Millipede Bite (Nibble?)

[Cavedweller]

Fatty the C. spinigerus has been living up to her name. I let her crawl onto me so that I could move her, and she spent a solid minute or two making a valiant attempt to eat my hand. It tickled and she was completely unsuccessful, of course. It was really cool to get to watch her mouthparts working up close, though.

The best I can figure is that my hand still smelled like the fruit I put in the pede tank. It was a very curious event and I've never heard of that happening before, or seen it with my own pedes. Anyone else ever observed this behavior?

 

[mmfh]

Dont own pedes but it sounds kinda freaky lol. Id have been torn between fascination and heebie jeebies.

 

[Cavedweller]

I'm surprised how many spider fans are kinda creeped out by millipedes, considering they're so harmless. I guess 8 legs is the perfect amount and if you go over that, then it's too many legs.

No jeebies here. I get those from children, not bugs.

 

[Gnat]

The AGBs I had a while back were the only millipedes I have had where I experienced them 'biting'. I have heard of it before with various conspiracy theories as to why, ranging from needing protein to calcium. I am not sure why millies bite, but the AGBs where the only large enough to feel the nibble that I have owned.

 

[Cavedweller]

An AGB is significantly larger than a Florida ivory. What did that 'bite' feel like? The most I felt was a tiny pinch/tickle.

I've just put some kibble in the pede tank and will be picking up some cuttlebone at the suggestion of the good people on Arachnoboards, so hopefully protein/calcium deficiency won't be an issue. Fatty went to town on the dogfood, but the others haven't touched it yet.

 

[Elytra and Antenna]

An AGB nibble is pretty gentle.