Milipede advice

[danread]

Hi,

I bought a new millipede yesterday, and it's my first milli so i need a bit of advice. The pet shop i got it from is not a good one and it was kept in a bone dry tank with no food or water. I've got it into a new tank, with relatively moist peat as substrate, some carrot and lettuce as food and its heated to about 25 celcius. I'm not sure as to the species, its got red bands on a dark brown background (any ideas). I'll take some photos later. The problem is that it is coiled into a ball and hasn't moved out of that position since yesterday. It's definitely alive as it coils tighter if i touch it. Is it possible that it is going to molt, or is it dying? The colours seem to be looking pretty vibrant, so thats why i'm not sure if it is going to molt. What are the signs of molting in a millipede? Thanks.

Dan.

 

[wayne the pain]

dan have you put a drink in for them, they do like to drink. try some dead leaves also.beech, oak,they love them.also cat biscuit's mine will munch on, dont seem that keen for carrot. hope this helps
also what size is it?

 

[danread]

Hi Wayne,

It's probably about 7 inches long at the moment, maybe a bit under. I'll put a water bowl in with it, but it still isnt moving at all. It's possible it is realy dehdrated and isnt well. Would it be worth spraying water directly on it? I don't want to mess around with it too much, just in case it is going to molt. Is there physical sighs of a milli that is going to molt like changing colour or anything?

Cheers,

Dan.

 

[wayne the pain]

not sure dan on them moulting :? never seen my moult, believe they bury themselves till its done, and hardend back up again.id try giving it a spray might help, cant do no harm can it

 

[Steven]

Is there physical sighs of a milli that is going to molt like changing colour or anything?

when a milipedes burrows very deep into the substrate and doesn't come out for a couple of weeks he's probarly gonna molt!!!

very importent is to not disturb it,... like trying to dig it out or so,...
when milipedes molt they are very delicate,....
i've once lost a beautiful A.Gigas when i decided to look after him cause i haven't seen him for a month orso,... so i started to dig into the substrate and came to the milipede right in its molt,....
he didn't made it after that,..... i've learnd my lesson since,.... just let them dig themself in for as long as they want

 

[danread]

If it was burrowed down under the substrate i'd be a lot happier, at least i would know it was in good enough condition to move around and do that. All it has done since i bought it is stay in a coil on the surface, it hasn't moved from the spot i put in on or straightened up once. I can see it moving it's antennae around slightly, but it's certianly not acting alive and well.

Cheers,

Dan.

 

[Steven]

some pictures sure will help,.... can't find anywhere you mentioning what species it is,... or am i blind

with relatively moist peat

i would make that moist peat if it's an african species

 

[Professor T]

Originally posted by danread
Hi Wayne,

It's probably about 7 inches long at the moment, maybe a bit under. I'll put a water bowl in with it, but it still isnt moving at all. It's possible it is realy dehdrated and isnt well. Would it be worth spraying water directly on it? I don't want to mess around with it too much, just in case it is going to molt. Is there physical sighs of a milli that is going to molt like changing colour or anything?

Cheers,

Dan.

They burrow when they are going to molt. When you dig them up they look clouded over and they are delicate. Your description doesn't sound like molting.

If you post a picture maybe somebody could ID it. Then you could figure out what conditions might be optimal, ie humidity, temperature, substrate, lighting, food etc.

I have two healthy AGB millipedes that are breeders, and they go through periods of time when they curl up and don't move, followed by periods of activity. My point is, its normal behavior.

 

[wayne the pain]

cmon dan need a update on your milli, been thinking about it alot.

 

[danread]

Hi Wayne,

not much to say unfortunately. It is still rolled into a ball, so i'm just leaving it alone and waiting to see what happens. Anyway, here's some pics of it, any idea what species it might be?

Cheers,

Dan.

 

[danread]

one more

 

[Professor T]

Archispirostrptus gigas

Hi,

That picture looks like Archispirostreptus gigas , the African Giant Black Millipede. They are very hardy and easy to care for. Mine eat oak leaves, romaine lettuce, apple, cucumber, and flake goldfish food. They don't like bright light. It will slime you if you pick it up, wash with soap and water. If you handle it enough it will get used to you and stop sliming you, and stop rolling up into a ball. Below is a link to a care sheet:

AGB Millipede Caresheet

They reproduce by transfering a sperm packet. The female will burrow to lay her eggs. I would suggest substrate deep enough to dig into, and a place on the surface to hide and avoid light. I keep mine in a 30 gallon Wal-Mart tub. I keep a water bowl that they occasionally drink out of, but they do not drink on a daily basis. They are amazing animals. Good luck

 

[Professor T]

Don't worry about mites

Regarding the care sheet, I disagree with their information on the mites. The mites are commensalistic with the AGB millipede, so they won't hurt the millipede. They can stay on no problem.

If the mite population gets too large for your liking (or if you suspect parasitic mite species), here is a better way to get rid of them. Take a plastic bag with flour, and gently shake your millipede in the bag. The mites will come off in the flour. Remove the millipede, softly brush flour off with an unused soft paint brush, rise with water. Put clean AGB millipede in its enclosure.

 

[Navaros]

Would this work for centipedes also?

 

[Steven]

@Danread

yeah looks like an A.Gigas,....
as to your substrate,....
i should mixed it with some rotten leaves and some "moss"
guess it will be allright after it settles in then

good luck

any idea if it's a male or female ?

 

[danread]

thanks for the advice. Since i last posted it has started to look a lot happier, it's now uncoiled and it moving around. I guess it just needed to rehydrate and heat up a bit. How do you tell if they are male or female? Is it easy to breed them? Thanks.

Dan.

 

[Steven]

How do you tell if they are male or female? Is it easy to breed them?

guess if you use the "search"button above you'll find quite some topics related to that,....and when happy they breed quite easy :}

 

[wayne the pain]

Originally posted by gongyles
guess if you use the "search"button above you'll find quite some topics related to that,....and when happy they breed quite easy :}

bit like me that =D when i get chance =D

 

[Steven]

@Wayne
i've said it before and i say it again: j*ck*ss

 

[wayne the pain]

steven you really are getting to know me too well.