Need tips on selling plings

F

Fyreflye

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
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Mar 15, 2009
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271
Hello all. I'm looking for some advice, and since what I have are millipedes, this seemed like the best section to post for help in. I have around 100 +/- plings that are ready for new homes, and I'm wondering how I should go about this.

I know that I would have the quickest success selling them online, as I would be making myself available to a much wider range of potential buyers, but since this is my first time, I hesitate at taking on the responsibility of shipping live creatures.

My other thought is to vend at a local herp expo. This option may be less successful, and I'd have to pay for a table, but I'm more comfortable giving up a weekend and selling in person than handling online transactions.

I know that many of our posters here have accomplished selling plings, and I'm hoping to get some guidance and tips! Thanks!
 
zonbonzovi

zonbonzovi

Creeping beneath you
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Oct 20, 2008
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They really are very easy to ship(much simpler than say, adult tarantulas). I like to pack them in their own substrate. At that life stage multiple can be sent in a reasonably sized vial or deli cup. A little styrofoam or well packed newspaper with the cargo at the center of the box, with a cold pack if temps are high and you should be fine. Paypal makes things easy if you have it. Sending tracking info keeps you and buyer informed. It can be a pain if you're selling a bunch of singles but they will sell faster than at a herp show, esp. if using multiple forum classifieds. Plus, no table fee. Good luck!

What are you selling, anyhow?
 
SDCPs

SDCPs

Arachnolord
Joined
Feb 8, 2012
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Are you sure of the id? Photos? Could be a close look-alike.

I have a friend who would be interested.
 
Cavedweller

Cavedweller

Arachnoprince
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Mar 23, 2011
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That's amazing that you've had such success breeding them!

If you've got A. gigas plings, I have a feeling you'll have no shortage of buyers right here on the forums.
 
zonbonzovi

zonbonzovi

Creeping beneath you
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Nice work! If she needs a break I'll house your male for awhile, haha. ;)
 
SDCPs

SDCPs

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659
That is not A. gigas. I'm sorry, but you have a nice but much less-desirable Mardonius parilis acuticonus. These are also much easier to breed. I personally have these, and so does the friend I mentioned.

Courtesy of Shura Sigling:



I would still encourage you to sell these, but there is a great demand for A. gigas...and these are not A. gigas. So advertise them as such.

As a side note, I believe this species will replace A. gigas as the giant millipede in the US hobby unless A. gigas can be bred reliably.
 
M

mukmewx

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A. gigas...Mardonius parilis acuticonus. Doesn't matter to me! Still want em!
 
F

Fyreflye

Arachnoknight
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Messages
271
SDCPs, what makes you say that? As in, what exactly are the differences between the two? I can try to get better pictures, I don't have a very good camera. My adults were sold to me as A. gigas from TarantulaInc several years ago.
 
M

mukmewx

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Jan 19, 2014
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I'm not sure, but I'd expect he means the banding? Looks like yours is solid black and the other has lighter bands maybe? lol, I'm no expert I didn't even know Mardonius parilis acuticonus existed.
 
F

Fyreflye

Arachnoknight
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Yeah she looks all black in that pic, but there was bad lighting. This one shows the coloring better:

002.jpg
 
lagomorphette

lagomorphette

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50
I tend to agree: they don't look quite like A. gigas but are still amazing pedes. I have just a couple A. gigas plings, and they do not look like that. The lighter banding is definitely a distinguishing feature. I'm not familiar with Mardonius parilis acuticonus--I'll have to look them up.

For comparison, here's one of my A. gigas babies that looks to be a similar size...
20140520_173609-1.jpg
 
lagomorphette

lagomorphette

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Jul 20, 2011
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Here is mom, who must've been gravid when I purchased her from KTBG in 2012.

Cordelia in her 10g tank: she's a solid 10"+
20140422_072528.jpg
 
Elytra and Antenna

Elytra and Antenna

Arachnoking
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Fyrefly: your Mardonius or (giant) "black Congo" millipedes are probably worth nearly as much as the real AGB these days considering the lack of availability of anything big but it's best not to sell them as Archispirostreptus because it would be false. There are a number of differences but the one we're noticing is the satiny ridge along the rear of each diplosegment. The satiny ridge is made up of tiny little wrinkles in the exoskeleton.
 
F

Fyreflye

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
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Mar 15, 2009
Messages
271
Thank you all, I'm a bit disappointed that it seems these aren't what I thought they were, but what's not to love about a giant black millipede?
 
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