Is there a millipede?

[packer43064]

Simple question. Is there a millipede out there in the hobby that breeds readily?

 

[PhilinYuma]

There are a lot of folks here who know a lot more about millipedes than I, including hypopnera, Orin and Peter, but they are probably asleep right now. In my slight experience, millipedes will breed pretty readily if well fed. The good old AGB or African Giant Black millipede, Archispirostreptis gigas, might be a good place to start. I seem to remember them having about 30 or so babies at a time. A few, like Polyxenus lagurus, produce parthenogenetically, Look through Google; Arachnoboards tends to discuss millipedes more than the folks here.

I hope that that will hold you until the experts wake up!

 

[Orin]

Most large millipedes produce hundreds of eggs once a year and some are difficult to convince to lay eggs. Growth from egg to adult is a few years or more. It depends on exactly what you're looking for but one of the easiest and fastest is Chicobolus spinigerus.

 

[packer43064]

Thanks guys. I've heard of the African Giant Blacks before. Will look into the others.

Any place to get adults AGB millipedes? I was looking at arachnoboards and it seems alot of people are selling younger AGB's.

 

[Orin]

BIC 5-6" for the price others' are asking for tiny babies. If you're looking for production that species wouldn't rank high.

 

[packer43064]

Thai rainbows, Albino Narceus, Narceus sp. or Flamelegs

Any of these easier?

There doesn't seem to be alot of breeding information anywhere really. Guess it's a hit or miss thing since most will breed once a year.

I would like to purchase some AGB's and wait until they get older to breed, but it would be nice to have some that breed faster also.

 

[Hypoponera]

I suggest you PM Orin and see about buying a couple millipede books from him. Both books he has are about the best "general information" you are likely to find. Breeding of different species are covered rather well in both books.

The AGBs are pretty much hit-or-miss breeding wise. Some people have no trouble while the rest of us fail misserably. Those 5-6" specimens Orin mentioned will take quite some time to reach maturity. Possibly a couple more years!

If you want to gain some experience in breeding, buy some of the Ivory millis, (Chicobolus spinigerus). These are probably the fastest maturing giant species. They only take about 18 months to reach maturity. Narceus americanus, (regular or albino), and Narceus annularis would be good second choices. But crossing a regular and albino N. americanus will "loose" the albino trait for a generation.

Unfortunately, millipedes are not as popular in the states as in Europe. There are several good sites there.

 

[packer43064]

Thank you.