Millipede Substrate

[Ashlynn Rose]

I'm upgrading a millipede enclosure, and I want to make sure I make a good substrate mix for them. Buying millipede substrate can be expensive, so I want to make my own. I also have a few questions about the tank setup.

Here's my plan:
Baked oak leaves
Topsoil/soil from a garden center (I'll make sure it's safe)
Rotten wood
Jungle Mix: fir and sphagnum peat moss
Some kind of organic compost?

1. Do millipedes eat fermented wood? I have a supply of rotted wood right now, but I want to be able to provide for them if I start breeding millipedes. I saw the recipe for fermented wood from pellets and am wondering if that would work.
2. Do I need soil, jungle mix, and compost? Would just one suffice?
3. Do I need a drainage layer at the bottom of the tank or not? Is that more for bioactive setups?
4. Would live plants be beneficial, or would the light just disturb the millipedes?

Thank you so much for your time!

 

[The Mantis Menagerie]

I'm upgrading a millipede enclosure, and I want to make sure I make a good substrate mix for them. Buying millipede substrate can be expensive, so I want to make my own. I also have a few questions about the tank setup.

Here's my plan:
Baked oak leaves
Topsoil/soil from a garden center (I'll make sure it's safe)
Rotten wood
Jungle Mix: fir and sphagnum peat moss
Some kind of organic compost?

1. Do millipedes eat fermented wood? I have a supply of rotted wood right now, but I want to be able to provide for them if I start breeding millipedes. I saw the recipe for fermented wood from pellets and am wondering if that would work.
2. Do I need soil, jungle mix, and compost? Would just one suffice?
3. Do I need a drainage layer at the bottom of the tank or not? Is that more for bioactive setups?
4. Would live plants be beneficial, or would the light just disturb the millipedes?

Thank you so much for your time!

I am not sure about putting fir in the substrate. I try to avoid conifers with any arthropod that doesn’t specialize in eating it.
Fermented wood should work great.
A drainage layer is unnecessary for a basic setup, and millipedes do not like light.

 

[Ashlynn Rose]

I am not sure about putting fit in the substrate. I try to avoid conifers with any arthropod that doesn’t specialize in eating it.
Fermented wood should work great.
A drainage layer is unnecessary for a basic setup, and millipedes do not like light.

That makes sense. I thought it would add some substance to the mix, but I'll withhold that, then. Thanks! Do millipedes prefer oak over apple or maple wood, or is it all the same to them?

 

[MasterOogway]

Oak is almost always your best bet. I keep some live plants in a millipede display and they tend to leave them alone, but for most hobbyists it's generally unnecessary as they're keeping them in Sterilite/Rubbermaid style tubs.

 

[Ashlynn Rose]

Oak is almost always your best bet. I keep some live plants in a millipede display and they tend to leave them alone, but for most hobbyists it's generally unnecessary as they're keeping them in Sterilite/Rubbermaid style tubs.

Thanks! I'll try to find oak pellets, then. I might leave plants out, too.

 

[CompostWitch]

I keep my Florida Ivory millipedes in a translucent plastic tub, planted with a few low-light tropicals. They get some, but not a ton, of sunlight through my window. Both plants and pedes seem to be happy. The problem I had was actually finding a plastic tub that was tall enough for both plants and millipedes (since millipedes want substrate as deep as they are long).

 

[Obakefan]

Make sure you use Traeger Oak Pellets if you're going to make flake soil (fermented pellets.) It's free of other ingredients. Also, there are recipes for flake soil using flour and using wheat bran. I am told Wheat bran works faster. I'm beginning my first batch tomorrow. Another thing you can do is use breathable bags for the fermenting oak pellet mixture. You don't have to mix it up daily like you would if it were in a tub. The oxygen can get through the fabric of the bag and keep things fermenting I have been told not to use wood/leaves from fruit trees and conifer wood. So no pine, cedar, etc. And no apple. I buy the chips of oak wood meant for a smoker to mix into my substrate - soak it first with water as they've baked it solid to make it suitable for the smoker. I also mix in some aspen shavings that are used for pet bedding. Good luck with your new enclosure!

 

[Ashlynn Rose]

Thanks for all your help, everyone! I'm excited to give my millipedes a better enclosure, and you've all helped out a ton.

 

[Ashlynn Rose]

I cannot find any leaf compost near me. Would organic compost without manure added work? Or organic soil that contains "compost, processed forest products, sphagnum peat moss, peat, rice hulls, and/or coir, and fertilizer?"

Sorry for all the questions! I'm just afraid I will mess up and hurt my millipedes.

 

[MasterOogway]

You can supplementally feed some produce; my colony of Mardonius happily much on yams, apples and romaine. It can help them get by until you can track down some decayed oak leaves and logs. You might ask around on the forum too, if you're amenable to buying some I suspect some members would happily sell it. I'd avoid any soils that say they contain fertilizer; sometimes it's an organic fert, like bat guano, but it always seemed like an unnecessary risk to me.

 

[Ashlynn Rose]

You can supplementally feed some produce; my colony of Mardonius happily much on yams, apples and romaine. It can help them get by until you can track down some decayed oak leaves and logs. You might ask around on the forum too, if you're amenable to buying some I suspect some members would happily sell it. I'd avoid any soils that say they contain fertilizer; sometimes it's an organic fert, like bat guano, but it always seemed like an unnecessary risk to me.

It says the fertilizer is bone meal, feather meal, and/or soybean meal. Is that unsafe?

I have plenty of leaves and wood for now. I'm just trying to find a soil/compost that is safe to fill the substrate out.

 

[Obakefan]

I currently buy my leaves from InsectSales.com. Having said that, I'm actually planting some oak trees this year. And I use Maple leaves too. Not as good as oak but still hardwood. I would make extra-sure the fertilizer in the compost is what they say it is. I'd email the company to confirm. Just to be safe. You could also get organic top soil with no fertilizer and add some 100% compost - nothing else added. I'm also using ZooMed Creatures Creature soil as a base and loading it up with wood, leaves, sphagnum moss and other goodies. It's a place to start

 

[Ashlynn Rose]

I currently buy my leaves from InsectSales.com. Having said that, I'm actually planting some oak trees this year. And I use Maple leaves too. Not as good as oak but still hardwood. I would make extra-sure the fertilizer in the compost is what they say it is. I'd email the company to confirm. Just to be safe. You could also get organic top soil with no fertilizer and add some 100% compost - nothing else added. I'm also using ZooMed Creatures Creature soil as a base and loading it up with wood, leaves, sphagnum moss and other goodies. It's a place to start

That's a good idea. Do you think it would be better to just get compost and mix it with coir and the leaves and wood?

 

[Obakefan]

You could do that. Just make sure you've got a LOT of amendments so it doesn't compact on your millies. If you do that, I'd mix in some sand, too. Just to make sure the water drains.

 

[Kennef]

What specific brands of organic soils are you guys using? I'm almost ready for my millipedes, I sourced a local tractor supply that has alder wood pellets and aspen for my wood components. I also sourced a place to buy my hardwood leaves online from a reputable seller frogdaddy.net

 

[Obakefan]

I've gotten organic topsoil from Home Depot. Good, rich topsoil, no fertilizer. I'm using Traeger oak pellets - they're sold for smokers. They're the ones that folks online have recommended - no binders or anything in them, just oak sawdust. I got my pellets on Amazon.com. For aspen, I've just gotten the big bags they sell for pet litter at Tractor Supply.

 

[MasterOogway]

If you're just looking for filler, use coco coir and/or peat moss. I wouldn't even bother with commercial compost or soil unless you're pretty informed as to what goes into it. Coir is one ingredient, consistent quality across brands and is easy to use. It has little to no nutritional value but if you're amending your substrates yourself that is a non-issue. Lots of decayed wood and leaves added in and you'll be ok. I've used hardwood charcoal too to just keep substrate from compacting as much, and tree fern fiber, but those are probably unnecessary.

 

[Ashlynn Rose]

If you're just looking for filler, use coco coir and/or peat moss. I wouldn't even bother with commercial compost or soil unless you're pretty informed as to what goes into it. Coir is one ingredient, consistent quality across brands and is easy to use. It has little to no nutritional value but if you're amending your substrates yourself that is a non-issue. Lots of decayed wood and leaves added in and you'll be ok. I've used hardwood charcoal too to just keep substrate from compacting as much, and tree fern fiber, but those are probably unnecessary.

I've been looking into every organic topsoil, compost, and soil I can find near me, and none seem to be something I would want to gamble on. Like you suggested, I'll just load my substrate up with wood and leaves and fill it out with coir and maybe some moss. Thanks for all your help. I love the username, by the way.

 

[Kennef]

Thanks MasterOogway and Obakefan. Looks like I’m ready for my millipedes, just gotta get the needed materials and I’m set. I hope my question helped further answer anyone’s questions.

 

[scoloclown]

I've been looking into every organic topsoil, compost, and soil I can find near me, and none seem to be something I would want to gamble on. Like you suggested, I'll just load my substrate up with wood and leaves and fill it out with coir and maybe some moss. Thanks for all your help. I love the username, by the way.

Zoo Med has a newer soil called ReptiSoil that is peat moss, soil, sand, and carbon that i'm going to try. i got mine from PetSmart. 10 quarts for around 13 bucks on sale in store. it's not on the website for some reason.