Archispirostreptus gigas - Am I doing it right?

A month ago I purchased two (male and female) African giant millipedes from a well known shop in the Netherlands. They kept their millipedes on cocopeat and gave them various fruits and vegetables. I noticed how most of the millipedes were laying on top of the substrate and a few were dug in.

I wanted my millipedes on a more natural substrate so I went to the forest and collected mostly oak and beech leaves, leaf humus, white rotten wood and some moss. I went through it and removed all harmful or bigger animals. Then I placed the substrate in the container (a terrarium is being made) and let my millipedes in. The first thing they did was dig in. Everyday I place bits of pear, apple, carrot, dry cat food and a piece of sepia on top of the substrate. Furthermore I keep everything moist but not wet. Underneath the container lays a heath strip covering a third of the bottom.

Does this sound right? I rarely see my millipedes. The male came above ground only once so far (the female never!) and I twice dug gently to find them and see if they were still doing okay. I think the male was terrified by me since he defecated and ran away, digging himself in again. They never eat from the food I have laid out for them. Just a few times they ate some pear, apple, carrot and dry cat food when I handed it to them after gently digging until I found them. I assume they eat the substrate most of the time.
They're most active during the late evening. I can hear leaves crack and I sometimes see the substrate moving when they're digging but they don't move much. And they don't show their faces.

I've been looking online for similar stories but it seems other people's millipedes like to be above ground just as much as dug in. I'm not sure why my millipedes never show themselves and I'm a bit worried about them not eating any of the food I give them.

Am I doing it right or am I doing something wrong?

You're almost correct... first of all, you should probably have tried to "clean" the substrate a bit before dumping the millis in. Submerge it completely in water for a while and then drain/dry, or if you're very fanatical, bake it in the oven at 250F for 20-30 minutes. I personally can't stand the smell of the baking, and you don't want a "sterile" substrate anyway. It just means the first bio-active organisms that find it will "bloom" because there is no competition. That's fine if they are springtails, not so fine if they are grain mites. Then again, I know plenty of people just use forest floor substrate straight form the wild with no preparation and have done fine.

Also, remove the heat pad from under the tank... millis burrow for feeding, molting, and protection, they do NOT do it to seek heat. Most millis actually don't need that much heat... when they are visible in the wild, it is usually in the cooler parts of the day, and/or in the shade, and/or at night. The only time I've ever used heat on millis is when I'm shipping them in winter.

Lastly, as I understand it they will mostly eat the substrate... they may come up occasionally and eat food items, but for the most part, they will fill themselves on the rotting wood and leaf hummus from the substrate. As long as you see tracks, burrows, and activity signs, they are probably eating fine.

It's usually a bad idea to dig them up and disturb them as much as you're doing... try to grab them when they're visible if possible. If they are burrowed, they are just actual natural.

Mister Internet's advice is good. Its quite normal for millipedes to stay below ground most of the time. I usually don't see mine until after dark. And if they are molting or something, they'll disappear for quite some time. One specific suggestion I can make is not to use dry cat food. Cats are carnivorous and their food is formulated to address that. You're better off with dog food or (in my opinion) reptile food of some sort. I think reptile or tortoise dry food is the best as it has more calcium than other dry foods and might contain some actual fruit in there....somewhere, lol. Good luck!

Thank you both for your advice!

About the substrate: I heard that if you killed all animals and microbes there would be no balance anymore and one species could take over the entire substrate, so that is why I didn't put it in the freezer or the oven. I've been staring at the substrate for quite some time now and I haven't noticed any infestations yet, but if things change I'll take your advice and submerge the substrate in water and let it dry. Maybe a good idea when the terrarium has been build and I have to relocate them.

About the heat pad: I'll try that one although I'm not too sure. They seem to be in the warmer area of the substrate most of the time, so that would mean they prefer the warmth. I have to add that my house is a bit cold, especially at night (old buildings.. ) and I, myself, am wearing sweaters most of the time. But it's something I will keep in mind!

About the cat food: I will buy some reptile/turtoise dry food then. The extra calcium is probably a good idea. I heard that if a millipede gets nippy (trying to take a little bite off of you) they lack protein. So that is why I gave them dry cat food because the female was nippy with me at the shop where I bought them. The shop didn't give them proteins, nor calcium and they did fine said the keeper. But well, I want to be as complete as possible.

And I'll try to keep myself from gently digging for them and disturbing them. It's hard though, I'm very curious.

Leonie said:

Thank you both for your advice!

About the substrate: I heard that if you killed all animals and microbes there would be no balance anymore and one species could take over the entire substrate, so that is why I didn't put it in the freezer or the oven. I've been staring at the substrate for quite some time now and I haven't noticed any infestations yet, but if things change I'll take your advice and submerge the substrate in water and let it dry. Maybe a good idea when the terrarium has been build and I have to relocate them.

About the heat pad: I'll try that one although I'm not too sure. They seem to be in the warmer area of the substrate most of the time, so that would mean they prefer the warmth. I have to add that my house is a bit cold, especially at night (old buildings.. ) and I, myself, am wearing sweaters most of the time. But it's something I will keep in mind!

About the cat food: I will buy some reptile/turtoise dry food then. The extra calcium is probably a good idea. I heard that if a millipede gets nippy (trying to take a little bite off of you) they lack protein. So that is why I gave them dry cat food because the female was nippy with me at the shop where I bought them. The shop didn't give them proteins, nor calcium and they did fine said the keeper. But well, I want to be as complete as possible.

And I'll try to keep myself from gently digging for them and disturbing them. It's hard though, I'm very curious.

Click to expand...

It is very hard indeed not to dig for them until I saw what happened when I accidently learned it the hard way! I use turtle, dog, and fish food for my agbs and they eat it up like crazy. But keep in mind you will have to crush it into a powder for them. (I put mine in a plastic bag and use a hammer to crush it into a powder then put it back in the turtle food container!)

wastedwoodsman said:

It is very hard indeed not to dig for them until I saw what happened when I accidently learned it the hard way! I use turtle, dog, and fish food for my agbs and they eat it up like crazy. But keep in mind you will have to crush it into a powder for them. (I put mine in a plastic bag and use a hammer to crush it into a powder then put it back in the turtle food container!)

Click to expand...

Did your millipedes die? And why do you have to crush it into a powder? My millipedes seemed to do okay with eating the dry cat food as a whole (I moistened it a bit), curling their heads all around it, nibbling bit by bit until it's gone.

Leonie said:

Did your millipedes die? And why do you have to crush it into a powder? My millipedes seemed to do okay with eating the dry cat food as a whole (I moistened it a bit), curling their heads all around it, nibbling bit by bit until it's gone.

Click to expand...

Well i had 2 flameleg millipedes and i did kill one by digging for her. :/ Though i have noticed if the dry food gets to moist it molds really fast and mine don't eat it much if i don't crush it. Once i crush it and put it in there the whole bowl is usually gone in a couple days. But if yours eat dry cat food without being crush more power to them i guess! lol seems they aren't as picky as mine XD

You should go read my post about microwaving dried foods to try to reduce mold growth if you haven't already. Its might also have something to do with the fact that you crush it. Crushing it increases the surface area for mold to grow on and hastens the absorption of moisture. I never crush my food and everything I own eats it.

I didn't see any of my AGBs surface for several months, one finally showed up the other night hahaha. That's why you have to get lots of millipedes, then there will always be at least a few out and about for viewing!

You don't need to offer fresh food that often, especially if they've got a proper leaf and wood rich substrate. Giving them too much will invite mite infestations, try offering it just once a week.

Cavedweller said:

I didn't see any of my AGBs surface for several months, one finally showed up the other night hahaha. That's why you have to get lots of millipedes, then there will always be at least a few out and about for viewing!

You don't need to offer fresh food that often, especially if they've got a proper leaf and wood rich substrate. Giving them too much will invite mite infestations, try offering it just once a week.

Click to expand...

Thanks! That reassures me. I was indeed thinking of getting more millipedes to increase the chance of seeing one.

I noticed my female having some weird spots. Thought maybe it was some dirt so I tried to remove it with a wet swab to check if it's indeed dirt, but it's not.

Does anyone know what it is?

Its really hard to tell from the photos is there a way you can get a closer shot of the spots? It could be scratches or mites? Its impossible to tell from these photos. :/

The mite population has grown a bit but no infestation yet. In the first photo I see 3 or 4 mites and those spots or scratches. Second photo is close up.

Might be signs of a molt coming up soon. Do you have any objects in the tank for climbing? if so it might be possible that this one fell off and scratched the exoskeleton. It doesn't appear to me like this is anything to worry about. I would just keep an eye on them to see if any more of these spots appear and if they do where.

She's not much of a climber.. nor a walker actually. Her favorite spot is under a piece of bark and she doesn't go very far from it. She is still eating okay and her reflexes are fine, so maybe it's nothing to worry about as you say. I'll keep an eye on them. Thanks.

I hope she remains okay make sure to keep us all updated! She's gorgeous!

wastedwoodsman said:

I hope she remains okay make sure to keep us all updated! She's gorgeous!

Click to expand...

Haha :-D Will do!

Ouch, that cracked exoskeleton brings up some bad memories of my poor flameleg millipede. My suggestion is to KEEP HUMIDITY UP. She may be drying out.

Thanks darkfyre. I will see to that, although it's pretty humid already.

I was thinking of another theory. What if she's low on calcium, she could have scratched some off of her exoskeleton maybe. Maybe because she's going to molt soon.

darkfyre said:

Ouch, that cracked exoskeleton brings up some bad memories of my poor flameleg millipede. My suggestion is to KEEP HUMIDITY UP. She may be drying out.

Click to expand...

What happened to the flameleg?