Desert Millipede
Orthoporus ornatus
No venom, no sting
Millipedes don't bite or sting and have no venom. Many do secrete defensive chemicals when stressed, so wash your hands after handling and keep them away from your eyes and mouth.
Secretes benzoquinones
Stains skin brown for several days and stings badly in the eyes or on broken skin. Wash your hands after handling, don't rub your face, and keep it well away from small children.
About
A hardy, handleable desert millipede and a classic beginner species — long-lived (around a decade with good care). Unlike tropical millipedes it needs strong ventilation: moisten only about a third of the substrate (deep, loose, with oak leaf litter on top) and let the rest stay drier, targeting 60-80% humidity without stagnation. Room warmth (75-80°F); never put a heat mat under the substrate. A detritivore — the leaf litter and rotting wood are its food, plus a calcium source. Harmless, though it can release a staining defensive fluid, so wash hands after handling.
Taxonomy
Size & growth
Millipedes molt underground in a small chamber and can stay buried for weeks. If yours has disappeared into the substrate, leave it be — digging it up mid-molt can kill it.
Climate
Enclosure
Feeding
Times kept: 0