Matttoadman
Blatta
I love these. Anyone raise them?
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Apheloria virginiensis?
- Thread starter Matttoadman
- Start date
They are very difficult to keep alive in captivity, they are extremely sensitive to temps above 68-70F it seems, (most localities can't even survive being held in a human hand for long), and may need substrate from where they were collected to breed. No one I know of has been successful getting them to reproduce in captivity, let alone live more than a few months.
Matttoadman
Blatta
Interesting. I found it in a creek bed under a rock. Very strange spot. I may Put it back then.
You never know though, you could be the guy with the breakthrough on keeping these millipedes! 
May as well try to keep it in conditions as close to where you found it as possible, and see how it goes. 
May as well try to keep it in conditions as close to where you found it as possible, and see how it goes.
Matttoadman
Blatta
Nah, in this case I chose to return it. I have zero millipede experience. I think I better choose an easier species as a start. I wonder If the issue is they eat something specific, unique perhaps that other species avoid? I doubt it's in its habitat perimeters. Kentucky is a normal southern state. Unless they need access to red clay or something not used in a typical pede set up. It would be funny if they only ate rotten red cedar. Do the other millipede species produce noxious chemicals too? I picked up a flat peach colored millipede in Louisiana and my hand stunk for days
They likely need rotten wood and leaf litter from very specific species of trees in order to breed, many of the Xystodesmid millipedes like Apheloria actually do eat highly decayed conifer wood, and some won't breed without certain species of conifer in their diet, so yeah your A.virginiensis probably do eat red cedar.
Yes, most millipedes do have pretty strong chemical defences, they are pretty slow and vulnerable looking, they gotta have some way to protect themselves!
Yes, most millipedes do have pretty strong chemical defences, they are pretty slow and vulnerable looking, they gotta have some way to protect themselves!
G
Guest
Guest
I have had had a Kentucky flat millipede for over a month now at 74-75F. The sensitivity appears to vary greatly. He also eats regularly, which is a common issue with the species in captivity.