Narceus gordanus

Narceus gordanus, commonly called the Florida ivory millipede or smoky ghost millipede, belongs to the class Diplopoda and the order Spirobolida. They are native to the southeastern United States, primarily Florida, where they live in pine flatwoods, hardwood hammocks, and leaf litter on the forest floor. Adults reach around 10 cm in length, making them a medium-sized species by millipede standards.

Their colouring is what draws people in. The body is dark grey to brownish-black with bold cream or ivory banding across each segment. Like all Diplopoda, they have diplosegments (two pairs of legs per visible body ring) and develop anamorphically, gaining new segments and legs with each moult rather than hatching with a fixed number. They produce mild defensive secretions when stressed, similar to other spirobolid millipedes. These can stain skin and irritate mucous membranes, so wash your hands after handling.

Temperament is docile and unhurried. They tolerate handling well once settled, and they are active burrowers that spend a lot of time partially or fully buried. Lifespan in captivity is roughly 3 to 5 years with good care. One thing worth knowing: N. gordanus is rarely available in the UK. They are a US species, and importing them requires compliance with APHA regulations and potentially CITES paperwork depending on the route. We will always make sure the paperwork is sorted before listing them, but availability will be limited and sporadic.

Care is broadly similar to other tropical and subtropical millipedes, but N. gordanus tolerates slightly cooler conditions than African species, reflecting its temperate-subtropical origins.

Substrate depth is the priority. Provide at least 10–15 cm of a mix of organic topsoil (peat-free), well-rotted hardwood, dried leaf litter, and sphagnum moss. The rotted wood and leaves are food, not decoration. Scatter crushed cuttlebone or eggshell through the substrate and keep a piece of cuttlebone on the surface at all times. Calcium is needed for exoskeleton formation after moulting, and a shortage leads to failed moults and soft, malformed segments. As with all millipedes, never use softwood substrates. Cedar, pine, and spruce are toxic.

Temperature should sit at 20–25°C. Humidity should be 75–85%, maintained by regular misting. Keep ventilation moderate. The substrate should be consistently damp (wrung-out sponge, not dripping) and must never dry out completely. A glass or plastic enclosure with small vents is ideal.

Feed leaf litter, rotting wood (their staples), plus cucumber, courgette, melon, banana, and mushroom as supplements. A small amount of fish flakes or dried shrimp once a week adds protein. Remove fresh food within a day or two. Leave cuttlebone in permanently.

Handling is gentle and straightforward. Support the whole body and let them walk. Wash your hands after, because of the defensive secretions. Avoid handling during or just after a moult.

Watch for grain mites (usually a sign of too much fresh food sitting around) and failed moults (caused by low humidity or lack of calcium). Both are preventable with good maintenance.

For more detail, see our general millipede care guide.

Your millipede will be packed in a ventilated container with damp substrate and sphagnum moss to keep humidity up during transit. Millipedes are sensitive to cold, so in autumn and winter we use heat packs to keep the container warm. All orders go via tracked next-day delivery.

Because N. gordanus is imported from outside the UK, there may be additional lead time while we finalise the necessary import paperwork (APHA health certificates and any required permits). We will confirm expected delivery dates before taking payment.

When your millipede arrives, place it in the enclosure and leave it alone for at least 24 hours. Don't handle it on the first day. Let it burrow in and settle.

All live animals are covered by our live arrival guarantee. If anything is wrong on arrival, contact us with a photo within 2 hours of delivery.