New Millipede Owner

[Wilco13]

Hi all, I recently purchased four millipedes. Three are dragon millipedes (one orange, one yellow, one pink) and one is a bumblebee spike plate.

I’ve read plenty about basic habitat needs, but I’m wondering is there anything I should know, any tips or details I should know beforehand that a Google search wouldn’t offer?

I owned one millipede before, an ivory, but it was years ago and she was a very common breed for a pet. I’ve had a hard time finding a lot of details on these four millipedes,has anyone owned any of them before and has suggestions?

Thank you ^^

 

[William Dawson]

I haven't owned any of these in specific, but if you go through google, look through each website involving each individual millipede if you want lots of information from different sources.

 

[Wilco13]

My main issue was with the bumblebee spike plate… anything I search about it only comes up with results about bumblebee millipedes, an entirely different breed

 

[William Dawson]

My main issue was with the bumblebee spike plate… anything I search about it only comes up with results about bumblebee millipedes, an entirely different breed

I can search some websites I know quite well and let you know if I find anything that could help?

They're detritivores, like most millipedes, and can grow up to 11 inches in length. One website I found says that they are a relatively new species, so there is still a lot to be learned about them, so that may be why they are hard to find information on.

 

[Wilco13]

They're detritivores, like most millipedes, and can grow up to 11 inches in length. One website I found says that they are a relatively new species, so there is still a lot to be learned about them, so that may be why they are hard to find information on.

Ooh makes sense, thank you!

 

[ThemantismanofPA]

They're detritivores, like most millipedes, and can grow up to 11 inches in length. One website I found says that they are a relatively new species, so there is still a lot to be learned about them, so that may be why they are hard to find information on.

11 inches?! do they have pics?

 

[William Dawson]

11 inches?! do they have pics?

They can grow up to 11 inches, but don't always. They average between 5-9 inches, but can get that large. I have a species that can grow up to 4 inches, but he is only 3 and a half, and is not getting any larger. :]

 

[PillipedeBreeder]

Hello,
<edit>

The „bumble bee spike plate“ is most likely a Thyropogus species, your dragon millipedes are:
Orange: cf. Orthomorpha sp
Pink: Antheromorpha uncinata, „pink dragon millipede“ is the common name for Desmoxytes planata, which they certainly are not.
I couldn’t find the yellow ones in the shop, if you could upload a clear picture of them I could attempt an ID for them too.

About care:
Each millipede in it‘s seperate enclosure,
for the big lad atleast 10inches of moist substrate, the other three are fine with 5 inches. Increased ventilation for the the Polydesmidae as they excrete airborn cyanide and can actually poisen themselves if airflow isn’t high enough.
22-25 for the Polydesmids, the big lad might like 23-26 degrees Celsius more.
Substrate consisting of FlakeSoil or alternatively crumbled decaying wood and decaying leaves mixed together, max 1/3 of organic topsoil can be added to increase volume. Lots of leaflitter, big pieces of decaying wood, live moss and branches covered in lichens on top.

I suggest you to get atleast two more of each species so these Wildcaughts can atleast do their deed and reproduce in captivity. None of these are established in US breedings.

Best regards

 

[Elytra and Antenna]

Here is the link to the yellow pillipedebreeder:

https://undergroundreptiles.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/ug_yellow_dragon_millipede_1-250x250.jpg

Here are the yellow ones.

 

[PillipedeBreeder]

Hello,

Here is the link to the yellow pillipedebreeder:

https://undergroundreptiles.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/ug_yellow_dragon_millipede_1-250x250.jpg

Here are the yellow ones.

Thank you, these are appear to be identical to specimens we recieved in Europe labled as Orthomorpha sp „Yellow Bandet“, from Thailand.
I would lable them as „Orthomorpha sp cf. Yellow Bandet“


Best regards

 

[Wilco13]

Hello,
<edit>

The „bumble bee spike plate“ is most likely a Thyropogus species, your dragon millipedes are:
Orange: cf. Orthomorpha sp
Pink: Antheromorpha uncinata, „pink dragon millipede“ is the common name for Desmoxytes planata, which they certainly are not.
I couldn’t find the yellow ones in the shop, if you could upload a clear picture of them I could attempt an ID for them too.

About care:
Each millipede in it‘s seperate enclosure,
for the big lad atleast 10inches of moist substrate, the other three are fine with 5 inches. Increased ventilation for the the Polydesmidae as they excrete airborn cyanide and can actually poisen themselves if airflow isn’t high enough.
22-25 for the Polydesmids, the big lad might like 23-26 degrees Celsius more.
Substrate consisting of FlakeSoil or alternatively crumbled decaying wood and decaying leaves mixed together, max 1/3 of organic topsoil can be added to increase volume. Lots of leaflitter, big pieces of decaying wood, live moss and branches covered in lichens on top.

I suggest you to get atleast two more of each species so these Wildcaughts can atleast do their deed and reproduce in captivity. None of these are established in US breedings.

Best regards

Thank you so much for the info! Yes, sadly the bumblebee spike plate arrived in bad condition and hasn’t recovered, <edit>…

 

[ThemantismanofPA]

Thank you so much for the info! Yes, sadly the bumblebee spike plate arrived in bad condition and hasn’t recovered, <edit>…

i just bought rhopalomeris and received them in some of the worst packing i have ever seen. They clearly were flung around in the container during shipment due to there being no padding besides a little bit of dirt inside the tupperware, and 3 of the 5 arrived dead. Thankfully they fully refunded me, but I will most likely not buy again. Also, just so you know, they ship these exotic millis across state lines, which is illegal as far as i know without permits. Just be careful.

 

[Wilco13]

i just bought rhopalomeris and received them in some of the worst packing i have ever seen. They clearly were flung around in the container during shipment due to there being no padding besides a little bit of dirt inside the tupperware, and 3 of the 5 arrived dead. Thankfully they fully refunded me, but I will most likely not buy again. Also, just so you know, they ship these exotic millis across state lines, which is illegal as far as i know without permits. Just be careful.

Gotcha, yeah they only shipped mine with one heating pad and the weather here is super cold. The ones directly on the heating pad were safe but the spike plate was on the far bottom, poor guy. The delivery driver didn’t knock either, so I have no idea how long they were out on my porch before I found them

All of mine came with only a skiff of dirt, not even enough to cover them!

 

[Elytra and Antenna]

i just bought rhopalomeris and received them in some of the worst packing i have ever seen. They clearly were flung around in the container during shipment due to there being no padding besides a little bit of dirt inside the tupperware, and 3 of the 5 arrived dead. Thankfully they fully refunded me, but I will most likely not buy again. Also, just so you know, they ship these exotic millis across state lines, which is illegal as far as i know without permits. Just be careful.

The die-offs from them are consistent with wild-caught, imported specimens. They refunded your shipping too?

 

[ThemantismanofPA]

The die-offs from them are consistent with wild-caught, imported specimens. They refunded your shipping too?

no, i had also bought some bronze backed pills in the order which survived so shipping was not refunded

 

[PillipedeBreeder]

no, i had also bought some bronze backed pills in the order which survived so shipping was not refunded

Good luck breeding them, are they all the same species atleast?

Best regards

 

[Elytra and Antenna]

Good luck breeding them, are they all the same species atleast?

Best regards

https://undergroundreptiles.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/ug_yellow_striped_pill_millipede_2.jpg

Which species do you think these are?

The bronze are Zephronia siamensis and the reality of breeding sphaerotheriids an unpopular opinion.

 

[Smotzer]

Which species do you think these are?

Hyleoglomeris to me, at least that what @PillipedeBreeder and I are leaning towards. They resemble H. rokouqu but without the 4 thoracic shield spots. Although that characteristic I can not find in the literature so possibly undescribed.

 

[PillipedeBreeder]

Hello,

https://undergroundreptiles.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/ug_yellow_striped_pill_millipede_2.jpg

Which species do you think these are?

The bronze are Zephronia siamensis and the reality of breeding sphaerotheriids an unpopular opinion.

Ah yes, I confused them with the „Giant Copper Band Pill Millipede“ as I just saw.
I indeed believe these are Hyleoglomeris, similar species from Thailand have been bred in Europe before.

Best regards

 

[ThemantismanofPA]

Good luck breeding them, are they all the same species atleast?

Best regards

yes, thank god lol