# Is this a baby millipede?



## Anonymity82 (Apr 14, 2012)

So I was doing my nightly routine of checking them out and see what's moldy and what's good to stay. I noticed something small and white moving around in the dark, wet substrate. I was able to get it without hurting it and as I looked really close at it it looked exactly like a baby millipede. The more I think about it the more I think it must be one. I have only had these guys like 2-3 weeks (have not sexed them) but I think only the one would be large enough to be mature, but I guess the slightly smaller one could be too. But it's only been 2-3 weeks. I know very little about these creatures (one of the reasons I decided to catch a few so I could learn more). Here are a couple of pictures of the tiny creature I found lurking amongst the pill bugs: 
	

		
			
		

		
	

View attachment 102042
View attachment 102041

	

		
			
		

		
	
Baby?

I should add a little more details that can't be seen. You can clearly see the antennea, but you can't see the individual segments + the many legs that move like grown millipedes.


----------



## Giygas (Apr 14, 2012)

That really looks like a springtail...if im not mistaken, they feed on moulds and other nasty stuff. So consider letting him co-habit one of your Ts.


----------



## Camden (Apr 14, 2012)

too big to be a springtail, could be wrong though. But doesn't look like a millipede, ALMOST looks like a small slug, but probably not. I'm kinda stumped!

Edit- What does it feel like when you touch it? Is it dry? wet/slimy? rough feeling? Is it walking or squirming?


----------



## Gnat (Apr 14, 2012)

what sort of millipedes are we talking about? might help ALOT


----------



## Anonymity82 (Apr 14, 2012)

N. americanus. The picture doesn't capture all the details. It looks exactly like a very, very small version of the adult millipedes. It's a little bit faster though.  It has many segments and legs that move like a "wave" when it moves around. Not slimy at all. Too small for me to even feel it. I have no idea. I'll try to get better pictures if I see it again but my camera isn't that great.

---------- Post added 04-14-2012 at 10:30 AM ----------

It also behaved like the adults by doing the "inch worm" thing and lifting the first third part of its body up in the air as if to "smell" around. Really cool little guy.


----------



## SlowFox64 (Apr 14, 2012)

you can see how many legs it has?

---------- Post added 04-14-2012 at 05:21 PM ----------

take a picture from the side or from below if you can

---------- Post added 04-14-2012 at 05:23 PM ----------

I think it looks like a milliped juvenile


----------



## Anonymity82 (Apr 14, 2012)

N. americanus. I found some images for springtails. I know it's hard to see in the picture but it's definitely not a springtail. I'm pretty sure it's a baby. Not sure what to do with it. The container is pretty small so I can't just keep them all. Maybe I can go find a rotting log and toss them in there when/if they reach around an inch or so big. 

SlowFox64, it has many, many legs. I'm amazed by this. I've had them two-three weeks. They are so awesome.


----------



## satchellwk (Apr 14, 2012)

It is possible that something might have come in on some leaves or wood; how thoroughly was it sanitized? I've learned the hard way that freezing stuff will not kill everything;  you pretty much need to use large amounts of heat. It could be a juvenile Narceus, but I find the small time frame to be unbelievable.  Whatever the little guy is, good luck with him.


----------



## Anonymity82 (Apr 14, 2012)

I caught the millipedes from outside and did not sanitize the leaves and sticks. The coco fiber doesn't need it though. It definitely could have come in with the leaves. I would sanitize but my fiance will not let me put sticks and leaves from outside in the oven or in the microwave. I figure I'm just grabbing leaves from the exact place they were living outside ::shrugs::. The was looking up pictures of baby millipedes and it definitely looks just like them. I'm pretty sure it is. Maybe I dug up some eggs when I caught the larger guys?


----------



## SlowFox64 (Apr 14, 2012)

I think you should put them in a separate jar and see what becomes of them


----------



## satchellwk (Apr 14, 2012)

If she won't let you use the microwave or oven, you can boil them; that's what I do to keep my mom for getting angry. 

My gut tells me that it's not a Narceus then, it's more than likely some sort of smaller, probably more prolific, millipede; the kind that have the potential to overrun your terrarium if you're not careful (trust me, I know from experience). But, there is always the chance you were lucky enough to bring in another Narceus. I agree with slowfox, it might be best to isolate it from the rest until you can get a more definite ID.


----------



## catfishrod69 (Apr 14, 2012)

Its definitely not a springtail, that would be a huge one. Doesnt really look like a baby millipede either. At first look, looks like a slug. Are you sure it has legs? I wouldnt worry about baking/boiling the stuff for their enclosure. They lived with it in the wild. But i would just try and keep them away from captive bred inverts, to keep the parasites and unknowns from getting in with them.


----------



## Anonymity82 (Apr 14, 2012)

Thanks guys for your input. I'll look later on to see if I can find it but it is so small. It definitely has many legs and many segments. That I'm positive about. The camera doesn't do it justice. It looks exactly like a millipede. It's legs moved in that "wave" like the adults do. It wasn't sticky and was clumsy. It fell off my hand a couple of times (short fall). It moved like the adults move. It's too small to get a good picture of it though.

---------- Post added 04-14-2012 at 05:08 PM ----------

If I can find it/them I'll isolate it and see what happens. If it does reek havoc I'll just bring it back to the lake and start over maybe.


----------



## zonbonzovi (Apr 14, 2012)

From your description and what I can make out from the photo I'd say that is exactly what it is.  I agree that whatever you brought in from outdoors probably had unhatched egg(s).

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## ZergFront (Apr 14, 2012)

I get lots of these around here in California, especially during the rainy season. Looks like a baby flat milipede (Apheloria?). I couldn't tell you much about it's care other than keeping it on the moist side, don't even know what it eats. I've had lots of trouble keeping these alive. I don't know if it's disease or if they're eating each other.


----------



## Anonymity82 (Apr 14, 2012)

Now I want to go digging it all up so I can find it/them and study them. I don't think I will though. I'll check out that species and see how similar it looks. I can't imagine it's anything else other than a millipede, but what species I can't say. Hopefully it will molt a few times and I can get a better idea.


----------



## cacoseraph (Apr 14, 2012)

hey op, you can use magnifying glasses to take better pics of very small things.  it's a pretty good trick. you might need a bit of practice and i usually have to take at least 5-10 pics to get one pretty decent one and there are some kinda technical issues that you need to outthink sometimes... but for the investment it is pretty sweet.  i really need to make a new youtube to show how to do it well

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## Anonymity82 (Apr 14, 2012)

That is a really good idea! Maybe I'll give that a try. Thanks!


----------



## Anonymity82 (Apr 16, 2012)

Do millipedes turn whitish before they molt? The little guy is starting to look very light and is coiled up on the very bottom of the container. 

I found a better picture of what this thing looked like. It's the little guy on the leaf and I didn't see any spots but that might be because it's so small. http://wanderinweeta.blogspot.com/2010_03_01_archive.html


----------

