Plz respond asap!

[ruckaisawesome]

Can I take out the molt of my centipede? I want to use it as a display.. Will it cause pede to not grow as big? Plz respond as soon as possible before my centipede decides to eat it!

---------- Post added 07-13-2012 at 08:49 PM ----------

anyone?? I have some dead crickets too.. Can I replace it with that?

 

[Aviara]

I'm not that experienced with centipedes, but I believe it would be fine. I don't even know that you would notice a difference in growth if you took it, versus if you had left it in the enclosure for the centipede to consume. However, I don't think giving it the dead crickets would be a good idea, as it would be abnormal for centipedes to consume prey immediately post-molt. The best thing to do, again in my inexperienced opinion, would be to take the molt for your purposes, let the centipede recover from molting as you normally do, and then continue on with your usual care routine.

 

[ruckaisawesome]

thank you!

 

[GiantVinegaroon]

I've heard centipedes eat their molts....it may be a good idea to leave it

 

[ScarecrowGirl]

Should'a left it, depending on the size of the pede that could have been the last meal for a while, mine never leave any bits of their molts behind, I only know when they molt after I see them and they look a little squishy and ghostly.

 

[J Morningstar]

Never ever remove their molt, it is supposed to be eaten or they wouldn't do it. It is their way of reclaimiming the nutrients to harden their exoskeleton. Bad idea ever. Search posts before doing something bad.

 

[Elytra and Antenna]

There are many inverts that normally eat their own exuvium that have done just as well when they've missed out on one. There are also many inverts that don't eat the exuvium; were it really such a disadvantage nearly all the arachnids would be extinct. All the scutigerid centipedes would also be extinct following this line of reasoning. If you have a use for it, it's okay to take it out.

 

[ruckaisawesome]

Dont worry, I didnt remove it... I was gonna but then didnt feel like disturbing the pede which was right on top of it. Oh, he ate it btw

 

[J Morningstar]

@E A, Do you not believe it's detrimental to take away a centipedes molt?

 

[Elytra and Antenna]

Have you ever taken an exuvium from a centipede Jason? My answer was based on firsthand experience rather than belief.

---------- Post added 07-14-2012 at 05:41 PM ----------

It is their way of reclaimiming the nutrients to harden their exoskeleton.

This sentence shows a fundamental lack of understanding of the development of the exoskeleton and the process by which it sclerotizes. If the nutrients aren't incorporated into the new exoskeleton before the animal molts they can't be added later.

 

[Galapoheros]

I've done if a few times also, doesn't seem to be a big deal. But I have replaced it with smashed newly molted feeder and they have eaten that instead. But yeah I've had the same exp, doesn't look like it's a big deal if the don't eat it.

 

[zonbonzovi]

This sentence shows a fundamental lack of understanding of the development of the exoskeleton and the process by which it sclerotizes. If the nutrients aren't incorporated into the new exoskeleton before the animal molts they can't be added later.

Can you expound on this? My understanding is that the purpose of eating the cast off molt was to expand(or rather maintain) the newly enlarged exoskeleton before complete sclerotization. It is, more or less, a filler. Is this incorrect?

 

[J Morningstar]

I realize you have now always made me look the fool, E A, but would you say it was allright to remove the shed material because it was not nessarry to help them recover from the molt? Or is this just you again trying to make me seem like an idiot, with no experience? Wouldn't it be benificial to the animal if it was allowed to take natures course...
(Can you expound on this? My understanding is that the purpose of eating the cast off molt was to expand(or rather maintain) the newly enlarged exoskeleton before complete sclerotization. It is, more or less, a filler. Is this incorrect?) is this not true?

 

[Elytra and Antenna]

Can you expound on this? My understanding is that the purpose of eating the cast off molt was to expand(or rather maintain) the newly enlarged exoskeleton before complete sclerotization. It is, more or less, a filler. Is this incorrect?

Where did you read that? Why would centipedes (and only certain centipedes at that) require an unusual method of expanding the exoskeleton with ground up pieces of the old exoskeleton? How would that work quickly enough before the exoskeleton sclerotized? Please post your reference. You can find countless references to 'normal' ecdysis on the web.

---------- Post added 07-15-2012 at 12:03 AM ----------

I realize you have now always made me look the fool, ...

Please just stick to debating the facts rather than name calling and forced questions like #9. I'm not trying to win your war of opinion, just expressing what I know to be true in my experience.

---------- Post added 07-15-2012 at 12:25 AM ----------

Or is this just you again trying to make me seem like an idiot, with no experience?

No, I just know that you haven't done it or your answer wouldn't be counter to what actually occurs. I'm not trying to make you look that way, just explaining why I know your answer is uninformed.

 

[zonbonzovi]

Where did you read that? Why would centipedes (and only certain centipedes at that) require an unusual method of expanding the exoskeleton with ground up pieces of the old exoskeleton? How would that work quickly enough before the exoskeleton sclerotized? Please post your reference. You can find countless references to 'normal' ecdysis on the web.

We're speaking specifically of ecdysis wherein the the animal consumes the entire exoskeleton. Not all molting animals do this so I'm trying to determine why Scolopendrids, in particular, do. Do you know why? I'm merely guessing because the specific answer has never been made clear in anything I've yet read on the subject. The onus is on you to define 'normal'. If you're going to insist that other folks cite their references, don't you think you should cite something other than "personal experience"?

 

[Elytra and Antenna]

If you're going to insist that other folks cite their references, don't you think you should cite something other than "personal experience"?

Part of the problem is you're confusing two entirely different pieces of the conversation. 1. Whether or not removing the molt has a detrimental effect on the results of the molt and 2. your physical and Jason's nutrient bases ecdysis theories and their lack of support. 1. The experience part is having taken away molts purposefully and not purposefully from giant centipedes and observing no detrimental effect. 2. I told you you could find various sources describing ecdysis with a simple search using any search engine that describe the use of fluids and sometimes air in the process. The 'normal' molting process is not something obscure and hard to find like your bits of exoskeleton and Jason's nutrient theories. I'm not 100% sure those theories don't exist somewhere but I'm guessing they're different ideas you each came up with without really putting much thought into it. Remember that many invertebrates do not eat the exuvium and many that do only do so after the exoskeleton has completely formed or after the exoskeleton has sclerotized.

---------- Post added 07-15-2012 at 02:03 AM ----------

Not all molting animals do this so I'm trying to determine why Scolopendrids, in particular, do. Do you know why?

Why does one scolopendrid have 21 pairs of legs and other 23? There are not scientific explanations for everything in all of creation. The answer is likely because they do. There are likely some nutrients conserved but obviously not enough to matter or there wouldn't be so many arthropods that don't bother.

 

[Galapoheros]

On a side note, I've been wondering if the instinct to eat it might primarily be to simply get rid of it. Could it attract scavenger inverts that might harm the soft centipede?

 

[SDCPs]

E&A

I guess the general train of thought is: "why would a centipede eat its exoskeleton if it didn't get something of value from it?" So most of us generally assume that it helps them recover from a molt. I guess this is the part we need you to explain, is it just such a small benefit that its not necessary?

I have taken the molts of crawfish before for display and they kept on trucking. But they also enjoy eating them. So do millipedes. I guess cockroaches do too since I never find their molts. What I'm saying is that none of the pets I've kept that do molt leave the molts behind. So although this is not a huge selection, and many common spiders do not eat their molts as you've been saying (probably because they just don't have the right mouthparts? Or their exos are so thin it's not really worth it)...basically, it looks to me that most of these critters derive something from their old exoskeletons. I need you to confirm exactly what if anything at all!

Forgive the lack of scientific references. Thanks for your response my friend

 

[Elytra and Antenna]

I guess this is the part we need you to explain, is it just such a small benefit that its not necessary?

The original poster asked if it was okay to take one exuvium from his centipede and the answer is yes, it's not a problem. You haven't kept many different roaches as Blaberus normally litter the cage with piles of uneaten exuvium and many species only eat the old exoskeletons days later (they don't eat their own, just what's lying around) because they are confined to a cage. Also pill millipedes don't eat their molts as well as a number of millipedes in other orders.

 

[J Morningstar]

Allright, though my statement may have been made soley through what I have witnessed in my 25 years of animal keeping, my college bio courses, and 10 years of keeping at least 1 or more centipedes at all times, yes it was just an observation. I've thought about the importance of this for about 8 years now. They all, every molt, without exception, ate their molt. I did assume (which is the crux of the matter I have gathered) that, if this held true, that most likely the reclaimed nutrients through the eating of the molt that would help them in the days following. Allowing the centipede to harden again and do so more efficentily. It seemed a very educated observation. And no, I never did disturb one or ever try to remove a molt and observe what happened, so I do not have that information for comparison. If my advice seemed uneducated, my apology.
Galapoheros, could be to get rid of the evidence they are vounerable? An be like an appitizer if found nearby?