Checking on Centipede?

[draconisj4]

I have a 4" S. polymorpha that has not eaten in 2 months and I usually have been able to see it in one of its tunnels but not in a month and a half. How long should I wait to start searching the substrate to see if it's still alive? I understand they can go quite a while without eating but I'm starting to get worried.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

I know what you mean but (unless something bad happened, and let's hope not) I wouldn't worry: once my S.subspinipes 'disappeared' for almost four months, then went out, like nothing

Personally I would wait but if you are really worried, a checking wouldn't harm, for me that was easy because she burrowed under the main piece of cork bark so I had only to gently lift a bit that

 

[draconisj4]

I know what you mean but (unless something bad happened, and let's hope not) I wouldn't worry: once my S.subspinipes 'disappeared' for almost four months, then went out, like nothing

Personally I would wait but if you are really worried, a checking wouldn't harm, for me that was easy because she burrowed under the main piece of cirk bark so I had only to gently lift a bit that

Thanks. I'll wait a bit longer. I probably overfed it, in fact it's last meal was pretty much just torn apart and left on the surface. I don't want to disturb it if it's molting and if it's dead waiting won't make any difference.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

Thanks. I'll wait a bit longer. I probably overfed it, in fact it's last meal was pretty much just torn apart and left on the surface. I don't want to disturb it if it's molting and if it's dead waiting won't make any difference.

I do agree with this analysis. In fact, my 'pede was fat as heck when decided to disappear

Let's not forget, anyway, that, since a good 98% (maybe more) of the 'pedes in the trade are sold as unsexed, there's however always a little chance % that, females arrived gravid, seek for comfy/quiet places for their eggs.

Obviously if you know that your 'pede is a 1.0 specimen, that's not relevant

 

[draconisj4]

I do agree with this analysis. In fact, my 'pede was fat as heck when decided to disappear

Let's not forget, anyway, that, since a good 98% (maybe more) of the 'pedes in the trade are sold as unsexed, there's however always a little chance % that, females arrived gravid, seek for comfy/quiet places for their eggs.

Obviously if you know that your 'pede is a 1.0 specimen, that's not relevant

True, I believe it was WC and don't know if it's male or female...I'm just nervous because I went through the same thing with some millipedes and they had died when I finally searched for them...I don't seem to have much luck with myriapods.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

I'm just nervous because I went through the same thing with some millipedes and they had died when I finally searched for them...I don't seem to have much luck with myriapods.

Don't say that... besides, 'pedes are definitely more 'hardy' than millipedes, even if there's a general point of view that says that 'pedes are delicate

 

[AZCeptipede]

Don't say that... besides, 'pedes are definitely more 'hardy' than millipedes, even if there's a general point of view that says that 'pedes are delicate

True, they wouldn't still be around 430 million years later if they weren't hardy!

 

[NYAN]

I think there’s a good chance she’s on eggs. I made the mistake of digging up a pede on eggs recently. Let them be.

 

[Bill S]

I think there’s a good chance she’s on eggs. I made the mistake of digging up a pede on eggs recently. Let them be.

If she's a wild-caught local species, I suspect she'll be following natural seasonal patterns. Winter dormancy might be more likely than producing eggs.

In that line - I'd like to ask others here if they've seen wild caught temperate species produce eggs during winter. And if so - what were the conditions? Were they long term captives? Were they kept in natural daylight/night patterns?

 

[NYAN]

If she's a wild-caught local species, I suspect she'll be following natural seasonal patterns. Winter dormancy might be more likely than producing eggs.

In that line - I'd like to ask others here if they've seen wild caught temperate species produce eggs during winter. And if so - what were the conditions? Were they long term captives? Were they kept in natural daylight/night patterns?

You bring up a good point, and I wasn’t actually thinking about that factor. Desert Pedes tend to time their brood with monsoon season if I recall correctly.

 

[AZCeptipede]

You bring up a good point, and I wasn’t actually thinking about that factor. Desert Pedes tend to time their brood with monsoon season if I recall correctly.

The monsoons came a bit late this year, we've actually been getting quite a bit of rain this week in Arizona, it may be possible she's on eggs.

 

[draconisj4]

If she's a wild-caught local species, I suspect she'll be following natural seasonal patterns. Winter dormancy might be more likely than producing eggs.

I think that's actually what might be happening( I hope). I have 2 other inverts ,also WC, from the same vendor and I know he goes to Arizona on collecting trips. My H. arizonensis and A.chalcodes have also buried themselves and have stopped eating. The A. chalcodes did the same thing last year around this time and emerged 4 months later without having molted. I am able to check on them both without disturbing them though. They all ate like pigs through the summer, preparing for winter I assume.

Edit: I hope it's not on eggs, I don't need a bunch of pedelings

 

[Bill S]

The monsoons came a bit late this year, we've actually been getting quite a bit of rain this week in Arizona, it may be possible she's on eggs.

The rains we are now getting in Arizona are not monsoons, and plants and animals that bloom/reproduce/become active during monsoons are not doing so now.

I'm a long-term resident of Arizona as well as a biologist. We've basically got three rainy seasons here. Winter rains, which typically start in early November; monsoons, which typically start in July; and a less reliable October system. Winter rains come from the northwest, summer monsoons from the southeast, and in those years in which we have October systems they come up from the Gulf of California, usually the remainders of hurricanes down there. That's what we have going on in the Tucson area right now.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

Edit: I hope it's not on eggs, I don't need a bunch of pedelings

Ah ah well, watch the positive side: at least in such a scenario, you wouldn't end like me with a good 30 S.subspinipes (already 'bitey' attitude) brat-pedelings that btw, here in Italy, value talking only since they are IMO amazing nonetheless, are cheap

 

[AZCeptipede]

The rains we are now getting in Arizona are not monsoons, and plants and animals that bloom/reproduce/become active during monsoons are not doing so now.

I'm a long-term resident of Arizona as well as a biologist. We've basically got three rainy seasons here. Winter rains, which typically start in early November; monsoons, which typically start in July; and a less reliable October system. Winter rains come from the northwest, summer monsoons from the southeast, and in those years in which we have October systems they come up from the Gulf of California, usually the remainders of hurricanes down there. That's what we have going on in the Tucson area right now.

Oh wow, that's actually good to know! I'm still pretty new to Arizona and was just going by what other people said haha. Thanks!

 

[Bill S]

Arizona, especially southern Arizona, is a great place for biologists. Incredible diversity of habitats, crazy geological history (which equals great biogeography), and extreme environments as well. I think you'll find much to enjoy about this place. There have been some changes in our seasonal rainfall over recent decades, which is frustrating to some of us, but also adds to the variability. And of course, having two native Scolopendra isn't bad either.

 

[draconisj4]

Well, after yet another meal went untouched I couldn't stand it so I started searching the substrate. I was met with a very healthy looking and extremely indignant pede. Not on eggs or molting thankfully.

In a way I feel a bit guilty, but I'm also kind of glad I did because it's a color morph and very pretty. Creams and blues, just gorgeous and almost twice the size it was when I got it. At least I got to look at something other than a box of dirt, lol.