Can you house these two species together?

Cargorabbit · Mar 20, 2014

So a friend gave me about five Narceus americanus back in January, they're all wc.

Well I recently bought a cheap Anadenobolus monilicornis at NARBC back in February.
He's been in a separate tub all by himself and was wondering if it'd be okay to bring him into my other tub or if it'd be better just to keep him seperated. (':
I'm pretty new to myriapods so I don't know if this is a totally stupid question to ask haha.

Cavedweller · Mar 20, 2014

I haven't kept either species, but I don't think it should be a problem at all. I've kept a mixed species millipede tank for over a year and everyone's doing great. The only thing I'd worry about would be parasite/disease introduction, but after a month or so of quarantine it's probably not a big issue.

Welcome to myriapod ownership!

Edit: I see from your profile you're a Game Art major, I used to be one too (switched over to 2D animation though). We gotta talk art sometime!

Cargorabbit · Mar 21, 2014

Yeah that was the main thing I was worried about, I didn't want anything to pass over to one or the other.

(And definitely! Always love chatting with other art majors. B) )

Cavedweller · Mar 21, 2014

If you're super worried about the spread of disease, I'd just quarantine them another couple months before introduction (sick millipedes can take a long time to die). If everyone's in good shape after that then go ahead.

Do you know how to sex your millipedes yet? With 5 Narceus you'll probably get offspring.

Tongue Flicker · Mar 21, 2014

well/cross ventilation is required as well, as some species of millipedes are known to die from the hydrogen cyanide release of other species from different continents. this will prevent intoxication from a stuffed enclosure

Cavedweller · Mar 21, 2014

Very good point, thank you Tongue Flicker! I hadn't even thought of that.

Smokehound714 · Mar 22, 2014

Both those species will be fine together. They're actually often found together under the same stone or log where sandy scrubland transitions into oak woodland with humus-dominant substrate.

Cargorabbit · Mar 29, 2014

Cavedweller said:
If you're super worried about the spread of disease, I'd just quarantine them another couple months before introduction (sick millipedes can take a long time to die). If everyone's in good shape after that then go ahead.

Do you know how to sex your millipedes yet? With 5 Narceus you'll probably get offspring.

I do not know how to sex them! I'd love to be enlightened on that haha.

shebeen · Mar 29, 2014

In males, the legs on the 7th segment behind the head have been modified into sex organs called gonopods so the legs appear to be missing. Females have a full set of legs on their 7th segment.

Cavedweller · Mar 30, 2014

Additionally, in some species, including Narceus americanus (but not Narceus gordanus I think), the male's 7th segment is enlarged, as visible on the cover of this book http://www.amazon.com/Millipeds-Captivity-Diplopodan-Husbandry-Reproductive/dp/1616461438

MrCrackerpants · Mar 30, 2014

Tongue Flicker said:
well/cross ventilation is required as well, as some species of millipedes are known to die from the hydrogen cyanide release of other species from different continents. this will prevent intoxication from a stuffed enclosure

I heard talk about "cross ventilation" with millipede enclosures. Can you be more specific? How do you produce "cross ventilation" with millipede enclosures? Are you drilling holes on the sides of the enclosure? If so, how big, how many and where at? Do you have a picture? When you mention "intoxication from a stuffed enclosure" could you be more specific? Are you referring to anoxia?

This site (http://www.bugzuk.com/insects/millipedes/anadenobolus-monilicornis) likes to talk about "cross ventilation" a lot but I do not remember Orin suggesting this in his book. It is one of the few sites that seems to suggest it but I could be wrong. Most millipede species have the ability to thrive in low ventilation, low oxygen, high fungi environments.

I'm just trying to understand. Thanks!!

Can you house these two species together?

Cargorabbit

Arachnopeon

Cavedweller

Arachnoprince

Cargorabbit

Arachnopeon

Cavedweller

Arachnoprince

Tongue Flicker

Arachnobaron

Cavedweller

Arachnoprince

Smokehound714

Arachnoking

Cargorabbit

Arachnopeon

shebeen

Arachnobaron

Cavedweller

Arachnoprince

MrCrackerpants

Arachnoprince