how long is centi post-molt?

[juggalo69]

I just noticed that my centipede molted, it has been burrowed for months. The only reason I noticed is because every once in a while I look at the bottom of the tank where it has burrowed to make sure it is still alive and I noticed a colorless pede. Would that explain why it has been hiding for months? How long after a molt should it be hungry enough to unburrow itself? As of right now my pede is the only animal in my collection that I NEVER see. Is that because it was in premolt or did I spend that money to have some pet dirt?

 

[BugBoyX]

As of right now my pede is the only animal in my collection that I NEVER see. Is that because it was in premolt or did I spend that money to have some pet dirt?

I'm curious to hear the answer to this one. I'm looking at getting a pede (probably a Tanz. Yellow leg or one the the S. heros ssp.). I'd like to set it up in a nice tank (made very escape proof of course), but I'd like to be able to see it once in a while....even if it's at night. I already light my T's with small blue LEDs to view them at night and would be doing the same with the pede.

 

[Galapoheros]

What species is it? That makes a difference. The local centipedes here in Tx hibernate. I have one that's been under the surface for almost 7 months now. I can see it through the glass. It's as fat as ever. Hadn't eaten a thing for more than 7 months. Once it got fat in the Summer, it wouldn't eat anything else. By the looks of it, I think it could go several more months without eating. It's under the water bowl. Plenty of moisture where it's buried. It makes sense that tropicals would come out year round, I would think. I see my S. subspinipes about every 3rd night. Centipedes usually come out at night unless they don't like something about where they are (IMO). I used to bug them, dig them up because I wanted to look at them all the time but I stopped that. It just stresses them out. I just let them do their thing now. I'm fine with it. But I think that is why the hobby isn't real popular. You don't see them a whole lot. Caco on the forum keeps his in big jars. They like to get up next to hard objects (that's called something when things tend to do that, I forgot what it's called.) He said he can usually see his most of the time that way because the glass is what they get up next to. Pretty good Idea. Something to try if you're bored with it. I'm probably going to do it with a couple of pedes. I would wait a few weeks to move it though to let it's exo get hard after the molt.

Oh, and this is pure speculation. I don't know this, just guessing. So I hope to hear someone comment on it. It seems to me tropicals would be out more, eat more and grow faster in general than species that aren't tropical, and maybe not live as long, in general (?).

The centipede that's been buried for so long is S. heros castaneiceps. Very nice centipede but I would let them go under in the winter. My sub comes out around 11:00pm or later. I definitely see it more.

 

[Elytra and Antenna]

I'm curious to hear the answer to this one. I'm looking at getting a pede (probably a Tanz. Yellow leg or one the the S. heros ssp.). I'd like to set it up in a nice tank (made very escape proof of course), but I'd like to be able to see it once in a while....even if it's at night. I already light my T's with small blue LEDs to view them at night and would be doing the same with the pede.

If you want to see them all the time you just keep a shallow substrate.
The generic answer to the question of how long the postmolt lasts is about three days on youngsters and two weeks on late instars and adults.