Sonoran Desert Millipede!

[Pipp]

I tried to order 3, but only 2 were in stock. They finally came in today! I think they're both female, I wanted a male and a female. They're super active though, but it might just be because they were stuck in a box for days and they finally have freedom XD
Anyways, here's some pictures of one of them being cute.

Orthoporus ornatus

• Pipp
• Jan 21, 2016
• ornatus orthoporus

Orthoporus ornatus

• Pipp
• Jan 21, 2016
• 6
• ornatus orthoporus

Orthoporus ornatus

• Pipp
• Jan 21, 2016
• ornatus orthoporus

 

[Cavedweller]

Yep, those are both females It might just be the photos, but it looks a little moist in the tank. The main issue people have with desert millipedes is that they need more ventilation than most (but once you get that covered they're easy). What's the enclosure like?

 

[Pipp]

Oh, I just do a daily spray, and I had just done it before the picture. It's a well ventilated critter keeper type cage. I'm going to eventually set them up in a 10 gallon aquarium tank, but I need to get a lid for it first.

 

[Cavedweller]

KKs have a bit much ventilation for millipedes, I'd put a sheet of plastic wrap over part of the lid. You'll be able to go 2-3 days without misting that way. How deep is the substrate?

 

[Pipp]

I'll put some plastic on top then
The substrate is a few inches deep. I know I need more. Would I be able to just mix in some garden dirt with the substrate to fill it up? I can only get the substrate by ordering it, and I'm out of money.

 

[Cavedweller]

They won't get any nutrients from garden dirt, they need to have rotten leaves and wood in their diet. You can mix wood chips for barbecue or aspen shaving pet bedding into the substrate, it will rot overtime. There's no fallen leaves around where you live?

 

[Pipp]

There's a lot of leaves, but none from trees. Mostly shrubs and huge flowering plants. Are any plants safe for them? I have a ton of leaves from trumpet vines. I'm kind of in the desert, so there's not a whole lot around here.

 

[Cavedweller]

Well these are a desert species, so I'd imagine desert plants are fine for them? I think the main thing to watch out for is aromatic plants with toxic resin like cedar or pine.

 

[Smokehound714]

eriogonum bark and flowers are probably one of their favorite foods. Eriogonum (buckwheats), are very important plants in desert habitats in north america. Ephedra is a known foodplant of orthoporus ornatus.

Atopetholidae, another desert family of millipede, are known to be found amongst eriogonum.