Denizens of the Forest Floor Part 1 - Natural History of Millipedes & Essential Care Guide
Natural History
Millipedes are fascinating creatures with a rich natural history. Belonging to the class Diplopoda, millipedes are one of the oldest land-dwelling creatures, with fossil records dating back over 400 million years. These remarkable arthropods can be found in nearly every terrestrial habitat worldwide and play crucial roles in ecosystem processes, such as decomposition and nutrient cycling.
The name "millipede" is derived from Latin, meaning "thousand feet," but in reality, they typically have between 40 and 400 legs, depending on the species. Their cylindrical bodies are comprised of numerous segments, each bearing two pairs of legs, except for a few anterior segments. As they grow, millipedes add segments and legs in pairs, a process called Ana morphosis.
Millipedes are mostly detritivores, they feed on decaying plant material, leaves, and other organic matter. Millipedes feeding habits contribute to the decomposition of organic material, playing a vital role in nutrient cycling and soil formation. Some species are known to feed on living plant material or fungi, and a few are predatory, preying on earthworms, insect larvae, and other small invertebrates.
One of the most prominent features of millipedes is their defensive mechanisms. Many species release toxic chemicals or secretions to deter predators, some of which can cause irritation or chemical burns to potential threats. This defense mechanism, often accompanied by warning coloration, serves as an effective deterrent against most predators. Some species can also produce noxious odors as a defensive strategy.
In terms of reproduction, millipedes display a wide variety of mating behaviors. Most species reproduce sexually, with some exhibiting elaborate courtship rituals. After mating, females lay eggs in soil or decaying vegetation, where they can develop into young millipedes. In many species, the young resemble miniature adults and go through a series of molts as they grow and develop.
Millipedes are also known for their intriguing diversity in terms of morphology and behavior. They come in a wide range of sizes, from a few millimeters to over 30 centimeters in length. Some display striking color patterns, while others have cryptic coloration to blend into their environment. Certain species exhibit interesting behaviors, such as rolling into a tight coil or "skeletonizing" to escape danger.
Their ecological significance extends beyond their role as decomposers. Millipedes serve as a food source for various predators, including birds, mammals, reptiles, and other invertebrates. Additionally, they contribute to soil health and structure through their burrowing activities, which enhances soil aeration and water infiltration.
It's important to note that millipedes, while generally harmless to humans, can become household pests if their populations grow too large or if environmental conditions drive them indoors. This is more common in damp or humid environments, where millipedes may seek shelter and inadvertently end up inside structures.
While millipedes have long been of interest to scientists and naturalists, there is still much to learn about these enigmatic creatures. Ongoing research aims to uncover the complexities of millipede ecology, behavior, and their roles in various ecosystems.
The natural history of millipedes is a testament to the remarkable diversity and adaptations found in the natural world. These ancient arthropods have carved out their niche in ecosystems around the globe, playing crucial roles in nutrient cycling, decomposition, and serving as both prey and predators. As our understanding of these fascinating creatures continues to evolve, we gain a deeper appreciation for the intricacies of the natural world.
Caring for millipedes requires a solid understanding of their natural habitat, behavior, and dietary needs. Millipedes are fascinating arthropods that play a crucial role in ecosystems, contributing to the decomposition of dead plant matter and nutrient cycling. Here's a comprehensive guide on the care and maintenance of millipedes in a vivarium setting to ensure their health and well-being.
Care and Maintenance
1. Enclosure: Use a spacious terrarium or glass tank to house millipedes, ensuring adequate ventilation while maintaining high humidity levels. The enclosure size should be suitable for the number of millipedes you intend to keep, allowing ample space for movement and burrowing.
2. Substrate: Provide a deep layer of moist substrate to mimic the forest floor. Vivarium Naturals – Bio Thrive Millipede Substrate comes highly recommended and is the substrate we use to house and/or breed our millipedes. Vivarium Naturals Brand also offers packaged Premium Rotten Hard Wood and Premium Dried & Aged Hardwood Leaf Litter. All is readily available on the TDF website. Bio Thrive Millipede Substrate maintains moisture without becoming waterlogged and provides adequate burrowing opportunities along with aged hardwood oak pulp integrated into the product. Always crush your leaves before placing them over your Bio Thrive Substrate. Then place the Vivarium Naturals - Premium Rotten Hardwood on top of the crushed leaves. Crushed leaves are eaten more often than the large pieces that always remain after the crushed leaves have been consumed. ALWAYS CRUSH YOUR LEAVES.
3. Humidity: Maintain high humidity levels within the habitat, ideally 80%. Regularly mist the enclosure, you can use a hygrometer to monitor humidity levels, but it’s not crucial. A slightly moist substrate, along with periodic misting, will help sustain the required humidity. Too much moisture is harmful. Every month or so carefully fluff up the substrate as it tends to compact.
4. Temperature: Keep the terrarium within the millipedes' preferred temperature range of 70-80F. Room temps are best. If you’re comfortable they are. Some rainforest species don’t want to dip below 75F.
Some species like it warmer, average temperatures from 80 to 87F, Jamaican Bumble Bees and Scarlett Millipedes are just a few common species in the trade that require more heat for optimal health.
Remember to ask your supplier if the millipede you’re considering is tropical, temperate, or desert. TDF is always available for questions, just a phone call away. 818-472-0149
Diet and Nutrition
1. Aged Hardwood Leaves: Millipedes are detritivores, primarily feeding on decaying plant matter, leaf litter, and rotten wood. Vivarium Naturals - Aged Harwood Leaves are available on our website in 4 qt bags. We carry multiple types of Aged Hardwood leaves for your millipedes. For optimal digestion it is best to use Dried Hardwood leaves that have been aged. Vivarium Naturals Brand of Hardwood Leaves are aged for 12 months in a type of semi composted state that promotes the perfect level of decomposition optimal for millipede nutrition and digestion.
2. Rotten Wood: Good quality rotten hardwood is important, never use pine. The rotten hardwood must be soft from decomposition but not so decomposed that all the cellulose is gone. Cellulose gives it a spongy texture and is very important to the millipede’s nutrition. Rotten wood that has lost all of its cellulose is brittle and darkened. Hardwood that is not white, such as walnut, or mahogany is just harder to ascertain if the nutritional cellulose is present, if its spongy its good. Vivarium Naturals - Premium Rotten Wood is exactly what they need and is available on the TDF website.
3. Millipede Substrate: TDF highly recommends Vivarium Naturals Bio-Thrive Millipede Substrate. We have been using this product for years producing some of the most exotic millipedes in the U.S.A. with great success.
The substrate should be moist, not wet, when you squeeze a handful as tight as you can, water should not expel from your hands.
A good way to see what I’m saying is to mix some Vivarium Naturals Bio-Thrive Millipede Substrate in a small container and make it muddy wet, then take some out and squeeze the mother lovin’ hell out of it until no more water expels from the clutches of your greedy little millipede loving hand. When you open your hand, there you are! That’s the way you want it. Im not saying to do this every time, but now you understand and can mix accordingly.
Fill your chosen container, tub, etc. with properly moistened Bio-Thrive Millipede Substrate at a depth that is as deep as your millipede’s average length. You can go 1.5 times the length but not more as it’s too much compounding weight for the given size of your millipede. You want them to be able to manage things down there without to much weight from the substrate looming above.
Using Fruits or Vegetables and Associated Moisture Problems
I have found that using Yellow Squash makes for an excellent low moisture fruit with no sugar and lots of beneficial nutrition for millipedes, I offer it every 7 to 10 days and remove it within 24 to 48 hours depending on how it looks, if it starts getting mushy or moldy remove it. Fruits or vegetables with high water content is something that I avoid altogether. The high water content in melon rinds, cucumber, etc. ends up transferring through defecation far too much moisture inside the substrate and will create issues. Too much moisture creates a situation within your substrate and causes suffocation of your millipedes. Here is a timeline breakdown of this process:
Within a Few Hours of too much moisture
Oxygen in the water-filled pores is rapidly consumed by aerobic microbes, creating the growth of anerobic microbes that thrive with no oxygen. In biologically active soils (rich in organic matter), oxygen can be nearly gone in 4–12 hours after becoming too wet and stagnant
1–2 Days
Oxygen is usually completely depleted. Perfectly healthy millipedes inside the substrate can suffocate if they can’t make it to the surface.
Facultative anaerobic bacteria take over, using nitrate (NO₃⁻) instead of oxygen.
Denitrification begins → nitrogen loss as N₂ or N₂O gas.
Denitrification is a microbial process carried out by certain bacteria that live in low-oxygen (anaerobic) environments, such as waterlogged soils.
These bacteria use nitrate (NO₃⁻) or nitrite (NO₂⁻) instead of oxygen when they “breathe.”
In the process, they convert nitrate/nitrite into gaseous forms of nitrogen: nitrous oxide (N₂O) and dinitrogen gas (N₂).
Denitrification is a microbial process carried out by certain bacteria that live in low-oxygen (anaerobic) environments, such as waterlogged soils.
These bacteria use nitrate (NO₃⁻) or nitrite (NO₂⁻) instead of oxygen when they “breathe.”
In the process, they convert nitrate/nitrite into gaseous forms of nitrogen: nitrous oxide (N₂O) and dinitrogen gas (N₂).
*Managing your substrates moisture level is the most important detail when keeping millipedes healthy and happy. High to even medium ventilation is not recommended for almost all species except Orthroporus species (Texas Giant Gold Millipedes and Arizona Giant Chocolate Millipedes) and other desert millipedes.
How to Properly Layer your Millipede Environment
Bottom Layer
Vivarium Naturals Bio-Thrive Millipede Substrate at the ground floor as deep as previously mentioned.
Middle Layer
Crushed aged hardwood leaves are best, dried will work, however aged hardwood leaves are the superfly mamba jamba dance all night gimmie sum of whatchoo got of millipede desire. Again, always crush your leaves. This crushed leaf layer helps to maintain an even & stable moisture level for the Bio-Thrive substrate. Never mix your leaves in the substrate, this will attract fungus gnats, maintain the layers.
Top Layer
This is the top layer for the rotten hardwood, just place the pieces anywhere you want, never bury the wood, once waterlogged they will not eat it, you’ll have to sun dry it and put it back in your enclosure. Always maintain separate layers.
Turning Over the Substrate When Needed
When it’s time to turn over the substrate you will notice the bottom is densely packed down from moisture and time. It’s important to turn over the substrate. If it’s too wet remove 50% and add fresh Bio-Thrive, this will mediate the moisture by being far dryer than the overly moist substrate.
First step, remove the leaf layer and rotten hardwood and transfer it into a separate bucket/tub, then gently excavate the Bio-Thrive Substrate being very careful of molting cells below if any are there. If you come across a molting cell gently place the curled up and VERY SOFT millipede in a small deli cup with some substrate then cover the curled up millipede with crushed leaves and set aside for now, they will remain curled up and won’t move if the millipede is in molt. Once you have removed enough substrate to where all millipedes are out and accounted for, start turning over the substrate. Mix it up thoroughly, do not pack down. Now place the millipede that was molting on the surface, cover with leaves so the molting process can play out. Never re-bury a molting millipede, this can cause death. Now replace the crushed leaves, spread them around nice and evenly, replace the rotten wood and reintroduce your Millipedes.
Maintenance
Cleaning: Regularly spot-clean the enclosure to remove uneaten fruits or veggies. Perform a full substrate replacement when you see about 25 to 30% of your substrate looking like perfectly little round balls as they have consumed that much of the substrate.
Moisture Management: Continuously monitor and regulate the moisture levels within the habitat to prevent the substrate from drying out or becoming excessively wet. This involves regular misting and adjusting the substrate as needed. You will get a feel for this in time.
Behavioral Observation: Spend time observing the millipedes' behavior to ensure they are active, feeding, and showing no signs of distress. Any abnormal behavior or signs of illness should be promptly addressed. I love watching them at night after I placed some yellow squash in the enclosure in the afternoon. They are very active at this time, and this is the best time to observe their behavior.
Vivarium Naturals - Bio-Thrive Substrate for Millipedes
Blended Sphagnopsida moss, Calcium (CaO) infused Hardwood oak pulp, tree fern fiber, and a hand-crafted Bio Active boost rich in important microbial populations, and minerals. Just add crushed Vivarium Naturals Aged Harwood Leaves to the surface, some rotten hardwood and your millipedes will thrive. ***100% Coco Coir Free***A close-up of a magazine cover AI-generated content may be incorrect.
Vivarium Naturals - Aged Hardwood Leaves
Specifically for Millipedes, Aged Hardwood Leaves, fungus, and insect free. Collected in the pristine Northern Idaho Mountains, free of any possible pesticides.
Vivarium Naturals - Premium Rotten Hardwood for Millipedes
Premium and important nutrition source for all millipedes, clean & soft. Ready to eat.
Vivarium Naturals - Nutra-Pede Millipede Nutriment Powder
This product was specifically formulated for Millipedes. Fortified with Chitin, Calcium, and other minerals.
The shell of millipedes is made of chitin, strengthened by minerals and proteins.
Exoskeleton composition: The millipede’s outer covering is built from chitin fibers embedded in a protein matrix.
Mineralization: In many millipedes, the exoskeleton is further hardened by calcium carbonate deposits, giving it a tougher, more rigid feel than the softer cuticles of some insects.
Function: Protects the millipede from physical damage and predators.
Reduces water loss, which is important since millipedes can desiccate easily.
Provides attachment points for muscles, since arthropods move by pulling their muscles against the inside of the exoskeleton.
