Black Millipedes

[Reptile4life]

I recently saw a post on black millipedes and how they have mites. I checked 3 of them out at my local store and I looked at the mites. They are very visible and if they were to harm the gecko I think it might eat them. I would like some more information on them if anyone has any.

[joeyburger16]

Here is an old post about millipedes and mites.

http://www.pangeareptile.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7757&highlight=mites

Hope that helps

[AneesasMuse]

I have one of those giant millipedes and it hasn't been eaten by anyone yet. It also has those mites on it, but I think they serve as a similar thing like "cleaner fish" on whales and sharks, etc. None of my Cresteds have mites as a result of cohabiting with the millipede.

Hamam, the millie, does share the fruit with his roommate, though ;) And he likes the occasional collard, turnip, dandelion, etc. :D (I give him greens about 4-5 days a week and fruit whenever the gecko has some :roll: )

[crested_beardies]

I have two millipedes in two seperate cages, one with my boys that actually doesn't have mites (her name is mildred) and one that I have hesitated to put with another one of my males because it has the mites (milfred). From what I have read so far, the mites seems to be fine, the geckos don't seem to eat them and they are not going to get on the geckos because many mites are species specific

[Reptile4life]

I am going to get a millipede as soon as I get some money!!!

Yes the millipedes mites are symbiotic they clean the dead skin and stuff that the millipede cant reach.

[Tokays_Unlimited]

Yup all they are are hosts that will stay on the Millipede.I beleive Dr.alan has a pretty good pic or 2 of the actuall host parasites on a Millipede.

[Reptile4life]

You can see em crawling all over the millipede.

[Tokays_Unlimited]

Here are a few pics of 1 of mine.
http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f286/tokaysunlimited/IMG_3685.jpg
http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f286/tokaysunlimited/IMG_3683.jpg
http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f286/tokaysunlimited/IMG_3682.jpg

[bludaffodils]

This is a very interesting and exciting concept. I would like more information. Aren't giant black millipedes from Africa and Cresties from New Caladonia, off of Australia? Would putting the two species together really work out well? Also, does the millpede and crestie ever interact? Do they both burrow and run into each other? Does the millipede ever walk over top of the crestie? I know the millipedes have kind of sharp legs they use for climbing- you can feel it when you hold them. I would assume this on the skin of the crestie would be an unnecessary stress for the crestie. Has anyone ever witnessed their interaction? Thanks :) Very fascinating idea!!

[Tokays_Unlimited]

This is a very interesting and exciting concept. I would like more information. Aren't giant black millipedes from Africa and Cresties from New Caladonia, off of Australia? Would putting the two species together really work out well? Also, does the millpede and crestie ever interact? Do they both burrow and run into each other? Does the millipede ever walk over top of the crestie? I know the millipedes have kind of sharp legs they use for climbing- you can feel it when you hold them. I would assume this on the skin of the crestie would be an unnecessary stress for the crestie. Has anyone ever witnessed their interaction? Thanks :) Very fascinating idea!!
Well seeing as they basically have the same care,then it is not a problem.i have kept as few in with Gekko vittatus unclosures without any problems at all.Only thing that would be of concern is if the Millipede gets newvous and secretes (wich i have not seen to many do so).
But i know there are alot of people out there that keep them in vivariums with other herps and have done so with years and no problems.Pretty sure Alan does also.

[AneesasMuse]

My milli and my Crestie guy, Abner never cross paths... never come in contact with one another, I mean. Not that I've ever seen. L'il Abner doesn't seem stressed in the least with a huge millipede cohabiting with him. They don't even "squabble" over the fruit dish although both eat from it. They don't seem to occupy the same branches and plants either.

Hamam, the milli, is a "excreter and a pooper" though. That's how she got her name... it means, "bathroom" and it's the first thing she did the very first time I held her... as well as every single time since then. She just unloads on me. :roll:

edit* I have no idea the gender of this beast... as you may notice, I change "it" from he to she and back again with every post regarding her/him. See? :p

[Reptile4life]

Can any millipedes go with cresties?

[bludaffodils]

Aneesas,
The sex is very easy to tell on giant millipedes. The males have a segment with no legs on their lower half and the girls don't. If there are continuous legs the entire length of the body with no apparent gaps, it's probably female.

I tried switching some of my geckos to naturalistic set ups and they couldn't get used to it. They were afraid of the dirt and never walked on it (males). So I guess the millipede thing won't work out too well unless I keep the milli on a paper towel. Do any of you keep the milli on paper towels instead of natural set ups? It seems cruel at first because then they can't burrow, but in my experience mine never have burrowed, like i've read they do, anyways.

Here's 4 mites on my milli. http://thumb2.webshots.net/t/53/653/7/85/98/2579785980054245302ALwgbD_th.jpg (http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2579785980054245302ALwgbD)

[Tokays_Unlimited]

Usually the 4rth segment from the head of the Milli where the gonopods are located.Depends on the species of course.

[AneesasMuse]

Thanks, you guys/gals... but I don't hold her/him long enough to get a good look cuz I'll get POOPED on!! :D

Btw, mine doesn't burrow either and it's lived in COIR or organic soil since I brought it home last year.

[Tokays_Unlimited]

There oportunistic burrowers.:D

[SCB]

This is a great post so I had to reply even though it a couple months old. I have a pair of Tanzanian red-legged Millipedes in my Crested tank and they seem to coexist just fine. So well that there are what I believe to be babies buried down in the soil. I see them come up at night to munch on the old Crested food. I do wonder if the Cresteds have picked off a few here & there?

Here are two pics, the female is coiled up and the other is the male. I have Organic potting soil in the vivarium and the millipedes do burrow quite a bit. Their favorite hiding spot is the bottom of the potted plants and they get right down to the root system and rest.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v235/Poe-Hog/Facilities/Tanzanianmillipedefemale.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v235/Poe-Hog/Facilities/Tanzanianmillipedemale.jpg

[untytled]

My red foot pedes seem to spend more time burrowing/hidden.

While the giant blacks are out/about more frequently and even climb.

Renato

[GoGo]

Could these mili's be housed in a viv with eco-earth as the substrate?

[abc]

Could these mili's be housed in a viv with eco-earth as the substrate?

Yes, eco-earth should be fine. Just makes sure it has a calcium source and you are feeding it a good diet. Mist for humidity. It should do just fine. :D

[darwin]

Here's my girl encountering the two huge millipedes. She watches them but doesn't seem concerned by their presence even when they tried to crawl on her. The millipedes are sooo much cooler than I expected. They're always exploring and EATING.
1107

[dellessanna]

Well, I was thinking of getting one, but I have moss on top of my substrate, would I need to remove it? O_o

[AneesasMuse]

I have moss and leaf litter from the Ficus... Crested and Milli love it!

[dellessanna]

I have moss and leaf litter from the Ficus... Crested and Milli love it!
oh, cool. :)

[abc]

How often do you see your millipedes? do they stay underground and hence out of sight most of the time?

I'm worried that my millipede might have passed on (I've only had it for 1 week). I just don't see it. I've even dug around the substrate to see if I could find it. It has not touched its food in 3 days (apples and romaine lettuce). I do remember moving some decor around (including heavy logs) in my planted terrarium. I should have thought about making sure the millipede was not under any decor when I moved something on top of new space so I'm really afraid I may have crushed it by accident and its now part of the fertilizer in the terrarium.

Any advice? I don't want to get a new one unless for sure this one has passed on but I don't have a body to confirm if its alive or dead.

[AneesasMuse]

I would just dig around for it and see if you can find any remains... or the milli, himself. Mine goes through changes... sometimes out in the open, wandering around and other times it hides.

You may want to try and find it just to eliminate the possibility of escape also. I have found Hamam on the run before. :roll:

Btw, they like the fruits that the Cresteds eat too. There's never any leftover SuperFoods in with Hamam ;)

[abc]

Thanks for the suggestions! I'm clueless as to where she/he is. I took your suggestion, dug around, and tried some fruits in her plate for a couple of days. Nothing. It does not look like she's touched it. Did she did really deep and so I can't find her?

If I don't see her by the weekend, I'm going to get a new millipede and hope the next one does not do a houdini act on me. #-o

[GoGo]

Id like to get one for our crestie but 1) its still just a juvi so its not in the big cage with the eco earth yet and 2) my mom would probably freak.

[abc]

I finally got around to getting a new millipede. I think the 1st one I got died. Here's shadow (millipede #2):

http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z169/smokey0318/milli1.jpg

[GoGo]

Which cresties do you house it with?

[abc]

Right now, no cresties are in the planted vivarium. They are all too small for it. So the millipede gets to enjoy the tank, undisturbed. Also, it gives time for the plants to settle in first, to let the millipede bioactivate the tank, and set up hopefully an optimum set of conditions before the cresties move in when they are old enough.

[GoGo]

How much do these guys cost?

[abc]

I paid $13.99 at petco for mine. You might be able to get it cheaper if you look around but petco has the monopoly on african millipedes where I live so I had to buy mine at retail price.

[GoGo]

Ive never seen one in a petco by us, id prolly have to find it somewhere else.