Has anyone successfully raised S. heros castaniceps babies?

[Code Monkey]

I've had a S. h. castaniceps pedeling I purchased from Tim Del Rosario back in July. In total time, I guess I had it about nine+ weeks. All had been going well, it was active, apparently healthy, even fed last Wednesday...

Yesterday morning it was lying on its side and twitching, by last night it was quite dead. Scott also got a pedeling (two in fact) from this clutch, both are also dead. So, anyone out there actually raised these buggers successfully? And if so, what conditions did you keep it under? I was raising mine on moist substrate with daily temps in the 80s, night temps in the 70s. Feeding about once a week or so.

I'm really frustrated and leary at the moment of trying again with babies of this species. If the mortality rate is really this high then the people out there selling the hatchlings at $10-$15 need slapped on g.p. Better off spending the $20-$40 for a sizeable sub-adult than killing four of these things and having nothing to show for it.

OTOH, the baby Chinese redhead I wouldn't hesitate to buy again. This thing is bullet-proof. Ten weeks and it's gone from about 1.25" to about 2.5" and is already showing the beginnings of the adult colouration.

 

[Henry Kane]

Yeah, the baby S. heros I got from Tim didn't last 2 weeks. I have a wild caught baby that's just under 3" that's doing really good so far. It's been about 4 weeks that i've had it now. We'll see how it goes.
My Chinese Redhead is doing well too. Definitely hardier than the heros.

Atrax

 

[MrDeranged]

As you guys both know, both of my pedelings died. The first of a rupture. The second of unknown causes. I've also had 1 alipes sp. die on me and one PR giant die on me. The second PR giant seems to be doing good and the chinese red head is definitely a trooper. Growing good and hardy as hell from what I can see. Still hasn't shown any hint of the adult colors yet though, but is definitely a good 2 - 2 1/2 inches in size. From what I understand, the pedelings that John LaRizzo is selling are larger than the ones that Tim was selling, so you may have a better chance with them. I'm thinking of ordering a couple from him and giving it another go with them. I have to say, that the large one that I have is one of my favorite pedes. It's out practially all the time and is quite active once the sun goes down.

Scott

 

[Henry Kane]

Yeah, of all my pedes, my adult S. heros are the most frequently seen for sure.

ATrax

 

[Bob]

no luck with small pedes

I have had maybe 20 centipedes over the last five years and only lost three. one 1 inch Peruvian, one 1 inch heros and a 1.5 inch PR.

I gave up on these...to much of a risk.

Bob

 

[LaRiz]

Hi, guys,
I don't know why Tim's S. heros castaniceps babies are dying, but, in my experience, they are alot more sturdy than people think.
Here's what I base this on:
My female laid some eggs and laid out for almost two months, before they eclosed (the right word here?) and looked like little cresent-half moons.
Another 20-30 days (I keep terrible records), they molted. Now looking more like centipedes, but all white, not very mobile. Again, another 30 days or so, they molted again. Darker, larger, more mobile. It took another 2 weeks before they were showing red heads, blue bodies, yellow legs, and bright, metallic blue terminal legs. Most were still hangin' out on mom, some were exploring. Incedently, mom's makeshift home was an upturned stainless steel bowl.
Since, this is the first time experience in this, I feared for the safety of the babies so I separated them. 79 total. Actually, all I did was remove the female to her own enclosure. The babies did great without her. I crushed crickets, threw them in, and they gang fed. I did this about 4 times a week to make sure all were eating. Again, since I'm new at this, about two weeks after, fearing they'd cannibalize, I seperated them to individual cups. Cups were Solo single serve (you could fit a golfball in them) sized. Verm/peat moss mix, slightly moist as substrate. That's it.
I continued the diced cricket food regimen, probably twice a week. Watered: a couple of sprays a week. The substrate dried, and it seems fine.
I gave a bunch away to friends and stuff. Some died-neglect? Overfeeding, perhaps. I believe they can overfeed. I feed mine sparingly but suffecient. I lost one, out of around 50. They are about 2" give or take a few 1/32. One specimen, that I thought was dead, in my hands now, I noticed was actually molting. So I helped the little fellow out. I held the terminal legs and it wiggled out free. Still alive and well.
Currently, I'm looking for bigger cups. They've out grown the ones they're in. They can reach the brim with no problems, well, problems for me...I worry I'm gonna slam their little antennea under the lid.
I'm also seeing two different sizes. Sexual dimorphicism. Perhaps.
So far, so good.
john