Tuesday 31st March

UPDATE: I cannot believe that it is only one week since I posted out any bugs, it seems like several weeks ago! Everything is changing daily and none of us really know what's coming next. I am hoping that I will be able to resume sending out orders after the Easter break. I will of course update you further with any news. Stay safe everyone x

Tuesday 24th March: I would just like to say a big thank you to my lovely and loyal customers. I really appreciate you all, now more than ever! I have decided that I cannot carry on posting orders for the time being, quite frankly I can’t take the stress. Royal Mail cannot guarantee to deliver by 1pm the following day and I really don’t want my creatures held up in the mail and the added worry that it would cause my customers and myself. I will of course still be looking after all the animals but I also have people who rely on me for their care and I need to prioritise at this scary time. I am happy for people to collect from me (I will pack the animals and have them ready for contactless collection / no minimum spend). You can ring through your order and pay cash.

I will review the situation every few days but I cannot see anything improving anytime soon. You are welcome to phone me for a chat, I will be updating my Facebook page and writing a new blog entry shortly but for now please take care of yourselves, stay safe and sane. Thankfully my husband has a secure job but I know only too well that those who are self-employed or have been laid off due to the virus will be suffering, along with those people who are elderly and isolated. Perhaps I can do some videoing in the bug room and set up my mini scenes with the bugs to cheer things up just a little.

I have written and uploaded a new blog entry for my website today (for those who are interested :)

Description
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Common Name: Zebra Millipede
Scientific Name: Chicobolus spinigerus

Size: Large Juvenile x 3
Status: Captive bred

Food: Millipedes feed on fruit, vegetables & leaf litter.

Pretty species of millipede, chocolate brown with ivory stripes along the body. Approximate adult size 7-8cm.

How I keep mine

I keep my Zebra millipedes in a plastic box but a fish tank would work just as well. I buy the boxes from Wilko or Tesco and make air holes in the lid with a soldering iron, a great little tool for burning the right size holes through plastic. I use peat or coir on the base and add leaf litter (Oak, Beech or other hard woods) and pieces of rotten wood. These millipedes seem to eat more of the decaying leaves and wood than fruit/vegetables but I do add a little once a week. I also add cuttlefish or powdered calcium carbonate occasionally which I am told is good for their growth. This species is easy to keep, warmth and humidity are important. I use a small heat mat and ensure there is not too much ventilation. If you are housing the millipedes in a fish tank you may need to cover some of the air holes with cling film so that the cage does not dry out. I rarely mist my millipedes as I find they get enough moisture from the leaf litter.