First centipede arrival in a few days

Walker253

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Alright, I bit the bullet. After saying no thanks for quite a while, I agreed to take in a S. s. dehaani. I've heard it's 6-7". I planned on keeping it in a big cheeseball barrel (probably 13-14" in diameter and about 16" high). Since they are from SE Asia, I'd think they should be warm and moist.
Any tips, pointers? Is the container big enough? I don't want to do anything dumb or get in over my head. I honestly don't know much about centipedes. I didn't want to. I do well with my tarantulas and had no desire to venture into 'pedes. That being said, I happily accept the challenge. I just want to do it right the first time.
 

Venom1080

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keep it like a Theraphosa. i kept mine too dry for a long while, wouldnt eat and wasnt active. has improved 100% since i upped the humidity. granted it is a different species, but both are from humid areas. alot easier to rehouse than tarantulas as well since they cant climb smooth surfaces, i use jar with a lip for rehousing. very fast and prone to bolting. venom is at least OW tarantula level. enjoy! :)
IMO, much more entertaining than any fossorial theraphosidae.
 

Walker253

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How fast is "very fast" compared to a tarantula? Are we talking OBT or Pokie fast?
 

Staehilomyces

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Most importantly, don't be intimidated. If you're experienced with OWTs then you'll certainly be good with a centipede. They're much more manageable from my experience. No urticating hairs or climbing glass. Best of luck! Centipedes are phenomenal inverts.
 

Walker253

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Most importantly, don't be intimidated. If you're experienced with OWTs then you'll certainly be good with a centipede. They're much more manageable from my experience. No urticating hairs or climbing glass. Best of luck! Centipedes are phenomenal inverts.
I just read your story on the thread you created. Very nice and helpful information.
 

Chris LXXIX

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How fast is "very fast" compared to a tarantula? Are we talking OBT or Pokie fast?
I can speak for mine. I have a female (the only reason I 100% know the sex is because she was gravid and gave birth to 25 pedelings) and (without consider for a minute that they aren't arachnids) she's completely different. If I only dare to think to remove the cork bark (a pretty stupid thing, obviously) of my P.murinus, I will probably end with hissing, bolt escape, threat pose etc not in this order.

When I remove the cork bark for say "Hello" to my S.subspinipes baby, she remain "calm", in that lovely centipede position. They are fast, indeed, but they act differently. IMO seems that they calculate more instead of relying on pure instinct only like OW's T's, if cornered, let's say. They have another approach.

Escape masters, man, btw, as you certainly heard. T's are nothing compared. Nothing :)
 

basin79

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Do I laugh or run and hide at your comment?
You'll be right as a clock. They do become quite irate at times though. Think a screaming toddler having a temper tantrum in a supermarket.

Give them a cricket/locust/roach and they're back to being calm again.
 

Chris LXXIX

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Not that I'd want any escaped arachnid, what is a best practice to catch a 'pede should it get out? I always like to have a plan.
Use a plastic container big enough... I use rectangular, clear ones :-s

Uh, never happened so far, btw.
 

basin79

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Not that I'd want any escaped arachnid, what is a best practice to catch a 'pede should it get out? I always like to have a plan.
You'd be very lucky to ever see it again. However I was lucky and my escaped pede that I didn't know had escaped until I saw it casually strolling across my front room floor was caught using a bucket. Twas a big pede and for a pede was very laid back. It just walked into it.

Use a tall RUB and you'll never have to worry though.
 

Chris LXXIX

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That's true ^

I never had an escape, but in general when T's escapes is 99.99% fault of the keeper ("I leaved the lid open. The lid/top was not closed well, or goofy acts etc).

When a centipede escapes this rule IMO is not always valid... I mean, they really are able to use at their advantage what you never imagined was possible :-s
 

basin79

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That's true ^

I never had an escape, but in general when T's escapes is 99.99% fault of the keeper ("I leaved the lid open. The lid/top was not closed well, or goofy acts etc).

When a centipede escapes this rule IMO is not always valid... I mean, they really are able to use at their advantage what you never imagined was possible :-s
If they can get to the top/lid of their enclosure then put them in something taller. They really are sneaky buggers like Chris has typed above. A tall RUB they can't reach the top of though and you've absolutely nothing to ever worry about.
 

Walker253

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If they can get to the top/lid of their enclosure then put them in something taller. They really are sneaky buggers like Chris has typed above. A tall RUB they can't reach the top of though and you've absolutely nothing to ever worry about.
Two things, one remind me what RUB stands for and two, I'm looking at using a plastic barrel. It has a snap on lid, not a screw on. I'll post a pic of some I use for fossorial T's in a sec. Would you think that it would be sufficient?
 

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basin79

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Two things, one remind me what RUB stands for and two, I'm looking at using a plastic barrel. It has a snap on lid, not a screw on. I'll post a pic of some I use for fossorial T's in a sec. Would you think that it would be sufficient?
RUB stands for Really Useful Box. They're just plastic boxes.

Pedes need quite a lot of room compared to T's. They're really active so floor space is important. You also want to be able to take the lid off without the pede being able to then climb out.
 

Walker253

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RUB stands for Really Useful Box. They're just plastic boxes.

Pedes need quite a lot of room compared to T's. They're really active so floor space is important. You also want to be able to take the lid off without the pede being able to then climb out.
So skip the barrel?
 

sdsnybny

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Mark you've seen mine its in a 15 gal hex and has tunnels throughout every inch of sub the barrel isn't' big enough except only in height.
 
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