Millipedes and worms?

[Serpyderpy]

Story time. I bought some mulched oak leaf litter for my millipede, affectionately named Sir Potato (as, according to my brother, he smells very heavily of potato) since he was lacking quite a bit of detriment to munch on and only had a little bit from the subtrate he came with.

Fast forward to today, just got back from being at my SO's, and I eagerly open the pack. I mix it around and sprinkle a bit in his cage after I take him out and place him in a box. Little white isopods come out and start roaming. I then look back into the bag the litter came in, and I see movement. Okay, more isopods. Then I see something big moving. I pinch at it with my tweezers and then realise it's a worm! A small worm, but a worm nontheless. Unfortunately I ended up squishing it, but I then fish another one out.

I searched this board and found someone who asked this question before, but they had millipede babies. They were told adults aren't bothered by them but worms can eat nutrition in the substrate. I only have one singular adult male (I think) millipede who has quite a spacious enclosure and definitely is an adult, and I can't quite find anything that says if they do or do not continue molting if they're mature just in case the worms go after him then.

Kinda crappy pics just for size comparison.

The worm. The tub he's on is my stray weevil house, not his enclosure, don't worry!

Sir Potato himself. Sitting patiently in his box whilst I do some home renovation for him.
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Can they coexist at all? I'm not sure if any worms went into the enclosure but I know that they're in the litter, in all possibility.

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[SlugPod]

I have an aquarium with millipedes and worms in it and haven't had any issues at all with them cohabitating.
I wouldn't think you'd have any issues, either.
If anything, your milli might try to eat the worms. I recall another user saying they saw their millis eating a worm once.

However, if you are worried about it you can just get rid of the worms if / when you find them again.

 

[Serpyderpy]

I have an aquarium with millipedes and worms in it and haven't had any issues at all with them cohabitating.
I wouldn't think you'd have any issues, either.
If anything, your milli might try to eat the worms. I recall another user saying they saw their millis eating a worm once.

However, if you are worried about it you can just get rid of the worms if / when you find them again.

Yeah, I've been fishing them out. I wouldn't be surprised if my boy takes them out or even crushes them at some point, he's got a strong grip and he's always curious about things in his enclosure. Since the last message I caught five worms in total and a grub of some kind, which makes sense since the seller listed it as beetle food. Maybe one of the little ones ended up in there. Thank you for the reply, though! A tad worried, but not deathly so.

 

[SlugPod]

Yeah, I've been fishing them out. I wouldn't be surprised if my boy takes them out or even crushes them at some point, he's got a strong grip and he's always curious about things in his enclosure. Since the last message I caught five worms in total and a grub of some kind, which makes sense since the seller listed it as beetle food. Maybe one of the little ones ended up in there. Thank you for the reply, though! A tad worried, but not deathly so.

That would make sense for the grub to be in there if the seller had it as beetle food.
I wouldn't be too worried, especially since they seem to be small worms.
I think the most thing to be worried about would be them reproducing and possibly just having a ton of worms on your hands.
But removing them as you see them should hopefully prevent that.

You can always remove your millipede and then just bake all the substrate for a bit to kill anything off in there.
(I'd do a google search on how long / temperature)

 

[LawnShrimp]

Worms will deplete the substrate of nutrients and make it into silt that millipedes don't like burrowing in and can't eat. I'd remove all worms that you find as they are hermaphrodites, so 2 worms will eventually mean hundreds stealing Sir Potato's nutrients.

 

[mickiem]

I agree with @LawnShrimp. I have raised worms and they are prolific. They aren't really interesting to watch because most activity is underground and invisible. If the worms bring you pleasure then you should leave them but be prepared to have an epic population. And they certainly deplete the substrate in a hurry.

 

[Serpyderpy]

That would make sense for the grub to be in there if the seller had it as beetle food.
I wouldn't be too worried, especially since they seem to be small worms.
I think the most thing to be worried about would be them reproducing and possibly just having a ton of worms on your hands.
But removing them as you see them should hopefully prevent that.

You can always remove your millipede and then just bake all the substrate for a bit to kill anything off in there.
(I'd do a google search on how long / temperature)

Will probably end up doing that, but I need to find something that I can actually put the substrate in, haha. I do not think my familiars will be best pleased if I used one of their deep baking trays to cook subtrate, even less impressed if there were worms in there. I'll have to pop out and find one of those flexible rubber pudding tins. Thank you!

Worms will deplete the substrate of nutrients and make it into silt that millipedes don't like burrowing in and can't eat. I'd remove all worms that you find as they are hermaphrodites, so 2 worms will eventually mean hundreds stealing Sir Potato's nutrients.

I think I managed to get them all, but I'm not sure. I sat for a good few hours staring at the substrate on and off and managed to pluck out quite a few worms. I sprayed the substrate every now and then to draw them out, and I'm still dilligently watching for them. If worse comes to worst I'll just place him in my spare enclosure and blitz the entire thing.

I agree with @LawnShrimp. I have raised worms and they are prolific. They aren't really interesting to watch because most activity is underground and invisible. If the worms bring you pleasure then you should leave them but be prepared to have an epic population. And they certainly deplete the substrate in a hurry.

Worms are... okay. I don't mind them but they aren't certainly up there with something I want to own. Generic earthworms, at least. I'd love to own some of the bigger worms out there, like Megascolex coeruleus, but it seems worms aren't really prolific in the hobby, and I certainly can't find any for sale. One can dream, though. I'll keep an eye out for any more worms!

 

[InvertsandOi]

If you were trying to breed Millipedes, I'd say you should be worried about those isopods more than the worms. From what I've read (not personal experience) they can eat Millipede eggs. But since it's just one male, all they are is competition for resources, just like the worms.

 

[Serpyderpy]

If you were trying to breed Millipedes, I'd say you should be worried about those isopods more than the worms. From what I've read (not personal experience) they can eat Millipede eggs. But since it's just one male, all they are is competition for resources, just like the worms.

Yeah, that's what I read too! Luckily I only have one big millipede so I wasn't freaking out as such about the isopods, I know they're akin to little clean up crews, I just wasn't sure on the worms and how they'd impact my enclosure.

General update wise, I should say I have found no more worms. I'm still looking out for them, but I'm positive most of them are out. Regardless, I am going to try and blitz the subtrate today, if there are worms in there, there may be other things too. I'll try and find something suitable to bake it in and go from there.

Sir Potato himself explored his cage a little more today, which was nice to see. The leaf litter was being rustled all over and he sat still over a few big leaves with his face pressed against them, so I hope that's a good sign that he's eating and rummaging. In another thread I expressed that I'd like to get another millipede, but I'd be bombarded by my familiars if I did. Well, my wish sort of came true. I swear, this is the leaf litter that keeps on giving!

I say this because I have a bad habit of staying up late, or rather, staying up incredibly early into the hours of the morning, so I do get to see my animals, most of which are nocturnal, out and about. I check every now and then to see what's going on, where my animals are, if they're okay.

I look into my attempt weevil box and see something moving. I think it's another bloody worm, but nope! Nothing looks out of place though, does it? Well, as soon as I lift that little bit of cauliflower, I'm met with this little cutie.

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Tiny millipede! I have zero idea how he got in there but he must have been hiding pretty darn well for me to not have seen him. He didn't go in there with the coco fibre, he definitely didn't go in there with the few dead leaves I dropped in there. Actually, he popped up after I put the cauliflower in... which may lead me to believe he was hitching a ride in the stalk, and I just saved him from being cooked up.

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The bare bones of an enclosure. I ran downstairs and quickly ate a yogurt, then washed it out and put some fibre in it. This picture was taken during the middle of it, as I added more after this was took, added some leaves too and dampened it a little. I cut cardinal slits in the pot and the lid was crumpled with air holes as well. I then placed him and the other yogurt pot (that I made for the aforementioned grub earlier in this thread) underneath my weevil one, just for safe measure.

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All snug. On top is Sir Potato, below him is Milkshake, my african land snail. Weevil tub is the elongated one, whereas the lefthand pot belongs to the grub and the righthand pot now belongs to the tiny millipede. Roach enclosure not included, they're on the other table. The lamp was on for picture clarity, it's not normally on.

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Yeah, I definitely need to go to bed, haha. In honour of the dawn I named the little one Sol. I hope he can have an easy and stress free life in his pot. Ideally I will find smaller capsule enclosures that I can easily see through, but for now, I hope he'll be okay.

 

[LawnShrimp]

To me that looks like some type of julid, but strangely pale unless the lighting is just odd. You probably could find similar millipedes outside under wood or rocks to keep Sol company or set it free. Unless, of course, Sol starts growing, and then it probably isn't what I think it is.

 

[Serpyderpy]

To me that looks like some type of julid, but strangely pale unless the lighting is just odd. You probably could find similar millipedes outside under wood or rocks to keep Sol company or set it free. Unless, of course, Sol starts growing, and then it probably isn't what I think it is.

It is oddly pale, and that isn't the light that's making it like that. Usally millipedes I find here are black in colour. I was going to go down to the woods after I did a few things shopping wise tomorrow, as there's a nature trail that goes through it. I might see if I can find him some company!

I baked the leaf litter too, 250 for about two minutes until I could really smell the leaves. No more worrying from me!