Millipede Species for a Beginner?

ArtisticAardwolf

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Aug 20, 2019
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Hello everyone! I have done research on the various species available online but would really appreciate help with finding the right species for me.

So I started out researching african giants, which obviously aren't an option haha. I do want millipedes on the larger side (4-6 inches or chubby) so I'd appreciate it if you keep that in mind.

My ideal millipede would be pretty chill with being handled, easy to care for, large, and decently active.

I have never kept an arthropod so nothing with too specific needs... I want to give them the best life possible.

Right now some I'm considering are Smokey Oak, Giant Gold, Ivory, and Texas Brown. If you have any input please help me out! If you recommend a different species maybe link me to were I can buy them?

Oh another question, can you keep multiple species together, if so, what species do well together?

Links to any information you think is important to a beginner please give them to me! I want to know everything before I welcome a millipede into my home.

Thanks in advance!
 

Catherine31

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Apr 12, 2019
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I have recently obtained a Smokey Oak, I also have Scarlets (who have had babies), a Bumblebee, and a Florida Ivory. They are all great, but the Smokey Oak has captured my heart. We named her Thelma, she loves to be held, I think. She will drink water out of our hands and will munch on things on our hands as well. She is very chill and sweet. I am including a few pictures of her.
 

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ArtisticAardwolf

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I have recently obtained a Smokey Oak, I also have Scarlets (who have had babies), a Bumblebee, and a Florida Ivory. They are all great, but the Smokey Oak has captured my heart. We named her Thelma, she loves to be held, I think. She will drink water out of our hands and will munch on things on our hands as well. She is very chill and sweet. I am including a few pictures of her.
She is adorable! How active are the different species above ground?
 

EtienneN

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I just want to also ask: where do you get the special wood and leaf substrate for the ‘pedes???
 

davehuth

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Florida Ivory millipedes are among the most satisfying and accessible gateway Millies to a long and satisfying life of invert keeping.
 

Arthroverts

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Chicobolus spinigerus (Ivories) and Orthoporus sp. (Desert Gold's and Desert Brown's) are both good beginner species/genera. Narceus gordanus (Smokey Oaks) you will not see regularly, as they are incredibly fossorial and only emerge when they have been undisturbed and in the dark for a while. Pretty much all spirobolids and spirostreptids (round millipedes) can be kept together without issues.

More good info on millipedes:
http://www.bugsincyberspace.com/Live_Pet_Millipede_Care.html

http://petmillipede.weebly.com/

Hope this helps,

Arthroverts
 

ArtisticAardwolf

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Aug 20, 2019
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Chicobolus spinigerus (Ivories) and Orthoporus sp. (Desert Gold's and Desert Brown's) are both good beginner species/genera. Narceus gordanus (Smokey Oaks) you will not see regularly, as they are incredibly fossorial and only emerge when they have been undisturbed and in the dark for a while. Pretty much all spirobolids and spirostreptids (round millipedes) can be kept together without issues.

More good info on millipedes:
http://www.bugsincyberspace.com/Live_Pet_Millipede_Care.html

http://petmillipede.weebly.com/

Hope this helps,

Arthroverts
Thanks! Are there any differences between desert golds and ivories behavior wise? Is one more chill with humans, and is one more surface active?
 

Arthroverts

Arachnoking
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Ivories are by far the most surface active of any millipede species I have kept but Desert Gold's would probably come second.. Both species are pretty chill, but Desert Gold's less so than Ivories, as I have heard they sometimes excrete their poisons when threatened more so than Ivories.

Thanks,

Arthroverts
 

ArtisticAardwolf

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Ivories are by far the most surface active of any millipede species I have kept but Desert Gold's would probably come second.. Both species are pretty chill, but Desert Gold's less so than Ivories, as I have heard they sometimes excrete their poisons when threatened more so than Ivories.

Thanks,

Arthroverts
Thanks for all the input! I've decided to go for ivories for my first pedes
 

Catherine31

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Apr 12, 2019
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My Smokey Oak actually spends a lot of time on the surface, especially when I have a slice of cucumber in there. But I saved her from horrible living conditions in a reptile store. So she may not act like a typical Smokey Oak. She will drink water out of my hand and is very chill. Love her!
 

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BuzzSwole

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I’d say the North American Millipedes. Large, very surface active and rarely react to being touched.
 

Catherine31

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I’d say the North American Millipedes. Large, very surface active and rarely react to being touched.
Is the Smokey Oak a North American Millipede? I googled and the info I got said Southeastern native and North American native. Do you know if that is true?
 

Catherine31

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East northern millipede but yes they all are since they’re found only in North America
Omg!! I totally was reading it wrong. I was thinking northern American. Lol! ‍♀♀♀
You were probably like, “what is wrong with this girl?” Lol. sorry!

Here are a few of my favorite pics of my millis!!
 

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Catherine31

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She is adorable! How active are the different species above ground?
My Bumble Bee stays underground a lot. I can go weeks without seeing her. But she is in with all the babies and other scarlets, I don’t know if that has anything to do with it. My Smokey Oak, Scarlets, and Ivory - I see on the surface every day.
 

baconwrappedpikachu

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Dec 18, 2018
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It looks like you've gotten a lot of good input so at the risk of being redundant, I just wanna add that I started with a few bumblebees and a few ivories and the Florida Ivories are out almost constantly! They're growing pretty quickly, too. Bumblebees I usually only see if I sneak up on them in the middle of the night.
 
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