# The price of Giant African Black Millies?



## Acro (Jan 18, 2010)

So whats up with the common Giant African Black Millipede _Archispirostreptus gigas_?  I have seen prices for them recently and they are through the roof!  Have they become rare?  Were importation restrictions put on them?  Why the crazy increase in price?  I remember when you could buy an adult for $20.00.  Anybody know the news?


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## Matt K (Jan 18, 2010)

They are illegal to import now due to a commensurate mite they bring with them from Africa that has a fondness for plant crops as well (cotton for the most part).  They have been banned for over a year....maybe more than two.  As they become increasingly uncommon / rare in captivity, price goes up.  Most anyone who can is buying groups to breed, as they will never be seen in the USA again once they are all gone.

It took federal agents a long time to discover that mite was what was killing cotton crops and where it came from, so the penalties for importing them are very steep.  $1000 per offense and possible jail time ("offense" is defined by the field agent, it can mean per import or per animal as they see fit).


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## ftorres (Jan 19, 2010)

Hello,
Thanks Mattk they were banned two and a half years ago, a year or two after mantids.

The very first shipment confiscated was here in Los Angeles, more than 1000 millis were send to Insect zoos.

I wonder if there is a way of farming them in Africa and treat them to erradicate the mites from their bodies and them imported to America????

Hopefully Dr W welhling could find a way for us hobbiest to have other millis instead.

The main problem is the man power to do these studies.

One day, one day will be see them again.

francisco


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## ftorres (Jan 19, 2010)

Hello again,
Mattk could you point me to the case study of this mite affecting the cotton industry please????

francisco


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## Acro (Jan 19, 2010)

Thanks for the replies fellas.  I figured it had to do with something like a banning.  Interesting that the African Giant Black millipede mites like to feed on the cotton plant.  Kinda reminds one of how the B. smithi prices went up once they were no longer imported.  Thats happened with many exotic animals when the only source is from captive breeding.  So is this ban only for the A. gigas or does it ban other species?


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## ftorres (Jan 19, 2010)

all millipedes and alike.


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## pouchedrat (Jan 19, 2010)

all millipedes, although my understanding is that captive bred ones are still legal to own. 

I have two captive bred A. gigas females I've had for a while now, and getting quite large.   I wish I had a male, lol.


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## mukmewx (Apr 13, 2014)

I personally think they are full of it, and it's just another way the us government is bending me over. As I type this with their prying eyes on me...hold on theres a knock on my door...and I hear helicopters??


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## SDCPs (Apr 15, 2014)

mukmewx said:


> I personally think they are full of it, and it's just another way the us government is bending me over. As I type this with their prying eyes on me...hold on theres a knock on my door...and I hear helicopters??


I tend to disagree. I think we have a tremendous amount of social freedom and that while there are penalties etc. due to the Buget cuts many agencies are overextended and understaffed, and I get the feeling that most of our laws (even without the cuts) are enforced by citizens without much external enforcement...kindof like the honor system with teeth.

Additionally, I wonder whether (I have noticed a significant reduction in the number of highway patrolmen giving out tickets...if I am to be believed) the government is trying to step back to aid in economic recovery...or maybe this is just an illusion due to budget cuts or my uninformed perspective.


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## laurenkane (Apr 16, 2014)

Captive bred millipedes are fine - if you are able to ask around on the internet via bugs in cyberspace, Ken the Bug Guy, and Millipedes and More, I'm sure you will be able to find one. Though, I would expect it to run you around $50 - $150 ish.


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## mukmewx (Apr 19, 2014)

SDCPs said:


> I tend to disagree. I think we have a tremendous amount of social freedom and that while there are penalties etc. due to the Buget cuts many agencies are overextended and understaffed, and I get the feeling that most of our laws (even without the cuts) are enforced by citizens without much external enforcement...kindof like the honor system with teeth.
> 
> Additionally, I wonder whether (I have noticed a significant reduction in the number of highway patrolmen giving out tickets...if I am to be believed) the government is trying to step back to aid in economic recovery...or maybe this is just an illusion due to budget cuts or my uninformed perspective.


Thanks for the reply. I hope you didn't take that the wrong way, just have a warped since of humor. We do have lots of freedom and all. I'm not anti-government just anti BIG government.


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