Ok millipede people

[juggalo69]

I have heard a few different ideas on the whole calcium thing, and I want to know what is the best method.

 

[thedreadedone]

i voted oak leaves but i also put cuttlebone into the tank

 

[Crunchie]

I use oak and cuttlefish as well, aren't oak leaves for chittin rather than calcium? :?

 

[Scorpendra]

my tank is a work in progress, but i think i'm going to mix dirt substrate and calcium carbonate sand.

 

[fantasticp]

aren't oak leaves for chittin rather than calcium? :?

That's what I thought. I don't use powder/cuttle bone, but I think spinach & broccoli are high in calcium and I use those for the millis that will eat them.

 

[thedreadedone]

the brocoli stems are better than the fluffy bits

 

[Snipes]

mine LOVE tomato slices coated in powder. Last night between the two of them they finished off like a quarter of a huge tomato.

 

[juggalo69]

I use oak and cuttlefish as well, aren't oak leaves for chittin rather than calcium? :?

What is chittin, and what is it for?

And for those that use cuttlebone, how do the pedes ingest it I thought they had problems eating hard foods.

And off topic but how many different kinds of fruits/vegis should I be giving my pedes.I've only had mine for about two weeks. In that ammount of time they've had pears(sliced),tomatoes(quartered),bananas(sliced),lettuce(iceburg). It didn't take to the pear or the tomato well, but the lettuce vanished and the bananas disappear after about a day and a half. Ive heard cucumbers and melons are also good but I haven't tried either one yet.

 

[fantasticp]

the brocoli stems are better than the fluffy bits

Of course they get the stems.....then I can have the fluffy bits!

 

[Crunchie]

What is chittin, and what is it for?

And for those that use cuttlebone, how do the pedes ingest it I thought they had problems eating hard foods.

And off topic but how many different kinds of fruits/vegis should I be giving my pedes.I've only had mine for about two weeks. In that ammount of time they've had pears(sliced),tomatoes(quartered),bananas(sliced),lettuce(iceburg). It didn't take to the pear or the tomato well, but the lettuce vanished and the bananas disappear after about a day and a half. Ive heard cucumbers and melons are also good but I haven't tried either one yet.

Chittin is what helps make up the millipedes exoskeleton and to give your millipedes cuttlebone just scrape it off so that it's powdery and sprinkle it over their food.

A good variety of fruit and veg is good, lettuse I don't think is the best food for them as it's nearly all water, could be used as a treat if they seem to really like it though. The rest of what you mentioned is fine.

I tend to feed mine on a mixture of...
melon (any type)
apple
mushroom
banana
tomato
cucumber (pedes LOVE cucumber)
salad leaves
romanian lettuse

 

[spydrhunter1]

Chitin:a nitrogenous polysaccharide formed primarily of units of N-acetyl glucosamine, occurring in the cuticle of arthropods. Ie. a complex sugar that forms the basis of the exoskeleton. Sorry it's the entomologist and geek coming out of me.

 

[juggalo69]

Ok so is that what the cuttlebone does too?

And, I'm glad I didn't listen to the idiot that told me blackboard chalk. :liar:

 

[NiGHTS]

I'm probably the only person with this ability, but I thought I would post anyway. The water where I live is so high in calcium that I don't need to provide any calcium supplements whatsoever. All I have to do is rinse off the food and spray the tank like normal. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be scraping the calcium buildup off of my faucet...