Jamaican Bumble Bee Millipede, Anadenobolus monilicornis
Small, hardy, and very colorful millipede species.
Feeding: Millipedes will primarily feed on their substrate. That’s why we recommend Vivarium Naturals Bio-Thrive Millipede Substrate.
They love decomposing wood and Vivarium Naturals Premium Aged Hard Wood Leaves. This will make up the bulk of their diet, making it necessary to change out spent substrate (appears as little dirt balls) with fresh substrate on a regular basis. Vivarium Naturals Nutra-Pede Protein & Mineral Nutriment provides important extra protein they enjoy along with essential minerals for a long and healthy life.
Temperature: You'll be fine keeping your Bumble Bee millipedes at room temperature. For most species, 72F to 78F is ideal. Bumble Bees don't mind, and enjoy 80 to 85F. Supplemental heating in the form of a low wattage heat mat can be used if needed, but take care that it doesn't dry out your millipede's habitat too quickly.
Humidity: Humidity is a very important aspect to millipede keeping, as well. Millipedes will drink - some people provide them with a small water bowl, but misting, providing a moist substrate, and providing fresh food will keep them hydrated. Critter keepers and the like can dry out quickly, but do look a bit nicer than plastic shoe boxes. If you go with a cage with a lot of ventilation, you'll want to mist daily.
Size: Bumble Bee Millipedes are a smaller (about 2.5"-3" max) millipede. These millipedes will be about 1.5"-2" when shipped.
Age: Millipedes can live for several years in captivity.
Sexing: Millipedes are much easier to sex than you'd think. Count to the 7th body segment back from the head. If the legs look shorter/odd, you probably have a male on your hands! Males have external gonads (sex organs) instead of legs on their 7th segment.
Social Behavior: Millipedes do fine when housed in a group. They are not aggressive towards each other - just make sure to provide plenty of substrate, food, and hiding places.
Breeding: Millipedes are pretty easy to breed. Just leave a male and a female together, and chances are you'll eventually find baby millipedes crawling around in the substrate. Leave the offspring in with their parents - you don't need to be concerned about cannibalism.
Natural Range: Bumble Bee Millipedes (Anadenobolus monilicornis) have become naturalized in the southeastern US, after being introduced from South America by the tropical plant industry.
Bumble Bee Millipedes Frequently Asked Questions
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Are Bumble Bee Millipedes a good beginner species?
Bumble Bee Millipedes make fantastic beginner millipede hobby pets with how colorful, active, and hardy this species is. They are not rare, but popular in the pet trade due to their docile nature and striking coloration.
Another great aspect of keeping Bumble Bee Millipedes as a beginner is how easy they are to feed and care for – they eat nearly everything organic, the Vivarium Naturals Bio-Thrive Millipede Substrate will provide them with the perfect nutritional balance in a natural format that this species is used to consuming.
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Are Bumble Bee Millipedes poisonous and can they bite?
Unlike centipedes, millipedes are not poisonous and do not bite, but many species can create a defensive secretion that can irritate the skin or eyes if direct contact is made. Millipedes also do not tend to carry diseases that affect people, other animals, or the plants around them, making them a relatively safe choice for a beginner pet species.
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What does The Defiant Jungle's Millipede breeding room look like?
Get a video tour of our Millipede room on YouTube.
