Millipede from Central Park, New York

[IguanaMama]

My 8 year old came home Sunday with a tiny millipede that he found under a rock in Central Park, NYC, NY. Needless to say, I am THRILLED!!! New pet YAY!

It is only about an inch long and maybe a millimeter wide. It is shiny and dark grayish-brownish. It was coiled, but now it is not. I put it in a clear plastic container 2 x 2 x 2 with damp spaghnam moss, some dry oak leaves and a little dry wood, from the same area it was found in. I gave it a tiny piece of cucumber, but it got moldy so I took it out.

Please let me know what I am doing right, what I am doing wrong and what I can do better. I would really like to keep this thing alive.

Also, does anyone know what it is? genus/species? or is there more than one in NYC?

Oh and one more thing. He also brought home some pill bugs. Are these kept the same way? Can I keep them together?

 

[finman31]

I always keep pills with millies...go find some rotting wood,that is more what your little millie will eat.It may get about 2",and may turn black if its like what I have here.I would recomend keeping the substrate damp,and also the rotting wood chips.Try to find a rotting log and tear pieces off. PM me Jodi,and we can talk if you want a large assortment of millies.

 

[H. cyaneus]

A pic would be nice so someone could ID it. With that description it seems it might be a Stone centipede. Again, if it would be a millipede, I'd be befumbled.

Mike