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They eat damp or decaying wood particles. They also eat decaying leaves and other plant material. If their habitat starts to dry out, millipedes will attack living plants. They can get moisture from the green leaves and soft roots.
Do millipedes drink water?
Millipedes will drink from standing water – some people provide them with a small water bowl. But misting, providing a moist substrate, and providing fresh food will keep them hydrated. You’ll be fine keeping your millipedes at room temperature.
What do millipedes eat as a pet?
Millipedes like to eat vegetables and fruits such as romaine lettuce, squash, carrots, apples, cucumber, melon slices and bananas that are sliced or peeled to accommodate their weak mouthparts.
Are millipedes good pets?
If you’ve never cared for an arthropod pet before, a millipede is a good first choice. They’re fairly low maintenance pets and can be handled even by young children, with supervision, of course. Many pet stores sell African giant millipedes, which grow to 10 inches or more in length.
Do millipedes eat vegetables?
Being vegetarians, millipedes eat plant matter Some feed on decomposing vegetation and fallen fruit while others will occasionally damage seedling plants by consuming stems and leaves. They eat all kinds of potatoes, flower bulbs, and tubers. They live in the garden in areas of moist mulch, compost, and lawn thatch.
How do I feed my millipedes calcium?
These can be given by adding a few flakes of fish food or rabbit pellets each week. Calcium is very important in the diet and this should be given in the form of cuttlefish, which is usually given to aviary birds. Water should not be necessary unless you are keeping the cage fairly dry.
Are millipedes easy pets?
Millipedes may look a bit like insects, but in fact, they’re arthropods—relatives of crabs and shrimp. In general, giant millipedes are easy pets to care for, and they always get a great reaction from visitors.
Can millipedes swim?
Millipedes can only swim for a short period of time. They breathe oxygen through spiracles located at the base of their legs, so if they remain submerged in the water for more than a few minutes, they are unable to access oxygen, and they will drown.
How long do millipedes live for?
Unlike other arthropods with relatively short lives, millipedes can live between 7 and 10 years. Most male millipede species do not have legs on the 7th segment to give space for the gonopods or sex organs.
Do millipedes need water bowl?
Although millipedes will gain much of the moisture that they need from their food, they will still drink from a water bowl. This should be shallow so that there is no danger of drowning and should be kept fresh at all times.
How can you tell if a millipede is male or female?
In some millipede species, the gonopods are visible, while in others they are hidden. In either case, you should be able to identify a millipede as male by examining the underside of the 7th segment. For species in which the male gonopods are visible, you will see two small stumps in place of a pair of legs.
Can millipedes eat strawberries?
Most crops are safe in summer, but there are still enough millipedes around to damage susceptible plants like strawberries, especially after rain or in heavily irrigated crops where soil and mulch stay permanently moist.
What is a good name for a millipede?
Other vernacular names include “thousand-legger” or simply “diplopod”. The science of millipede biology and taxonomy is called diplopodology: the study of diplopods.
Do millipedes make noise?
An obvious clue to Sphaerotherium sounds – which technically are not singing, since millipedes don’t have voices, but rather stridulations generated by rubbing body parts together – is that only males make them, implying some reproduction-related function.
Can millipedes live alone?
They can live alone, but they also can live with others. They will be fine either way. Do two males get along in the same cage? Yes, millipedes can live together if there’s enough room with no problem regardless of sex.
Do millipedes eat crickets?
In their natural habitat, most millipedes are scavengers. They eat damp or decaying wood particles. Sometimes millipedes also feed on small insects, earthworms, and snails.
Can millipedes eat potato?
Millipedes, especially the spotted snake millipede, are sometimes found feeding inside bulbs, potato tubers and on other root vegetables.
Are millipedes good for soil?
In fact, they can be beneficial in your compost pile as they help to break down the contents. They can cause damage to your garden by destroying seedlings or feeding on vegetables; however, there is no need to eliminate them unless they are causing damage to your plants.
Can millipedes bite?
Unlike centipedes, millipedes do not bite or sting. The toxin that millipedes release keeps away most predators. Some large millipede species can spray these toxins as far as 32 inches (80 cm). Contact with these secretions may cause allergic reactions in some people.
Do millipedes eat mold?
They need food, and mold is one source of nutrition. Many bugs feed on mold and decomposing matter. Cockroaches, camel crickets, slugs, and millipedes are attracted to mold, too, though not because they feed on it. They’re attracted to the organic matter that mold helps break down and decompose.
Is calcium good for millipedes?
It is important to remember that pet Millipedes have a positive requirement for calcium in their diet (they use it to build their skeletons) and you will need to supply them with some. You can buy calcium supplements from most pet shops these days.
