Olive Millipedes (Telodeinopus aoutii)

• Scientific Name: Telodeinopus aoutii
• Common Names: Ghana Speckled Leg Millipede, Giant African Olive Millipede, Long Legged Millipede
• Family: Spirostreptidae
• Origin: West Africa — Ghana, Togo, and surrounding regions (also found across central and east Africa)
• Adult Size: Females up to 18–19 cm; males somewhat smaller, typically 15–16 cm
• Lifespan: Up to 5 years
• Sexual Maturity: 2–3 years
• Difficulty: Easy — one of the best beginner giant millipedes
• Temperature: 22–28°C
• Humidity: 70–90%
• Activity: Semi-arboreal, active climbers, often visible above ground
• Diet: Leaf litter, rotting wood, vegetables, fruit, moss, lichen, protein supplements
• Supplements: Cuttlebone, crushed limestone, or oyster shell for calcium

Ghana Speckled Leg Millipedes: Overview

If you want a large, impressive millipede that's easy to keep, active, and visible — this is probably the species you're looking for.

Telodeinopus aoutii is one of the most popular giant millipedes in the UK hobby, and for good reason. They're a genuinely large species — adult females reach 18–19 cm — with a distinctive dark olive to coppery-brown body and long legs marked with pale and dark speckles (which is where the common name comes from). They're slimmer and longer-legged than something like Archispirostreptus gigas (the African Giant Black), which gives them a very different look and makes them much better climbers.

And climbing is what these millipedes do. T. aoutii are semi-arboreal and will spend a lot of time above ground — on branches, cork bark, the sides of the enclosure. Younger animals in particular tend to be very surface-active. For a display enclosure this is a huge advantage, because you'll actually see your millipedes rather than just looking at a box of substrate and wondering if anything lives in it.

They're also described by multiple experienced keepers as the "dustbins" of the millipede world. They'll eat almost anything: leaf litter, rotting wood, fruit, vegetables, moss, lichen, fish flakes — they're ravenous and not at all fussy. This makes feeding easy and means they're very forgiving of slight variations in diet compared to more specialised species.

Common Name Confusion

Worth addressing this directly: Telodeinopus aoutii is sometimes called the "Giant African Olive Millipede" or just "African Olive Millipede." That same common name is also used for Analocostreptus gregorius — a completely different, smaller species from Angola that we also stock. They're not the same animal.

T. aoutii is the larger of the two (up to 19 cm vs 10–12 cm for A. gregorius), comes from West Africa rather than Angola, and has a longer lifespan. If you're comparing the two on our site, the scientific names are the reliable way to tell them apart. The product title "Ghana Speckled Leg" is the less ambiguous common name for this species.

Enclosure

These are large, active millipedes that need a decent amount of space. A minimum enclosure size of 60x40 cm floor space is recommended, with enough height to accommodate deep substrate plus above-ground decoration. A converted aquarium or a large plastic storage box with a gasket lid both work well.

Because T. aoutii are climbers, height matters. Provide plenty of vertical elements: cork bark stacked and angled, hardwood branches with lichen, and natural bark pieces. They'll use all of it. Make sure the lid is secure and any ventilation holes are covered with fine mesh — juveniles are small enough to squeeze through surprisingly tight gaps.

Ventilation is important. Cross-ventilation (mesh on opposite sides) is ideal. You want airflow without drying the enclosure out.

Substrate

Substrate depth should be at least the length of your longest millipede — so for adults, that's a minimum of 18–20 cm. This sounds like a lot, but it's essential. Millipedes burrow deep into the substrate to moult, and if they can't get deep enough, the moult can fail.

Use a mix of organic topsoil (pesticide-free, fertiliser-free) with plenty of crumbled white rotten hardwood and dried leaf litter mixed in. Oak and beech leaves are ideal. The substrate is a major food source — they eat it — so quality and composition matter. You can add sphagnum moss and mushroom compost to the mix. Layer the top generously with whole leaves, pieces of moss, and additional rotting wood chunks.

Keep the substrate consistently moist but not waterlogged. Mist when the top layer starts to dry out. These millipedes come from tropical West African forests with seasonal rain, so they appreciate consistently damp conditions — higher humidity than many other Spirostreptids.

If you use a heat mat, place it on the side of the enclosure, above the substrate line — never underneath. A heat mat under the enclosure cooks the substrate from below, which can kill burrowing and moulting millipedes.

Temperature and Humidity

22–28°C is the target temperature range. In a typical UK house you'll likely need a heat mat on a thermostat, especially in winter. Room temperature (18–20°C) is on the cool side for this species — they'll survive but won't thrive or breed as readily.

Humidity should be kept at 70–90%. This is higher than some other Spirostreptids and is one of the things that distinguishes their care from the smaller A. gregorius. Regular misting and a well-sealed (but ventilated) enclosure will help maintain this.

Diet

These are genuinely easy to feed. The substrate (leaf litter and rotting wood) is their primary food, and should always be available. On top of that, they'll accept a wide range of supplementary foods and tend to eat enthusiastically. Favourites from keeper experience include cucumber, apple, banana, pear, squash, and courgette. They'll also eat mushrooms, moss, and lichen.

Protein is important — offer fish flakes, shrimp pellets, dried mealworms, or similar once or twice a week. Adult females in particular eat a lot when producing eggs, so keep food well stocked.

Calcium should always be available. A piece of cuttlebone or crushed limestone in the enclosure covers this.

Remove uneaten fresh food within a day or two to prevent mould.

Breeding

T. aoutii breed well in captivity once conditions are right. They reach sexual maturity at 2–3 years, so this is not a quick process — patience is needed. Some keepers report that simulating seasonal changes (a slight increase in temperature and misting frequency) can help trigger breeding, mimicking the wet season in their native habitat.

Females lay eggs in chambers they construct in the substrate. The young hatch small and go through many moults before reaching adult size. Growth in the early stages is relatively fast compared to many millipede species.

Be careful during substrate maintenance — eggs and small juveniles are easily missed and accidentally destroyed. Avoid full substrate changes where possible; instead, spot clean and top up with fresh leaf litter, rotting wood, and substrate as needed.

Handling

Ghana Speckled Legs are calm and easy to handle once they're used to it. Lift them gently, never pull, and let them walk onto your hand. They may curl into a defensive coil if startled, and like all millipedes they can secrete a foul-smelling defensive liquid that may irritate skin. This is more common with animals that aren't accustomed to handling — individuals that are regularly handled tend to be much more relaxed.

Wash your hands after handling and don't touch your eyes. The secretion isn't dangerous at the quantities these millipedes produce, but it can stain skin temporarily and cause irritation on sensitive areas.

Who Are These For?

Pretty much anyone interested in keeping millipedes. At £10 each, with easy care requirements, a varied and unfussy diet, an active and visible temperament, and a lifespan of up to 5 years, T. aoutii tick most of the boxes for both first-time millipede keepers and experienced hobbyists. They're one of the most commonly recommended beginner giant species in the UK hobby, and that reputation is well earned.

The only real requirement beyond basic care is the enclosure size — these are large millipedes that need deep substrate and vertical climbing space. A small faunarium won't cut it. If you're prepared to set up a properly sized enclosure, everything else is straightforward.