Humidity of Scolopendra Polymorpha

Cody Mcrobie

Arachnopeon
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Apr 7, 2017
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I have heard several different answers for what to keep the humidity at but I just want to know if I should spray once a day or just what I should do for my scolopendra polymorphas humidity?
 

chanda

Arachnoking
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They are a desert species so you don't want to keep them too wet.

I keep mine on a mixed sand/coconut fiber substrate with a bark slab for hiding under. I mist lightly 2-3 times a week - but I do also have a humidifier going in the bug/reptile room 24/7 to keep the ambient humidity up (>50%) since we live in a desert climate. They are in standard screen-topped glass cages, so pretty well ventilated. I've had my current pair (housed separately) for several years now and they seem to be doing just fine under those conditions.
 

Cody Mcrobie

Arachnopeon
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Apr 7, 2017
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They are a desert species so you don't want to keep them too wet.

I keep mine on a mixed sand/coconut fiber substrate with a bark slab for hiding under. I mist lightly 2-3 times a week - but I do also have a humidifier going in the bug/reptile room 24/7 to keep the ambient humidity up (>50%) since we live in a desert climate. They are in standard screen-topped glass cages, so pretty well ventilated. I've had my current pair (housed separately) for several years now and they seem to be doing just fine under those conditions.
Alright thank you mine is still a juvenile.
 

Cody Mcrobie

Arachnopeon
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Apr 7, 2017
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They are a desert species so you don't want to keep them too wet.

I keep mine on a mixed sand/coconut fiber substrate with a bark slab for hiding under. I mist lightly 2-3 times a week - but I do also have a humidifier going in the bug/reptile room 24/7 to keep the ambient humidity up (>50%) since we live in a desert climate. They are in standard screen-topped glass cages, so pretty well ventilated. I've had my current pair (housed separately) for several years now and they seem to be doing just fine under those conditions.
Also how often do yoy feed yours because the last week about to be two weeks I have had him he wont eat I leave the cricket in overnight and he wont eat he just stays burrowedany tips?
 

chanda

Arachnoking
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Also how often do yoy feed yours because the last week about to be two weeks I have had him he wont eat I leave the cricket in overnight and he wont eat he just stays burrowedany tips?
I feed mine roughly once every week or two. If I see them out actively hunting, then I know they're hungry - but since they're mainly out at night, I typically feed them when I feed everyone else, regardless of whether I've seen them prowling.
 

Cody Mcrobie

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I feed mine roughly once every week or two. If I see them out actively hunting, then I know they're hungry - but since they're mainly out at night, I typically feed them when I feed everyone else, regardless of whether I've seen them prowling.
Alright so do you think I should just set a cricket in over night and leave till the next day?
 

BishopiMaster

Arachnobaron
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Alright so do you think I should just set a cricket in over night and leave till the next day?
You can do like so, do not feed based on activity, it's very unreliable and the centi could be moving around for any number of reasons. My formula is simple, i feed once a week, if prey is not eaten for 2 days, i remove to avoid decomposition,
Ill add a new feeder, dead, and try again,
If the centipede again goes two days without feeding, i assume some kind of premolt condition, and i give the pede a few days, after these are up i repeat.
I offer a water dish once a week, 2 squirts of a spray bottle in a pill vial lid.
This is what i do for my little ones, i would do the same for an adult with perhaps a larger dish, if feeding live there should be a pretty quick response, if not id remove the prey.
 

Cody Mcrobie

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Apr 7, 2017
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You can do like so, do not feed based on activity, it's very unreliable and the centi could be moving around for any number of reasons. My formula is simple, i feed once a week, if prey is not eaten for 2 days, i remove to avoid decomposition,
Ill add a new feeder, dead, and try again,
If the centipede again goes two days without feeding, i assume some kind of premolt condition, and i give the pede a few days, after these are up i repeat.
I offer a water dish once a week, 2 squirts of a spray bottle in a pill vial lid.
This is what i do for my little ones, i would do the same for an adult with perhaps a larger dish, if feeding live there should be a pretty quick response, if not id remove the prey.
Alright thnx
 

chanda

Arachnoking
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Alright so do you think I should just set a cricket in over night and leave till the next day?
I just toss in a couple of live crickets every week or two and leave them there. Usually, they are gone pretty quickly - but I don't bother taking them out if they go uneaten for a few days unless they die. (I do remove dead feeders to prevent mold/mites.)

Of course, my centipedes were good-sized when I caught them. What works for adults may not be right for juveniles. How big is yours?
 

Chris LXXIX

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Basically what chanda said.

IMO? I tell you my opinion: Scolopendridae are very easy to care for, this opinion of mine in general go 'against' a bit the general consensus that views those as 'more delicate'.
 

Cody Mcrobie

Arachnopeon
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I just toss in a couple of live crickets every week or two and leave them there. Usually, they are gone pretty quickly - but I don't bother taking them out if they go uneaten for a few days unless they die. (I do remove dead feeders to prevent mold/mites.)

Of course, my centipedes were good-sized when I caught them. What works for adults may not be right for juveniles. How big is yours?
I would say mine is around 3-4 inches
 

BishopiMaster

Arachnobaron
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I don't see what the inherent difference is between feeding juveniles and feeding adults, you can feed both once a week, and it's better with both individuals to feed dead, or if you are going to feed live, i still say to remove the prey if they cross paths and it's not taken, they can annoy the centi, especially during molting.
 

Cody Mcrobie

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I don't see what the inherent difference is between feeding juveniles and feeding adults, you can feed both once a week, and it's better with both individuals to feed dead, or if you are going to feed live, i still say to remove the prey if they cross paths and it's not taken, they can annoy the centi, especially during molting.
Oh omay thank you
 

BishopiMaster

Arachnobaron
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Oh omay thank you
Remember, I'm not saying not to feed live, that would be pretty boring for inverts, just that IF you do, there is no reason not to remove the live prey if they do not take it once the two cross paths, they WILL eat dead, they are scavengers in the wild as well.
 

Cody Mcrobie

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Remember, I'm not saying not to feed live, that would be pretty boring for inverts, just that IF you do, there is no reason not to remove the live prey if they do not take it once the two cross paths, they WILL eat dead, they are scavengers in the wild as well.
Ohh okay so if the prey I set in there dies in the enclosure it could still be eaten?
 

BishopiMaster

Arachnobaron
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Your method is your method.

I say it is best to remove uneaten LIVE
prey as soon as the two cross paths, if the prey is dead, i leave it for up to 2 days
 
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