Basic Millipede Care and Husbandry
Dr. Jenifer Nix, BVSc, MFAS, CertAqV
If you are looking for a fun, exciting, and easy-to-care for pet invertebrate, a millipede may just be the best pet for you. There are several species that are available in the hobby within the United States, with species from North America, Africa, and Thailand being particularly common. As with any exotic pet, if you decide to choose a millipede as your next many-legged companion, please research the region where your prospective pet will come from, as they may have specific humidity, temperature, and dietary requirements. This caresheet is meant to provide a rough guide to the novice hobbyist.
Description: Millipedes are heavily segmented arthropods from the subphylum Myriapoda and class Diplopoda, which indicates that they usually have 2 jointed legs per body segment (2). In spite of the term, “Thousand-legger,” most millipedes do not have many more than 100 legs (2). In general, millipedes are gentle, safe to handle, and generally non-toxic, although when threatened, they may release defensive secretions that contain cyanide and other compounds that could potentially cause a mild skin irritation if one is sensitive (3). Occasionally, if a millipede is hungry, it may try and take a nibble on the hand but this generally does not hurt. Whenever handling a millipede, great care must be taken to prevent it from falling onto a hard surface or from a large distance, as the animals can easily become injured, especially the larger species.
Dr. Jenifer Nix, BVSc, MFAS, CertAqV
If you are looking for a fun, exciting, and easy-to-care for pet invertebrate, a millipede may just be the best pet for you. There are several species that are available in the hobby within the United States, with species from North America, Africa, and Thailand being particularly common. As with any exotic pet, if you decide to choose a millipede as your next many-legged companion, please research the region where your prospective pet will come from, as they may have specific humidity, temperature, and dietary requirements. This caresheet is meant to provide a rough guide to the novice hobbyist.
Description: Millipedes are heavily segmented arthropods from the subphylum Myriapoda and class Diplopoda, which indicates that they usually have 2 jointed legs per body segment (2). In spite of the term, “Thousand-legger,” most millipedes do not have many more than 100 legs (2). In general, millipedes are gentle, safe to handle, and generally non-toxic, although when threatened, they may release defensive secretions that contain cyanide and other compounds that could potentially cause a mild skin irritation if one is sensitive (3). Occasionally, if a millipede is hungry, it may try and take a nibble on the hand but this generally does not hurt. Whenever handling a millipede, great care must be taken to prevent it from falling onto a hard surface or from a large distance, as the animals can easily become injured, especially the larger species.
Thyropygus sp., a species from Thailand. 2023 by JL Nix.
Housing: Housing for millipedes is species-specific and dependent on the size of your animals. For most high to medium humid-loving species, a large plastic tub is fine. You want a container that is at least a couple times as long as the longest millipede in your group and you want it to be deep enough so that the substrate is at least 1-2 times as deep as the length of your longest millipede, although bigger is always better. This will help to ensure that they have appropriate space to burrow for molting, and to prevent aggression. The lid should be fairly well ventilated. The author will cut a square or rectangle of material out of the lid of a container, approximately 50-70% of the surface area, and attach a piece of plastic screening to the top with duct tape. Other ideas for enclosures include appropriately sized glass or acrylic aquariums with fitted lids. For more species with higher humidity requirements, plastic wrap can be wrapped to cover half of the surface area of the lid.
Arid species, such as Orthoporus oronatus (Texas gold and Sonoran chocolate millipedes) require higher ventilation and an open screen lid is more appropriate to keep humidity on the low side. These species do better in an aquarium that is at least a 10 gallon rectangle with 8-10 inches of substrate.
Substrate: Substrate is the most important aspect of millipede husbandry. Substrate not only maintains an appropriate humidity for the animals, but it is also their main food source. Good quality substrate should consist of organic topsoil that is free of any pesticides or preservatives. This can be purchased from most garden centers. Ideally, the substrate should be sifted to remove any unwanted materials, such as glass, paper, hair, pieces of bone, or other garbage that is mixed in. The author will freeze the substrate overnight in an aluminum pan or container in order to kill off any unwanted pests. At least 50% of the volume of the substrate should be mixed with rotting wood and dried, rotting leaves. Good quality wood should be very soft, like a “pulled-pork” consistency, and should fall apart in the hands. These should also be pre-frozen and thawed at least overnight to get rid of unwanted visitors and then can be crumbled and manually mixed.
Organic flake soil is an excellent additive for substrate, as it contains much of the beneficial bacteria and nutrients that millipedes require for gut health. Organic flake soil can be purchased from millipede suppliers (the author uses and recommends the organic flake soil from US Invertebrates, LLC). This can be used as the sole substrate source or mixed into the organic topsoil mixture as described above.
For arid species, such as O. oronatus, substrate requirements are the same except the substrate should be pre-dried for at least 1 week before adding the millipedes to the set up. Approximately 25-30% of this substrate should be playsand to allow for burrowing.
***Important*** Avoid ANY and ALL substrates containing coconut choir. This material has NO nutritional value for millipedes and in the author’s experience, can and will cause fatal impactions. Even substrate that is marketed for millipedes may contain this product. Please read the labels of any millipede substrates and choose appropriately!
Temperatures and Humidity: Temperature and humidity requirements of millipedes are species and regionally dependent, depending on which country and climate your animals are from. For many North American species and Thai species (i.e. Florida ivories [Chicobolus spinigerus], pinkfoot [Narceus americanus], smokey oaks [Narceus gordanus], Thyropygus sp., and similar), room temperature substrate of 72-80°F is appropriate. Humidity for these species should be maintained between 70-80% (1). Misting of the terrarium for these species should ideally be done daily, dependent on the humidity levels. Avoid overmisting as this can lead to bacterial and fungal overgrowth. The author will feel the substrate levels to determine if additional moisture is needed deeper down. If this is required, the soil should be gently misted and manually mixed.
Desert species, such as O. oronatus, should be maintained at a lower humidity of 40-60%. The author will spray her O. oronatus enclosure once per week, just enough to wet the sides of the enclosure and surface substrate, and provide a shallow water dish with stones for drinking.
Feeding: Millipedes obtain the majority of their nutrition from their substrate, and this should be considered their main food source. To supplement the substrate, millipedes should be given a weekly protein source in a shallow dish. Proteins can include fish flakes or pellets, dog or cat food (kibbled or canned), reptile pellets (i.e. bearded dragon pellets), dead insects, or pinky mice. Fresh vegetables, such as cucumber, lettuce, carrots, and mushrooms, can be offered once every couple of weeks and should be considered treats. Fruit should only be given very sparingly for most species, as it is high in sugar content and can cause diarrhea.
Arid species, such as Orthoporus oronatus (Texas gold and Sonoran chocolate millipedes) require higher ventilation and an open screen lid is more appropriate to keep humidity on the low side. These species do better in an aquarium that is at least a 10 gallon rectangle with 8-10 inches of substrate.
Substrate: Substrate is the most important aspect of millipede husbandry. Substrate not only maintains an appropriate humidity for the animals, but it is also their main food source. Good quality substrate should consist of organic topsoil that is free of any pesticides or preservatives. This can be purchased from most garden centers. Ideally, the substrate should be sifted to remove any unwanted materials, such as glass, paper, hair, pieces of bone, or other garbage that is mixed in. The author will freeze the substrate overnight in an aluminum pan or container in order to kill off any unwanted pests. At least 50% of the volume of the substrate should be mixed with rotting wood and dried, rotting leaves. Good quality wood should be very soft, like a “pulled-pork” consistency, and should fall apart in the hands. These should also be pre-frozen and thawed at least overnight to get rid of unwanted visitors and then can be crumbled and manually mixed.
Organic flake soil is an excellent additive for substrate, as it contains much of the beneficial bacteria and nutrients that millipedes require for gut health. Organic flake soil can be purchased from millipede suppliers (the author uses and recommends the organic flake soil from US Invertebrates, LLC). This can be used as the sole substrate source or mixed into the organic topsoil mixture as described above.
For arid species, such as O. oronatus, substrate requirements are the same except the substrate should be pre-dried for at least 1 week before adding the millipedes to the set up. Approximately 25-30% of this substrate should be playsand to allow for burrowing.
***Important*** Avoid ANY and ALL substrates containing coconut choir. This material has NO nutritional value for millipedes and in the author’s experience, can and will cause fatal impactions. Even substrate that is marketed for millipedes may contain this product. Please read the labels of any millipede substrates and choose appropriately!
Temperatures and Humidity: Temperature and humidity requirements of millipedes are species and regionally dependent, depending on which country and climate your animals are from. For many North American species and Thai species (i.e. Florida ivories [Chicobolus spinigerus], pinkfoot [Narceus americanus], smokey oaks [Narceus gordanus], Thyropygus sp., and similar), room temperature substrate of 72-80°F is appropriate. Humidity for these species should be maintained between 70-80% (1). Misting of the terrarium for these species should ideally be done daily, dependent on the humidity levels. Avoid overmisting as this can lead to bacterial and fungal overgrowth. The author will feel the substrate levels to determine if additional moisture is needed deeper down. If this is required, the soil should be gently misted and manually mixed.
Desert species, such as O. oronatus, should be maintained at a lower humidity of 40-60%. The author will spray her O. oronatus enclosure once per week, just enough to wet the sides of the enclosure and surface substrate, and provide a shallow water dish with stones for drinking.
Feeding: Millipedes obtain the majority of their nutrition from their substrate, and this should be considered their main food source. To supplement the substrate, millipedes should be given a weekly protein source in a shallow dish. Proteins can include fish flakes or pellets, dog or cat food (kibbled or canned), reptile pellets (i.e. bearded dragon pellets), dead insects, or pinky mice. Fresh vegetables, such as cucumber, lettuce, carrots, and mushrooms, can be offered once every couple of weeks and should be considered treats. Fruit should only be given very sparingly for most species, as it is high in sugar content and can cause diarrhea.
![Bumble bee millipede (Anadenobolus monilicornis) [top] and Florida ivory millipede (Chicobolus spinigerus) [Bottom]. 2023 By JL Nix.](/uploads/8/3/6/8/8368644/millipede-2_orig.jpg)
Bumble bee millipede (Anadenobolus monilicornis) [top] and
Florida ivory millipede (Chicobolus spinigerus) [Bottom].
2023 By JL Nix.
Florida ivory millipede (Chicobolus spinigerus) [Bottom].
2023 By JL Nix.
Reliable Vendors for Millipedes: The following are good places to find millipedes. Some are located in the Chicago area and some are located more distantly. When looking for a good vendor, search for someone who either breeds their animals themselves or has a good reputation. There are a number of hobbyist groups on Facebook that can provide sound knowledge and advice.
US Invertebrates, LLC: https://usinvertebratellc.com
Defiant Forest: https://thedefiantforest.com
References:
US Invertebrates, LLC: https://usinvertebratellc.com
Defiant Forest: https://thedefiantforest.com
References:
- American Giant Millipedes [Website]. 2023. Accessed 29 November, 2023. Josh’s Frogs. https://joshsfrogs.com/care-sheet/american-giant-millipede-narceus-americanus-care-guide
- Chitty, JR. 2006. Myriapods (Centipedes and Millipedes). In: Lewbart, GA (Ed.). Invertebrate Medicine, 1st Ed. Aimes, IA: Blackwell Publishing. Pp 195-205.
- Shear, WA. 2015. The chemical defenses of millipedes (diplopoda): Biochemistry, physiology, and ecology. Biochemical Systematics and Ecology. 61: 78-117.
