# The TRUTH about--millipedes?



## Groundhog (Dec 17, 2006)

Okay kids--what's the REAL deal? Do millipedes damage tropical plant material? I have seen many a zoo display with millipedes and tropical plants, and as long as they are well-fed, they do not bother the aroids, fittonias, etc;

Yet many a horticulturist swears that these arthropods eat roots. I have a few tiny local millipedes in my tank, and I don't notice any damage (how they got in, I have no clue--these are a small brown millipede common in the eastern U.S.).

So--would you get rid of millipedes? And while we're at it, how about pillbugs/woodlice?

G


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## Baltimore Bryan (Sep 6, 2006)

i'm not sure about the millipedes, but the pillbug/ woodlice, also known as isopods, are a great foor for the frogs. it is true they somtimes eat plants, but i have heard they only eat a few types of plants. in my expeirience, they aren' destructive at all. i wouldn't get rip of the isopods, but i'm not sure about the millipedes. good luck


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

It depends on the type of milipede and the number of milipedes in teh enclosure. Large population booms can occur with some of the species of milipedes resulting in the consumption of plants and even frog eggs... 

Ed


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## bbrock (May 20, 2004)

I've had millipedes in my pumilio viv for over 10 years. When the viv was young (less than 3 years old), the millipede population was huge. They destroyed a couple ant plants and a few clutches of eggs. But eventually the population declined and now they are a nice resident of the vivarium and I see no damage. 

I've had isopods outdoors destroy orchids, cardinal flower, hostas, and several other plants. The same species in my vivs has never caused a problem. Same goes for snails and slugs. All of my vivs have them, rarely to they cause a problem. 

The point being that not only the species involved, but the unique conditions of the viv are important. In my experience, mature vivaria that have been allowed to find their own populatio equilibria are less prone to damage by their inhabitants. So it comes down to tolerance. Personally, I don't mind a little chewing on plants, an occassional lost plant, or even the odd egg clutch being lost. So I'm willing to tolerate a bit of damage in exchange for other services the animals provide. But everybody has their own limits. 

The only caution is that sometimes attempting to control a species creates conditions for perpetual population growth while just letting the population cycle may have a better result and less headache for the keeper over the long haul.

But would I intentionally introduce millipedes into a vivarium? Yes. But with the understanding their may be some negative things I have to put up with for awhile.


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