Regarding centipede substrate

[Staehilomyces]

As many of you may understand, I like my pedes best when they are active, not spending weeks on end buried beneath the substrate. Now, I understand that an exposed habitat like that would be stressful to the pede, but I have heard people say that a hide will counter the negatives of a shallow substrate. Does anyone have experience with this method?

 

[Chris LXXIX]

I housed my S.subspinipes with a good six inches of (moist, of course) Irish peat moss, fake leaves and little pieces of cork bark here and there, with a more bigger piece of cork bark as hide, and I can say that he/she (still unsexed) loves that, always near/under that.

Yesterday I checked, since my centipede literally disappeared since a good two weeks, and was under that, in a burrow lol

 

[basin79]

Even with a modest amount of substrate a pede will still bury if that's what it wants to do. Best give them enough to burrow and make a chamber in if they wish. You might find your pede prefers to hide under cork bark but you're best offering both and letting the pede decide.

I use eco earth, moss and coconut husk mixed.

 

[arizonensis]

I once kept a heros under this lucite "corkbark" that I made. It'd never burrow (plenty of substrate) and would always stay under the hide. I think it did a lot to reduce air ventilation and since the cage was already in a dimly lit corner that fact that it was clear didn't matter. You could probably do something similar with a half buried mason jar or something in the terrarium if you want to see it more easily, but if the area is too bright it might just burrow anyway.

 

[Scoly]

When I first started keeping tarantulas I read that if the enclosure is small enough, they will treat it as they burrow, if not, they will dig. I haven't personally confirmed this as I like my animals to have decent space and let them dig if they have to.

I'm not sure that removing substrate will make them more active, more visible perhaps. And if they are super-active without soil it may be a sign of distress...

We all know centipedes absolutely love being in tight spaces/underground, but having said that some live in caves but out in the open therein, so perhaps light is the critical factor?

How about putting your setup in a dark place with a red or blue light shinning on it, keep a minimum amount of soil (say 1" or so?) and a few hides and see if it comes out more.