Chocolate Millipede

Ophistreptus guineensis

MillipedebeginnerHarmlessCommunal OK

No venom, no sting

Millipedes don't bite or sting and have no venom. Many do secrete defensive chemicals when stressed, so wash your hands after handling and keep them away from your eyes and mouth.

Secretes benzoquinones

Stains skin brown for several days and stings badly in the eyes or on broken skin. Wash your hands after handling, don't rub your face, and keep it well away from small children.

About

A glossy chocolate-brown African giant — hardy, long, and a good beginner display millipede. Keep warm (74-86°F) and humid (70-85%, higher at night) with deep damp substrate of coco/soil, leaf litter, and rotting wood, plus a calcium source; moisten about a third of the substrate so it can choose its dampness. Detritivore. Harmless; can release a mild defensive fluid, so wash hands after handling.

Taxonomy

FamilySpirostreptidae

GenusOphistreptus

Native regionWest Africa

TypeTerrestrial

Temperamentdocile, hardy

Size & growth

Adult sizeup to 8 inches

Body length5.91–7.87 in

Growth rateslow

Life stagesNo distinct stages

DevelopmentAnamorphic — gains segments with each moult

Millipedes molt underground in a small chamber and can stay buried for weeks. If yours has disappeared into the substrate, leave it be — digging it up mid-molt can kill it.

Climate

Temperature74–86°F

Humidity70–85%

Enclosure

Adult sizeterrestrial tank with deep substrate; good ventilation

Substratedeep coco/soil + decaying hardwood leaf litter & rotten wood; add calcium (cuttlebone)

Substrate depth4-6 inches

Water dishOptional

Moisture gradientRequired — keep one end damp, one end dry

Feeding

Feeding modeDetritivore (decaying matter)

Food & schedulecontinuous — leaf litter, decaying hardwood, veg + calcium

Supplemental calciumRequired — cuttlebone or a calcium powder

Times kept: 0