Millipede enclosure top

[Ratmosphere]

What is the best top to put on an enclosure housing an African giant millipede? Glass or mesh?

 

[mickiem]

Neither? Glass wouldn't allow enough ventilation and mesh would allow too much and there would not be enough humidity. You want the lid to be secure for AGB's because they are strong and could push a typical aquarium type lid open. You want it to be mostly covered. What do you have available and what size enclosure are you looking at?

My AGB enclosure is a large plastic box. I have about 20 1/4" holes drilled near the lid. I have 5 1/2" holes in the lid but I keep those covered most of the time.

It's good you are covering all of your bases and learning so much before you have your new pet.

 

[Ratmosphere]

Since I am going to use a heating pad, I have a 10 gallon enclosure set up already. All I have access to are those normal cage like tops and glass aquarium tops. Help!

 

[mickiem]

No worries! You could use one of those 3 pieces glass tops and replace the back panel with something you can vent. Just be sure you weight the top. Are you getting one from Ward's? I might suggest you ask for one on the small side. I think all they have are adult so you would still get a large one, but you would have one that would live longer. There are always ways to make things work; never be discouraged!

 

[Ratmosphere]

I'll see what I can do. Can they climb well?

 

[mickiem]

They won't climb the sides, but once you add 3-5" of substrate they'll be close enough to the top to push it open.

 

[mickiem]

Neither? Glass wouldn't allow enough ventilation and mesh would allow too much and there would not be enough humidity. You want the lid to be secure for AGB's because they are strong and could push a typical aquarium type lid open. You want it to be mostly covered. What do you have available and what size enclosure are you looking at?

My AGB enclosure is a large plastic box. I have about 20 1/4" holes drilled near the lid. I have 5 1/2" holes in the lid but I keep those covered most of the time.

It's good you are covering all of your bases and learning so much before you have your new pet.

Just to clarify - there are 5 holes in the lid; the size of each is 1/2". There are 20 holes in the sides; the size of each is 1/4". I reread that and wanted to make sure you know I don't have 5" holes! That would not be good.

 

[Ratmosphere]

I figured haha. Still trying to figure out how I'm going to do this.

 

[Ratmosphere]

Are you sure African giant millipedes can climb up glass?

 

[Christianb96]

You could make your own acrylic tank top. would probably run about 20$ at lowes. Just measure what size you need, go to the store and have them cut you a piece of acrylic, take it home and drill some holes in it with a step bit ( assuming you have a drill handy) pm me if you want details

 

[arizonablue]

I have a tank with a lid that slides into place and has a pin/hole lock on it. It's a mesh top, but I put some plastic sheets over most of it and that keeps the moisture in. I've also used a regular aquarium-type tank from Petsmart with the metal mesh lid, with a piece of plastic taped over most of it and a rock sitting on top so it can't be moved.

 

[Christianb96]

As long as it's holding in humidity and heat the that's all you need (since you got the rock to keep it down)

 

[mickiem]

Are you sure African giant millipedes can climb up glass?

They can't CLIMB the glass but they can lean against it and if the substrate is high enough that they could reach the top, they will. But they can't climb glass.

 

[Ratmosphere]

Awesome! I'm going to get the acrylic top soon!

 

[Telsaro]

For my Scolopendra subspinipes, I took a normal mesh reptile lid w/clips and covered about 80% of it with 3mil clear plastic. This allowed the enclosure to maintain 75% humidity, 75-80*F temps, and keeps my 7in centipede inside without trouble. I also have (4) 2.5lbs weights on the lid, one for each corner. I like to be extra cautious.