{"id":1677,"date":"2020-10-29T15:43:18","date_gmt":"2020-10-29T15:43:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/keepingbugs.com\/?p=1677"},"modified":"2021-08-14T21:58:14","modified_gmt":"2021-08-14T21:58:14","slug":"how-much-does-a-pet-millipede-cost-initial-yearly-cost-breakdown","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/keepingbugs.com\/how-much-does-a-pet-millipede-cost-initial-yearly-cost-breakdown\/","title":{"rendered":"How Much Does A Pet Millipede Cost \u2014 Initial & Yearly Cost Breakdown"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Millipedes are amazing pets to have. See them walk with their many legs around the enclosure on your desk, bookshelf a closet. Giant millipedes, like the commonly kept giant African millipede (Archispirostreptus gigas<\/em>), can live up to 10 years if you take good care of. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This fascinating pet \u2014 which is also called shongololo<\/em><\/strong> \u2014 is one of the greatest pet you can have. They are an easy pet too. They don’t use a lot of space, they are easy to take care of and don’t have high requirements. But how about the costs? Is a millipede cheap to keep, or rather expensive? So, the question that we will dive into here is: how much does a pet millipede cost to keep? Not only to purchase a millipede but all the essential costs to take good care of them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

We calculated that on average, the initial costs to buy and keep a millipede is between $210 and $590. Upkeep and care of millipedes will cost yearly between $45 and $100. Assuming your millipede will live up to 10 years will be a total average expense of $1255. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Product category<\/th>Initial costs<\/th>Yearly costs<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Purchase millipede<\/td>$10 – $20<\/td><\/td><\/tr>
Terrarium<\/td>$100 – $250<\/td><\/td><\/tr>
Climate<\/td>$15 – $40<\/td>$10<\/td><\/tr>
Furniture & decoration<\/td>$50 – $150<\/td><\/td><\/tr>
Accessories<\/td>$0 – $40<\/td><\/td><\/tr>
Substrate<\/td>$15 – $40<\/td>$15 – $40<\/td><\/tr>
Food<\/td>$20 – $50<\/td>$20 – $50<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody>
Total<\/strong><\/td>$210 – $590<\/strong><\/td>$45 – $100<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/tfoot><\/table>
Costs are based on keeping and caring for one millipede. Some costs will increase when keeping more millipedes, like food costs. For larger terrariums and the purchase of multiple millipedes you should also expect higher prices. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Cost breakdown<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

What’s the point of only knowing how much a millipede cost, where there are all essential supplies needed to take good care of them? We have calculated the total cost of keeping millipedes. To keep a millipede as a pet will have a total average expense of $1255<\/strong>. This total is based on the average prices of the products without any discounts, based on keeping one millipede. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We talk about the initial costs that you make before you can start keeping a millipede. These costs include housing, climate, furnishing, and accessories. Essentially these costs you only make ones (at least, if nothing breaks during the lifespan of your pet). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The yearly costs are based on the upkeep and care of a millipede. These costs include keeping a proper environment, providing food and necessary cleaning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Initial costs to keep a millipede<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

First, let’s talk about the initial cost to make when you want to keep millipedes. Of course, it starts with the purchase price, but we also look at enclosures, climate (heating), decoration of the exhibit and essential accessories. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Different sized African giant black millipedes (Archispirostreptus gigas<\/em>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Purchase price \u2014 how much does a millipede cost?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Most adult millipede species will cost around $10 to $20 each. Some rare or unique specimens can cost much more up to $50, but you will not come across these millipedes regularly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are a few factors that influence the price. Adult specimens (full-grown) often cost more than smaller young specimens. This is because it takes some time for a breeder to raise them to full size. However, there is no difference in price between males and females. Often when you buy two or more will reduce cost per specimen. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There multiple places where you can buy millipedes. Some (exotic) pet stores sell them, and often some local breeders offer different millipede species as well. You can also purchase your millipede at a reptile show\/venue. However, many people nowadays buy their millipedes online. Although there are many good online pet stores and breeders that sell healthy millipedes, you should always be aware of the risk that they can be less healthy or are damaged during delivery. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the table below, we have summed up average prices of common millipede species that are kept as pets and are regularly available. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Species<\/th>Price each (adult size)<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
African giant black millipede (Archispirostreptus gigas<\/em>)<\/td>$20<\/td><\/tr>
Ivory millipede<\/a> (Chicobolus spinigerus<\/em>)<\/td>$10<\/td><\/tr>
Scarlet millipede (Trigoniulus corallinus<\/em>)<\/td>$12<\/td><\/tr>
Smokey oak millipede (Narceus gordanus<\/em>)<\/td>$15<\/td><\/tr>
Giant pink foot millipede <\/td>$20<\/td><\/tr>
Bumblebee millipede<\/a> (Anadenobolus monilicornis<\/em>)<\/td>$20<\/td><\/tr>
Rainbow millipede (Tonkinbolus dollfusi<\/em>)<\/td>$15<\/td><\/tr>
North American giant millipede (Narceus americanus<\/em>)<\/td>$10<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody>
Average price<\/strong><\/td>$10-$20<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/tfoot><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Enclosure<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The terrarium enclosure is probably the biggest expense of keeping a millipede. Although there are many choices and equally many different prices, a proper terrarium to keep between 2 and 5 millipedes will cost around $100 – $250. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the enclosure, it is recommended that you have at least a 24″ (60cm) wide terrarium, but preferably even a 36″ (90cm) wide terrarium. The surface is more important than the height. Enclosures that I can recommend are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n