Anyone know what kind of worm this is? (graphic)

Found this in the litter box tonight. Freaked me out. But it has been pointed out to me that (most? all?) internal parasites don't have legs.

That said - it was NOT in poop - or seemingly even near it. We do live in a really rural area, up against large woods, so we get all kinds of creepy crawlies around. It is not unusual to find a spider walking across the litter in the box so.... ???? I

I bagged the worm (in several layers of baggies LOL) and put it in the fridge. Got up the nerve to go take a closer look. I'm wondering if maybe it's just some kind of centipede? Maybe we walked it in on our shoes or pants (it's been cool so we've been wearing long pants again) and it found a way onto a kitty and into the box?????????

Obviously it's going to the vet tomorrow to confirm what it is (or isn't). But thought I'd ask in the meantime.

If those really are legs, then that's one creepy little crawler; I'd be freaked out too!

How long is it?

AC

It's about two inches long.

Someone suggested it's a millipede. I looked it up, and I'm pretty sure that's what it is. We have wet leafy vegatation we have to walk through, so we probably brought it in the house, it got on a cat and into the litterbox. It's not an internal parasite if it really is a millipede.

Millipede maybe? If you have a local bug person, they will help you. Either centipede or millipede, it hitched a ride inside

millipede... unfortunately I too have been up close and personal

^But millipedes are harmless. (at least the North American ones all are) The worst some of them can do is make a "defensive scent" and curl up.

LOL, I can see why you freaked.

But yeah, if it has legs, it's not a worm.

It'll be ok.

I think I'll go release it back outside. Don't know if it'll survive - we have some rather vigorous diggers, and as you can see it's back end is kind of smooshed.

Is it more merciful to end its life quickly?

Now I don't know what to do for the harmless little thing!

You could probably put it back outside. Maybe they can grow some parts back. If he's still alive, I'd give him a chance.

I really did not want to look at this thread but I looked anyway
Every time I see movement in the litter box I freak out. This far it has every time been a spider or beetle. I don't know what those buggers do in the litter box but there they are. At least they are a clearer case than millipedes to figure out!

It looks like a centipede.

It is NOT a millipede. Millipedes look like they are inside shells and look more like caterpillars and are most of the time (if not 100% of the time) black.

Centipedes are obviously segmented and brown/red/orange and certain species grow up to a few feet long and are poisonous.

:}

Originally Posted by Desirai

It looks like a centipede.

It is NOT a millipede. Millipedes look like they are inside shells and look more like caterpillars and are most of the time (if not 100% of the time) black.

Centipedes are obviously segmented and brown/red/orange and certain species grow up to a few feet long and are poisonous.

:}

Click to expand...

http://www.picsearch.com/pictures/an...millipede.html

they do come in colors.. Yes I too was taught they were only black but alas that is not the case

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/ent/no...millipedes.htm

Originally Posted by Desirai

It looks like a centipede.

It is NOT a millipede. Millipedes look like they are inside shells and look more like caterpillars and are most of the time (if not 100% of the time) black.

Centipedes are obviously segmented and brown/red/orange and certain species grow up to a few feet long and are poisonous.

:}

Click to expand...

Venomous, not poisonous. And all of them are venomous because they eat other insects and small mammals. Some millipedes can actually be poisonous, though (no venom glands, they just secrete it - which is the difference). Millipedes come in many colors (go look up "dragon millipede", everyone should, they're rather pretty). They are obviously segmented - with two pair of legs per segment. Centipedes only have one pair per segment. Because there are so many species of millipedes (~10k or so), they can vary greatly in how they look.

ETA: After a bit more looking, the picture could be of a type of blaniulus. Were there any tiny barely visible red dots on it? If so it could have been b. guttulatus, an introduced species over here. They do have defensive glands so whichever kitty found it probably didn't find it too tasty.

I have about a zillion millipedes living in my basement....ugh. I don't know if it is 100% a millipede---the pic is fuzzy and he is kind of squished---but it does look like one. I guess they're harmless. My cats have come to ignore them so I gather they don't taste so good. Any cricket that gets in the house, on the other hand....dinner! Moths, too.