African Giant Millipede (Archispirostreptus gigas)
Millipede
$94.99
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Spice 1 · Kid Friendly
How the Spice System works
Kid friendly
Lower-risk animals a child can help care for, with an adult in charge. For watching, not handling.
WC: Wild caught
Collected from the wild and settled in at Big Z's before it ships. Many species, adults especially, are rarely bred in captivity.
Big Z's notes
About this Fella
African Giant Millipede for sale from Big Z's (Archispirostreptus gigas). Comes with a Spice rating and a care guide, and ships packed for the weather.
One confirmed male and one confirmed female, sold together as a breeding pair for $209.99.
WHAT YOU GET
- 1 male African Giant Millipede (Archispirostreptus gigas), 5-8", wild caught adult
- 1 female African Giant Millipede (Archispirostreptus gigas), 5-8", wild caught adult
Singles are $99.99 each on this store. A pair costs a little more than two random animals, and the sexing is what you are paying for.
HOW WE SEX THEM
A mature male gigas has gonopods in place of the seventh pair of legs. You can see them, so sexing an adult is straightforward. We check every pair before it ships.
CARE
Both animals live together in one deep bin of hardwood leaf litter, which doubles as the whole feeding plan. Keep the substrate damp, add a water dish, and top up the litter as they eat through it. Gigas are communal, so a pair is no more work than a single animal. They live 7 to 10 years or more.
GOOD TO KNOW
- Spice 1, Kid Friendly. No venom, no bite, no sting. If startled they curl up and seep a mild almond scented liquid, so wash your hands after handling.
- Wild caught adults. Both animals fall somewhere in the 5 to 8 inch range.
- We guarantee the sexes. We cannot guarantee they will breed for you.
- Live arrival guaranteed. Heat or cold pack included as the weather requires.
- Full care guide is on this store.
Keep it spicy.
- Big Z
Full care is in the care guide. It covers enclosure size, temperature, humidity, feeding, molting signs and handling limits for this species. Read the Advanced guide, or the shorter Simple guide →
- Lane
- Spice 1 · Kid Friendly
- Source
- WC: wild caught.
African Giant Millipede (Archispirostreptus gigas) Sexed Pair - Confirmed
Millipede
Keeper feedbackYour experience can help another keeper.
$189.99Sexed Pair - 5-8" (Mixed Sizes) WC selected
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Ready to ship
At a glance
The quick read on this fella
- Adult size
- Up to about 12 in long
- Venom
- Irritant defensive fluids
- Keep from eyes
- Type
- Fossorial
- Burrower
- Climate
- 75-78°F · 75-85%
- Damp lower layer, never dripping
- Feeding
- Decomposed leaves
- Soft rotten wood always, small veg portions
- Lifespan
- About 7-10 yrs
From our African Giant Millipede care guide. Read the full guide
Live animals ship Mon to Wed
FedEx Standard Overnight $44.99 or Priority Overnight $49.99, both with the Live Arrival Guarantee; free overnight on orders $499.99 and up. FedEx 2Day $34.99 has no guarantee and needs a signed waiver. Pickup in the Phoenix area or at an expo is free (arrange with Big Z first). Weather holds are free and we message you first.
Enclosure size note
Outgrows Burrow Buddy
Burrow Buddy fits the listed juvenile size, but the animal may outgrow it at full adult size. Plan for a larger custom terrestrial enclosure. Ask Big Z if you need help choosing the next enclosure.
Live arrival support
Every order is packed for that week’s weather. Not sure if African Giant Millipede is your spice level? Message us and we’ll talk it through.
Big Z's here to help
Not sure if African Giant Millipede is your spice level? Message us and we’ll talk it through.
Care guide Shipping and Live Arrival Guarantee
About this Fella Big Z's notes
African Giant Millipede for sale from Big Z's (Archispirostreptus gigas). Comes with a Spice rating and a care guide, and ships packed for the weather.
One confirmed male and one confirmed female, sold together as a breeding pair for $209.99.
WHAT YOU GET
- 1 male African Giant Millipede (Archispirostreptus gigas), 5-8", wild caught adult
- 1 female African Giant Millipede (Archispirostreptus gigas), 5-8", wild caught adult
Singles are $99.99 each on this store. A pair costs a little more than two random animals, and the sexing is what you are paying for.
HOW WE SEX THEM
A mature male gigas has gonopods in place of the seventh pair of legs. You can see them, so sexing an adult is straightforward. We check every pair before it ships.
CARE
Both animals live together in one deep bin of hardwood leaf litter, which doubles as the whole feeding plan. Keep the substrate damp, add a water dish, and top up the litter as they eat through it. Gigas are communal, so a pair is no more work than a single animal. They live 7 to 10 years or more.
GOOD TO KNOW
- Spice 1, Kid Friendly. No venom, no bite, no sting. If startled they curl up and seep a mild almond scented liquid, so wash your hands after handling.
- Wild caught adults. Both animals fall somewhere in the 5 to 8 inch range.
- We guarantee the sexes. We cannot guarantee they will breed for you.
- Live arrival guaranteed. Heat or cold pack included as the weather requires.
- Full care guide is on this store.
Keep it spicy.
- Big Z
Full care is in the care guide. It covers enclosure size, temperature, humidity, feeding, molting signs and handling limits for this species. Read the Advanced guide, or the shorter Simple guide →
- Lane
- Spice 1 · Kid Friendly
- Source
- WC: wild caught.
What ships with this order Care + shipping
- A free care guide for this species
- A heat or cold pack when the forecast calls for it
- Tracking and an arrival window before it ships
- Message Big Z about your animal for as long as you keep it
Care guideSpice 1 · Kid Friendly
Matched care guide
View in Care Guides library
African Giant Millipede
Archispirostreptus gigas · Spice 1: Kid Friendly. Baby Buddy or Burrow Buddy: small animals or groups, only while it holds enough edible depth and floor space. Deep custom enclosure: when animal size, group size or food substrate outgrows a Buddy.
Archispirostreptus gigas
African Giant Millipede
Big Z's Quick Verdict: A big burrowing African millipede whose substrate is its food as well as its home. Keep a deep bed of decomposed leaves and soft rotten hardwood damp, not soaked, top it up as it gets eaten, and leave buried animals alone.
Group: MillipedesDifficulty: Spice 1: Kid FriendlySetup: Deep burrower, food-rich damp lower layerHandling: Brief contact tolerated, low over a soft surface
Use This Guide Safely
- Confirm the exact animal. Match this guide to the species, locality, size, and life stage on your label. If the ID is uncertain, use the more conservative part of the range and ask before changing the setup.
- Change one thing at a time. Treat temperature and humidity as target zones, then watch posture, burrowing, drinking, feeding, and molt behavior before making another adjustment.
- Respect the handling boundary. If the guide says no handling, fast, defensive, or medically significant, plan transfers with catch cups, locked lids, and no bare hands. For serious bites, stings, or symptoms, seek emergency medical care.
Quick Care Snapshot
| Temp | 75-78°F starting range |
|---|---|
| Humidity | 75-85%: damp lower layer, never dripping |
| Setup | Deep burrower, food-rich damp lower layer |
| Substrate | Deep leafy humus and soft rotten wood, damp below |
| Feeding | Decomposed leaves, soft rotten wood always, small veg portions |
| Handling | Brief contact tolerated, low over a soft surface |
Humidity zones: Very Low under 30% - Low 30-60% - Low-Moderate 40-70% - Moderate 60-80% - Moderate-High 70-85% - High 80%+ - Very High 90%+
Recommended Big Z's Setup
- Baby Buddy or Burrow Buddy: small animals or groups, only while it holds enough edible depth and floor space.
- Deep custom enclosure: when animal size, group size or food substrate outgrows a Buddy.
Critical Notes
- Keep millipedes and their defensive fluids away from eyes and mouth. Wash hands after contact or enclosure work.
- Never dig up a buried millipede just to check if it is alive.
- Do not let the edible substrate run out. Fresh veggies cannot replace decomposed leaves and wood.
- No pesticides, treated wood or contaminated soil.
- Hold it low over a soft surface and supervise kids. Never pull it off a surface or force it to uncoil.
- Do not seal the enclosure to chase humidity. Very small animals need escape-resistant vents.
Care Basics
- Set up the edible substrate before the animals come home. A plain display floor is not enough.
- Make the substrate at least as deep as your longest animal is long.
- Keep damp shelter available without soaking the whole enclosure.
- Check the food layer often and replace eaten leaves and wood.
- Use a secure ventilated lid, with escape-resistant openings for very small animals.
- Leave buried animals and possible molt chambers alone.
- Remove spoiled extra food, but leave healthy occupied substrate in place.
- Keep a shallow, easy-to-reach water dish clean.
Feeding, Growth & Maintenance
- Use well-decomposed hardwood leaves and wood soft enough to crumble. A fresh decorative branch is not feeding wood.
- Watch for real feeding and fine droppings building up. Top up food before the substrate is mostly droppings.
- Offer only small extra portions and remove any that spoil. A dish of fresh fruit is not a complete diet.
- Keep buried areas stable during molts. Do not dig to feed or to move an animal that has stopped surfacing.
Current Big Z's catalog: Yes
Archispirostreptus gigas
African Giant Millipede: Advanced Care Guide
Keeper Snapshot: A big burrowing African millipede whose substrate is its food as well as its home. Keep a deep bed of decomposed leaves and soft rotten hardwood damp, not soaked, top it up as it gets eaten, and leave buried animals alone.
Group: MillipedesDifficulty: Spice 1: Kid FriendlySetup: Deep burrower, food-rich damp lower layerHandling: Brief contact tolerated, low over a soft surface
Use This Guide Safely
- Confirm the exact animal. Match this guide to the species, locality, size, and life stage on your label. If the ID is uncertain, use the more conservative part of the range and ask before changing the setup.
- Change one thing at a time. Treat temperature and humidity as target zones, then watch posture, burrowing, drinking, feeding, and molt behavior before making another adjustment.
- Respect the handling boundary. If the guide says no handling, fast, defensive, or medically significant, plan transfers with catch cups, locked lids, and no bare hands. For serious bites, stings, or symptoms, seek emergency medical care.
Quick Snapshot
| Temperature | 75-78°F starting range |
|---|---|
| Humidity | 75-85%: damp lower layer, never dripping |
| Setup Type | Deep burrower, food-rich damp lower layer |
| Substrate | Deep leafy humus and soft rotten wood, damp below |
| Feeding | Decomposed leaves, soft rotten wood always, small veg portions |
| Care Difficulty | Spice 1: Kid Friendly |
| Handling | Brief contact tolerated, low over a soft surface |
Humidity zones: Very Low under 30% - Low 30-60% - Low-Moderate 40-70% - Moderate 60-80% - Moderate-High 70-85% - High 80%+ - Very High 90%+
Enclosure Format / Size Class
- Small animals: Baby Buddy or Burrow Buddy while it holds enough edible depth, floor space and moisture
- Larger animals: deep custom enclosure once a Buddy cannot give body-length substrate depth and floor space
- Mixed-size groups: food and cover the smallest can reach, space for the largest. No set count fits every box
Warnings First
- Keep millipedes and their defensive fluids away from eyes and mouth. Wash hands after contact or enclosure work.
- Never dig up a buried millipede just to check if it is alive.
- Do not let the edible substrate run out. Fresh veggies cannot replace decomposed leaves and wood.
- No pesticides, treated wood or contaminated soil.
- Hold it low over a soft surface and supervise kids. Never pull it off a surface or force it to uncoil.
- Do not seal the enclosure to chase humidity. Very small animals need escape-resistant vents.
Simple Care
- Set up the edible substrate before the animals come home. A plain display floor is not enough.
- Make the substrate at least as deep as your longest animal is long.
- Keep damp shelter available without soaking the whole enclosure.
- Check the food layer often and replace eaten leaves and wood.
- Use a secure ventilated lid, with escape-resistant openings for very small animals.
- Leave buried animals and possible molt chambers alone.
- Remove spoiled extra food, but leave healthy occupied substrate in place.
- Keep a shallow, easy-to-reach water dish clean.
Advanced Keeper Notes
Enclosure & Microclimate
- Every animal should move under cover and reach food without crowding. For bigger millipedes, plan a floor at least two body lengths long and one wide, more for groups.
- Use light cork or leaf cover that will not collapse on a burrowing animal. Keep a damp sheltered area with air exchange above the food layer.
- Moisture belongs below the surface, not pooled. Add water slowly to an empty section and recheck instead of soaking the whole bed.
- Refresh substrate in sections and add fresh food material as needed. Leave occupied areas, eggs and tiny young in place.
- A shallow dish is an extra drinking point. Keep its edge easy to reach, avoid deep open water, and do not assume stones make a dish risk-free.
Feeding, Growth & Maintenance
- Use well-decomposed hardwood leaves and wood soft enough to crumble. A fresh decorative branch is not feeding wood.
- Watch for real feeding and fine droppings building up. Top up food before the substrate is mostly droppings.
- Offer only small extra portions and remove any that spoil. A dish of fresh fruit is not a complete diet.
- Keep buried areas stable during molts. Do not dig to feed or to move an animal that has stopped surfacing.
Possible Origin / Range
- Likely native range: Eastern Africa, from Mozambique to Kenya, mainly toward the coast. A ground-dwelling burrower.
- Habitat translation: Its ground-dwelling, burrowing life becomes deep decomposed plant material, sheltered cover and steady access to moisture.
Advanced Keeper Details
- Substrate condition and food supply matter more than a display schedule. Leave active burrows intact when refreshing.
- Trade-name African giant millipedes can be misidentified.
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