Centipede Climbing

[Drake Dracoli]

Being a newbie centipede/millipede person, I have no clue about centipedes climbing. From what I have gathered, it is difficult for the large foot long centipedes that you guys have; that it is difficult for them to climb glass/plastic walls. Does the same apply for the smaller house/stone centipedes? I know for a fact that the house centipedes don't have much of a problem climbing the walls in my house. If I get a garden centipede (The small ones) how should I contain it?

 

[Mister Internet]

Drake,

Actually, the House Centipedes can't climb smooth surfaces either... I know it's common to see them on walls, but basement walls are usuall porous concrete, and most regular drywall walls have enough roughage that they can get a grip. However, they can't climb glass or plastic any better than Scolopendra or Stone centipedes...

My new favorite container for Stone Centipedes is these little display containers (I get them at Michael's, that craft store) that are rectangular and about 1.5" X 1.5" X 2.5" ... they are easy to drill holes into, and super easy to stack.

 

[Drake Dracoli]

Thank you! There is a Micheal's right by my house. I figured that I had better get a container before going about the whole centipede gathering process. I don't think it would like living in some cheap makeshift container like a used soda bottle.

 

[Mister Internet]

Cool! If you're going to Michael's... ask where the clear plastic display boxes are.... you will see a bunch of them... most of them will be roughly rectangular columns... some have lids that are JUST the lid, and with other containers, the lid includes like 1.5 inches of the container... just get the ones with the thin lids... I use the smallest size for Stone and House centipedes... not the skinny vial-size, but the smallest normal one. Just drill some SMALL holes (smaller than the pede's body girth) around the top just under the lid, and you're good to go... if you keep the ventilation on the sides, the containers can be stacked without interefering with the air holes.

 

[Wade]

You can also burn the holes with a soldering iron. This method has the advantage of never cracking the plastic and it leaves a bead of melted plastic around the hole which re-enforces it. Do it in a well ventilated area...burning plastic stinks!

Wade

 

[Drake Dracoli]

Thank you very much. How much do the containers sell for, anyways?

 

[Mister Internet]

Those little ones are like 99¢ or $1.50 .... not much at all...

 

[Drake Dracoli]

Awsome! Thank you very much for this information.

 

[Nixy]

I just got a bunch for spiderlings and they are Great.
Two bucks here but these are the big ones.
Roughly five inch square by seven inches or so tall.
"burning" the holes in is a cinch and they Do Stack Great.

 

[Mister Internet]

You put slings in containers THAT big?? Are we talking 1/4" - 1/2" slings, or like 1.5" slings?