Well, I managed to *identify* the little guys I got at the BBQ (see this link: http://bugguide.net/node/view/59688 ), but can't find care information anywhere. Anyone know what kinds of temperatures they like and how wet they like to be? (And no dirty inuendo you guys!)
I dashed over to that Pet Jungle place the very next day and managed to get two more, so I have four of them.
I have them on a couple of inches of oak mould (sp?) with dried maple leaves sprinkled on top, and they seem pretty happy. They've been burrowing all through it, and like to sleep together. They are currently at my nominal house temperature of around 78 F, and damp but somewhat on the dry side. I mist them every night or every other night. I try to make sure it looks like there is some condensation at the deeper layers of the mould.
Should they be cooler? Should they be wetter or drier?
They are the cutest little critters!
-- Celeste
WBurke17
Can you find the area/region that these are found in? if so try to go that route and see what the climate is like arid/dry/forest/swamp and you should be able to figure it out....
ftorres
Hello Celeste,
I am glad you found the species and that you went over pet and jungle.
I hope Ken and Ray gave you a good service, otherwise they will hear from me.
Polidesmid likes it generaly cool, and humid.
The temps were I keep mine were low 70s, with a humidity of 70-80% with good ventilation.
Set up, can consist on 2-3 inches of potting soil (Organic) or a micture of rotten wood/leafmulch mix and some peat moss at about 60/40 ratio (I prefer this)
The most important part is to have a layer of rotten leaves or leafmulch (2-3 inches) since they love to wonder and munch onthe leaves as they would do it in the forest floor in S Carolina.
You can also add green moss and some pieces of bark or drifwood to give it more naturalistic view.
Good luck with them and I do hope they reproduce for you as I seen some babies in captivity.
In fact the guys at pet and jungle got some babies along with the adults, unfortunately they lost all the tinny babies.
Celeste if you are having trouble finding leafmulch and or rotten wood I can help.
regards
francisco
PS Polydesmids tend to have very short live span in captivity,so it is better to get smaller individuals as the ones I choose for the raffle.
thay can be sex the same as regular millipedes males are missing a pair of legs where the gonopods are found, so count donw about 4-6 segments depending on species.
Celeste
Thanks, Francisco!
Here's their setup:
(You can just barely see two of them in their little tunnels there). They probably have about 70% humidity in that enclosure, and good ventilation. So I'll just move them closer to the floor where they will be closer to 70 F.
I have lots of rotten maple wood I can give them -- should I try to get some other kind of wood like oak? Or will they be O.K. with the maple? I have some small oak trees, and could compost some small twigs/branches/leaves. But I don't have any oak logs. (Maybe I could go to a firewood store and ask for oak -- they might even *give* me rotten oak if they have any). I also have some fruit trees in the back yard, and can trim some branches and start composting those if those would be good.
Do you know if they need to be brumated or hibernated in the winter? I.e., should I put them in the garage (50-55 F) until later in the spring? (Sounds like maybe that would be a good idea... especially if I want them to breed). If no one else knows, I might try that for a few weeks at least. (But I don't want to accidentally kill them if they have food in their guts or something).
Warren: they're from South Carolina, where it's generally hot and steamy most of the year, dry in the summer, but can get down to freezing on rare occasions in the winter. But I can't find any info on the kind of local habitat they are found in (i.e., dry/forest/swamp/caves, etc.)
I'll try to sex them when I get a chance.
-- Celeste
ftorres
Hello Celeste,
Nice Set up! No need to add a water dish as they get their humidity from the condensation on their terrarium or by the daily spraying.
The seem to have a cold perid, that most likely is needed to have a natural life process.
If you are going to try and do that add a lot more substrade so they can regulate where they want to be (how deep)
Try only one pair if possible.
Maple should be fine as long as is rotten,as they love rotten leave mulch and some wood.
