Gravel Substrate

[tyrel]

I have seen a centipede (Scolopendra heros I think.) kept on a gravel substrate by an extremely respectable facility. It has an artificial burrow to hide in, and is a permanent resident of the zoo.

The idea of using gravel with centipedes intrigues me, mainly because of it's inoganic nature. I prefer to keep my animals in 2.5gal tanks with glass lids that restrict quite a bit of air flow. In an enviroment like this, mold would devolop and mites would thrive in a traditional organic substrate. By using a fine 2-3mm gravel, mites and mold would pose no risk at all. The humidity could be kept high by combining restricted air flow with a water dish and regular mistings.

Before I attempt to experiment with such a setup, I thought It might be wise to discuss it with some experienced people.

-This thread is for polite discussion only: If any flaming arises, I will quietly request the thread be closed-

 

[Drachenjager]

mold will grow in there too. if theres a piece of food or a turd even . SHC in the wild generally burrow under rocks but there is soil under it . i guess it wold work tho. just dont count on not having mites and mold lol
by the way. i dont keep mine soaked. i wet the entire substrate once a week or less and put some water on the rock the pede hides under every day or two and dont have a mite or mold problem.

 

[tyrel]

mold will grow in there too. if theres a piece of food or a turd even.

I use a simlilar setup with my vinegaroon (except with coarse sand) and have have no problems yet. I do keep it free of cricket parts though.

 

[Drachenjager]

I use a simlilar setup with my vinegaroon (except with coarse sand) and have have no problems yet. I do keep it free of cricket parts though.

i also dont have mold on my peat moss either, but hey , i have never seen them in the wild on gravel and never found any in sandy areas. if that tells you anythign. BUT i have found some im peat moss. Just go to the hill country near a lake and drop a bale of peat on the ground and let it rain and get damp and there will be pedes in there lol

 

[tyrel]

I'm not saying that one subtrate is better than another, as long as it keeps the animal healthy. I'm just curious about how to make gravel work for centipedes. It obviously can, seeing how healthy and active the one at the insect zoo was. The question is what kind of husbandry methods would use it to it's best advantage?

I had a thought today: I have used a beautiful grey-blue gravel to act as a soil cover for plants, and I noticed that it turned a very dark color when it got wet. I would think that such a substrate could act as a visual humidity gauge, with a dark gravel meaning a humid enviroment, and a light gravel as a warning that the humidity has dropped. I think that would make an interesting experiment.