# Millipede help ASAP!!!



## bareass (Apr 1, 2010)

hey all i've had this african giant millipede for a couple of years now, and it has been very healthy, but today i noticed it in the exact same position as last night, the night before it was walking around happy as a clam.  i misted the tank, and the pede didn't move.  so i picked it up and it was completely limp.  but the legs still move a bit, i have it in a water dish with a bit of water in it right now, its legs move a bit while sitting there but its not curling or walking out of the water, even if i touch it it doesn't curl.
what wrong, what can i do?
HELP PLEASE!!!


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## zonbonzovi (Apr 1, 2010)

Maybe an molt?


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## bareass (Apr 1, 2010)

so what should i do?


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## zonbonzovi (Apr 1, 2010)

If it's molting, just leave it alone.  It will eventually separate itself from the old layer.  What size is it?


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## bareass (Apr 1, 2010)

i'd say about 6-7 inches, how do i know if its molting, it has never done this before. what doen it need to molt? humidity?


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## cacoseraph (Apr 1, 2010)

if millipedes are close to centipedes they breathe through holes in their side... no their mouth.  you could be drowning it in that water dish


i would maybe put it in a tarantula style ICU as opposed to a dish with free water in it.


probably best to wait for a millipede person with a bit more knowledge to chime in... but ifyou want to get an ICU set up just in case:


Intensive Care Units (Tarantula ICU)


http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=171487 <-- by one or more of the Schultzes (The Tarantula Keeper's Guide!)
direct link --> http://people.ucalgary.ca/~schultz/icu10.html

bit more info, mentions a dry icu 
http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=147546

interesting thread with at least one good post to check out by Talkenlate04
http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=125674


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## cacoseraph (Apr 1, 2010)

i belive AGBs usually bury themselves and make a molting chamber, if they can


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## Voodooschaaf (Apr 1, 2010)

<<<completely limp. but the legs still move a bit, i have it in a water dish with a bit of water in it right now, its legs move a bit while sitting there but its not curling or walking out of the water, even if i touch it it doesn't curl.>>>

It seems it is passing away.

Greez,
Shura and the whole bunch


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## bareass (Apr 1, 2010)

that unfortunatly was my first thought, until i saw the legs,
i don't want to be wrong though, i put in in the water and it moved a bit more, its on its side the the water goes to the bottom of the mouth.
wha are the typical signs of a premolt, or a molt?


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## zonbonzovi (Apr 1, 2010)

At that size and age: not a good sign.  As Caco said, molting will usually take place sub surface.  I had some O. ornatus do the same thing and I believed it to be just old age, in their case.  On the ICU: the lack of moisture could be damaging in a paper towel set up.  Also, take it out of the water dish.  Is your substrate moist(like 1 day after plant watering moist?)?  Handle very carefully & place back into moist soil.  If it's molting, it'll take care of the rest.  If not, well...


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## Matt K (Apr 1, 2010)

Its dying.  If it were to molt it happens within several hours time and is over with.  Ordinarily they will at least cover themselves if not burrow to the bottom of the substrate to do thier molt.  Laying on top in view of its owner indicates it is probably dying from lack of the right food/water/temp/etc., and/or old age.  If you dont know how old it is, it could be an older male that did not get full sized yet based on previous care cicrumstances.

"cacoseraph" probably offered the best advise so far.... additionally I would offer a food item you have not offered before....


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## Elytra and Antenna (Apr 1, 2010)

Millipedes are curled up when they molt, if it's not curled up it's not going to molt. 



cacoseraph said:


> if millipedes are close to centipedes they breathe through holes in their side... no their mouth.


The holes in the side are ozopores where the defensive secretion is ejected, not spiracles. It's an easy mistake.


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## cacoseraph (Apr 1, 2010)

i'm not talking about what i have seen (though i have seen *those* holes.. thanks for the name for them!)... i am saying centipedes breathe through spiracles on the side of their bodies... and i don't know if all chilopods do or not


if they don't breathe through spiracles, how do milli's respirate? i thought no bugs had good enough oxygen bearing blood to do chemical oxygen distribution, as in mammals


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## Galapoheros (Apr 1, 2010)

Yeah I'm not very into millis and always thought they had spiracles too, how do they get their O2?


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## bareass (Apr 1, 2010)

i'm not seeing anymovement anymore, upsetting but it does seem to be old.  i bought it this size and i was perfectly health until now, and never molted.  
the other kicker is that they are illegal in canada now, so i can't even get another.
thanks for all the advise, seems to have been too little too soon.
RIP Millie Vanillie


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## cacoseraph (Apr 2, 2010)

ah, now i feel even worse for you

my first two millis were named Milli and Vanilli


i have a rule for bugs and death, though... don't do final disposal until they are stinky or crunchy.  a few times i have brought tarantulas back from what appeared to be the very edge of death.  utterly non-responsive, non-motile, non-moving... easily could say "oh, deader, toss"


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## Elytra and Antenna (Apr 2, 2010)

cacoseraph said:


> ... i am saying centipedes breathe through spiracles on the side of their bodies...


 What about scutigeromorpha?

It's difficult to drown round millipedes (many can survive days under water) possibly due to the spiracle location.


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## cacoseraph (Apr 2, 2010)

ok, =P

i'm saying that centipedes breathe through spiracles either in pairs located on the side of their body or singletons located dorsomedially


centipedes lack the ability to really fully seal their spiracles... maybe millipedes possess it


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