Centipedes and humidity: two functions?

[BishopiMaster]

While not stating the degree to how fast
Centipedes dessicate, the air humidity
prevents dessication due to evaporation.
However, there are a few videos on youtube where the centipede experiences belting, where it becomes stuck in its molt, when the keeper sprays water on the molt, it becomes soft and pliable. So would it make sense that in addition to air humidity. moisture provides that pliability to ensure good molting?

 

[basin79]

While not stating the degree to how fast
Centipedes dessicate, the air humidity
prevents dessication due to evaporation.
However, there are a few videos on youtube where the centipede experiences belting, where it becomes stuck in its molt, when the keeper sprays water on the molt, it becomes soft and pliable. So would it make sense that in addition to air humidity. moisture provides that pliability to ensure good molting?

I keep my Scolopendra Hardwickei damp/moist and it's shed 3 times without a problem so far. I keep a lot of springtails in the enclosure to stop moulting mites.

 

[BishopiMaster]

I keep my Scolopendra Hardwickei damp/moist and it's shed 3 times without a problem so far. I keep a lot of springtails in the enclosure to stop moulting mites.

Do you keep hardwickei pedelings the same?

 

[basin79]

Do you keep hardwickei pedelings the same?

Mine is a pling. Well perhaps not now but it was around 6cm max when I got it.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

Tell to one of the 'badass babies' (Scolopendra susbspinipes pedelings) that jumped out from my 0.1 baddy mommy more or less six months ago, if "centipedes tend to dessiccate easily".

While indeed Asian Scolopendridae needs inches (btw) of moist substrate and top notch ventilation, one of those pedelings lived with me (and no, not inside an enclosure) for months. Molting, eating. Surviving alone, by him/herself. This in a house where in Winter the furnace is on 24/7. I wasn't aware of his/her presence of course because I wasn't aware that mine was female and gravid in the first place; 25 pedelings (sadly one died) was what I counted, packed, and shipped to another keeper here in Italy.

A month ago I was out at night for 'collect' (lol 'collect') one of my cats, and guess who jumped out from my door, directed to my garden where all kinds of 'prey' lives? One of those pedelings, turned into a decent sized almost "teen" 'pede :-s

I was both 'surprised' by the fact he/she survived and almost in tears for the laughs. He/she nows lives in my garden... not a pet of mine anymore, but a 'friendly' presence, sort of a peer of mine... therefore I wouldn't care for him/her.

Clearly, now I know that the pedelings weren't 25

Centipedes are hardy than most people believe, trust me.

 

[BishopiMaster]

Thanks for your input chris, thats really good to hear that they were so hardy, do you think the humidity in your area would have anything to do with it? How long btw, do you think the pede lived inside? that's pretty impressive

 

[Chris LXXIX]

Thanks for your input chris, thats really good to hear that they were so hardy, do you think the humidity in your area would have anything to do with it?

Yes. Definitely my man. Lombardy, especially this part of the Region where I live, is humid. Not humid to "die" but let's say "humid enough". That helped the escaped bugger for sure.

How long btw, do you think the pede lived inside? that's pretty impressive

Less than six months: he/she was near me. On my room, or into another part of the house, until he/she crawled out from the door please note that:

1) I spotted the 'pede for pure luck (I was out in the garden for take back one of my cats, as I've said)

2) At this point since the pedelings weren't 25 but 26, I can't exclude that there's (maybe) others, loool :-s

 

[BishopiMaster]

I'm surprised you arent worried about it escaping from your garden, chris, id be curious to some of your setups, both pedeling and adult, id like to get an idea on the ventilation you use in particular, as the way ive done mine is a row around the top of the deli cup, and 2 rows of cross ventilation, how often do you mist?

 

[Chris LXXIX]

I'm surprised you arent worried about it escaping from your garden, chris, id be curious to some of your setups, both pedeling and adult, id like to get an idea on the ventilation you use in particular, as the way ive done mine is a row around the top of the deli cup, and 2 rows of cross ventilation, how often do you mist?

No, my garden is very huge. Full of old cobblestones, a farmhouse (where I keep my bats), 5 garages, there's an area with topsoil for my garden/veggies stuff, lots of places for hide as you can guess and lots of preys to eat. Ain't worried at all, really

For his/her mommy I use a KIS plastic enclosure + or - not so different from the ones others use here. Top opening. I've drilled holes everywhere: sides, top.

I don't mist. I rely on the water dish (a nice sized one) and with a plastic pipette every 10/15 days I pour room temperature water in the substrate :-s

This is where she (mommy) lives (mostly under the piece of cork bark on the right).

 

[BishopiMaster]

What is a plastic pipette?, an american would think you're talking about a plastic pipe

 

[Chris LXXIX]

What is a plastic pipette?, an american would think you're talking about a plastic pipe

Let's say basically a soft plastic (and no sharp needle) syringe

 

[bryverine]

What is a plastic pipette?, an american would think you're talking about a plastic pipe

Lol didn't you take chemistry class?

 

[BishopiMaster]

Lol didn't you take chemistry class?

its been a few years, maybe i should take it again so i can know what a plastic pipette is

 

[RTTB]

Avoid spraying/misting to soak your substrate.Pour water into the corner of your enclosure to create a wet/ moist layer at the bottom. The pedes will seek out their desired zone when burrowing. Just lightly mist after that. Deep substrate is the key. They will find their comfort zone.

 

[BishopiMaster]

Avoid spraying/misting to soak your substrate.Pour water into the corner of your enclosure to create a wet/ moist layer at the bottom. The pedes will seek out their desired zone when burrowing. Just lightly mist after that. Deep substrate is the key. They will find their comfort zone.

Very useful info thanks, how would you modify that for a 16 oz deli container, i have about 3" give or take of substrate

 

[RTTB]

Bottom inch of substrate you can make very moist then layer on top.

 

[BishopiMaster]

Very useful info thanks, how would you modify that for a 16 oz deli container, i have about 3" give or take of substrate

Like for a pedeling

 

[RTTB]

Yes indeed.

 

[BishopiMaster]

Bottom inch of substrate you can make very moist then layer on top.

Do you consciously create "different" layers or is that just the common sense effect of water flowing down, what do you use to add water if the former is so?

 

[RTTB]

I purposely create a layer at the bottom. I keep S polymorpha which is very easy to keep and don't have tropical requirements.