Safe Centipede Cage?

[Jesse James]

Is a 7 x 20 x 10 glass screen top tank a ok home for a giant centipede? Thanks.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

I assume inches of course and not cm.

10 inches the height, btw?

 

[Jesse James]

I assume inches of course and not cm.

10 inches the height, btw?

Yes sorry, 7 inches high 20 inches long 10 inches wide. I hope it's not a puzzle lol, those measurements always confuse me in which order they go.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

Well, the general consensus when centipedes are involved is that you need to keep those in a no chances of escape, quite taller enclosure/cage.

I have to say that I'm not exactly the best here for discuss centipedes (I'm pretty new to those, unlike for T's) but with that said, frankly the height issue enters only due to their, pretty badass, escape ability, and not because they need that for thrive like, for instance, arboreal Theraphosidae.

Now 7 inches seems to me a bit low, but what really matters is if the enclosure you plan to use is really a "no escape" one for me. If yes, then IMO could work, I see why not.

 

[Jesse James]

I think so, It has a sliding screen top with a pin to keep it closed, I'm just wondering if the centipede can eat through the screen top lol.

 

[Ceymann]

When I kept a 6in Scolopendra sp. back in the day I found they can't climb glass very well, but they have no problem with climbing plastic/ acyrlic. Honestly they made me more nervous than OW T's when transferring cages, super fast!
I hear they pack a nasty punch, need more height space if this is a plastic enclosure, those things can move like lighting when they want to

 

[Jesse James]

When I kept a 6in Scolopendra sp. back in the day I found they can't climb glass very well, but they have no problem with climbing plastic/ acyrlic. Honestly they made me more nervous than OW T's when transferring cages, super fast!
I hear they pack a nasty punch, need more height space if this is a plastic enclosure, those things can move like lighting when they want to

I heard they were very slow and easy to maneuver.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

When I kept a 6in Scolopendra sp. back in the day I found they can't climb glass very well, but they have no problem with climbing plastic/ acyrlic. Honestly they made me more nervous than OW T's when transferring cages, super fast!
I hear they pack a nasty punch, need more height space if this is a plastic enclosure, those things can move like lighting when they want to

I completely agree with what you said. Nothing in 25 years of Theraphosidae concerned me like my Scolopendra subspinipes. Nothing, name an OW Theraphosidae, 'Baboons' etc. Nothing are like those IMO.

I keep him/her (have no clue about the sex, sold as unsexed... nor I plan to try to sex that nasty ah ah) in a plastic enclosure. I will say now (sorry I'm not the best with inches) that the height is, more or less, 10 inches.

There's a lot of floor and wide space of course. Now the centipede is under the cork bark, where burrowed, is out mostly for eat when he/she's hungry... but I saw the bugger climbing, I saw that creepy trying to open the top with the head, I saw that nasty munching with forcipules the plastic, overall... I saw his/her antennae (part of those) out of the enclosure, LOL.

That bugger changed my life. Lives here, under the cork bark on the right:



Jesus Christ I hope/pray that my sort of "Mafioso's" deal will continue: a B.dubia when out, always. No bites/escapes raptures in exchange

 

[Jesse James]

Here's my other centipede In a 10 gallon. I caught him out and took a picture right next to the skull. Pretty wicked.

 

[Ceymann]

I completely agree with what you said. Nothing in 25 years of Theraphosidae concerned me like my Scolopendra subspinipes. Nothing, name an OW Theraphosidae, 'Baboons' etc. Nothing are like those IMO.

I keep him/her (have no clue about the sex, sold as unsexed... nor I plan to try to sex that nasty ah ah) in a plastic enclosure. I will say now (sorry I'm not the best with inches) that the height is, more or less, 10 inches.

There's a lot of floor and wide space of course. Now the centipede is under the cork bark, where burrowed, is out mostly for eat when he/she's hungry... but I saw the bugger climbing, I saw that creepy trying to open the top with the head, I saw that nasty munching with forcipules the plastic, overall... I saw his/her antennae (part of those) out of the enclosure, LOL.

That bugger changed my life. Lives here, under the cork bark on the right:

View attachment 217022

Jesus Christ I hope/pray that my sort of "Mafioso's" deal will continue: a B.dubia when out, always. No bites/escapes raptures in exchange

Agree most spastastic invert I have ever owned, highly unpredictable, stupid fast and from what I hear when they bite they latch on and don't let go. Very nasty animal if you don't respect it.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

Agree most spastastic invert I have ever owned, highly unpredictable, stupid fast and from what I hear when they bite they latch on and don't let go. Very nasty animal if you don't respect it.

Very true man. The only thing that gives a bit of solace is, IMO irony, the bite part, for that those (unlike certain OW arboreal T's able to perform some quite nice jump) they need really to enter in contact with you/your hand etc for bite, so with a no handling policy, and long tongs, problem solved but, but... because in life there's always a "But", IMO what remains is what I can't control, like lovely creepy bugger that manage to escape when I'm not home <-- Eek!

but I think I'm a bit paranoid about the issue. Still, T's are escape masters they say? No, centipedes are

 

[shining]

Yes sorry, 7 inches high 20 inches long 10 inches wide. I hope it's not a puzzle lol, those measurements always confuse me in which order they go.

This is the order: L x W x H

I think so, It has a sliding screen top with a pin to keep it closed, I'm just wondering if the centipede can eat through the screen top lol.

If your pede can reach the top of the enclosure, it's not good.
If your screen mesh is the weak and flimsy type, it's not good.

 

[shining]

When I kept a 6in Scolopendra sp. back in the day I found they can't climb glass very well, but they have no problem with climbing plastic/ acyrlic. Honestly they made me more nervous than OW T's when transferring cages, super fast!
I hear they pack a nasty punch, need more height space if this is a plastic enclosure, those things can move like lighting when they want to

They can't climb smooth surfaces in general. They can't climb plastic or acrylic unless it's some really porous material or you have all kinds of calcium build up.

 

[Jesse James]

This is the order: L x W x H



If your pede can reach the top of the enclosure, it's not good.
If your screen mesh is the weak and flimsy type, it's not good.

I've heard it a few different ways. Could you explain why it's not good if it can reach the top please.

 

[Ceymann]

They can't climb smooth surfaces in general. They can't climb plastic or acrylic unless it's some really porous material or you have all kinds of calcium build up.

Glass, yes they can't climb it, however they can scale the walls of a critter keeper with ease.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

They can't climb smooth surfaces in general. They can't climb plastic or acrylic unless it's some really porous material or you have all kinds of calcium build up.

I don't know about acrylic but I saw mine more than once (three times if I'm not wrong so far ) climbing and reaching the top, using that helluva of "feet" and the holes for climbing like Messner. Once in the top, trying to squeeze under, but failing always. However a bit part of the antennae managed to exit once but those are very thin as you know. With the head bugger try to hit the top but the top remains pretty firm.

Needless to say when I see that I drop an adult roach and He/She/That monster calm down a bit like a Mafia enforcer when he take the cash.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

Basically this is (a random, took from the Internet) my centipede enclosure, but without those four sort of wheels you see in this picture.

Question: How much do I have to worry for you people, lol?

So far seems safe, those two locking devices (left/right) seal the top well. Opinions please thanks

 

[shining]

I've heard it a few different ways. Could you explain why it's not good if it can reach the top please.

If they can reach the top you've failed at making an escape proof enclosure. If they reach the top they have a chance of finding any possible escape route via wedging themselves through a corner of the lid that gives just enough to get its head in, chewing through some weak screen, or extending itself to grab the rim of the enclosure when you open it.

Also, you heard wrong about them being slow and easy to maneuver. Both of my S. dehaani are way higher strung than any of my OW Ts. Those legs move so fast, look at those blurs!


Here's my viv for my full grown S. dehaani.
20 gallon tall with a heavy duty metal screen lid with Snaplock Velcro and duct tape. My S. dehaani is 7"+ and can't reach the top no matter how hard it tried. The extra room gives me more space to work with too, so I don't have to worry about it being inches away while I do maintenance.

 

[shining]

Glass, yes they can't climb it, however they can scale the walls of a critter keeper with ease.

Thats funny, neither of mine climbed the walls of my kritter keeper or any deli cups. I use kritter keeper as my temp enclosures when rehousing and it's an old one with lots of scratches from sand.

 

[shining]

I don't know about acrylic but I saw mine more than once (three times if I'm not wrong so far ) climbing and reaching the top, using that helluva of "feet" and the holes for climbing like Messner. Once in the top, trying to squeeze under, but failing always. However a bit part of the antennae managed to exit once but those are very thin as you know. With the head bugger try to hit the top but the top remains pretty firm.

Needless to say when I see that I drop an adult roach and He/She/That monster calm down a bit like a Mafia enforcer when he take the cash.

So, he used the vent holes to climb and not the smooth plastic?