Fun Giant African Millipede Facts For Kids

The giant African millipede (Archispirostreptus gigas) may be an exciting choice for an exotic pet that is both easy to maintain and to look after. A millipede may resemble other centipedes but they are, actually, arthropods. Millipede means thousand but they don’t have such a huge number of legs. Instead they have around 100 legs only wherein there are two legs for every body segment.  The number of legs keep on increasing every time they molt, so every new body segment is accompanied with more legs. The giant African millipede might look like a centipede, but it is quite different from them and is in fact a distant relative of crabs and shrimps. Their natural habitat is warm and dark places near the floor of the forest like burrows and rotting wood.

As these millipedes are very docile and slow moving, they can make for an exotic pet and they can easily be kept in a suitable enclosure with numerous other millipedes as they get along well with each other. When they face any danger they either recoil into a tight spiral or might secrete a liquid that can cause skin irritation. Below are some fun facts about giant African millipedes, so read on and let’s get to know them better. After this, you may also like to look at stink bug and water beetle.

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What type of animal is a giant African millipede?

An African giant millipede Archispirostreptus gigas is an invertebrate that feeds on decaying matter and plant material, having 300-400 legs. They have four legs per body segment.

What class of animal does a Giant African Millipede belong to?

The giant African millipedes come under the class of arthropods. Millie means thousand but this name is somewhat deceptive, as giant African millipedes do not have so many legs.

How many Giant African Millipedes are there in the world?

There are about 10,000 species of millipedes spread throughout the world with giant African millipede archispirostreptus being the largest of them all.

Where does a Giant African Millipede live?

An African millipede Archispirostreptus Gigas is mainly found in the rainforests of Africa where they thrive and live near rotting wood.

What is a giant African millipede's habitat?

The giant African millipedes have their habitat on the warm forest floor. This giant African millipede archispirostreptus has the ability to live communally. They can also be found in a zoo.

Who do giant African millipedes live with?

The giant African millipedes could commonly be found living in a zoo or either as a house pet that suits their environmental needs.

How long does a giant African millipede live?

These millipedes have a life expectancy of around five and seven years in the wild. However, under human care, these millipedes may live up to 10 years with proper care.

How do they reproduce?

The male giant African millipedes swirl around a female to deposit sperm. After this process, the female millipede lays around 100 eggs. These eggs hatch after three months.

What is their conservation status?

The African giant millipede is thriving. This means their population has the Least Concern status.

What do Giant African Millipedes look like?

A giant African millipede has about 30-40 body segments that consist of at least hundreds of legs.

How cute are they?

Giant African millipedes are quite docile and very slow, making them look cute. They can be tamed as well.

How do they communicate?

A female millipede usually rubs a male millipede to show a display of affection that leads them to reproduce.

How big is a giant African millipede?

An adult African millipede extends to around seven to eleven inches which makes it slightly bigger than the average species of millipedes.

How fast can a giant African millipede run?

The millipede is a type of species that is relatively slow-moving and is docile.

How much does a giant African millipede weigh?

A giant African millipede usually weighs around 200-230 g.

What are their male and female names of the species?

Whether it be male giant African millipedes or female giant African millipedes, they are both known as 'millipedes'.

What would you call a baby giant African millipede?

Baby giant African millipedes are simply known as baby millipede.

What do they eat?

Millipedes usually feed on decaying organic matter like leaves, rotting wood, plant material. Millipede pairs of legs help it to travel and feed on decaying matter across its travels.

Are they poisonous?

Yes, these millipedes are poisonous and produce a foul toxin to scare off their predators.

Would they make a good pet?

Yes, these millipedes would make a good pet provided they live in a tank that is three times the total length of the millipede.

Did you know...

Whenever a millipede molts, it develops a new segment of the body that has four additional legs. This segment of the body also consists of two pairs of internal organs. The molting process usually begins when giant African millipedes are only seven months old and this process goes on for years until they are fully matured.

Unique Things About The Giant African Millipede's Biology

After the mating process, a female millipede lays eggs after about two to three months. A female lays around a hundred eggs. Their body consists of tiny holes that help them breathe. In order to defend themselves from other predators, giant African millipedes produce toxins that have foul smell to scare them away.

Are Giant African Millipedes Pets Legal?

Yes, giant African millipedes are legal to purchase. If you are planning to buy one, make sure you purchase the giant African millipedes from a known local breeder as these breeders have a good sense of taking care of them.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other arthropods including house centipede, or fungus beetle.

You can even occupy yourself at home by drawing one on our Giant African Millipede coloring pages.