Lea
Arachnopeon
- Joined
- Apr 21, 2004
- Messages
- 22
I acquired my first millipedes (sold as A. gigas) quite recently and have been happy observing their multi-legged life. I have 5 nearly adult millipedes.
Yesterday I found one male injured - it had obvious crack between segments and was not moving very well. I left it in terrarium, covered with piece of corkbark. Today it seems to be dead.
I do not handle my pets, because they do not appreciate it and also because injuries can happen. However, this seems to be injury from the fall. I have seen them trying to climb in the corner of terrarium but supposed they are not THAT keen on going up. Terrarium is rather high - 40 cm from the soil level to the roof (soil is bit over 10 cm deep and there is lots of area for them). So obviously what happened was that he climbed up, fell and got fatal injuries. I feel SO stupid.
I guess there is no way I can stop them from climbing? Is there some ideas of structures that would stop them from getting too high?
I cannot make the soil deeper either (terrarium was originally for the phasmids I kept years ago and it opens from the side).
Would it help if I actually made climbing easier with stuff to hold onto?? So that they would not fall so easily?
And yes, I know, 100% safe solution is to find another terrarium with less height. Rest of the millipedes are now in plastic box - not going to let them kill themselves, too.
Maybe it is just best not to do terrarium experiments and keep that terrarium for the animals that actually can hold onto walls...
Yesterday I found one male injured - it had obvious crack between segments and was not moving very well. I left it in terrarium, covered with piece of corkbark. Today it seems to be dead.
I do not handle my pets, because they do not appreciate it and also because injuries can happen. However, this seems to be injury from the fall. I have seen them trying to climb in the corner of terrarium but supposed they are not THAT keen on going up. Terrarium is rather high - 40 cm from the soil level to the roof (soil is bit over 10 cm deep and there is lots of area for them). So obviously what happened was that he climbed up, fell and got fatal injuries. I feel SO stupid.
I guess there is no way I can stop them from climbing? Is there some ideas of structures that would stop them from getting too high?
I cannot make the soil deeper either (terrarium was originally for the phasmids I kept years ago and it opens from the side).
Would it help if I actually made climbing easier with stuff to hold onto?? So that they would not fall so easily?
And yes, I know, 100% safe solution is to find another terrarium with less height. Rest of the millipedes are now in plastic box - not going to let them kill themselves, too.
Maybe it is just best not to do terrarium experiments and keep that terrarium for the animals that actually can hold onto walls...
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