RecoveryInvertebrates
Ivory millipede care guide
Chicobolus spinigerus
The substrate is both home and diet: composting hardwood leaf litter and rotten wood over deep soil. Get the substrate right and the rest of the care is water and patience.
Fossorial — deep substrate for burrowing
Ivory millipede enclosure size
Fossorial — deep substrate for burrowing. An adult ivory millipede should live in at least 8" L × 8" W × 10" H; we build toward 8" L × 8" W × 12" H (0.7 × 0.7 × 1 ft, roughly 0.4 sq ft of floor and about a 3-gallon glass equivalent).
- Spiderling / sling
- 8" L × 6" W × 8" H recommended · min 6" L × 4" W × 6" H
- Juvenile
- 12" L × 8" W × 10" H recommended · min 10" L × 8" W × 8" H
- Adult
- 8" L × 8" W × 12" H recommended · min 8" L × 8" W × 10" H
Temperature and heating
Heat the room, not the enclosure. If the room drops below 68 °F use a thermostatted space heater or a heat mat on the outside of a side wall (never under the substrate) — heat mats under a burrow cook the animal.
- Basking / warm surface
- None — no basking site, no heat lamp
- Warm side (ambient)
- 72–80 °F ambient room temperature
- Cool side (ambient)
- 70–75 °F ambient room temperature
- Night
- Room temperature; a 5–8 °F night drop is fine
Lighting and UVB
UVB: None — invertebrates need no UVB and bright light stresses them. Run lights on a Ambient room light on a normal day/night cycle; keep the enclosure out of direct sun photoperiod, on a timer, and replace UVB bulbs on the manufacturer's schedule even while they still emit visible light.
Humidity
Target 75–85% ambient. Keep the substrate evenly moist (damp, not waterlogged), overflow the water dish and mist a wall rather than the animal.
Substrate and depth
Topsoil, coco fibre, crushed hardwood leaf litter and rotten wood, plus a calcium source. Depth: 6–10 in — they spend most of their life buried.
- Ventilation: Small vents only. These species need a closed, humid, composting environment — springtails in the bin keep mold in check.
Enclosure tips and furnishing
- Thick hardwood leaf litter layer
- Rotten wood chunks
- Cuttlebone or crushed oyster shell for calcium
- Shallow water dish or a heavy mist twice weekly
Build list
- Deep opaque bin or terrarium — Depth beats footprint; opaque sides make them surface more often.
- Hardwood leaf litter and flake soil — This is the actual diet — vegetables are a supplement, not the food.
- Digital thermometer / hygrometer — Inverts are kept at room temperature — you need to know what the room actually does, not guess.
- Long feeding tongs and a catch cup — Every interaction — feeding, water top-ups, rehousing — should happen without your hand near the animal.
Ivory millipede FAQ
How big should an adult Ivory millipede enclosure be?
At least 8" L × 8" W × 10" H, and we recommend building to 8" L × 8" W × 12" H — about 0.7 × 0.7 × 1 ft, or a 3-gallon glass equivalent. Fossorial — deep substrate for burrowing.
What temperatures does a Ivory millipede need?
Basking or warm surface None — no basking site, no heat lamp, warm side 72–80 °F ambient room temperature, cool side 70–75 °F ambient room temperature, night Room temperature; a 5–8 °F night drop is fine. Heat the room, not the enclosure. If the room drops below 68 °F use a thermostatted space heater or a heat mat on the outside of a side wall (never under the substrate) — heat mats under a burrow cook the animal.
Does a Ivory millipede need UVB?
None — invertebrates need no UVB and bright light stresses them. Photoperiod: Ambient room light on a normal day/night cycle; keep the enclosure out of direct sun.
What humidity does a Ivory millipede need?
75–85% ambient. Keep the substrate evenly moist (damp, not waterlogged), overflow the water dish and mist a wall rather than the animal.
What substrate is best for a Ivory millipede?
Topsoil, coco fibre, crushed hardwood leaf litter and rotten wood, plus a calcium source, at a depth of 6–10 in — they spend most of their life buried.
How big does a Ivory millipede enclosure need to be for a hatchling?
Spiderling / sling: 8" L × 6" W × 8" H recommended, minimum 6" L × 4" W × 6" H. Scale up to the adult footprint as the animal grows.
How much ventilation does a Ivory millipede enclosure need?
Small vents only. These species need a closed, humid, composting environment — springtails in the bin keep mold in check.
Sources
Put this guide to work
Apply these targets to your own ivory millipede record, then log feedings, sheds and weights against them.