Look What I Found!

[SkyeSpider]

While walking into my garage tonight, I saw a bug running across the floor. At first, I thought it was a centipede, but as I bent over I was pleasantly surprised! It was a Florida milipede!!! I've been looking for these for years, and I just stumbled across one tonight

Well, I snatched that booger right up, threw it into a delicup, and gave it some cucumber. It was much more interested in drinking water off the side of the cup, though. Such a cutie!

I'm not totally versed on this species, as there's not much info out there. I was wondering if anyone knows the lifespan and full size of these.

Anyway, enjoy the [crappy] photos

 

[SkyeSpider]

Another [crappy] photo

-Bryan

 

[Henry Kane]

Lucky! How is it doing so far?

Atrax

 

[SkyeSpider]

Seems to be doing great. I've gotten some mixed reports on what this critter eats. Some say dog food, some say veggies and fruit. What's the consensus here?

-Bryan

 

[Wade]

It looks like a polydesmid to me. I think they feed on fungi. I would suggest a substrate of moist leaf litter.

Wade

 

[SkyeSpider]

Actually, some fungii grew on the dog food I put in there I was going to take that out, but shall I leave it?

-Bryan

 

[Wade]

Maybe, it probably wouldn't hurt. The impression I've gotten by being on the millipede group and other groups is that they're not especially interested in the foods normally used for other millipedes. I had one (possibly not the same species, but simmilar) that I kept alive for a month or so. I wonder if they would be interested in store bought mushrooms? Might be something to try...

Wade

 

[Mendi]

My experience comes from AGB's and our native desert species, and a small flat one I find here in TN, but maybe your FL millipedes will do well with what I feed. I give my millipedes things like fallen oak leaves, cucumber, apple, moistened dog or cat food, cut grass/hay/alfalfa, and softened rodent pellets. I also keep a small piece of cuttlefish bone in with them for when they want to load up on some calcium they can. I guess they even eat the peat moss substrate on occasion too. I try to vary it for them, though they would likely be just as happy having the same thing every meal. I've never tried giving mine mushroom or other fungi, but IMO it sounds like something they would find to eat in the wild in the leaf litter, so I'm going to try offering some of that too