[communal setup] Centipedes vs. millipedes

[Greg Pelka]

Hey!
About half a year I decided to make a little experience
I put an adult Scolopendra subspinipes dehaani (19cm BL) and couple of millipedes from Julidae (~5-7cm BL) and some glomeris (1cm BL) that I catch last summer in Istanbul, Turkey.
After almost half a year living together without any sign of aggression I decided to add some bigger, exotic millipedes
Since last month 3 big specimens of Thyropygus sp. (10-14cm BL) from Java are living together without any aggression
Centipede seems to see it as a background

those exoskeleton leftovers are from millipedes which died in natural way

On the left you can see leftovers from giant cockroach - centipede attack and eat it immediately, and millipedes just finish leftovers

I noticed that very few people ever tried of communal setups like this? Why?
They're makeing that cage looks more natural, and they're cleaning it of course

Best regards,
Greg

 

[Travis K]

That is really cool.

 

[pouchedrat]

I know people use isopods for their tarantulas, but hadn't heard of millipedes with centipedes. I have a little crew of about 15+ adult and MANY baby orange isopods I'm keeping seperate until their breeding population is big enough to justify putting a couple in with my tarantulas and not fear losing too many.

If I didn't treasure my millipedes moreso than all my other inverts, I'd try some of the smaller species with my T's when they were older. As it is now, my milli's hold my heart the most and I just don't want to risk it, heh.

 

[xhexdx]

I would venture to say millipedes with tarantulas might not be such a great idea. But that's just me.

OP: Great pictures, and I think it's a neat idea, too. Congrats!

--Joe

 

[jme]

thats awsome to bad i cant stand centipedes

 

[pouchedrat]

yeah seriously I'd be slightly worried about milli's and their "inking" fun. but like I said, it's something I'd never do (I'd actually be more worried about the milli's, but they're all my babies).

 

[Devil'sRival]

That's an awesome set up, how big is the enclosure? I always wondered if there was anything I could put in with the pede I had to clean up his leftovers. Thanks for the info, I'll have to try that when I get the money to do it right.

 

[dehaani]

I have to admit, I'm impressed!

 

[szappan]

WOW... very surprising results... :clap:

I would have thought they'd go for anything that resembles prey.
Does the 'pede just get out of the way when a milli touches it's legs? does it let it walk over him? do they try to avoid each other at all?

 

[Greg Pelka]

Hey!
Thanx for comments
Enclosure is 40x25cm in base, 20cm high.
Never seen a milli walking through the centipede.
I think that millipedes are trying not to disturb the centipede - they know - "it's big and dangerous"

Cheers
Greg

 

[zonbonzovi]

Very cool! Do you know if any of your millipedes emit hydrogen cyanide? That's the only potential problem that I could forsee if there was predation by the centipede.

Also- it appears that your millipedes don't eat your moss or plants- what kind are they?