Question about which of the two enclosures I should choose for my centipede.

Pixels

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jan 16, 2018
Messages
6
Long question so please bear with me.



So, I got a Vietnamese centipede today and it’s 6-7" long approximately.



It’s currently housed in a glass terrarium that’s 12" high. The substrate is 2" high. I have scraped off the rubber seal on the inside of the tank and left about 3" from the bottom. The lid of the tank is a somewhat hard, stiff metal sliding lid that snaps into place once it has slid in all the way. But I’m not very satisfied with the snap on mechanism because I feel it doesn’t require much strength to snap it open. So I’ve put some tape on it. (Am I being too paranoid?)



Now, I also have a Sterilite tub that’s 15 1/4" in height. It also has 4 locks, two on either side that latch shut. It has a styrofoam lining on the inside of the lid that makes it somewhat air tight. If I use this as an enclosure I will put 2" of substrate as well.



My question is is the glass terrarium safe enough to prevent escapes or should I go with the Sterilite tub?



I really appreciate your answers. Thank you.
 

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Poonjab

Arachnoking
Active Member
Joined
Nov 4, 2019
Messages
2,755
Go with the glass enclosure. Aesthetically it’s more pleasing for displaying your centipede. Also the latching system in my opinion seems more secure.
 

Pixels

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jan 16, 2018
Messages
6
Go with the glass enclosure. Aesthetically it’s more pleasing for displaying your centipede. Also the latching system in my opinion seems more secure.
Thank you for the reply. I do like the glass enclosure but the latch system gives way too easily. The screen lid is easy to bend up at the latch creating some space. Trying to figure out how I can stop that.
 

Teds ts and Inverts

Arachnobaron
Joined
Nov 10, 2017
Messages
504
First off, you're going to have to give it more substrate than that. The BARE minimum I'd use for a Scolopendra sp. of that size is 3.5", and some people will say THAT isn't enough.

If you want something that is aesthetically pleasing, but also secure and escape-proof, I suggest checking out Zilla Critter Cages. I'm currently keeping a 4.5" Scolopendra heros arizonensis "Madrean Banded" in one of them, and I've had no issues whatsoever. You can probably find them at your local Petco.

But if you're not able to get get your hands on one, I'd go with the Sterilite tub. It's escape-proof, and therefore, the safest option. And most S. dehaani are very reclusive and spend much of their time burrowed, so even if you have it in a nice, clear enclosure, it's not like you'll have an animal out on display most of the time anyway. Hope this helps!
 
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