Unknown giant pillbug...help!

[Scythemantis]

EDIT/

Well, I figured out right away that it's a Tanzanian. It was given to me at a reptile expo by a guy who claimed that his were thriving, so I thought I'd give him the benefit of the doubt and try for myself.

Any suggestions? I have it in a small, humid terrarium with lichen and algae.

I suppose there's nothing I can really do but wait and see if it lives. No idea the kind of shipping they've been through.

 

[nepenthes]

dont pill bugs eat lots of like decomposing organic matter? I know the ones here will eat almost any thing. How big is this guy (girl?)!?

 

[Scythemantis]

Like I said, it's about an inch

Giant pills usually die in captivity because their stomach bacteria die off...only time will tell if mine still has any.

 

[Wade]

First of all, it's not actually a pillbug (AKA Isopod, which are crustaceans), it's a millipede, order Sphaerotheriidae. They can be distinquished from true isopods by the number of legs, isopods have (I think) ten, while the pill millipedes will have many more.

Secondly, the Tanzanian pill millipedes (probably the genus Sphaerotherium) have a much better chance of surviving in captivity than the giant Madagascan ones (Globotherium, which apparently always die in captivity). The Tanzanian ones have been known to live a few years in captivity (if they survive the shipping stress), although breeding is apparently vey rare.

I'd offer moistend natural leaf litter and rotten wood, they are thought to be primarily detritus feeders. Some veggies and fresh mushrooms may also be taken.

Check out the millipede book available here for more: www.elytraandantenna.com

Wade

 

[Scythemantis]

Thanks Wade, I feel a little more confident now. You're always very helpful.

Are they sexed the same as any other millipede ("shortened legs" towards the front in males?). It's a bold little guy/girl. Curls when caught off-guard but otherwise pays no mind to handling. I chose it for being the only really active one I saw.

 

[Kevin_Davies]

its Arthrosphaera cf. brandtii.

 

[ftorres]

Arthrosphaera cf. brandtii

Hella all,
I have a bunch of these guys too.
I read of a guy keeping these, for up to two Years, if you keep them humid and in low temperature terrarium, you should do good.

I keep mine on a mixture of dead rotten wood and leafmold.
I hope these helps
FT
PS I have some more available FS/FT if anyone is interested.