Need advice on what to feed this millipede..

-Sarah-

Arachnobaron
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Feb 25, 2006
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I caught an Apheloria virginiensis and need to know what to feed it! {D My brother was spraying for fire ants and I didn't want it getting hosed down with insect killer, so I brought it inside and housed in peat moss misted down with water and a few rocks to serve as a hide. It's already burrowed partially into the soil, so I guess it figures it might as well make itself at home. I'd like to keep it and observe it, and I kinda don't want it starving to death, so suggestions would be very helpful! Would I be able to feed it just like I would an African millipede?

I know the rules... Research before buying or catching an invert... But I kinda can't help myself :eek: :8o Any kind of advice would be so very helpful!

Thanks in advance!
 

zonbonzovi

Creeping beneath you
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Oct 20, 2008
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I *think* these will take hardwood mulch or just about any other vegetable matter that's breaking down. Maybe try some decomposing oak leaves & a little cucumber just for fun.
 

-Sarah-

Arachnobaron
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I *think* these will take hardwood mulch or just about any other vegetable matter that's breaking down. Maybe try some decomposing oak leaves & a little cucumber just for fun.
Hey thanks for the quick response! I'll see what I can do. I know they love decomposing plant matter but I'll try a little cucumber, perhaps it'll take to veggies/fruit?
 

ranchulas

Arachnobaron
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I use to offer my narceus americanus a mix of leaf mulch, rotting hardwood, and mixed in some veggies as well as some betta fish food pellets for variety. They ate the betta pellets daily.
 

zonbonzovi

Creeping beneath you
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Mmmmm...betta pellets. I have a leftover stash- I'll have to try these. I'm keeping a small colony of Harpaphe haydeniana which have been fed on nothing but dead leaves & mulch. They've been breeding like crazy, but their have been a couple of deaths- I hope this is just spunkless males dying off.
 

RoachGirlRen

Arachnoangel
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These guys seem to eat predominantly wood and leaf litter; mine have never had much interest in fresh veg/fruit, though they will take leafy greens that are starting to break down from time to time. It might be prudent to try to get a wide variety of hardwood leaves in your leaf litter; I did not have great success doing 100% oak leaves with these guys in the past, but now that I do several kinds of hardwood leaves I seem to be having better luck.
 

-Sarah-

Arachnobaron
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Feb 25, 2006
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570
Thanks for all the suggestions everyone! I came home today and found it dead. :( I'm not sure why, but it seems to be healthy and fine when I caught it yesterday. I'll have to make sure I write down this information for future reference!
 
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