# Flat millipedes



## catfishrod69 (Apr 15, 2012)

Ok, today i went out mushroom hunting. I told myself that this year i was going to catch all the kentucky flat millipedes i could, and either keep some, or ship them to someone who wanted them. Well i decided not to catch any, but today i seen 20yellow and black, and 1 red and black. I dont remember ever seeing red and black ones, but might have. They are really awesome millies. About 2" in length. From looking them up, i found they are Apheloria sp. Now what about the red one? Is it just another color form? I was going to take my camera, and decided not to. Should have though. I also seen a slug that was 3" long. It was normal colored, but had darker splothches on it, kinda like a leapord seal. Anyone know anything about keeping these millies? I read they eat the same stuff any other species does. Im just not sure if i want to keep millipedes. They are very active though, and are always out and about. Beautiful too. Not hard to see from 10 feet away, with that bright yellow showing. Thanks for any info. (Im in ohio)

Here is a bugguide pic of one. http://bugguide.net/node/view/24215


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## catfishrod69 (Apr 16, 2012)

Seriously? Nobody?


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## Camden (Apr 16, 2012)

I've been reading up on these for a while, and it seems as if the red one is just a color form of Apheloria virginiensis. Because if you google that scientific name, theres several pictures of the yellow and red ones together, so you can make an educated assumption that thats what it is, not 100% though. If you can get a large abundance of these, it'd be cool to just experiment. If they were just found on a forest floor, you could safely assume that they will eat decaying wood, leaves etc. But you could try some fruits, veggies, greens etc. I probably didn't help at all, but they are beautiful nevertheless even if you don't decide to keep some. Who knows, you could try to breed them and get them more popular in the hobby.


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## catfishrod69 (Apr 16, 2012)

Thanks camden. Yep you helped simply by caring. I really think they are another color form also. Im really really kicking myself for not collecting all of them. But i am going mushroom hunting next sunday morning, and im sure there will be alot more. Yeah from what i read, they eat decaying wood, leaves etc. I think i will go ahead and catch as many as i can, and then get alot of isopods and start a nice enclosure for them. Ill probably toss in a cuttlebone for them to get calcium from. These are the most gorgeous millipedes in my opinion. After passing up that first one, then seeing that many more, i wish i had got them. But we will see what next weekend brings.


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## Boatman (Apr 16, 2012)

I have never been a fan of millipedes, granted I don't know much about them, but those look cool!

I guess I'm gonna have to rethink that...


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## catfishrod69 (Apr 16, 2012)

I started off liking millipedes, but grew out of them. Mainly because of the constant humidity, and the stuff that likes to mold and rot. But i am rethinking myself with these. Since they are easy for me to obtain, and i can always depend on the isopods to help keep the mold/rotting down. 





Boatman said:


> I have never been a fan of millipedes, granted I don't know much about them, but those look cool!
> 
> I guess I'm gonna have to rethink that...


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## Ciphor (Apr 16, 2012)

catfishrod69 said:


> I started off liking millipedes, but grew out of them. Mainly because of the constant humidity, and the stuff that likes to mold and rot. But i am rethinking myself with these. Since they are easy for me to obtain, and i can always depend on the isopods to help keep the mold/rotting down.


If mold is an issue I would do some silverfish, they seem to manage mold very well in my experience. a mix of silverfish and isopods works great.

For your red/yellow morphology question I found this on bugguide with a picture of a red and yellow side by side, the publisher posed the same question as you sort of. http://bugguide.net/node/view/276460


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## catfishrod69 (Apr 16, 2012)

I will definitely place some silverfish in there too. I have a ton in with my biggest D. diadema. Not sure how they got there, but im glad they did. I love watching them swim in the water dish too. 

I missed that pic when i looked through bugguide. Thanks. It could very well be a morph/sub species. Either way, i might be best to keep the colors seperate. If by chance the succesfully produce offspring in my care, maybe we will find out the answer to that question. I hope so. Thanks man.





Ciphor said:


> If mold is an issue I would do some silverfish, they seem to manage mold very well in my experience. a mix of silverfish and isopods works great.
> 
> For your red/yellow morphology question I found this on bugguide with a picture of a red and yellow side by side, the publisher posed the same question as you sort of. http://bugguide.net/node/view/276460


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## Ciphor (Apr 16, 2012)

catfishrod69 said:


> I will definitely place some silverfish in there too. I have a ton in with my biggest D. diadema. Not sure how they got there, but im glad they did. I love watching them swim in the water dish too.
> 
> I missed that pic when i looked through bugguide. Thanks. It could very well be a morph/sub species. Either way, i might be best to keep the colors seperate. If by chance the succesfully produce offspring in my care, maybe we will find out the answer to that question. I hope so. Thanks man.


hehe, they probably got invited by mold, and ate it so fast you never saw it 

Its really weird how they just pop up out of nowhere when mildew or mold is left to long. I by accident once left some cloths in the back of a closet, when I spring cleaned I found tons of silverfish under the cloths (hardwood floor in closet). I have ever since used this trick of filth to get new silverfish.


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## catfishrod69 (Apr 16, 2012)

Haha yeah. I have noticed some of the potho vine in there started to rot a little, so i was poking around with the tweezers removing peices, until i seen a crapload of silverfish going nuts, so i left most of it be. Sometimes there will be cricket remains behind the diadema's hide, and they go to town on it. I remember seeing them wheni was younger under clothes and stuff. 





Ciphor said:


> hehe, they probably got invited by mold, and ate it so fast you never saw it
> 
> Its really weird how they just pop up out of nowhere when mildew or mold is left to long. I by accident once left some cloths in the back of a closet, when I spring cleaned I found tons of silverfish under the cloths (hardwood floor in closet). I have ever sense used this trick of filth to get new silverfish.


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## Anonymity82 (Apr 17, 2012)

Boatman said:


> I have never been a fan of millipedes, granted I don't know much about them, but those look cool!
> 
> I guess I'm gonna have to rethink that...


I just started keeping millipedes a few weeks ago. I had no idea how readily available they were for free if I just looked for them. I also have to be up to at least 50 isopods to help clean up the mold. Honestly, it takes forever for things to rot inside of this container. I left some baby spinach leaves out of the tank and put some in the tank and three days later the ones in the tank still looked edible and were crisp while the leaves out of the tank were very wilted. 

They are pretty cool to watch. The best thing is if I stop liking them I can just bring them back. I can't release my G. rosea (not that I would ever want to).


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## catfishrod69 (Apr 17, 2012)

Well maybe when im down there next month, we can wrangle up some more millies for you. Heck if i can get a bunch of these flat ones this weekend, ill bring you some too. 





njnolan1 said:


> I just started keeping millipedes a few weeks ago. I had no idea how readily available they were for free if I just looked for them. I also have to be up to at least 50 isopods to help clean up the mold. Honestly, it takes forever for things to rot inside of this container. I left some baby spinach leaves out of the tank and put some in the tank and three days later the ones in the tank still looked edible and were crisp while the leaves out of the tank were very wilted.
> 
> They are pretty cool to watch. The best thing is if I stop liking them I can just bring them back. I can't release my G. rosea (not that I would ever want to).


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## hydrophyte (Apr 17, 2012)

I remember seeing these on a hiking trip in the Smokies. They really are pretty hefty.

Do you think these would breed in captivity? Maybe they would do best with some nice deep substrate and rotten wood(?).


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## catfishrod69 (Apr 17, 2012)

I imagine they would. As long as the water/heat/food needs are met. I cant wait til sunday. Gonna rain this weekend, so will be perfect. Ill probably find a ton of them, since now i will be looking. Before i was mostly looking for mushrooms, so i just noticed them in front of me while walking. 





hydrophyte said:


> I remember seeing these on a hiking trip in the Smokies. They really are pretty hefty.
> 
> Do you think these would breed in captivity? Maybe they would do best with some nice deep substrate and rotten wood(?).


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## zonbonzovi (Apr 17, 2012)

Rod, sir...Pmed


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## Anonymity82 (Apr 17, 2012)

catfishrod69 said:


> Well maybe when im down there next month, we can wrangle up some more millies for you. Heck if i can get a bunch of these flat ones this weekend, ill bring you some too.


Thanks! Unfortunately I don't have room for any more. I have three of them in a 6 qt container with about 3 inches of coco fiber and some leaves on top. I have this tiny little cubby hole where I keep my creatures. It's pretty shameful lol. That's why I can't wait to catch some Black Widows! 

I have a couple of millipede questions for you though: Do pre-molt millipedes start turning white (my smallest millipede has made a little burrow on the bottom and it's starting to look white, plus it's curled up)? Also, my millipedes don't seem to be eating the food I put in there, do they eat ravenously everyday? Thanks man!


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## catfishrod69 (Apr 18, 2012)

No room for more? Is that possible. Ever heard of quadrouple stacking? Haha. As far as the millies turning white before molting, i havent a clue. I would imagine there is some kind of color change though. What kinda stuff are you feeding them? When i had my florida ivories, i just fed them carrots. But i really sucked at keeping them, and finally decided i wasnt into millies. 





njnolan1 said:


> Thanks! Unfortunately I don't have room for any more. I have three of them in a 6 qt container with about 3 inches of coco fiber and some leaves on top. I have this tiny little cubby hole where I keep my creatures. It's pretty shameful lol. That's why I can't wait to catch some Black Widows!
> 
> I have a couple of millipede questions for you though: Do pre-molt millipedes start turning white (my smallest millipede has made a little burrow on the bottom and it's starting to look white, plus it's curled up)? Also, my millipedes don't seem to be eating the food I put in there, do they eat ravenously everyday? Thanks man!


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## Anonymity82 (Apr 18, 2012)

I'm feeding them everything!! I throw in some dog food and whole oats in a small cap (they do eat the oats, no idea of the dog food), apple cores, lemon or oranges, brussel sprout leaves, egg shells (for calcium), cheese, strawberries, and other stuff I can't remember. They definitely eat the oats and the coconut fiber other than that I don't know. It's pretty weird, I was out at the park today and was looking under logs and found at least 6 more and they were all getting dark red. Mine haven't done this. I wonder if they're dying because I saw a couple of dark red dead ones on the path. Strange, when I can afford it I'm going to get that book, Giant Millipedes. I think I'm addicted to arthropods now. At first I was obsessed with Ts. I'm still in love with them but I'm also in love with centipedes and millipedes and giant carnivorous diving beetles lol. Not an arthropod, but I also now want a pacman. They sound awesome, just sit there and eat! They don't need a lot of room because they don't move much, don't need heat or a lamp (unless it's under 65 F and always dark) and they eat almost everyday! They are also beautiful! But alas, I cannot afford any new pets if they can't fit in a small container and fit in my cubby lol. 

I will start stacking soon though lol. I can keep the pacman in a large shoe box and just pack other things on top of it lol.


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## cacoseraph (Apr 18, 2012)

iirc, Apheloria are not the easiest things to care for and are fairly tricky to get babies from

a lot of the flat millipedes seem to have this issue. there are Motyxia ( https://www.google.com/search?ix=aca&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=motyxia ) species in CA that are awesome looking and fluoresce under black light... but they are all but impossible to ship.  i had the idea of shipping them using activated charcoal to absorb as much toxins as they release as possible... but even specimens i drove back to where i lived failed to thrive in a very definite fashion

i would love to see Apheloria and Motyxia (and especially Xystocheir (fully bioluminescent! https://www.google.com/search?aq=f&ix=aca&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=xystocheir ) breedable and shippable in the hobby... they are some awesome critters that would really round out a lot of ppl's collections!


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## catfishrod69 (Apr 19, 2012)

Thats wierd they are not easy to care for. What are the problems that arise? 

So during shipping, they release cyanide, and kill themselves? I wonder if getting them very cold, and shipping with ice packs to keep them cold, would help out on this? 

They are very beautiful, and to me seem to be the perfect millipedes. 

I did find a few baby millipedes on a high wall, under some rock. Im not positive it was that species, but i think so. I do have a pic of one of the babies too. Where i found the babies is descently dry, and extremely rocky. Maybe a setup with half moist/rotting wood and debri, then the other half rocky/dry? Thanks for your help, and if you want to see that pic, let me know.  





cacoseraph said:


> iirc, Apheloria are not the easiest things to care for and are fairly tricky to get babies from
> 
> a lot of the flat millipedes seem to have this issue. there are Motyxia ( https://www.google.com/search?ix=aca&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=motyxia ) species in CA that are awesome looking and fluoresce under black light... but they are all but impossible to ship.  i had the idea of shipping them using activated charcoal to absorb as much toxins as they release as possible... but even specimens i drove back to where i lived failed to thrive in a very definite fashion
> 
> i would love to see Apheloria and Motyxia (and especially Xystocheir (fully bioluminescent! https://www.google.com/search?aq=f&ix=aca&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=xystocheir ) breedable and shippable in the hobby... they are some awesome critters that would really round out a lot of ppl's collections!


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## zonbonzovi (Apr 19, 2012)

I'm curious about the shipping methods...were they packed in substrate?  I ask because my most successful poly enclosure to date was very similar to your 'low vent rigs' for centipedes, Caco.  Others who tried to keep the same species alive attempted with more ventilation following the logic that disturbances would up the cyanide level in the tank and kill everything. 

I'm in complete agreement about wanting those two genera more prevalent(or even available at all) in the hobby.  I know that Doc Shelley had Motyxia at his home for awhile- I wonder what protocol he used to get them back safely? 

njnolan1: I'm not as familiar with Apheloria, but young polys here retain the ghostly, white appearance up until they are sexually mature.


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## Anonymity82 (Apr 20, 2012)

Sorry Zon but I'm a little lost lol. I'm not sure where Apheloria came from. I have three Narceus americanus (until today, I actually caught one flat millipede and threw him in the enclosure with the others. Weird too, when I first picked him up and crapped all over me it reeked of cherries. I'll add a pic in a minute, maybe you can help me with the species . It looks a lot like the one in your avatar.

---------- Post added 04-20-2012 at 12:11 AM ----------

Okay, this new one I think is from the Apheloria genus.


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## Anonymity82 (Apr 20, 2012)

Here's the new guy! Is it dangerous to keep him in there with the other creatures? He secretes cyanide right? It is cherry scented so it can't be that bad 
View attachment 102317


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## zonbonzovi (Apr 20, 2012)

I was referring to this:



njnolan1 said:


> I have a couple of millipede questions for you though: Do pre-molt millipedes start turning white (my smallest millipede has made a little burrow on the bottom and it's starting to look white, plus it's curled up)?


Is it a young 'round' or 'flat' milli?  The photo and location match this: http://bugguide.net/node/view/17151/bgimage
but very well could be something else.  Check you creatures features against photos of them...


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## Anonymity82 (Apr 20, 2012)

zonbonzovi said:


> I was referring to this:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Oh okay, sorry. The millipede I was speaking of is a Narceus americanus that has since turned white. I honestly have only seen the larger one out this past few night so I don't know how the others are doing. The little window the little guy created has been blocked. My new millipede looks just like the link you posted. I haven't seen him since I put him in the enclosure.


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## catfishrod69 (Apr 20, 2012)

Nathan the wild flat millie you have looks like the ones i find. I will be going out sunday, and will post pics after i have them setup.

Reactions: Like 1


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## catfishrod69 (Apr 22, 2012)

Well i went out this morning, but didnt see even one. It was pretty cold, about 43F. So thats probably why. After everything we have been talking about, im kind of leaning towards not catching them. I would hate to have them die in transit to my house, or during me keeping them. Im not very big on millies either, which also makes me not want to collect them. I really do love the looks of them though.


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## Anonymity82 (Apr 25, 2012)

They are sweet looking. If these weren't ten minutes from my house I probably wouldn't have brought them home either. It's a learning experience and since they are free and cool looking I though I'd keep a few. They seem to be doing alright I guess. I only really see the big guy but the middle once makes an appearance occasionally, the small is incognito... or dead lol. I don't know, I haven't seen him in awhile but I don't really want to dig it up to look for it, especially if it's trying to molt or something.


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## satchellwk (Apr 27, 2012)

I've been keeping a trio of large Pachydesmus sp. ( http://bugguide.net/node/view/65269/bgpage ) myself, and I haven't had any problems whatsoever with and secretions, and I'm even keeping them communally with my other pedes (N. americanus, C. spinigerus, scarlets, etc.). I had a thought cross my mind while reading this; I wonder if the toxins in Pachydesmus are milder since they are a drably colored species, and therefore lack warning colors. I would say that if size is more important to color for anyone, Pachys might be the way to go. 
Also, another flat pede that is very (I mean VERY) easy to keep in Oxidus gracillis. You have to actually try to kill those things. Also, I've been keeping E. leachii, and they are doing well. I've never tried any of the big, colorful aphelorias or anyhitng similar, but, if I come across any, I would probably give them a shot. Good luck with your's, njnolan.


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