# Pill millipede id



## benjaminfrogs (Dec 12, 2017)

Hi guys can i ask you for an id please


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## benjaminfrogs (Dec 12, 2017)




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## benjaminfrogs (Dec 12, 2017)




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## benjaminfrogs (Dec 12, 2017)




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## benjaminfrogs (Dec 12, 2017)




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## benjaminfrogs (Dec 13, 2017)

Any luck?


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## LawnShrimp (Dec 13, 2017)

Not one I've seen in captivity before. It is NOT Arthrosphaera cf. brandtii, a more commonly kept species.


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## LawnShrimp (Dec 13, 2017)

It is most likely in the Asian family Zephroniidae. It will be very difficult to identify it even to the genus level, let alone species. You may even own a new species. Where did you buy these from? Location will help greatly with identification.

There are some similar pictures under the Google searches for "thai pill millipede" and "zephroniidae", but none have a clear identification. Sorry I can't help more but they are a very understudied group; I doubt that most people on here will be able to identify it past the family level.


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## benjaminfrogs (Dec 14, 2017)

LawnShrimp said:


> It is most likely in the Asian family Zephroniidae. It will be very difficult to identify it even to the genus level, let alone species. You may even own a new species. Where did you buy these from? Location will help greatly with identification.
> 
> There are some similar pictures under the Google searches for "thai pill millipede" and "zephroniidae", but none have a clear identification. Sorry I can't help more but they are a very understudied group; I doubt that most people on here will be able to identify it past the family level.



Sulawasei area!  I have a friend traveling around helping me further my collection haha.

Reactions: Like 1


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## benjaminfrogs (Dec 14, 2017)

_Z. Castanotherium  ???_
_
This was my guess.  I will  have more to share  before Christmas  if anyone  is  interested.   I am keeping them now  for observation.     I am looking  for  specific  detrivores for my  farming  projects.  Banking on their   hardiness  and survivability based on wild  information from my  friend.   _


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## LawnShrimp (Dec 14, 2017)

Hmm... that genus sounds fairly likely, but with these things its anyone's guess. Doesn't make them any less pretty though.


Do you have temperature information and any dietary requirements? Most of the commonly seen species in the hobby are from mountainous or cloud forest regions and require cool temperatures. Perhaps one from warm areas with a less picky diet will finally be the species to breed and have several generations in captivity.

Keep in mind that you are one of the few people in America who owns pill millipedes of any kind. I hope your work succeeds both for you and the hobby's sake!


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## benjaminfrogs (Dec 14, 2017)

These are a  more   tropical species.  You are  looking at 70-80 average temperatures  at   the  moment.  They  are  primarily Nocturnal and burrow during the  day.  They  spook rather  easy however  and  respond to  vibration..

Humidity i  am  keeping  at  around  70


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## benjaminfrogs (Dec 14, 2017)

DIET:

So far I see I have offered  sludge peat  from Canada.  Cucumbers and   bananas. 

They have responded currently to  nibbles of   cucumber so   far and seem  to be also  interested in the  subtrate  which  is  also   coco    coir.


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## benjaminfrogs (Dec 14, 2017)

LawnShrimp said:


> Hmm... that genus sounds fairly likely, but with these things its anyone's guess. Doesn't make them any less pretty though.
> 
> 
> Do you have temperature information and any dietary requirements? Most of the commonly seen species in the hobby are from mountainous or cloud forest regions and require cool temperatures. Perhaps one from warm areas with a less picky diet will finally be the species to breed and have several generations in captivity.
> ...



What are you   keeping   currently?


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## LawnShrimp (Dec 14, 2017)

benjaminfrogs said:


> What are you   keeping   currently?


I mainly focus on centipedes, but I own Narceus americanus, N. c.f. annularis, T. corralinus and A. monilicornis as far as millipedes go.


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## benjaminfrogs (Dec 15, 2017)

LawnShrimp said:


> I mainly focus on centipedes, but I own Narceus americanus, N. c.f. annularis, T. corralinus and A. monilicornis as far as millipedes go.


Very nice!  Id love to offer some up in the near future for people to try id prefer more experienced individuals so that they can represent this species


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## benjaminfrogs (Dec 17, 2017)




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## benjaminfrogs (Dec 17, 2017)

Spotting some frass today seem to be gettingcdecent response with the cucumbrrs and rotting termited wood

Reactions: Like 1


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## BobBarley (Dec 17, 2017)

Wow stunning!!!  Love the blue legs!

I hope they breed for you!


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## benjaminfrogs (Dec 20, 2017)

BobBarley said:


> Wow stunning!!!  Love the blue legs!
> 
> I hope they breed for you!







Not sure what this behavior is


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## benjaminfrogs (Dec 20, 2017)



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## benjaminfrogs (Dec 20, 2017)

Can someone confirm or  assume what they  are  doing?


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## benjaminfrogs (Dec 20, 2017)



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## benjaminfrogs (Dec 20, 2017)

So i soaked some leaves in water and left it in the sun for a few days and managed to make the leaf look like this

They srem to take it


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## LawnShrimp (Dec 20, 2017)

That looks like mating behavior to me. 

Are you sure you have enough wood for them? I've always heard pillipedes like more wood than other species, though I don't know if this is true.


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## benjaminfrogs (Dec 20, 2017)

I have seen wood grazing @LawnShrimp  . Let me upload a youtube video  for you to  watch.   I am not  sure  if you guys are interested in videos?  I just started making a few  amateur  ones. but yes  if you wanted more  content i would love  to   make more for every one.


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## benjaminfrogs (Dec 20, 2017)

Here  is a  video for you to see what type of wood i am using.  It is  well rotted and aged  with time.   Its  from   a 100 year old oak tree that got felled by termite infestation.







I then submerge it for a few days to kill anything living in there theni. Put it into my bins


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## mickiem (Dec 20, 2017)

I also think it looks like mating behavior.  That wood looks yummy!


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## LawnShrimp (Dec 21, 2017)

OK, that looks healthy! I just couldn't see any in the photos. I'm glad they are eating; the most common cause of death is starvation due to either shipping stress, improper diet, or gut flora dying. From what I've seen here, you may not have to worry too much about this, but it may be a good idea to weigh them to track if they lose too much weight.


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## benjaminfrogs (Dec 21, 2017)

video for you all

Reactions: Like 2 | Love 1


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## LawnShrimp (Dec 21, 2017)

So nice! How many specimens?


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## benjaminfrogs (Dec 21, 2017)

Ooops accidental double post


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## benjaminfrogs (Dec 21, 2017)

80 currently. i am planning to be releasing two colonies of 20 to professional breeders.  To help ensure their survival.  Cant leave all your eggs in one basket.  @LawnShrimp

Reactions: Like 2


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## LawnShrimp (Dec 22, 2017)

benjaminfrogs said:


> 80 currently. i am planning to be releasing two colonies of 20 to professional breeders.  To help ensure their survival.  Cant leave all your eggs in one basket.  @LawnShrimp


!!! Well this raises success chance by a lot. Good for you!


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## benjaminfrogs (Jan 2, 2018)




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## benjaminfrogs (Jan 2, 2018)

3


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## Dennis Nedry (Jan 2, 2018)

They're adorable! Can't help with the ID but it seems like you've got the care right

Also, I was under the impression that pill millipedes were easy to keep and breed. Breeders here sell juveniles for about 5 bucks each so I wouldn't think they'd be too hard to come by


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## LawnShrimp (Jan 3, 2018)

Dennis Nedry said:


> They're adorable! Can't help with the ID but it seems like you've got the care right
> 
> Also, I was under the impression that pill millipedes were easy to keep and breed. Breeders here sell juveniles for about 5 bucks each so I wouldn't think they'd be too hard to come by


W H A T. I never heard about that! Formerly common imports like Arthrosphaera brandtii, Zoosphaerium neptunum, and other Sphaerotheriida die almost 100% of the time. Verified breeding success with giant pillipedes has only occurred once or twice in either America or Europe, and even then the hatchlings died. You Aussies better share your secrets! You guys probably get NZ pillipedes due to how close they are to you, so care could be different and less stress on the pillipedes due to shorter shipping time.


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## Dennis Nedry (Jan 3, 2018)

LawnShrimp said:


> W H A T. I never heard about that! Formerly common imports like Arthrosphaera brandtii, Zoosphaerium neptunum, and other Sphaerotheriida die almost 100% of the time. Verified breeding success with giant pillipedes has only occurred once or twice in either America or Europe, and even then the hatchlings died. You Aussies better share your secrets! You guys probably get NZ pillipedes due to how close they are to you, so care could be different and less stress on the pillipedes due to shorter shipping time.


The ones we get are all native here. Don't know much about care because I've never kept them, I assumed it was like any old millipede. Just whack em in an enclosure with good ventilation and humidity, rotten wood/leaves, substrate, eggshells/cuttlebone and you're golden (This is probably terribly wrong for millipedes in general, I've never kept them his is just what I guessed about their care)

I might need to start a colony as soon as I see some available 

Edit: Yup, the insectory on Facebook had juvies for 5-10 bucks each late last year before they went on holidays

Reactions: Like 1


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## The invertabrate (Jan 7, 2018)

benjaminfrogs said:


> Hi guys can i ask you for an id please


Are still selling them?


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## benjaminfrogs (Jan 7, 2018)



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## benjaminfrogs (Jan 7, 2018)



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## The invertabrate (Jan 7, 2018)

I know you want to sell these but I really can't  pay 210 dollars for millipedes even though they are rare, the scarlet millipede  isn't something  that I'm  not looking for.But thank you for being a good  person.


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## Millipedematt (Jan 7, 2018)

The invertabrate said:


> I know you want to sell these but I really can't  pay 210 dollars for millipedes even though they are rare, the scarlet millipede  isn't something  that I'm  not looking for.But thank you for being a good  person.


You would need a permit in order to buy non Florida natives species of millipedes (like these stunning specimen) feel free to message me i can hook you up with the info. Also @benjaminfrogs  could these possibly Castanotherium sp. or maybe Globotherium sp. and have you ever held one to try to get an up close pic?


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## The invertabrate (Jan 7, 2018)

Millipedematt said:


> You would need a permit in order to buy non Florida natives species of millipedes (like these stunning specimen) feel free to message me i can hook you up with the info. Also @benjaminfrogs  could these possibly Castanotherium sp. or maybe Globotherium sp. and have you ever held one to try to get an up close pic?


Thanks for letting me know!


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## KevinsWither (Jan 7, 2018)

I am interested in them. how you breed them?


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## LawnShrimp (Jan 8, 2018)

KevinsWither said:


> I am interested in them. how you breed them?


You don't. 

Every attempt to breed pill millipedes has failed, with adults dying in a few years at best and in a few days at worst. A few clutches of hatchlings have been produced from a single group of A. brandtii, which all died due to nematodes. They were kept in a refrigerated, insulated, custom-designed box, provided with wood, moss, and leaves _and still all died._ The German breeder who attempted this has since given up.

Pillipedes are very sensitive to temperature and environment changes and shipping often kills them. If they do arrive intact they starve to death because of an unknown reason, most likely essential gut bacteria dying off due to temperature or lack of a special algae or fungus found in their habitat. See this thread and this one for more information but basically the only information to be found on Arachnoboards about pill millipedes is the same: all breeding attempts have failed and they are impossible to keep alive for more than a year.

Buying pill millipedes is also hard and illegal in the U.S., since the regulations passed in 2005 made all millipede imports illegal and there are no captive bred specimens in the U.S. at the time. While it is possible to obtain them from other countries, the paperwork, shipping cost, permit costs, and total cost of the millipedes is not worth it for a creature that dies in a few months on average. Some people are willing to take chances like the OP here but unless you have the same kind of access to them as he does and are willing to pay a significant price, I say wait until there has been a clearly established breeding population so you don't end up with an expensive failure. 

This is a new species to captivity though, and may end up begin the one that survives in captivity. The results in this thread are quite promising but for now, we can only wait and see.


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## benjaminfrogs (Jan 15, 2018)

This damn mushroom totally just dumped all its spores on the enclosure

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## benjaminfrogs (Jan 15, 2018)

Update on the bottom of the wood long
Its getting hallowed out

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## benjaminfrogs (Jan 15, 2018)



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## benjaminfrogs (Jan 15, 2018)



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## benjaminfrogs (Jan 22, 2018)



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## benjaminfrogs (Jan 22, 2018)



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## benjaminfrogs (Jan 30, 2018)




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## benjaminfrogs (Jan 30, 2018)




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## benjaminfrogs (Jan 30, 2018)




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## benjaminfrogs (Jan 30, 2018)




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## benjaminfrogs (Jan 30, 2018)




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## benjaminfrogs (Jan 30, 2018)




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## benjaminfrogs (Jan 30, 2018)




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## benjaminfrogs (Jan 30, 2018)

The last guy is such a deep digger they always hang out at same general vicinity and group together.  

Happy to report them fine at night time temps of 55 degrees.  Average daily temps have been 65-75

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## benjaminfrogs (Feb 3, 2018)

I have bad news today.  One died.    Last   nights  temps dropped down to 48 degrees  F.


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## Mpaul213 (Feb 8, 2018)

Sorry to hear that, don't let it discourage you though.


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## dragonfire1577 (Mar 5, 2018)

Any update on these guys?


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## benjaminfrogs (Mar 8, 2018)



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## benjaminfrogs (Mar 8, 2018)



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## benjaminfrogs (Mar 8, 2018)



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## benjaminfrogs (Mar 8, 2018)

Those are pics of march 4rth

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## benjaminfrogs (Mar 13, 2018)

They seem to like the added moss.  March 13th

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## benjaminfrogs (Mar 14, 2018)




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## Mpaul213 (Mar 14, 2018)

benjaminfrogs said:


>


Very nice, they seem to be doing well. Keep up the good work, and keep the updates coming!


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## benjaminfrogs (Mar 16, 2018)

The moss bed seems to make them want to congregate much more


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## benjaminfrogs (Mar 16, 2018)




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## benjaminfrogs (Mar 16, 2018)

More pics


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## benjaminfrogs (Mar 16, 2018)

They seem to be doing good to me ill do a weigh in in a month im going on a mini-expedition


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