Narceus americanus breeding and pest help

[Exoskelos]

Excuse my disjointedness, I have a tendency to ramble, so bear with me.

I've collected a few wild Narceus millipedes recently from various places, and also bought the Millipeds in Captivity book, which has been extremely helpful. One of the 'pedes is very large and has a strange tan/muted orange color on the bands. I don't know if it's a result of age, or if it's a different species entirely, it moves very slow and is probably the largest one I've ever seen. I found it on the side of the road less than a mile from my house. I don't have a good camera or I would take a photo, but the photos really don't capture the color well anyway. I also found interesting that all the 'pedes I collected, molted at the same time, despite being found in locations far from each other.

I've had the millipedes for about four months, and the one with tan bands laid eggs within two days of being found. I placed the larger specimens in a separate enclosure, while keeping the mother and the eggs in the original container. The eggs have hatched out since I separated the others, once I noticed the hatchlings I moved the mother into the second tank.

I'm afraid a nematode infestation may kill the babies, the worms are so bad I can see them sparkle in the substrate when I shine a light inside. I can't move the babies because they're too small and I don't want to risk losing them. I don't know if I should just wait and hope they molt to a size that can be gently handled for transport, or to try to remedy the worm problem somehow.

 

[mickiem]

I needed to get tiny baby millipedes out of an enclosure once. At the time, I didn't know why the babies were dying, but now I think it may have been depleted substrate. I used a white plastic spoon (white to contrast with the dark substrate). I gently scooped UNDER the babies. I didn't let the spoon touch them. They were 1/4" long at best. I sort of scooped beside them and let them roll in. I didn't lose any from the "relocation efforts" and whatever had been killing them ceased. FWIW

 

[Exoskelos]

The baby millipedes are small, probably around 1/8". I counted five on an apple core I placed in the tank, there are probably more. I guess I'm just panicking about them being in a worm infested substrate, but I cut down on the water I had been putting in there and it may have helped, I don't see as many worms as before.

 

[Elytra and Antenna]

Cutting back moisture won't kill any worms even if it's dry enough to kill every last baby Narceus. Lower moisture can keep the worms off the upper surface. I would move the Narceus as they surface to a setup that is not infested. The tiniest piece of dirt moved with them would contain nematodes and the new cage would probably have nematodes if set up the same way. If great care isn't taken the new tank could become just as infested as the old. Nematodes are one of the most frustrating pests but sometimes they don't bother the animals too much.

 

[Exoskelos]

The adult millipedes seemed to be unaffected by the presence of worms. I took great care in transferring the larger animals to another enclosure with seasoned aspen bedding mixed with coconut fiber and aged hardwood sawdust. I'm mainly worried in the effect of the worms on the baby millipedes, as I can't move them right now without risking killing them or transferring nematodes also.

The mother of the offspring is most definitely the largest Narceus I have ever seen, not in length, but in width. It's far bulkier than the others, with almost black plates, and tan bands. I've never seen one like it, I hope the babies can survive. I may try and take pictures if I can find my camera

 

[LawnShrimp]

I suggest removing the babies with a paintbrush, a common strategy with first instar caterpillars, or even a pair of tweezers or your nails (I have a very light touch, I move all my hatchlings by hand). Alternatively, you could trap babies using apple, cucumber, or zucchini. Place a piece in the enclosure and each time babies climb onto it to feed, pick the food up brush them into an empty container so worms don't follow them, and if there are no worms in the container, pour babies into a container with substrate. I hope this helps, pests are always a sad occurrence.

I have heard nematodes can be frustrating but never had them myself. However, I keep a few Schizomids (shorttailed pygmy vinegaroons) around in case of a pest infestation. They are effective predators of springtails, mites, and perhaps nematodes as well.

Please take photos of the mother, and sorry for 'soliciting' but please post them here along with their original location http://arachnoboards.com/threads/narceus-species-complex.297846/ if you can. Any strange morphs or types could be a new species in the expanding and confusing Narceus species complex, which needs to be documented and reasearched. (I don't know if asking to post pictures in another thread is frowned upon here. If so, I'll stop.)

 

[Exoskelos]

Okay. I can't find my camera, but when I do, I'll take pictures of the mother and post them in the other thread, maybe here as well. I'll try and get something in the photo for scale, like a coin, or a ruler if I can find one.

 

[mickiem]

A paintbrush is a great idea for moving babies!

I had nematodes in a Narceus gordanus enclosure. Few adults were affected but only a few babies survived. I used the spoon to move them into all new and sterilized substrate. Even sawdust in which you don't see anything moving around could contain eggs. After only a month, I changed the substrate again. I watch it closely but haven't seen a new infestation. I'm careful with my substrate but it's frustrating not knowing from where they came. I know some nematodes can cycle through the gut of a host. If that is the kind of nematode in that enclosure, I don't know how you could ever eradicate it. I just keep them healthy and watch closely.

 

[Exoskelos]

I have scrubbed through a video I took of my Narceus enclosure, and obtained a rough photo of the millipede that has unusual color. It's almost the width of a penny, and far wider than any other pede in the enclosure. It's the dark colored one on the right, and this photo does not capture the color properly.
Until I can find my actual camera, this is the best I can do for a photo. I'm thinking about getting a night vision video camera or a red tinted lightbulb, so I can observe their antics without staying up all night or disturbing them with a bright LED light. Also, I moved at least 50 small millipedes of various sizes (all under an inch) from the terrarium I was concerned about, and I know there are probably more. I'll have to go to the local sawmill soon, get these guys some proper food besides dead leaves and apple cores.

 

[LawnShrimp]

Interesting. It looks like N. americanus or annularis, and the collum stripe is very orange but the rest is so dark. I like it!