First Millipede - AGB

[becca81]

I've always been interested in millipedes, but have never owned one until now.

Just got one single AGB - plan on adding more over the next couple of weeks. Based on the lack of gonopods, I'm assuming what I have is a female. I picked her up once and was "sprayed" by something brownish. She's currently right around 9" - do all get to 11"?

Can calcium powder replace the need for oak leaves / rotting wood or is the wood and leaves a must?

 

[spydrhunter1]

There seems to be some controversy about the need for supplemental calcium in millipede diets, but I don't think it would hurt to add it.
I use oak leaves to not only supplement the diet, they also help with humidity requirements. I also add a couple of handfuls of shredded aspen to the coconut bedding, this will break down and create milli food as well.

 

[Mr. Mordax]

The brownish stuff is benzoquinone. I'd wash your hands afterwards (which sometimes makes it stain pink / purple instead of brown). If you have a social millipede (or a laid-back one), they'll be less likely to secrete it.

Have fun with your new baby!

 

[arrowhd]

Wow, thats crazy I was just looking at one of these guys at the local pet store today. Yours is hugh compared to the ones at the pet store. They were probably around 5-6 inches. Did you buy it locally or order?

 

[becca81]

Wow, thats crazy I was just looking at one of these guys at the local pet store today. Yours is hugh compared to the ones at the pet store. They were probably around 5-6 inches. Did you buy it locally or order?

I bought it locally. It was cheap and the petstore that I occasionally go to has been caring for their inverts better and better, so I try to support them whenever possible.

 

[Stylopidae]

Mine have only been eating leaves. Their container of dog food seems to remain untouched. Their container was once covered with leaves and now they're almost all gone.

Becca...if you need leaves, I have a 35 gallon tub in my garage about half full of them. Not too much wood, though. I'm going to try to get some oak sawdust from my old HS's wood class.

 

[Wade]

Hi Becca-

Did the millipede "spray" a yellowish substance thant by now is a reddish purple? Then it is probably the benzoquinone that tha Iheartmantids mentions. If it's just brown and smelly, it might just be poop. Millis fed mainly greens have runnier poop.

Leaves and wood are not absolutely needed for adults, but if you want them to reproduce, it helps a lot. Babies may feed on this material more than the adults.

As spyderhunter induicated, aspen bedding, mixed in with a moist substrate like coconut coir ("fiber") eventually becomes edible as it rots in the moisture. It's a good substitute if you can't get wood.

Calcium is not an impotant part of the exoskeleton, but it does seem to benefit them. Captive bred millis seems to ge larger if offered calcium occasionally. I sprinkle some reptile calcium on the substrate about once a month.

Adult AGB's can be anywhere from 6-12", although most fall somerwhere in the middle. Supposedly the record is one that was 15"! They do not molt after reaching adulthood (although many other millis do). Immatures molt in underground chambers, so it is helpful to have several inches of substrate.

Wade

 

[Mr. Mordax]

Did the millipede "spray" a yellowish substance thant by now is a reddish purple? Then it is probably the benzoquinone that tha Iheartmantids mentions. If it's just brown and smelly, it might just be poop. Millis fed mainly greens have runnier poop.

A good way to tell the difference (aside from stain colors) is poop comes out where poop comes out in most life forms, and the benzo' comes out from a little gland on either side of each segment. It also has sort of a salty smell to it.

And I know what you mean about runny 'pede poop, Wade. I've had my fair share of millipede diarrhea when I least expected it.

 

[Stylopidae]

Becca...here's some pics of my enclosure. There's 5 in there.

http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=82099&highlight=my+AGB+enclosure