Purple millipede

[Chris11]

Hey everyone! Ill start off by saying that ive made an impulse buy. I went to the lps for a new spider and out of curiosity asked about the millipedes (I know almost nothing accept they have a bunch of legs) lol. It was labeled as purple millipede and ive tried searching but since I dont have its latin name I have no.idea what it is so I didnt want to conform to caring for it possibly incorrectly. Right now I have it in the smallest critter keeper available with about an inch of moistened vermiculite and another two inches of eco earth on top lightly moistened with a cork bark retreat and a bottle cap with some shredded carrots in it (the lady told me carrots are good for them). The pedes about 3 1/2-4" long. Just wondering if anyone has an idea what it could be and if so some care tips would be appreciated. Thanks!!!

 

[truecreature]

Without a pic my guess would be a Chicobolus spinigerus/Florida ivory, they can have a purplish tint to them.

Millipedes mainly eat decaying leaves and wood from hardwood trees, so it's best to mix up a substrate of those with soil/cocofiber etc. If you can't find them yourself Bugsincyberspace.com sells a premixed substrate

 

[Chris11]

Man I had a feeling there were more to pedes than I thought... im scared to use anything around myhouse so it looks like im goin leaf and wood hunting... thanks for the info!

 

[mmfh]

I regularly use the bugsincyberspace mix as well as the leaf litter and it is great. I keep it in the refrigerator to keep it fresh and bug free. You will notice as they eat it that it will convert into tiny balls, this is the millipedes waste product. When 1/2 to 3/4 of your leaf litter mix becomes balls then add more mixture. Enjoy, millipedes are fun.

 

[Cavedweller]

Welcome to the millipede hobby! If you haven't checked it out already, this caresheet will cover all the basics http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?263344-Cavedweller-s-Basic-Millipede-Caresheet

Please post a photo, I'm very interested in this so called "purple millipede"!

 

[Chris11]

I will post a photo when I het my laptop back... im almosy computer illiterate so I cant figure it out with my phone... thanks for all the help so far!! I read some basic care sheets online and most of them didnt mention leaves but some did, motly fruits and veggies and moist dry cat food or fish flakes. Anything I should avoid at all costs? I gave pedey some chopped romaine last night dusted with calcium... is the dustinh necessary all the time or on a schedule?

---------- Post added 07-20-2015 at 12:25 PM ----------

;P;P

Welcome to the millipede hobby! If you haven't checked it out already, this caresheet will cover all the basics http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?263344-Cavedweller-s-Basic-Millipede-Caresheet

Please post a photo, I'm very interested in this so called "purple millipede"!

I picked the little cutie up for only $4.99! I couldnt resist lol and I think I want a vietnamese centipede now ;p

 

[mmfh]

Just throw a piece of cuttlebone in there, they will chew on it whenever they like. The milli mix from bugs...... Has calcium in it

 

[Chris11]

Cuttlebone... intersting. Figured out this morning it likes fish flakes a bunch... so far romaine, carrots, flakes and leaves

 

[CrawlinChaos]

Is this your 'purple millipede', per chance?

https://undergroundreptiles.com/shop/purple-millipede/

 

[Chris11]

It looks similar but mine is more pinkish than anything and its about 3 1/2 - 4"... he might be a gargantuan though lol
Im sorry guys ill post a pic asap just need my laptop

 

[Cavedweller]

I've never used any calcium dusting at all, I wouldn't worry about it. I think I tried cuttlebone a few years ago and they ignored it. I don't think fish flakes are very cost effective. I use a piece of dog kibble as a treat/supplement once every few weeks.

The only thing I know of that NEEDS to be avoided is anything from resinous or conifer trees, since they contain toxic oils. Also leaves and wood are absolute necessities, they make up the bulk of a millipedes diet. I don't feed fruits veggies, or dog kibble more than once a week.

If your pede is more pinkish than that Narceus, is it perhaps this? http://www.swiftinverts.com/pix/ThaiRainbow.jpg

 

[Leonie]

Cavedweller, maybe it was you who, a while ago, said to use dog food/kibble instead of cat food since dog food has better nutrition or more calcium in it. Anyway, I tried it. Gave my millipedes Pedigree dog food a couple of times but they completely ignored it. Even some other bugs in there, who normally eat from the cat food too, ignored it. Makes me wonder how chemically modified the dog food is..

 

[Cavedweller]

Nope, that wasn't me. I don't know anything about the comparative nutritional value. I just use dog food cause I have dogs and not cats.

 

[CrawlinChaos]

I use tortoise food to feed everything I have (millies and roaches) and everything seems to go for it. I think its got more calcium than you would find in dog or cat food, as I've never really had to supplement my bugs diets with calcium and they all seems to be happy.

 

[Chris11]

Thanks cavedweller, I have been giving oak leaves along with anything else everynight... and I do have a dog so ill do the dog food as well. It looks like a cross between those two species really.... getting my laptop back in a few days and ill post a pic asap for more help. Thanks everyone!

 

[Chris11]

Is this your 'purple millipede', per chance?

https://undergroundreptiles.com/shop/purple-millipede/

I got my first really good look at it since I brought it home last night and the first link is most deffinately it. Sorry for all the misrepresentations! And thank you everyone!