I used leaves and wood that I gathered in my city. I gathered the wood from a smallish patch of woods close to the highway leading away from city and the oak leaves from my mother in laws house (she said, she doesn't spray). I made sure I used the rule of thumb and checked to see if other insects, such as pill bugs were inside. My question is: What is the likelihood of this being poisonous for them, since they spray for mosquitoes and such within the city limits? I only ask because I worry... I haven't seen them for well over a month now, and the only one I do see, seems very lackluster(doesn't move much)
Gathering wood and leaves in city limits.
- Thread starter mukmewx
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I've been gathering from within city limits for a year and a half and had no problems whatsoever. If you wanna play it really safe you can add the fresh batch of leaves to only one enclosure and use those millipedes as guinea pigs before giving it to the rest of them.
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Pesticides that target mosquitoes are non latent with the exception of the chemicals used to treat standing water. IE, the stuff disperses into the environment and rapidly degrades, usually within 24 hours.
The other common hazard along highways are herbicides, usually glyphosate. That crap can hang around in the environment for a few weeks and is known to be toxic to animals and fish. So avoid roadside verges that are sprayed to control weeds.
The other common hazard along highways are herbicides, usually glyphosate. That crap can hang around in the environment for a few weeks and is known to be toxic to animals and fish. So avoid roadside verges that are sprayed to control weeds.
Thanks so much! This is the info, I needed! Good to know! The roadside I collect the wood from is on a dead end that no one really drives down and has tall grass, even saw a snake run away. But unfortunately the millipede on the surface has died. Don't know what happened, wonder if the others that have been hiding are okay, they are all adults. Orthoporus ornatus don't typically do well in cap?
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Aw that sucks! Are you positive its dead and not molting aboveground (smell is a good indicator if its dead or not)? One of my ornatus did that once. In my experience they do fine in captivity, except that they don't breed.
Yeah, dead alright, smelled horrible, ill save you the other details, but I did bury him. I just wonder why they have all been underground for so long. As soon as I redid the substrate, the first thing they did was bury themselves, never to be seen again.
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Awww, my condolences. The others might be molting? If they are, you won't see them for quite a while.
I don't know, I hope they are, but should it really take this long? I mean Ive had them for quite some time, and about 99% of the time has been spent underground. They were only on the surface because I uncovered them when I redid the substrate, then an hour later went back underground. When I uncovered them the first time they were all deep (6+ in) underground curled into a coil. I did notice "something" about the size of a BB, but non-uniform in shape, very hard and a pale brown color in the layer they were in, not sure if it was something they produced or not, but it should have just been coconut coir at that layer.
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How long are we talking? I've had millipedes vanish for a month or more before reemerging.
They might have been preparing to molt, uncovering a molting millipede is risky, if they're reburied they may not have the strength to make a new molting chamber.
I've got no idea what that thing you found is, a photo might help if you still have it.
They might have been preparing to molt, uncovering a molting millipede is risky, if they're reburied they may not have the strength to make a new molting chamber.
I've got no idea what that thing you found is, a photo might help if you still have it.
A little over 2 months Ive had them now, over a month since I uncovered them. The millipedes didn't look any different when I uncovered them, and I haven't gone looking for them since, because of the whole molting issue. I can see the holes they made when digging. I don't have a photo of the thing, just thought Id ask, just in case, it was probably nothing. I surly hope I didn't disturb them, I felt like I needed to get the pine out and hardwood in, didn't think about the dangers.( I actually thought they might of escaped) It seems I learn the lessons the hard way, no matter how much I try and prepare. Good side is, the mistakes won't happen again. I guess I'll just continue to wait, and hope for the best.
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That's good to hear, does he look any bigger?
I've never tried feeding mine squash, you'll have to tell me how they like it.
I've never tried feeding mine squash, you'll have to tell me how they like it.
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Oh wow, I'm gonna have to try givin em that! Too bad I don't really like it myself.
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I see ornatus in w tx on the roads early in the morning when I've been out there, it's a desert millipede as you prob know. They probably hide out at the base of cacti, yucca and other shrubby type of plants out there during the day. I guess cucumber, squash and other gourd-like plants are good food, not much sugar, kind of plain like stuff that would be found in the desert. It's amazing they survive, like with the other animals out there. I'm guessing, they prob eat decaying cacti, cactus pair and fleshy stuff around seeds in the desert. I've also seen them eating road-kill inverts like grasshoppers, Sphinx moths, etc. I'd try keeping those in a way close to keeping desert roaches, throwing in a spineless cactus pad now and then, plenty of those around here anyway. You can get those at the grocery store sometimes. You could plant it and just use the new growth if you're worried about pesticides.
So, more good news! Another pede decided to show itself a couple of days ago! They have both been gorging themselves for hours and hours at a time! Eating squash and watermelon. Here is a picture I took when they both stopped eating and decided to lay atop of the log.
