# Giant African Millipede diead after one 1 week!



## alabama (Nov 29, 2009)

I am hoping someone can give me some advice.
My daughter desperately wanted some G.A.M so we researched them and then ordered 2 from a very reputable shop. The millipedes that we got were huge and as the shop had ordered them in we had no idea how old they were. One was about 20cm and the other was thicker and about 25cm. We bought a large fish tank, bought all the correct substrate, heat mat under half the tank, food such as cucumber, calcium, water, sprayed daily, we read at least 4 fact sheets to get it right.
And today one is dead! MY daughter is distraught and i am slightly embarassed that something so apparently easy to care for can die in my care!
The other millipede (the bigger & alive one!) likes to burrow down a hole in the day and comes out in the eves. However, the one that died just liked to coil up on the top of the soil and was also happy to be held. Yesterday though, my daughter picked him up out of the cage and he excreted a small amount of the toxin on her hand (we couldn;t work out why as we han't uncoiled it or anything similar - my daughter is 8 years old, very gentle and always supervised).

I am now firstly worried that the tank may be too cold?? too dry? (we spray it twice a day). And should I get another one to replace it?

Any help would be appreciated so i can redeem myself.

many thanks in advance

A


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## tarantulamatt (Nov 12, 2009)

mate you done the right thing it wasnt you fault it could of been wild and old and just died but it sounds like you got all the stuff right well done get anover and should be good:2thumb:


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## Lucifus (Aug 30, 2007)

Inverts dieing after one week is a sign that it was on its way out anyway. Contact the seller about this death and ask for a refund.

By the way with all inverts its best to place the heat mat on the side.


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## tarantulamatt (Nov 12, 2009)

hi lucifus whats that vid on its freaky lol sorry for going of talk about the milllies


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## Ron Magpie (Oct 11, 2009)

Haven't kept GAMs for years, but as I recall, not burrowing is one of the signs of ill health- so it probably wasn't healthy when you got it. They're pretty placid, on the whole, so would only produce the 'toxin' under rough handling or stress- another indication that things were not right. I agree with Lucifus- go back to the shop and get either a refund or a replacement- being careful WHICH replacement, of course!:lol2:


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## Ssthisto (Aug 31, 2006)

tarantulamatt said:


> hi lucifus whats that vid on its freaky lol sorry for going of talk about the milllies


The video in Lucifus' signature is part of the Silent Hill movie.

I would also talk to the shop and send them a photo of the dead millipede if you can.


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## enlightenment (Dec 14, 2006)

alabama said:


> I am hoping someone can give me some advice.
> My daughter desperately wanted some G.A.M so we researched them and then ordered 2 from a very reputable shop. The millipedes that we got were huge and *as the shop had ordered them in we had no idea how old they were.* One was about 20cm and the other was thicker and about 25cm. We bought a large fish tank, bought all the correct substrate, heat mat under half the tank, food such as cucumber, calcium, water, sprayed daily, we read at least 4 fact sheets to get it right.
> And today one is dead! MY daughter is distraught and i am slightly embarassed that something so apparently easy to care for can die in my care!
> The other millipede (the bigger & alive one!) likes to burrow down a hole in the day and comes out in the eves. However, the one that died just liked to coil up on the top of the soil and was also happy to be held. Yesterday though, my daughter picked him up out of the cage and he excreted a small amount of the toxin on her hand (we couldn;t work out why as we han't uncoiled it or anything similar - my daughter is 8 years old, very gentle and always supervised).
> ...


Part in bold may be key.

Not into them myself, but they may have been W/C, or older adults?


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## glitchIA (Aug 25, 2009)

You should avoid letting you daughter handling millipedes, that toxin that comes out of them is very potent and can cause severe skin reactions and I've even read somewhere that it can make you blind if it goes in your eye.


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## Pleco07 (Aug 15, 2007)

Could have been just old age, are you sure its dead when they are in pre moult they are pretty much lifeless. I personally never heated my tanks but they are in a warmer room and they were fine, heat mat should however be on the side of tank.
Millies excrete toxin even if you dont un curl them, just their defense mechanism. _Can _cause rashes but only if you allergic/react to it, never bothered me though.
I would get in touch with the shop though


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## enlightenment (Dec 14, 2006)

glitchIA said:


> You should* avoid letting you daughter handling millipedes,* that toxin that comes out of them is very potent and can cause severe skin reactions and I've even read somewhere that it can make you blind if it goes in your eye.


Really?

I have seen kids handle these often, and the insect and butterfly world here let them do it.

*shrugs*


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## garlicpickle (Jan 16, 2009)

The ink stains your skin if you don't wash it straight off, but unless you're unlucky enough to be hypersensitive to it, it's harmless. 

My chocolate millie always inked me if I touched it.


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## enlightenment (Dec 14, 2006)

garlicpickle said:


> The ink stains your skin if you don't wash it straight off, but unless you're unlucky enough to be hypersensitive to it, it's harmless.
> 
> *My chocolate millie always inked me if I touched it*.


Perhaps you _excite _it?


:whistling2:


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## garlicpickle (Jan 16, 2009)

enlightenment said:


> Perhaps you _excite _it?
> :whistling2:


or infuriate it, maybe? I seem to be having that effect quite a lot lately.


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## enlightenment (Dec 14, 2006)

garlicpickle said:


> or infuriate it, maybe? I seem to be having that effect quite a lot lately.


Hmm.

Been kinda getting that impression, tbh.

*scratches chin*


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## garlicpickle (Jan 16, 2009)

enlightenment said:


> Hmm.
> 
> Been kinda getting that impression, tbh.
> 
> *scratches chin*


I guess any attention is better than none, eh?


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## enlightenment (Dec 14, 2006)

garlicpickle said:


> I guess any attention is better than none, eh?


Depends.

What sort you are getting, and from whom?


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