Enhancing millipede color with diet?

[kuchipatchis]

Is it possible to enhance the coloration on millipedes through food you give them?
For example, carrots, krill, etc to enhance redder colors?

 

[Ian Brush]

The only thing that effects your millipedes coloration is Calcium. Give them more of this through Repashy products and eggshell powder.

 

[Scoly]

Sorry but you can't categorically say "The only thing that effects your millipedes coloration is Calcium" unless you have firm evidence... That's misinformation.

A lot of factors affect colours in arthropods, and elements in food sources could very well account for some of that, not that I can say for sure it applies to millipedes.

I've had Costa Rican Zebra tarantulas come in light brown and turn jet black after a moult. I notice centipedes loose colouration with ill health- which is affected by diet. WC ones also frequently change colour after their first moult in captivity. Millipedes have a thicker exoskeleton, and it is likely to be less variable, but that's not to say it can't vary according to how you feed them, and also how you keep them. Some arthropods will adjust their colours in response to conditions (wet/dry) and they may also not be able to create the colours they want if they are deficient in certain nutrients.

If you want to find out for sure, split your specimens into groups which eat different foodstuffs and take before and after photos against the same clear background so you can tangibly see it.

 

[Ian Brush]

Sorry but you can't categorically say "The only thing that effects your millipedes coloration is Calcium" unless you have firm evidence... That's misinformation.

A lot of factors affect colours in arthropods, and elements in food sources could very well account for some of that, not that I can say for sure it applies to millipedes.

I've had Costa Rican Zebra tarantulas come in light brown and turn jet black after a moult. I notice centipedes loose colouration with ill health- which is affected by diet. WC ones also frequently change colour after their first moult in captivity. Millipedes have a thicker exoskeleton, and it is likely to be less variable, but that's not to say it can't vary according to how you feed them, and also how you keep them. Some arthropods will adjust their colours in response to conditions (wet/dry) and they may also not be able to create the colours they want if they are deficient in certain nutrients.

If you want to find out for sure, split your specimens into groups which eat different foodstuffs and take before and after photos against the same clear background so you can tangibly see it.

I didn't mean to say coloration I meant to say exoskeleton. I wasn't going to comment on their color.

 

[kuchipatchis]

If you want to find out for sure, split your specimens into groups which eat different foodstuffs and take before and after photos against the same clear background so you can tangibly see it.

i think once i finally get some trigoniulus corallinus babies i want to try that out - im currently looking into foods that should make their colors richer if thats at all possible but as im still trying to get a female i have some time

 

[kuchipatchis]

on a much further hypothetical note, assuming that say, carotenoids CAN enhance millipede colors, i know that in birds at least, in leucistic and even albino animals they can still have some coloring from carotenoids so if it does have an effect on millipedes it would be interesting to then see if it can give a little color to albino narceus americanus... but thats not something i personally will be testing any time soon as i do not have those and dont intend on getting any in the near future

 

[Scoly]

Here's one for you: two centipedes from the same clutch, and previously indistinguishable. But something happened to the smaller one and I'm not exactly sure what, but it lost its pigment as a result and fell way behind the others in size (these are really fast growers).

It' not a lack of food that caused it, it happened very suddenly, and then stopped eating. I assumed it was dying (these used to be 50% pedeling mortality till we figured out how to keep them) so I didn't have my hopes up, but it's been acting normally, albeit a less eager feeder than the others, and has even undergone a couple of moults. It seems to have darkened a bit with each moult (it was seriously lemon in colour) but not conclusively.

Apologies for bad photo qual, its all I can find right now (and definitely no photoshopping in there)

 

[kuchipatchis]

Here's one for you: two centipedes from the same clutch, and previously indistinguishable. But something happened to the smaller one and I'm not exactly sure what, but it lost its pigment as a result and fell way behind the others in size (these are really fast growers).

It' not a lack of food that caused it, it happened very suddenly, and then stopped eating. I assumed it was dying (these used to be 50% pedeling mortality till we figured out how to keep them) so I didn't have my hopes up, but it's been acting normally, albeit a less eager feeder than the others, and has even undergone a couple of moults. It seems to have darkened a bit with each moult (it was seriously lemon in colour) but not conclusively.

Apologies for bad photo qual, its all I can find right now (and definitely no photoshopping in there)

View attachment 300015

wow that is a huge difference, thats really strange. glad its held on! its so pale, i wouldnt guess it should look like the one below it

 

[StampFan]

You could try feeding some Repashy Superpig, see if the carotenoids make a difference or not.

 

[kuchipatchis]

You could try feeding some Repashy Superpig, see if the carotenoids make a difference or not.

thats actually what i was looking at! i feel like that + carrots + krill would definitely do it if it can be done!

 

[ErinM31]

Yes, I’ve fed some of my millipedes Tetra Color-Enhancing Crisps (for fish) and it does increase their red coloring — sometimes too much, in that some of my regular morph N. americanus pedelings took on an overall orangish cast when I fed them too much!

 

[kuchipatchis]

Yes, I’ve fed some of my millipedes Tetra Color-Enhancing Crisps (for fish) and it does increase their red coloring — sometimes too much, in that some of my regular morph N. americanus pedelings took on an overall orangish cast when I fed them too much!

oh, wow! i ordered some repashy superpig a couple days ago, cant wait to raise up some t corallinus babies in vibrant colors! (i introduced my male to a female and they climbed on top of eachother immediately!)

when i get some breeding bumble bees they would be interesing to raise up on it, too - i imagine that the bands and legs would really pop!

 

[ErinM31]

oh, wow! i ordered some repashy superpig a couple days ago, cant wait to raise up some t corallinus babies in vibrant colors! (i introduced my male to a female and they climbed on top of eachother immediately!)

when i get some breeding bumble bees they would be interesing to raise up on it, too - i imagine that the bands and legs would really pop!

The color enhancing may be color-specific, but I have not tried the food you mention. I would only caution against overfeeding these foods as I believe the millipedes are healthiest decayed wood and leaves and make up the bulk of their diet.

Do share your results!