Keeping Snails and Millipedes together

[deadmansfinger]

The aim of this thread is to bring together all the other threads that mention this subject into one place so that the information is easy to locate.
You will notice alot of the replies against keeping snails/millipedes together come from me! Of course everyone has their own ideas but I hope you will take time to consider what I have to say if you are considering mixing these species.
The main response I get is "these animals live together in the wild and I want to create a slice of nature in my tank/tub etc so why can't I do if they live together in the wild"?
Might seem blatantly obviously but "in the wild" is just slightly larger than even the biggest tank we can provide.
Stating humans as an example I was in Kenya on Safari and there are many tribes that live in the wild amongst the lions, crocodiles and hippos as examples and they have done this quite successfully for hundreds of years. Now lets take one of each and put them into a room to create "a little slice of Kenyan wildlife". Maybe mixing snails/millipedes would not have such a dramatic result as mixing man, lions, hippos and crocs but the outcome maybe indeed be the same with only one species left alive in the end due to either stress or something accidental like an 18cm margies falling and landing on a fragile millipede. Another option to consider is the secretions the millipedes have when they get stressed etc:-
petsnails.proboards3.com/index.cgi?board=otherpets&action=display&n=1&thread=5676&page=1#1156540052


Here are a few links to some threads where this has been discussed. I will try and tidy them up a bit when I get time but for now I have listed just links to the entire conversations:-

petsnails.proboards3.com/index.cgi?board=otherpets&action=display&n=1&thread=5672&page=1

petsnails.proboards3.com/index.cgi?board=pests&action=display&n=1&thread=4440&page=1

There were many more threads in which this was discussed in more depth but as yet I have not been able to locate them. If anyone finds them please let me know and I will add them onto here.

Brian.

[Paul]

blimey, you're setting the cat amongst the pigeons here

[spook]

admin said:

blimey, you're setting the cat amongst the pigeons here

Mmmm my thoughts exactly

[donovanbyrd]

the poor snails

[escargots]

when i put my friends millipede in with my snails when she was on holiday the millipede kept climbing on my snails, so eventually jasper stopped coming out of his shell! Poor wee thing was terrorfied!

[Rachel]

i think it depends how big the m,illipede is in comparison to the snails. i'll stick to woodlice that i bred myself. ( i hate millipedes )

[Kevin]

It wouldnt depend on the Millipedes size, all species of Millipedes can spray a defensive liquid from the sides of their body, with varying toxicity, which would have a nasty effect if sprayed on the body of a Snail. Also as mentioned the Millipedes legs would cause iritation to a Snail, and also a Snail may disturb a shedding Millipede, which could cause the Millipede serious injuries.

[cleo]

I agree with Kevin! I keep my snails and millipedes seperate, also because of the climate in the tanks, the warmth and humidity in the snails' tank is much higher than in the tank of my millipedes.

[whodoesntlovesnails]

everybody has their own oppinion, so why dont we just leave this subject to our own minds, hmmm

[apple]

Maybe something might be dangerous for snails or millipedes, that´s why... People do worry.

[picklette]

whodoesntlovesnail said:

everybody has their own oppinion, so why dont we just leave this subject to our own minds, hmmm

This is the whole point of having a forum, the purpose of it being an open discussion medium for people to share their opinions (and also well-researched facts)!
As apple says, it can be dangerous for snails to live with invertebrates such as millipedes, due to the defensive toxins emitted by these creatures.

[Rachel]

i think its best to keep them seperate, and stick to woodlice in with snails.

[whodoesntlovesnails]

sorry about that, it was just how i feel about it. not to be against the forum or anything, i love this forum. sorry if i gave off a bad vibe or something, i want to be liked at this forum. so sorry

[phantomsnail]

Iv kept my millipede and 2 madagascan hissing cockroaches in with my snail Phantom for about 6 months now and so far there has been no problems! each species tend 2 keep themselves 2 themselves and when Phantom does come across the millipede or roaches, they just scuttle off in the opposite direction!!! hope this is of help 2 anyone considering mixing snails and 'pedes!

[Kevin]

So they are all weary of each other then? maybe its impacting the natural behaviour they would have in the wild? I know they would meet in the wild, but in a small aquarium theres no escaping each other.

What species of Millipede and Snail is it, and what size tank?

[mamatroll]

I have both snails and millipedes but not in a million years I could even think about putting them in the same tank...

[johananv]

I'm noticing that the general concensus on this forum is against mixing snails and millipedes. I thought I'd add my two cents, though. I've had great successes with keeping snails and millipedes in the same enclosure. In my opinion, it all depends on tank size(including height). If there is a deep enough substrate, millipedes will mostly molt underground, and if they have time to get used to the snails, will not feel threatened. The millipedes and snails also seem to prefer different food types, but will happily share a single food source(they will eat from differing sides of the food source, though). Once the snails are used to the millipedes, they will usually move out of a millipede's way(snails seem to have better eyesight than pedes), and once the snails start moving the millipedes know that the snails are alive, and won't try and crawl over them(usually). I would suggest that the size discrepancy between species is taken into consideration, and that the enclosure is well ventilated at first. Joh

[radular]

Apr 3, 2013 12:41:15 GMT johananv said:

I'm noticing that the general concensus on this forum is against mixing snails and millipedes. I thought I'd add my two cents, though. I've had great successes with keeping snails and millipedes in the same enclosure. In my opinion, it all depends on tank size(including height). If there is a deep enough substrate, millipedes will mostly molt underground, and if they have time to get used to the snails, will not feel threatened. The millipedes and snails also seem to prefer different food types, but will happily share a single food source(they will eat from differing sides of the food source, though). Once the snails are used to the millipedes, they will usually move out of a millipede's way(snails seem to have better eyesight than pedes), and once the snails start moving the millipedes know that the snails are alive, and won't try and crawl over them(usually). I would suggest that the size discrepancy between species is taken into consideration, and that the enclosure is well ventilated at first. Joh

Agreed. I have some nuisance millipedes (some kind of Julida millipedes that came in on the soil I mixed with my coir) in with my Cepaea snails, and they really don't interact with each other at all. The Cepaea typically live on the walls of the tank and come down to feed at night, while the millipedes live largely under the substrate and the undersides of cork bark I supply for snails shelter (I think the pieces are too small and flat for the snail's preferences, though).

[malacophile]

I keep millipedes with my wild snails as a cleanup crew (less prolific than pillbugs). They seem to keep mainly to themselves save for occasionally crawling over a snail. The snails don't appear bothered, either. These are small millipedes, however, and came from the same locations I found the snails.