food choices

skar

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 19, 2010
Messages
434
I started a small communal of roaches, isopods, a few millipedes and some small beetles.
I've been using various food items and some tend to mold rather ... Quickly.
Greens haven't molded to bad if at all.
Do you have any preferences for such a habitat. ??
 

Forcep

Arachnosquire
Joined
Jan 13, 2014
Messages
58
For those critters I'll offer leaf litter and rotten wood as their major diet. And a colony of spring tails helps maintain a clean environment. Carrot is a good supplement which seldom get mold; and for food like dog pellets or fish food, I'll just give them very small amount each time.
 

skar

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 19, 2010
Messages
434
Thank you for the reply.
I've read that maple leaves are the preferred food for millipedes.
I guess I need to see if a nursery around here has any available. :/
I'm not breeding the millipedes so I wasn't really worried about obtaining any .
 

Aviara

Arachnoknight
Joined
Jun 26, 2012
Messages
261
I second the leaf litter and carrots! When I had isopod and millipede colonies, I always put down slices of carrots, and never saw them mold. In addition, they provide a great source of nutrition and hydration and they last quite a while, since carrots are designed to live in moist soil. You want to provide a wide range of foods, so carrots and leaf litter alone won't support your colony sufficiently. When I owned isopods, I fed crushed high quality dog food, fish pellets, fruit and vegetable scraps, greens, and even protein sources like bits of meat or prekilled crickets. Obviously the protein source won't be utilized by the millipedes, but the isopods will appreciate them and it may help prevent the isopods from preying on young and molting millipedes. Millipedes have somewhat specialized diets, but by offering a range of leaf litters and produce scraps they will be able to pick out the foods they need. I would also provide a calcium source - crushed cuttlebone or a reptile supplement - sprinkled on the leaf litter for them to consume as needed. To avoid mold, I always put their food in one corner and scooped out that corner after a few hours to prevent spoilage, and you could also use a very shallow bowl or even keep a corner of the substrate dry. It's a bit high maintenance, but I take proper nutrition very seriously, even for my invertebrates. They would have access to a much wider range of food choices in the wild than we can ever offer them in captivity, but I always try my best!
 

skar

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 19, 2010
Messages
434
Thank you for your response.
I will attempt to find leaf litter to use.
I do appreciate the insight.
 
Top