cook it in the oven at 150F (NOT 350F) for a few hours, allow to cool and place in a plastic bag in the trash. Not even the white alligators can live in a landfill.
 

Joey Spijkers

Arachnoprince
Active Member
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Feb 20, 2019
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1,054
Or you store the soil in another tub for a while, so that the babies will be bigger and easier to pick out.
 

alapides

Arachnopeon
Joined
Apr 10, 2021
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8
Perfect! I don't know why baking in the oven never occured to me. Thanks guys!
 

Matts inverts

Arachnoangel
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Jan 17, 2021
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866
Put in a tub for three months and pick out babies. Then freeze the left over substrate
 

wizentrop

to the rescue!
Old Timer
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Apr 20, 2005
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613
@Matts inverts Sorry to spoil it for you, but freezing doesn't always work. Baking/autoclaving is the only way to go to sterilize substrate.
 

Matts inverts

Arachnoangel
Joined
Jan 17, 2021
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866
I heard about freezing it from aquarimax and it has worked fine. I thought you freeze it for three days in gallon bags. I have been using this method for a while and it was working fine.
 

wizentrop

to the rescue!
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 20, 2005
Messages
613
Well... No.
Many inverts are freeze tolerant. Even exotic ones from tropical and desert regions. You just don't care about that.
 

Matts inverts

Arachnoangel
Joined
Jan 17, 2021
Messages
866
I will start baking it then. I don’t know why aquarimax said to freeze it then.
 
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