Millipeds in Captivity: Diplopodan Husbandry and Reproductive Biology (Millipede Husbandry)

One of the most difficult things in being an invertebrate keeper is finding good information on the very animals you are keeping. Sure you can do a Google search and find pretty much anything you want but then you have to ask yourself, "How reliable is this information?" What is the source? Is this information good for keeping an animal alive for many years or just a few months? Good, reliable information is hard to find, especially when it comes to animals that may not be as widely available as something like a tarantula. I have always kept millipedes, especially the giant African ones (Archispirostreptus gigas), which for awhile were readily available for about $20 each (now, since they are no longer being exported from Africa, they can command prices of $100 or more for each one). Because information was lacking they rarely lasted 8 months and I never had any successfully breed. Of course, by the time I figured out what I was doing wrong, they were no longer available and prices skyrocketed. Thankfully two things did happen. First off, I found some breeders who were willing to sell some for about $60 each so I grabbed a few. Second, I found a book by Orin A. McMonigle called "Millipeds In Captivity: Dipolopodan Husbandry and Reproductive Biology." I actually found this book one day by accident on Amazon and despite its price tag of $35.00, which I thought was high since the book only had 120 pages, I decided to take a chance and I am so glad I did. First off let me say this; if you have any reservations about buying this book (or any of the other books that McMonigle has done) then don't as they are all worth every penny. I have since added three more of his books to my collection and couldn't be happier. What I like the most about his books is that they deal with keeping these animals as pets successfully. He covers everything from diversity and biology to setting up habitats, what foods are acceptable and possible health issues to keep an eye out for. Reproduction is also covered which to me was very important as having a breeding colony of Archispirostreptus gigas was very important to me. This has not really been covered in much detail before. From there we go into my favorite part of the book; the species list. This list, though not complete by a longshot, does cover some of the most interesting of millipedes. Full color pictures and detailed descriptions are provided and at times, information on how to find them in the wild is included. The information in this book is essential if you want to be successful in keeping these amazing animals alive. I really like how this book is put together and it's not often that an animal care book can be read from cover to cover as usually you just look up the information you need and then put it down. I have found all of McMonigle's books to be the same in their quality and readability. I also like that he deals with animals that are often overlooked in other books on invertebrates. If you haven't figured it out yet then you should know that I cannot recommend this book enough!

A great source of information to deepen my knowledge of millipedes and their care. I plan to create a multi species enclosure for some in the near future, and this really helped me to get specific information on the species I plan on getting - especially in regards to their reproduction. I find that books often have more detailed and accurate information when it comes to care in captivity, than a lot of websites oversaturated with copy and pasted vague paragraphs of the easiest way to keep species. Overall, I loved it!

Even after all this time, this is still THE book to own if you are interested in millipede husbandry. While there are many resources on the internet, some of them are accurate while others are not so much, so it’s good to have a resource you can rely on as a base for your knowledge. This is that resource. This book covers everything you’d probably want to know, such as millipede biology, mating/reproduction, husbandry, and the various species commonly kept in the trade. That last part is incredibly useful because it includes a description of each, and the author’s own personal rating of how easy the species in question is to keep. This can be quite helpful for the first-time millipede keeper who has the foresight to pick up this book before making any purchases. Also, the quality of the binding is reasonably good, and the book features full-color photos. This makes the book a useful reference for species’ appearance, as well as just making it an enjoyable read all-around. The pages aren’t quite as thick and glossy as common “coffee table” books, but they are reasonably sturdy (plus, if I had a coffee table in my living room, this would probably on it regardless!). Overall, “Millipeds in Captivity” remains an important resource for the millipede enthusiast. If you are thinking about getting millipedes, then definitely pick this up beforehand. Likewise, anyone who is new to the hobby should get this book first – this will allow you to be more informed as you sift through the tons of info out there on the internet. Pet keepers, especially, need to pick this up if they want to ensure their new pet doesn’t die a slow death – remember, knowing is half the battle!

Appeears to be just what I was looking for, good illustrations

Fantastic and informative, every aspect of keeping these wonderful and gentle little creatures is covered in great depth, with superb drawings and colour photos, fully recommended this book