Millipedes

I have one millipede. "Her" name is Nancy.  I love millipedes.  Their many little legs tickle me as they move along my hand and arm.  This one is the largest millipedes in the continental United States.  They reside mainly in Texas.  I also enjoy the chocolate brown ones as a pet. My luck of housing 2 together has not been great.  So I now keep one at a time.  

One of my favorite things about the millipedes are their munchy little mouths. Sometimes while holding them you can feel them munching away on your finger.  They, however, are totally herbivores. Unlike their hideous garden (and house) neighbor, the centipede. The are carnivores. 

Nancy

Millipedes are often born with only 3 legs.  There are no millipedes with 1,000 legs, even though Mil means 1,000.  The closest is a small white millipede that can fit on a quarter.  This millipede has 742 legs. The millipede has 2 pairs of legs per segment of it's body.  

Millipedes are most definitely NOT centipedes. Centipedes are carnivores. Where as Millipedes are vegetarians.  Both do good for keeping the environment clear of leaf litter and dead carcasses from around or in our home. 

     

Texas Giant Redheaded Centipede 

Common House Centipede

They have an important job to do and not just to send me to the nut home!!! 

But I don't keep one as a pet!  They only have one pair of creepy legs per segment of their body.  Ick! k~