Millipede Substrate Temperature and Quarantine Queries

MontePython

Arachnosquire
Joined
Feb 13, 2020
Messages
96
Hey guys,

I know we talk quite a bit about ambient temperature in our tanks/tubs/etc. and that it's generally accepted (to my knowledge) that the substrate ought to be cooler (as they burrow away from heat when needed), but does anyone have thoughts on how MUCH cooler it ought to be compared to the ambient temperature? A couple degrees? More than that?

Also, when you get a new 'pede in, do you quarantine and for how long before introducing them into a communal tank?

Thanks,
Monte
 

Madnesssr

Arachnoknight
Joined
Dec 2, 2019
Messages
262
I would love to hear thoughts on the temperature questions.

I have been keeping all of my species separate. I have considered a communal tank, but haven’t gone that route yet.
 

AuroraLights

Arachnosquire
Active Member
Joined
Oct 30, 2019
Messages
102
That's a really good question. I've never actually measured my substrate temperature, maybe I will try it. I'm going to do a partial substrate change during the holidays in a couple of weeks and I have a remote thermometer so I might try burying the probe. I'll let you know if I do. :)

As for quarantine, when I got new millipedes I did keep them in a separate tank for about a week, but it probably should have been longer because I don't think that's really enough time to know for sure that they are healthy. If I was going to quarantine properly I think I'd need to do at least three weeks. I'll hopefully be getting a couple of males to go in with my females over the holidays, and I'm not sure if I'm going to quarantine them, or for how long. The problem is I won't be able to give them a deep substrate in the quarantine tank (it will be a few cm but I can't do 15+cm in there), so I'm a bit worried that if they need to moult they might be forced to moult on the surface and that can be risky. At the moment I'm leaning towards not quarantining because I think it might do more harm than good in my case. Plus the person I bought the last ones from (it was Martin at BugzUK) said that he wouldn't worry about quantining them. I figure he's a lot more experienced than me so if he doesn't think you need to quarantine millipedes then it probably won't do any harm not to.
If it was practical I'd love to be able to set them up in a perfect quarantine tank that included some frass and substrate from my main vivarium so they could adjust, and then monitor them for a whole month to check for health problems... but I can't do that so I guess I'll just have to make the best of it and hope that things go okay.
 

MontePython

Arachnosquire
Joined
Feb 13, 2020
Messages
96
That's a really good question. I've never actually measured my substrate temperature, maybe I will try it. I'm going to do a partial substrate change during the holidays in a couple of weeks and I have a remote thermometer so I might try burying the probe. I'll let you know if I do. :)
Oh! Definitely let me know what you discover! I've been trying out having my humidity and temperature probes and the probe for my thermostat closer to 'ground' level to get a better idea of the temperature where the millipedes actually ARE (as opposed to closer to the top of the tank...though my newest is a little bit of a climber - I had to amp up the security a little right after she arrived because she climbed the fake foliage I was using to hide a probe. Impressive but gave me a heart attack!).

As for quarantine, when I got new millipedes I did keep them in a separate tank for about a week, but it probably should have been longer because I don't think that's really enough time to know for sure that they are healthy. If I was going to quarantine properly I think I'd need to do at least three weeks. I'll hopefully be getting a couple of males to go in with my females over the holidays, and I'm not sure if I'm going to quarantine them, or for how long. The problem is I won't be able to give them a deep substrate in the quarantine tank (it will be a few cm but I can't do 15+cm in there), so I'm a bit worried that if they need to moult they might be forced to moult on the surface and that can be risky. At the moment I'm leaning towards not quarantining because I think it might do more harm than good in my case. Plus the person I bought the last ones from (it was Martin at BugzUK) said that he wouldn't worry about quantining them. I figure he's a lot more experienced than me so if he doesn't think you need to quarantine millipedes then it probably won't do any harm not to.

If it was practical I'd love to be able to set them up in a perfect quarantine tank that included some frass and substrate from my main vivarium so they could adjust, and then monitor them for a whole month to check for health problems... but I can't do that so I guess I'll just have to make the best of it and hope that things go okay.
I'm the same way basically - I'd love to have a proper nice quarantine tank, but right now I just don't have the resources. :confused: Once the weather gets clearer, I'm due in my first sub-adult (so far I've only kept spirostreptids, and I've read that they don't tend to moult after a certain point?) and so the moulting thing would worry me a lot as well.

Also oh! What did you get from BugzUK? I've never bought from him (yet lol), but I used to live in the same area as where they're situated so I've looked at his site quite a bit on and off. :)
 

AuroraLights

Arachnosquire
Active Member
Joined
Oct 30, 2019
Messages
102
What did you get from BugzUK? I've never bought from him (yet lol), but I used to live in the same area as where they're situated so I've looked at his site quite a bit on and off. :)
I got three Spirostreptidae species 8 and some equipment, and he gave me three Nigerian Delta Brown millipedes for free, I would definitely recommend him! :happy:
Looks like he's all sold out of S.sp8 at the moment though, which is a shame. He's got some other nice species in though. :)
 

MontePython

Arachnosquire
Joined
Feb 13, 2020
Messages
96
I got three Spirostreptidae species 8 and some equipment, and he gave me three Nigerian Delta Brown millipedes for free, I would definitely recommend him! :happy:
Looks like he's all sold out of S.sp8 at the moment though, which is a shame. He's got some other nice species in though. :)
Oh cool! I'm thinking of branching out (right now out of the three I have and the one I'm waiting on, half are from the same person) so I'll definitely keep him in mind! I saw that they're working on setting up an invertebrate centric zoo-type facility, and I'm kind of eyeing it for future reference (my current degree requires some work experiences, and I'm always on the look out for something out of the 'norm' - my first behaviour study was a good example of that - I think I was the only non-avian, non-mammal study lol)

S.sp8 is such a gorgeous species too - I picked up one from another person at SEAS (same time as I got my others) and every time she emerges from the substrate I'm like [pulls out the camera]. No wonder he's sold out! I think I saw on fb that he's expecting a shipment from Madagascar in early April and Nigeria towards the end of this month? :plot:
 

AuroraLights

Arachnosquire
Active Member
Joined
Oct 30, 2019
Messages
102
I saw that they're working on setting up an invertebrate centric zoo-type facility,
I know, I'm super excited about that! I'll be definitely going there once it opens, it sounds like it's going to be worth the wait. :happy:
I think I saw on fb that he's expecting a shipment from Madagascar in early April and Nigeria towards the end of this month? :plot:
Ooh nice! I wonder if he might even get some S.sp8 in the Nigeria shipment? They're usually from Cameroon but I think I read somewhere that they possibly were found in Nigeria too. Fingers crossed!
 

MontePython

Arachnosquire
Joined
Feb 13, 2020
Messages
96
I know, I'm super excited about that! I'll be definitely going there once it opens, it sounds like it's going to be worth the wait. :happy:
Definitely! :D

Ooh nice! I wonder if he might even get some S.sp8 in the Nigeria shipment? They're usually from Cameroon but I think I read somewhere that they possibly were found in Nigeria too. Fingers crossed!
Maybe! It would make sense definitely - I know that S. fischeri ranges up out of Cameroon into surrounding countries, so it seems like it could happen!
 
Top