Odd white marks on millipede?

[Mini151001]

Hi,
I recently began keeping bugs so I'm not super educated on them or their behaviour - a couple of days ago I bought a purple feet millipede from a very friendly store. I've been trying attentively to keep to her needs; her enclosure is double her length, about 5 inches deep in substrate, and decorated with leaf litter for her to burrow beneath, or a little pot for a hidey hole. Recently, I've been noticing these odd white marks, and in general - she's a bit sluggish. She's either curled up in her pot, or comes out to burrow herself or eat. I've been keeping her a constant option for food (banana, cucumber, lettuce) making sure to switch them out daily and misting her enclosure once a day. At one point she really just was laid out, and, being a bit uncertain, I picked her up and she slowly started moving like normal again, super curious (I think I woke her up :c). I took the opportunity to get a picture of the marks. I asked the shop I bought her from, they said she might be beginning to molt - or that she might even be pregnant - she was wild caught after all. I was wondering if they are perhaps even scars from her time in the wild? I wanted another opinion on this, I was wondering if anyone else has seen something like this on their millipede?

 

[PoetaCorvi]

Was she bought from "thespidershop"? If so, they unfortunately don't seem particularly knowledgeable on millipedes, the store page for this species has incorrect care info. I have no idea how your shop would come to the conclusion it might indicate pregnancy, just not the case. A healthy molt also won't result in discolored patches, before molts its usually more of a general dulling of color.

My guess is either scarring, or a possible deficiency. I would say the most commonly misunderstood aspect of their care is diet. I don't offer my millipedes any fresh veg or fruit; it's not bad for them by any means, but it should not be the primary diet.

The two most important dietary components for round millipedes are cellulose and protein. Some people say you should add calcium sources for them, because that's what is often recommended with isopods, but millipedes are not crustaceans and their exoskeletons have a completely different composition. While isopods have exoskeletons that require plenty of calcium to stay strong, millipedes have protein-based exoskeletons. I imagine protein deficiencies lead to a lot of mystery millipede deaths. Without protein they cannot properly strengthen their exoskeleton, leading to a weakened exoskeleton and a much higher chance for mismolts/molting related deaths. I use fish flakes to provide protein, every week or so I offer an amount they can finish within 12 hours (which is more than you might expect).

Cellulose will be the primary diet of these millipedes. They need an abundance of thoroughly rotted white rot wood. White rot breaks down lignin and leaves soft and consumable cellulose behind. Leaf litter is also a valuable source of cellulose for them.

Fruit and veg is perfectly fine to offer, but should be more of an occasional treat.

 

[Mini151001]

Was she bought from "thespidershop"? If so, they unfortunately don't seem particularly knowledgeable on millipedes, the store page for this species has incorrect care info. I have no idea how your shop would come to the conclusion it might indicate pregnancy, just not the case. A healthy molt also won't result in discolored patches, before molts its usually more of a general dulling of color.

My guess is either scarring, or a possible deficiency. I would say the most commonly misunderstood aspect of their care is diet. I don't offer my millipedes any fresh veg or fruit; it's not bad for them by any means, but it should not be the primary diet.

The two most important dietary components for round millipedes are cellulose and protein. Some people say you should add calcium sources for them, because that's what is often recommended with isopods, but millipedes are not crustaceans and their exoskeletons have a completely different composition. While isopods have exoskeletons that require plenty of calcium to stay strong, millipedes have protein-based exoskeletons. I imagine protein deficiencies lead to a lot of mystery millipede deaths. Without protein they cannot properly strengthen their exoskeleton, leading to a weakened exoskeleton and a much higher chance for mismolts/molting related deaths. I use fish flakes to provide protein, every week or so I offer an amount they can finish within 12 hours (which is more than you might expect).

Cellulose will be the primary diet of these millipedes. They need an abundance of thoroughly rotted white rot wood. White rot breaks down lignin and leaves soft and consumable cellulose behind. Leaf litter is also a valuable source of cellulose for them.

Fruit and veg is perfectly fine to offer, but should be more of an occasional treat.

Ah ok I see. I think their guess of pregnancy was to do with her being sluggish and not the scars, but I wouldn't know any better. She has leaf litter spread around her enclosure, do you think I should just let her eat that and just occasionally feed her as I have been as some form of treat? I suppose I sort of assumed that if she didnt want it, she just wouldn't eat it, but if I should be more careful I will proceed to do so. Would you maybe have a good guide that I could follow?

Ah ok I see. I think their guess of pregnancy was to do with her being sluggish and not the scars, but I wouldn't know any better. She has leaf litter spread around her enclosure, do you think I should just let her eat that and just occasionally feed her as I have been as some form of treat? I suppose I sort of assumed that if she didnt want it, she just wouldn't eat it, but if I should be more careful I will proceed to do so. Would you maybe have a good guide that I could follow?

By the way, she was bought from a local shop. Not the spider shop.

 

[PoetaCorvi]

Ah ok I see. I think their guess of pregnancy was to do with her being sluggish and not the scars, but I wouldn't know any better. She has leaf litter spread around her enclosure, do you think I should just let her eat that and just occasionally feed her as I have been as some form of treat? I suppose I sort of assumed that if she didnt want it, she just wouldn't eat it, but if I should be more careful I will proceed to do so. Would you maybe have a good guide that I could follow?

She will need rot wood and protein in addition to the leaf litter.

When offered, millipedes will enthusiastically accept fresh veg and fruit. In the wild, accessible fruit and veg is a rarity, so they instinctually take advantage of the opportunity. It’s not uncommon for captive animals to more eagerly accept diets that aren’t ideal for them. Some of my moon crabs would become carnivores if I let them, but what’s healthy for them is a 90% herbivorous diet. My birds would live on nothing but fatty seed and popcorn if I let them, lol.

Here is a great resource for care! https://sites.google.com/view/millipedeenthusiastdatabase/home?authuser=0

 

[Brewser]

Looks like discoloration from recent injury.
If so, should disappear next molt.

 

[TheraMygale]

This looks like the wild millipedes we have in our forests(NARCEUS AMERICANUS). They eat decaying wood. Found in humid dark spots in my forest. Easy to find because of the color and shape of their poop pellets.

Never seen this before though. Not on wild caught anyways.


In the wild they have a variety of foods. And they like their spot when they find it.

 

[PoetaCorvi]

This looks like the wild millipedes we have in our forests(NARCEUS AMERICANUS). They eat decaying wood. Found in humid dark spots in my forest. Easy to find because of the color and shape of their poop pellets.

Never seen this before though. Not on wild caught anyways.


In the wild they have a variety of foods. And they like their spot when they find it.

They are considered Thyropygus sp.

 

[TheraMygale]

They are considered Thyropygus sp.

Not the ones i see in the wild. But yeah.

I am sure they have similar husbandry.

Correct me if i am wrong.

 

[Mini151001]

Thanks very much guys this is all very helpful. I very much do hope it's just injury from when she was in the wild, I suppose Ill see when she decides to molt. Well, it might be a he. The shop told us that it's female but we think we may have found little black gonopods on their underside, so we're a bit unsure right now. I've decided I'll offer them fruit and veg once a week or so, and let them eat leaf litter for now. Going to see if I can get some cuttlefish bone and fresh water fish flakes to offer to them aswell. Honestly, I'm wondering if they might be the millipede equivalent of stretch marks! I think they've grown quite a bit in the last week whilst I've been providing them fruit and veg constantly. Didn't expect quite this anxiety about a millipede but it's pretty difficult to know whether they're fine and healthy or something's wrong, especially since I'm new to their behaviour. Ill keep an eye on them and follow the guides I have on their care, and I'll come back if there's any other issues that might pop up. Thanks again everyone!

 

[PoetaCorvi]

Not the ones i see in the wild. But yeah.

I am sure they have similar husbandry.

Correct me if i am wrong.

I’m saying OPs millipede is considered that. It’s a Thyropygus sp. “Purple Feet”. Similar husbandry though yeah