AGB acting weird

zsigm0nd

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jul 16, 2019
Messages
7
I’ve noticed earlier today that my only male AGB millipede has been acting strange. He’s more lathargic, he responds a little slower to touches and just in general to things around him. I saw him laying partly on his side before as well but when I touched him gently, he reacted quickly by curling up the top half of his body.
The thing that confuses me though is that his body looks fine. He isn’t discolored, I don’t see any abnormal mites, and his exoskeleton doesn’t look shriveled. I gave him a small tomato yesterday and he ate a bit of it but ever since then, he’s been acting like this. I don’t usually give him tomatoes so maybe his behavior is because of the tomato? I’m not really sure. If someone can help me out or give me some tips, I’d be grateful.
 

hecklad

Arachnosquire
Joined
Sep 10, 2019
Messages
120
I’ve noticed earlier today that my only male AGB millipede has been acting strange. He’s more lathargic, he responds a little slower to touches and just in general to things around him. I saw him laying partly on his side before as well but when I touched him gently, he reacted quickly by curling up the top half of his body.
The thing that confuses me though is that his body looks fine. He isn’t discolored, I don’t see any abnormal mites, and his exoskeleton doesn’t look shriveled. I gave him a small tomato yesterday and he ate a bit of it but ever since then, he’s been acting like this. I don’t usually give him tomatoes so maybe his behavior is because of the tomato? I’m not really sure. If someone can help me out or give me some tips, I’d be grateful.
How big is he and how deep is your substrate? It may be close to the end of its life, but millipedes usually won't respond quickly to stimulation if they're almost dead (although not curling up all the way could also mean near-death); maybe it is preparing to molt but doesn't have proper conditions to do so.
 

zsigm0nd

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jul 16, 2019
Messages
7
How big is he and how deep is your substrate? It may be close to the end of its life, but millipedes usually won't respond quickly to stimulation if they're almost dead (although not curling up all the way could also mean near-death); maybe it is preparing to molt but doesn't have proper conditions to do so.
He’s around 10ish inches long or so and the substrate I believe is a bit over 2 inches deep. The tank is about 24 inches wide though. He isn’t curling up all the way at the moment because he’s kind of curled around a log. I saw him curled up fully earlier today.
 

hecklad

Arachnosquire
Joined
Sep 10, 2019
Messages
120
He’s around 10ish inches long or so and the substrate I believe is a bit over 2 inches deep. The tank is about 24 inches wide though. He isn’t curling up all the way at the moment because he’s kind of curled around a log. I saw him curled up fully earlier today.
He's probably fine then if he can still fully curl. My guess would then be like I said, he probably needs to molt but doesn't have enough substrate to hide in or humidity (unless he's molted recently?). That said, exactly how much substrate and humidity you need, I can't tell you because I've never personally dealt with AGBs before, only Narceus species, although their care shouldn't be too different.
 

zsigm0nd

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jul 16, 2019
Messages
7
He's probably fine then if he can still fully curl. My guess would then be like I said, he probably needs to molt but doesn't have enough substrate to hide in or humidity (unless he's molted recently?). That said, exactly how much substrate and humidity you need, I can't tell you because I've never personally dealt with AGBs before, only Narceus species, although their care shouldn't be too different.
He hasn’t expierienced a molt since I got him, so yeah I wouldn’t be surprised if he was getting ready to. I read that the substrate doesn’t have to be too deep but the width needs to be at least as long as your largest millipede, which it is so I’m not entirely sure if that’s my problem or not. The humidity has been a bit of an issue lately with moisture and temp drops around where I live, but I’m trying my best to keep it under control. I’ve had millipedes that have died before and he isn’t acting anything like they did, so I’m starting to think he’s fine.
 

Polenth

Arachnobaron
Joined
Sep 29, 2018
Messages
460
Two inches isn't really enough for a large millipede to bury. It's difficult to give them their body length in substrate depth when they're huge, but still give them as much as you can. Substrate depth is more important than air space above them.

Which means this millipede will probably end up moulting on the surface. The best thing you can do is stop prodding him to see if he's still alive. Don't touch him or pick him up. If he dies, he'll smell like rotting fish, so you'll know about it.
 

BepopCola

Arachnobaron
Joined
Oct 14, 2018
Messages
418
I gave him a small tomato yesterday and he ate a bit of it but ever since then,
I'd always heard that AGBs were intolerant of tomatoes (someone correct me if I'm wrong), but I can't find any hard sources to support this.
But I agree with hecklad up there, if he's still able to curl up completely then that's a good sign.
I don't know about the molting, but keep us updated!
 

zsigm0nd

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jul 16, 2019
Messages
7
The poor guy died this morning. I’m thinking he may have been a lot older than I thought he was, but I don’t have an exact age. I contacted the place I got him from and hopefully they can give me at least an estimate of his age.
 

hecklad

Arachnosquire
Joined
Sep 10, 2019
Messages
120
The poor guy died this morning. I’m thinking he may have been a lot older than I thought he was, but I don’t have an exact age. I contacted the place I got him from and hopefully they can give me at least an estimate of his age.
Really sorry to hear. They're supposed to max out at like 15 or 16 inches, so at only 10" I don't think he would die of old age
 

The Odd Pet

Arachnoknight
Joined
May 5, 2019
Messages
170
Really sorry to hear. They're supposed to max out at like 15 or 16 inches, so at only 10" I don't think he would die of old age
That's not true. They are known to get up to 12" but they are all different. 10" is a pretty average size adult. They can even be much smaller depending on how the breeder raised them. I know a breeder who keeps so many in 20 gallon tanks that they only reach about 7" full grown.
 

The Odd Pet

Arachnoknight
Joined
May 5, 2019
Messages
170
The poor guy died this morning. I’m thinking he may have been a lot older than I thought he was, but I don’t have an exact age. I contacted the place I got him from and hopefully they can give me at least an estimate of his age.
Really sorry to hear that. I know I would be devastated if any of mine passed away. I'm worried about my adult pair also because I don't know how old they are. The female is about 10" and the male is close to 12". My smaller pair are about 8" now but we're only about 6" when I got them. Both passed through a few people before I got them so I can't even track down how old they might be. I'm hoping they breed but I'm getting more soon from a breeder that lives near me who has hundreds of them in all different sizes. I keep mine in a foot deep of substrate not including the live moss, branchs, bark and leaves on top of that.
 

davehuth

Arachnoknight
Joined
Dec 24, 2017
Messages
278
I keep mine in a foot deep of substrate not including the live moss, branchs, bark and leaves on top of that.
It's so great to read this. I've learned that one of the best ways to care for millipedes (of all sizes) is ample, nutritious substrate. Honestly, adding lots and lots of better substrate is one of the best things we can do for detritivores. Thanks for practicing this.
 

The Odd Pet

Arachnoknight
Joined
May 5, 2019
Messages
170
It's so great to read this. I've learned that one of the best ways to care for millipedes (of all sizes) is ample, nutritious substrate. Honestly, adding lots and lots of better substrate is one of the best things we can do for detritivores. Thanks for practicing this.
Your welcome. I'm still learning my self. My first species of millipede were scarlets and I made the mistake of putting my Armadillidium vulgare "orange vigor" isopods in with them. They breed and eventually I had hundreds till the isopods took over the bin. Now I have no more scarlets. Lesson learned. Now I only keep springtails in with them. Since I breed a lot of species of isopods some tend to escape so I have to keep my millipedes far away from them. There is still one here and there that get in. Not long ago my Florida ivory bin got infested with Armadillidium vulgare "Punta Cana" and I lost hundreds of babies .
 

davehuth

Arachnoknight
Joined
Dec 24, 2017
Messages
278
They breed and eventually I had hundreds till the isopods took over the bin.
I think we've all been there! It's surprising how much force isopods can exert on their environments. I've read that bioactive reptile keepers also have to be careful of which isopods they select for their enclosures. It's hard to imagine tiny roly-polies taking down a vulnerable vertebrate, but I guess it happens.
 

The Odd Pet

Arachnoknight
Joined
May 5, 2019
Messages
170
For
I think we've all been there! It's surprising how much force isopods can exert on their environments. I've read that bioactive reptile keepers also have to be careful of which isopods they select for their enclosures. It's hard to imagine tiny roly-polies taking down a vulnerable vertebrate, but I guess it happens.
For sure. I sell a lot to people for their bio vivs. Most want what they call giant orange isopods that are Porcellio scaber and they are very dangerous to small reptiles and amphibians. Pretty much every Porcellio spec. is. There are a good speices for every kind of viv. You just have to know what those are. I breed close to 100 different species and my collection is still growing. I also breed crested geckos and have my own bioactive vivs for most of them.
 
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