Giant African Millipede Gnawing Habit..

[pdm]

My giant african millipede likes to gnaw on my fingers ever now & again. It doesn't really hurt but can be a sharp pinch at times. I started reading web sites to see if they "bite" as I was always told they do not. Well these web sites did state they don't bite as in the sense of an attack but one said if it does that it is trying to get something off your finger like salt, moisture or whatever & another said its an exploratory method they use to check things out.

Is this common with most GAMs?

Does anyone know what the real reason is they do it?


pdm

 

[Snipes]

http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=55635&highlight=chew
http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=61325&highlight=chew

 

[pdm]

Thank you for those links. After checking out those links they all gave some pretty good ideas on what it might be. I noticed the one that said hers stopped chewing on her fingers after she feed it a pinkie. I was wondering if any of the other people who feed theirs hermit crab food/cookies, cat food, pellets etc stopped chewing on their fingers also or if it just worked with the pinkie.

I would def be interested in hearing the feedback on that also.


pdm

 

[Mr. Mordax]

That's really interesting that yours ate a pinky, Snipes . . . my male nibbles me sometimes, and I've got a few in the freezer for my corn. I think I'll toss one in when I get home tomorrow.

I'll also give him some hermit crab pellets (my crab hates them) and see what happens.

 

[Snipes]

I tell you, its funny to see millipedes descent upon a pinky and eat it. Unfortunately, I did not get pics. The new one is chewing me a lot, so i may do it again, and this time, pictures

 

[8+)]

My big female has nibbled on me twice. Both times it left a purple stain that looked just like the stain from the defensive secretion, and lasted for over a week. As I read the threads, I kept waiting for someone to mention this. Has anyone else observed it?

 

[Snipes]

I put in a pinkie today, and soon after one came by to nibble:

 

[Mr. Mordax]

Gross!

I'm gonna go take one out of the freezer!

 

[Stylopidae]

Huh.

I may have to try this.

 

[gunks]

Ewww...But then when you're holding it and it does its usual pooping on you its like...digested mouse. Much grosser then digested veggies.

 

[Snipes]

Meh, the dont usually poop on me. An hour later, another milli came and ate the internal organs, and then a male came and fed and his mate, a HUGE female, took it from him and took the last of it. I should have fed a larger one.

 

[Mr. Mordax]

Mine haven't touched the one I threw in yesterday.

 

[Snipes]

strange :? . they may not feel that they need the nutrients. Have you seen them find it?

 

[Mr. Mordax]

I checked this morning, and now there's half a pinky. Thanks for the idea, Snipes!