Wild Millipede?

Entomancer

Arachnobaron
Joined
Oct 29, 2010
Messages
351
Hey, I posted this in here after posting it in the insect/other inverts subforums, when I realized it might get more attention here.

So, I've been lurking here for a while. I want to get back into the hobby of keeping animals (mainly reptiles/amphibians) and I want to get started with keeping some of the arthropods that are kept as pets.

Anyway, I live in Oregon, and I was at someone's house, when I noticed a very large (for Oregon, anyway) millipede crawling around outside their front entryway.

I immediately (but gently) scooped it up and someone gave me an empty coffee cup to put it in. I did not have time to really examine it much, so I packed a few wet leaves from where it had been crawling into the paper cup and brought it home. Also, when I picked it up, if left some yellowish stuff on my hands that dried and turned the spots where it was left dark pink.....I don't know if it was a defense mechanism or if it was hurt and bleeding body fluids (I hope not ;___;)

Anyway, I don't have a digital camera at the moment to take a picture of it, but it's about 5 inches long, and olive brown. I found it in a moist, lowland, lightly forested rural area in mid-west Oregon.

Right now, I have it in a large, clear deli cup-like container with some soil from my garden (no 'cides or fertilizers), and a small pile of wet leaves.

When I found it it was moving around,but now it's curled itself tightly into a coil. If I leave it alone it peeks out of the coil, but then it just coils back up again. Is it just shy, or did I accidentally hurt it somehow?

Finally, I'm not sure about the specifics of millipede care. I seem to recall that they like things to be somewhat moist and humid, but I do not know proper feeding or watering methods, temperature requirements, or other facts pertaining to it's captive care.

To help someone ID it, here's a photo I found on google that looks EXACTLY the same:



According to where I found this photo, this person also found this (obviously dead) millipede in california/the pacific NW United States.

Any ideas about what it might be/what it needs?
 
Last edited:

Gnat

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 16, 2009
Messages
286
not sure of the species but the yellowish fluid that stained your fingers pink is a defensive chemical, fairly harmless unless you get it in your eyes or in a cut. curling up is defensive as well and they are pretty shy creatures. keep it on a few inches of coco fiber (Eco Earth or similar) keep it fairly moist, not soupy but very damp. as for food you could try some dark leafy greens like kale or romaine lettuce (no iceberg lettuce) or some cucumber or apple. you may even get it to eat oak leaves, but go for the ones that have been on the ground for a bit and are starting decompose.
 

Entomancer

Arachnobaron
Joined
Oct 29, 2010
Messages
351
not sure of the species but the yellowish fluid that stained your fingers pink is a defensive chemical, fairly harmless unless you get it in your eyes or in a cut. curling up is defensive as well and they are pretty shy creatures. keep it on a few inches of coco fiber (Eco Earth or similar) keep it fairly moist, not soupy but very damp. as for food you could try some dark leafy greens like kale or romaine lettuce (no iceberg lettuce) or some cucumber or apple. you may even get it to eat oak leaves, but go for the ones that have been on the ground for a bit and are starting decompose.
Thanks!

Yeah, I looked inside the deli cup today, and it moved from where it was sitting last night.

I'll move it into a proper enclosure with some eco earth. I work at a pet store so I can get most of my supplies at a discount. ;D

So are they only really active at night? It was in the middle of the deli cup last night and now it's curled up in a corner.

Thanks.
 
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