Decor
- Cork bark or logs to hide under
- Plastic plants for visual interest
- Small shallow water dish
- Heat mat along the back or side on a mat-stat
- Nocturnal — tend to hide during the day
Miscellaneous · Care guide
Millipede Care Guide
Archispirostreptus gigas
The Giant African Train Millipede is the best-known pet species among roughly 12,000 described millipedes worldwide — nocturnal burrowers that thrive with deep humid substrate, a mild heat mat, and a simple detritivore diet.
At a glance
Quick facts
Key parameters for day-to-day husbandry. Full detail is in the sections below.
-
Warm end
78–80 °F
26–27 °C · warmer spp.
-
Night drop
~68 °F
20 °C · warmer spp.
-
Spray
1 zone / day
Damp + dry pockets
-
Diet
Detritivore
Jelly · salad · leaf litter
01 · Housing
Enclosure & housing
Burrowing setup with floor space over height, deep humidity-retentive substrate, cork or log hides, a small shallow water dish, and a heat mat on the back or side.
Adult long-term size
18″ W × 18″ D × 12″ H
Ideal for a pair of giant train millipedes. Burrowers need more ground area than height (a few arboreal species are exceptions). Glass, plastic or acrylic options work.
Substrate
- Humidity-retentive orchid bark, coir or coconut bark
- Relatively deep so they can dig
- Spray one cork-area pocket daily — leave the rest drier
Cleaning
- Daily: spot clean to keep the environment fresh and limit bacteria
- Every 4–6 weeks: full clean if kept relatively clean — replace substrate, disinfect decor and enclosure
- During moult: if hiding a lot, postpone a full clean until moulting is finished
Housing diagram
Enclosure example
Front view 18″ × 12″ (depth 18″) · heat mat on back/side · deep humid dig · cork hides · plastic plants · small shallow dish
- Adult long-term — 18″ × 18″ × 12″ for a pair of giant train millipedes (ground area over height)
- Heat mat — along the back or side on a mat-stat
- Hides — cork bark or logs to hide under
- Substrate — orchid bark, coir or coconut bark · relatively deep dig
- Small shallow dish — treated or bottled water only
- Materials — glass, plastic or acrylic options available
Setup diagram
Heat mat & thermostat
Mat on back or side · mat-stat · warmer spp. ~78–80 °F day · cooler spp. ~75 °F day
- Mat — along the back or side of the enclosure
- Control — mat-stat thermostat required
- Warmer spp. — about 78–80 °F (26–27 °C) day · 68 °F (20 °C) night
- Cooler spp. — about 75 °F (24 °C) day · 65 °F (18 °C) night
02 · Climate
Temperature, humidity & water
Mild heat-mat control with a night drop, a damp pocket beside cork, a drier zone elsewhere, and a small shallow dish of treated water — heat mat only (no UV required).
Daytime warm end & night drop
When the heat bulb and thermostat sensor are placed as instructed, a probe target of 78–80 °F (26–27 °C) warmer spp. warm end creates this spread. The probe point is not the basking spot.
| Zone | Temperature |
|---|---|
| Cooler side | Away from mat (Gradient) |
| Warm end (mat) (thermostat probe target) | 78–80 °F (26–27 °C) |
| Night drop | Reduce thermostat by ~68 °F (20 °C) warmer spp. · ~65 °F (18 °C) cooler spp. |
Heat
- Supplementary heat unless home is very warm
- Heat mat on back or side + mat-stat
- Warmer spp. ~78–80 °F day · ~68 °F night
- Cooler spp. ~75 °F day · ~65 °F night
- Confirm species requirements at purchase
Humidity
- Spray one cork-area zone each day
- Keep part of the enclosure damp and part dry
- Species may need a different pattern — ask if unsure
- No UV required — heat mat only
Climate diagram
Damp zone, dry zone & water
Spray one area around cork daily · damp + dry pockets · shallow dish · treated water
- Daily spray — one area around cork bark so part stays damp and part stays dry
- Small shallow dish — always present
- Substrate — humidity-retentive orchid bark, coir or coconut bark for digging
- No UV — heat mat only
Water safety
- Small shallow water dish always available
- Drink from the dish or from water droplets after spraying
- All water (spray and dish) treated with a dechlorinator such as Reptisafe, or bottled water — never tap water
03 · Nutrition
Diet & feeding
Broad detritivore diet — jelly pots, salad, moss, leaf litter and decaying wood — plus cuttlebone for calcium.
At a glance
Feeding cheat sheet
- Food
- Jelly pots · salad · moss · leaf litter · decaying wood & plant material
- Variety
- Essentially almost anything soft plant / detritus-based
- Calcium
- Small pieces of calcium or cuttlebone in the enclosure
- Drinking
- Water dish or droplets · treated / bottled water only
Typical offerings
Detritivore variety
- Jelly pots
- Bits of salad
- Moss and leaf litter
- Decaying wood and plant material
Calcium & water
Daily welfare
- Cuttlebone or calcium pieces in the setup
- Shallow dish always available
- Droplets after spraying also used
- Reptisafe or bottled water — never tap
04 · Behaviour
Handling & behaviour
Generally tolerant of handling, but they can release a defensive secretion when alarmed.
- Handling
Usually calm
Millipedes generally do not mind being handled. Support the body calmly and avoid sudden movements.
- Defence
Toxic secretion
When alarmed they can emit a toxic substance from the body. Be aware of this and wash hands after contact.
- Hygiene
Wash hands
Always wash or disinfect hands before and after handling.
- Warning
No aerosols
No aerosols or plug-in air fresheners near the enclosure — the chemicals can be harmful.
05 · Welfare
Health & welfare
Correct mild heat, diggable humid substrate, damp and dry zones, safe water, and patient moult care keep millipedes thriving.
Best prevention: good husbandry
Heat-mat control on a mat-stat, daily spray of one cork-area pocket, deep orchid bark or coir for digging, cork or log hides, treated water in a small shallow dish, varied detritivore food with cuttlebone, and daily spot cleaning keep millipedes healthy.
Questions
FAQ
What size enclosure does a millipede need?
For a pair of giant train millipedes, an enclosure around 18″ wide × 18″ deep × 12″ tall is ideal for long-term care. They are burrowers, so ground area matters more than height (a few arboreal species are exceptions). Glass, plastic or acrylic enclosures in various sizes work. Provide humidity-retentive orchid bark, coir or coconut bark with depth for digging, cork bark or logs to hide under, plastic plants if you like, a small shallow water dish, and a heat mat on the back or side on a mat-stat.
How do I heat a millipede setup?
They need supplementary heating unless your home is already very warm. Place a heat mat along the back or side of the enclosure on a mat-stat. Warmer species: about 78–80 °F (26–27 °C) by day, dropping to about 68 °F (20 °C) at night. Cooler species: about 75 °F (24 °C) by day, dropping to about 65 °F (18 °C) at night. Each species has different requirements — confirm the correct range when you purchase.
How should I manage humidity for millipedes?
Spray one area around the cork bark each day so part of the enclosure stays damp and the other part stays dry. Species can differ, so ask if you need clarification. Use humidity-retentive orchid bark, coir or coconut bark. Provide a small shallow dish of treated water (e.g. Reptisafe) or bottled water — never tap water. Millipedes also drink water droplets.
What do millipedes eat?
They eat a wide range of foods: jelly pots, bits of salad, moss, leaf litter, and decaying wood and plant material — essentially almost anything. Offer small pieces of calcium or cuttlebone in the enclosure for calcium. Hydration comes from the water dish or droplets; always use treated or bottled water.
Can I handle a millipede?
They generally do not mind being handled. However, they can emit a toxic substance from their body when alarmed, so be aware of this and wash your hands before and after. Always wash or disinfect hands before and after handling. No aerosols or plug-in air fresheners near the enclosure.
What if my millipede hides a lot before a clean?
If it has been hiding away a lot, it may be coming into a moult. Do not disturb it. If a full clean was due, wait until you are sure it has finished moulting before replacing substrate and disinfecting decor.
Next steps
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