Millipede Care Mistakes
10 Common Problems That Cause Millipede Death (And How to Avoid Them)
Millipedes are not fragile — but they are specialized.
When millipedes decline in captivity, it is rarely random. It is almost always environmental.
Understanding the most common millipede care mistakes can prevent substrate collapse, suffocation, compaction, and premature death.
If you replicate forest floor conditions properly, millipedes thrive for years.
If you alter those conditions too aggressively, problems compound quickly.
1. Using the Wrong Substrate
This is the number one cause of failure.
Millipedes do not live on soil.
They live in decomposing hardwood ecosystems.
A proper millipede substrate must contain:
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White-rot fungal breakdown
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Organic structure
Pure coco fiber, topsoil, or reptile dirt mixes are not adequate long term.
Millipedes feed directly from their substrate.
If the substrate lacks nutritional value, they slowly starve.
For full substrate composition guidance, read our complete millipede natural history guide.
2. Substrate Too Wet (Anaerobic Collapse)
Excess moisture is extremely dangerous.
When substrate becomes oversaturated:
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Oxygen levels drop
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Anaerobic bacteria multiply
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Compaction increases
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Toxic byproducts develop
Millipedes breathe through spiracles along their body segments.
If oxygen exchange in the substrate fails, suffocation can occur.
Signs of overly wet substrate:
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Sour smell
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Compacted lower layers
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Surface mold outbreaks
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Lethargic millipedes
Substrate should feel lightly moist — never muddy.
Moisture gradients are better than uniform saturation.
3. Using High-Water Fruits & Vegetables
Watery foods like:
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Cucumber
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Melon rind
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Iceberg lettuce
Introduce excess moisture through digestion and waste.
This accelerates substrate breakdown and compaction.
Low-moisture foods like squash or root vegetables are safer.
Remove all supplemental food within 24–48 hours.
4. Not Enough Substrate Depth
Millipedes burrow to regulate:
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Moisture
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Temperature
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Stress levels
Shallow substrate prevents proper behavior.
Minimum depth recommendation:
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3–5 inches for most common species
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Deeper for large tropical millipedes
Depth creates stability.
5. Overhandling
Millipedes are display animals.
Frequent handling causes:
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Stress
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Defensive curling
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Excess secretion release
While generally harmless, excessive stress weakens long-term resilience.
Observe more than you handle.
6. Poor Ventilation
Too little airflow creates stagnant conditions.
Too much airflow dries substrate too quickly.
Balance is critical.
Cross ventilation works best.
You want oxygen exchange without desiccation.
7. Removing All Microbial Activity
Some keepers panic when they see:
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Springtails
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Micro-fungi
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Small decomposers
But these organisms are part of a healthy substrate system.
Millipedes evolved in biologically active soil.
Sterile environments are unnatural.
Microbial balance prevents harmful fungal blooms.
8. Sudden Environmental Changes
Millipedes are sensitive to:
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Rapid drying
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Rapid rehydration
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Temperature spikes
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Full substrate replacement
If substrate must be replaced, do it gradually.
Maintain some original material to preserve microbial continuity.
9. Using Softwood Instead of Hardwood
Softwoods (pine, cedar, aromatic woods) contain resins and oils that can be harmful.
Only decomposed hardwood should be used.
Forest ecosystems millipedes evolved within are hardwood dominant.
Always verify wood source.
10. Misinterpreting Dormancy as Death
Millipedes sometimes:
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Stay buried for weeks
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Remain inactive
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Reduce surface activity seasonally
This is not always a problem.
Before assuming death:
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Check moisture balance
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Smell substrate
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Look for compaction
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Gently inspect for movement
Disturb only if necessary.
Signs a Millipede Is Healthy
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Smooth movement
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Full-bodied appearance
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Regular burrowing
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Strong grip when walking
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Clean exoskeleton
Healthy millipedes are active within substrate, even if not always visible.
Signs of Environmental Stress
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Staying at surface constantly
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Lethargy
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Frequent curling without disturbance
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Dry or shriveled segments
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Excess secretion
Stress almost always points back to substrate or moisture imbalance.
The Forest Floor Model
Millipedes are not dirt animals.
They are decomposer specialists in ancient hardwood ecosystems.
Their enclosure should replicate:
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Decomposing leaf litter
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Fungal breakdown cycles
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Stable humidity gradients
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Oxygen-rich substrate
When you build the enclosure correctly, feeding becomes supplemental — not primary.
Substrate is their ecosystem.
Final Thoughts: Stability Over Intervention
Most millipede problems are caused by overcorrection.
Too much water.
Too much food.
Too much disturbance.
Too much sterilization.
The key to long-term millipede success is stability.
Replicate the forest.
Maintain balance.
Intervene minimally.
If you're building or upgrading an enclosure, explore our properly formulated millipede substrate and browse available Millipedes for Sale to build a stable, biologically accurate setup from the start.
Respect the ecosystem, and the millipedes will thrive.
