Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi there all,

I'm looking to start a millipede care site and I was hoping some of you would help me out. I was looking for info regarding characteristics of different species to try and help folk decide what kind of pede they'd like.....

so basically whatI'm asking is "in your experience which species...

- ... respond well to handling" (heard the giant trains are docile but my tanz pinked legged is very tame)

- ... are good to look at" (my zebras are very beutiful animals but the fire and rainbow look nice too)

- ... are the most active ie you'll see a lot of them" Again my pink legged takes the prize though I've heard the olives are very active.

- ... are the best "beginner" species" Once again, the giant train I reckon will come up, but my pink legged has been a very easy one to look after so far (I've never had a giant train)

Dear "Wing Finger"

Read some of the messages I'd posted at the millipede forum. I been at this hobby for over 20 years and been breeding various types of pedes and giant pill bugs. The pill bugs, i gave up on cause they are very hard to keep alive..

Some of the smaller 5 to 7 inch millipedes are very colourful and as you may know the biggest is a reddish caramel tan Giant African Millipede which are known as the Anaconda's of the millipede world! The biggest one i ever kept wasn't 11 inches long, it was nearly 12 inches long and measured almost 1 1/2 inches thick half way down the length. She was a real beauty.

I sent photo's of local specimens to Jerry G. Walls of TFH publications in 1996-1998 for a book he wrote "The Proper Care and Identification of Giant Millipedes and Giant Centipedes" and my name was printed in the book! He personally autograph a copy of the book for me! This was back in Feb 2000.

You can write me here or at my email address: dementedpyrospiders@yahoo.com

I sent an email matey, did you not get it?

I have a male/female pair of giant blacks, for the most part they're docile, however, my male when at all disturbed will shoot out that hydrogen cyanide like crazy. but the female isn't ever bothered by handling. As for attractivness the giant blacks are of impressive size and have red legs that contrast with the black shell. I personally think they make one of the easiest and therefore best first time species. Activeness though, I'm not sure. there up some times and others there just sleeping. i don't keep a light on the tank so its almost like a get up whenever type thing. hope this helps.

Matt

if you want a millipede to train on, just catch some in the wild. easy to find under rocks, and free

some species are big enough to keep as pets even though thier not giants.