# Centipede enlosures?



## neubii18 (Feb 15, 2011)

I have been keeping my centipedes(Scolopendra Polymorpha)in plastic jars from walmart,and have had countless problems with fruit flies(or something similar) and mites.I think the humidity gets to high in this tubs,and even when ventilated well,they still end up in there.I clean the food remains out,but they still end up finding a tiny piece I missed.Anyone have any ideas of other caging choices other than jars?Thanks!


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## venom81 (Feb 16, 2011)

i know i had that problem too.what i did is i feed my centipede in a different container that way when its finish he goes back in its clean subtrate.


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## KyuZo (Feb 16, 2011)

when i get a chance at the end of this week, i'll try to post some pictures of my set up, so that you'll have an idea.  it's really simple and my pedes stay out in the open too.  

tip for the mite problem is get some isopods.  the sow bugs, not the pill bugs.  i like to use the dwarf white ones for pedes and orange isopods for the Ts.


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## neubii18 (Feb 16, 2011)

KyuZo said:


> when i get a chance at the end of this week, i'll try to post some pictures of my set up, so that you'll have an idea.  it's really simple and my pedes stay out in the open too.
> 
> tip for the mite problem is get some isopods.  the sow bugs, not the pill bugs.  i like to use the dwarf white ones for pedes and orange isopods for the Ts.


I would really appreciate the pictures.And can I just use the Isopods found outside?I have used them for Ts in the past and they are clean.


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## KyuZo (Feb 16, 2011)

yup, be sure to use the sow bugs and not the pill bugs.  i've heard of at least one story where the pill bugs had done damage to a scorpion or a T during a molt before.  i just can't remember which one it was.  i think that it was a scorpion.  

anyway, don't let me forget about the pictures.  i've been on a very tight schedule lately.


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## neubii18 (Feb 16, 2011)

KyuZo said:


> yup, be sure to use the sow bugs and not the pill bugs.  i've heard of at least one story where the pill bugs had done damage to a scorpion or a T during a molt before.  i just can't remember which one it was.  i think that it was a scorpion.
> 
> anyway, don't let me forget about the pictures.  i've been on a very tight schedule lately.


How do you tell the difference between pill bugs and sow bugs?I thought they were the same thing.And whenever you get to the pictures is fine.


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## zonbonzovi (Feb 16, 2011)

What you want is the variety of woodlice that _doesn't_ roll up into a ball defensively.  They are also flatter.  Sometimes pillbug and sowbug are used interchangeably, which can be confusing.  IIRC, only genus Armadillidium rolls into a ball?


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## H. laoticus (Feb 16, 2011)

KyuZo said:


> yup, be sure to use the sow bugs and not the pill bugs.  i've heard of at least one story where the pill bugs had done damage to a scorpion or a T during a molt before.  i just can't remember which one it was.  i think that it was a scorpion.
> 
> anyway, don't let me forget about the pictures.  i've been on a very tight schedule lately.


I think you have it the other way around.  It was the sow bugs that caused the losses of some scorplings, not the pill bugs.  The sow bugs grow larger, are faster, and in my experience are more aggressive feeders. 

Get these ones (roll-up pill bugs):  






Not these (evil sow bugs):  






My experiences with the roll-up pill bugs have been very positive and they are great at cleaning excess matter and reproducing.


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## zonbonzovi (Feb 16, 2011)

LOL, funny how things can be so different on the same coast.  Up here, the kind you refer to as sow bugs grow larger and are much more reliable for reproduction while the pill bug is harder to find and smaller.  I haven't had any issues with the sow bugs but to each his own


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## H. laoticus (Feb 16, 2011)

zonbonzovi said:


> LOL, funny how things can be so different on the same coast.  Up here, the kind you refer to as sow bugs grow larger and are much more reliable for reproduction while the pill bug is harder to find and smaller.  I haven't had any issues with the sow bugs but to each his own


You've had roll-up pill bugs harm your scorpions?


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## Elytra and Antenna (Feb 16, 2011)

H. laoticus said:


> Get these ones (roll-up pill bugs):


 That image is of pill millipedes, not isopods.


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## zonbonzovi (Feb 16, 2011)

No, I just meant that my experiences have been different in regards to the two different varieties of woodlice.  I haven't used the Armadillidium  for cleaning crews at all so I can only comment on the other kind.  I did use the flat sow bugs(Porcellio?) in an emperor tank and had no ill effects during molts.


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## KyuZo (Feb 17, 2011)

safer to go with the dwarf isopods. they are by far my favorite. my baby centipedes were less than an inch in length and thinner than the dwarf white isopods. when they were molting, the isopods didn't harm it at all, so i was very impressed.  i don't use the orange one except for my aboreal Ts.


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## H. laoticus (Feb 17, 2011)

Elytra and Antenna said:


> That image is of pill millipedes, not isopods.


Yes, I thought so as well, but I think the OP got it regardless because it's pretty obvious what's being referred to.


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## KyuZo (Feb 18, 2011)

*pictures time!*

i don't take very good pictures, so i apologize in advance.


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## neubii18 (Feb 18, 2011)

Thanks Jason!Do you ever have trouble with escapees in those tubs?And man,that hardwicki is amazing!


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## zonbonzovi (Feb 18, 2011)

Jason, we have very similar taste in 99 cent plastic containers.  Great moisture retention and infinitely modifiable.


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## KyuZo (Feb 18, 2011)

asn1234 said:


> Thanks Jason!Do you ever have trouble with escapees in those tubs?And man,that hardwicki is amazing!


i had a close call one time when my S. hardwickei got into a panic mood when i accidentally sneezed on it.  it jumped out and ran fast in between the crack of the wood at the edge of my wall.  i almost lose that one.  

other than that, you would normally know when they are calm and when they are not when you open the container. the cb ones that i have raise from a plings are really calm as they are used to me opening up their container ever since they were babies.  most of the time, they like to stay on the substrate.  even when they crawl out, they do it pretty calmly and they don't run fast, so i just calmly net them and get them back into their container.

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zonbonzovi said:


> Jason, we have very similar taste in 99 cent plastic containers.  Great moisture retention and infinitely modifiable.


zonbonzonvi, i also have some display containers that i will be setting up really soon. they are acrylics and are about the same size.  I'm just waiting for the warmer weather to kick in before setting everything up.


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