# What kind of Millipede is this?



## Inorijlc (Jan 21, 2020)

Guys! What kind of millipede is this? Are they poisonous to my dart frogs?


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## macg (Apr 19, 2018)

Is this what you've got?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apheloria_tigana

I have no idea how darts will react, but something that large could be stressful to them i imagine. 

They are all over where i live, and are generally considered harmless if you're gentle with them, but apparently they can secret cyanide compounds if they are threatened.

Probably best to remove when you see them.


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## kimcmich (Jan 17, 2016)

Greetings,

These are not likely pose a threat to your frogs. Millipedes could eat things like eggs, however, if you have a terrestrial layer. In plague numbers they can consume your leaf-litter quickly but I don't think this species is likely to explode in numbers like that.

Personally I find diversity a plus so unless the millipede is a nuisance I'd leave it be. Do you know where this millipede might have come from?


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## Inorijlc (Jan 21, 2020)

kimcmich said:


> Greetings,
> 
> These are not likely pose a threat to your frogs. Millipedes could eat things like eggs, however, if you have a terrestrial layer. In plague numbers they can consume your leaf-litter quickly but I don't think this species is likely to explode in numbers like that.
> 
> Personally I find diversity a plus so unless the millipede is a nuisance I'd leave it be. Do you know where this millipede might have come from?



I think i got it from the moss as i can wash them very well unlike the plants i bought..thats what i think i got them..theyre not breeding like crazy..i hardly find even one adult..removed them whenever i see an adult pede


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## Inorijlc (Jan 21, 2020)

macg said:


> Is this what you've got?
> 
> https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apheloria_tigana
> 
> ...


Yeahps..thats what im doing right now..im just worried if i buy my frogs they would kill my frogs..my viv is just 3months old and im still giving it more time to acclimate..my isopods and springtails are booming though


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## thedudeabides (Mar 3, 2015)

macg said:


> Is this what you've got?
> 
> https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apheloria_tigana
> 
> ...


Actually don't think it's A. tigana and probably Harpaphe haydeniana. Easy mistake to make but tigana's have yellow legs and haydeniana have brown legs. 

Maybe OP could chime in as to where they found it since one is East coast the other West.

That being said they are very similar and both secrete cyanide as a defense mechanism. If you handle it and smell a sweet almond like scent that's it. Although they probably won't interact with the frogs too much I would not risk it.


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## macg (Apr 19, 2018)

thedudeabides said:


> Actually don't think it's A. tigana and probably Harpaphe haydeniana. Easy mistake to make but tigana's have yellow legs and haydeniana have brown legs.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Great catch!


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## MasterOogway (Mar 22, 2011)

H. haydeniana gets my vote as well. They're so cool! Make sure if they're not native to your area that you're euthanizing them and not letting them just go outside. That's how invasive species happen. This particular species will utilize conifer needles (doug fir and sitka spruce are favorites) frequently in their diet, which I think makes them even more awesome.


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## thedudeabides (Mar 3, 2015)

macg said:


> Great catch!


Thanks I found a bunch of tigana at my bother in laws place in NC and did a good bit of research on them cause I thought they were cool.


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## thedudeabides (Mar 3, 2015)

TarantulaGuy said:


> H. haydeniana gets my vote as well. They're so cool! Make sure if they're not native to your area that you're euthanizing them and not letting them just go outside. That's how invasive species happen. This particular species will utilize conifer needles (doug fir and sitka spruce are favorites) frequently in their diet, which I think makes them even more awesome.


That is a really good point that many of the flatback millipedes apparently have very specialized diets and don't do well in captivity.


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## Woodswalker (Dec 26, 2014)

It's really gorgeous!

Did you use moss you collected in your local area?


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## Inorijlc (Jan 21, 2020)

Woodswalker said:


> It's really gorgeous!
> 
> Did you use moss you collected in your local area?


Bought it from our gardening shop here..didnt know it has pedes in it


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## MasterOogway (Mar 22, 2011)

Inorijlc said:


> Bought it from our gardening shop here..didnt know it has pedes in it


Are you in the PNW region of the country?


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## Woodswalker (Dec 26, 2014)

Inorijlc said:


> Bought it from our gardening shop here..didnt know it has pedes in it


Well, that won't tell us anything about where it's native, at least not with any certainty. It's neat enough that I'd be tempted to culture them for their own sake.


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## Inorijlc (Jan 21, 2020)

TarantulaGuy said:


> Inorijlc said:
> 
> 
> > Bought it from our gardening shop here..didnt know it has pedes in it
> ...


Actually im from philippines.. 😁


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## Inorijlc (Jan 21, 2020)

Woodswalker said:


> Inorijlc said:
> 
> 
> > Bought it from our gardening shop here..didnt know it has pedes in it
> ...


 Well if they pose a threat to my pet frogs to be i might as well just remove them..they do produce some chemicals as defense as what others said in here.. 😁


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## Woodswalker (Dec 26, 2014)

Inorijlc said:


> Well if they pose a threat to my pet frogs to be i might as well just remove them..they do produce some chemicals as defense as what others said in here.. 😁



I'm suggesting that if you're going to pull them, you could keep them in their own setup.


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## Kmc (Jul 26, 2019)

It seems kind of meant to be. It would mean a whole other cool vivarium and perhaps open up another keeping interest.

Do it! The more you learn about another thing at close range, the more you understand about all things. Overspecialization can create a mono myopia where specifics are applied to a solitary subject of interest that are actually true or have its version in many organisms. 

And its super pretty.


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## MasterOogway (Mar 22, 2011)

They are highly poisonous, releasing a cyanide based compound. But a full grown adult of these hovers around 2", which is far too large for a dart to consume. Being in the Philippines, I have no idea whether these could establish themselves or not, but I wouldn't bet against it, so don't release them out into the wild. But they'd for sure make an interesting vivarium all on their own. These are native to my backyard, and I still adore them. Super cool millies.


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