Good centipede for a beginner?

basin79

ArachnoGod
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Sep 14, 2013
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For pedes there's no better enclosures than large plastic tubs. No silicone corners for them to climb up and certified in a massive variety of sizes to suit every pede throughout the life of it.
 

Scoly

Arachnobaron
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Dec 4, 2013
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488
Mine have never made it to the top of the KK that I have witnessed. I'm currently switching everything over to the acrylic displays that my friend makes so that won't be an issue soon. i'll keep an eye out for it though.
I didn't think mine did either until it escaped! Another stupid thing I did with that enclosure (the small KK which the alternans escaped from, almost 20 years ago now!) was to put duct tap on the under-side of the lid, to help keep moisture in, which I thought was OK because it couldn't reach that high. Only after it escaped did I notice that the tape had lots of little bite marks. I think our pedes get up to a lot more when we're not watching than we realise! Maybe some are active only when it is really, really dark.

Maybe you could leave something similar to duct tape attached to the inside of the lid, so if your pedes do climb up there, you might see the evidence even though you never see them actually do it.
 

DubiaW

Arachnobaron
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Jan 10, 2017
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Are mites a problem with wild caught centipedes?
Wild caught S. polymorpha from California sometimes carry hypopus mites that are specific to centipedes. The other mites that get into your enclosure are usually native to your own house or habitat and feed on decaying organic matter that builds up in the substrate.
 

DubiaW

Arachnobaron
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Jan 10, 2017
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471
CT. Do you have a picture of one?
I have a few pics but they aren't very good. I will get some pics for you. They look a lot like the pic you posted. They are very large for S. polymorpha but none of them are at the top of the size they can achieve.
 

Ratmosphere

Arachnoking
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Aug 23, 2015
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Also, do you think it's possible for some Scolopendra polymorpha from that region to cross paths with Scolopendra heros and breed to create a different specimen? A bigger specimen like you are talking about?
 

bryverine

Arachnoangel
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Apr 18, 2012
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My first choices for a pede are S. angulata (calm and less potent) or E. trigonopodus (smaller and reclusive, but gosh they sure are pretty). Just waiting for the wife to cave... :oldman:
 

Staehilomyces

Arachnoprince
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Mar 2, 2016
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The above are both safe pedes, but angulata is quite hard to obtain, and both that species and E. trigo can be serious pet holes.
 

Ratmosphere

Arachnoking
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Dang, I like Scolopendra angulata. Wish they were easier to obtain! So I basically need a tall plastic enclosure, 4" of coco fiber mixed with sand, a piece of cork bark as a hide, and water dish and that's basically it?
 

Ratmosphere

Arachnoking
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My first choices for a pede are S. angulata (calm and less potent) or E. trigonopodus (smaller and reclusive, but gosh they sure are pretty). Just waiting for the wife to cave... :oldman:
Less potent compared to what species? Are there any bite reports or scale that shows their venom potency?
 

bryverine

Arachnoangel
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Apr 18, 2012
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Less potent compared to what species? Are there any bite reports or scale that shows their venom potency?
This was from mastigoproctus to me awhile back as a good beginner pede. Supposedly "easy" to socialize.

Also @cacoseraph had some experience with them too (i think...:anxious:).
 

LawnShrimp

Arachnoangel
Joined
Dec 9, 2016
Messages
907
Awesome! The venom levels are my main concern as well.
Stick with polys. Angulata would just be a very expensive cricket-consuming hole and I doubt there is much difference in venom strength. Besides, angulata is crazy hard to find. But if time, money, and inactive centipedes aren't an issue here, go for angulata! Always a place for more exotic sp., and those are quite beautiful.
 

Ratmosphere

Arachnoking
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I found one! Was thinking about buying it. But is Scolopendra polymorpha more active than Scolopendra angulata?
 

LawnShrimp

Arachnoangel
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Dec 9, 2016
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907
I found one! Was thinking about buying it. But is Scolopendra polymorpha more active than Scolopendra angulata?
Definitely. From what I've read about these they tend to burrow and disappear most of the time, while polymorpha might come out when it is dark and sniff around. Your choice though. Centipedes have different personalities and an unusually active angulata might be more rewarding than a shy poly, so its a matter of what individual you get.

EDIT: _256colors, an Instagram page with tons of lovely New World 'pedes says
"Scolopendra angulata - Definition of a pet hole. I've only ever seen her come out if all my lights are off and it's 3-4 am."
link: https://www.instagram.com/p/BVdk420ApJ8/?taken-by=_256colors
 
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