Scolopendra question.

[Muffinforall]

Hello, I recently got a Scolopendra Subsnipsis. The substrate, has quite a bit of moisture at different spots. And I have gotten the centipede to eat a couple of times.
However, its always holed up in a burrow. Is this normal for this species? Should more of the enclosure have a moisture level closer to what the spot of the burrow is? Are there things I can do to encourage the pede to be "out and about?"

 

[Wolfram1]

Moisture is fine if they have good ventilation.

They do indeed spend a lot of time burrowed.

I dont think you can encurage it to come out with anything. Food may work, but thats very temporary and a bad idea if the condition of the pede is unknown.

Its best if it has different areas with different moisture content to choose from and keep them that way if possible. It should be able to pick a spot it likes or move away from too much moisture. Even if it likes the moisture i would keep a dry spot somewhere in the enclosure, just in case.

 

[Muffinforall]

Moisture is fine if they have good ventilation.

They do indeed spend a lot of time burrowed.

I dont think you can encurage it to come out with anything. Food may work, but thats very temporary and a bad idea if the condition of the pede is unknown.

Its best if it has different areas with different moisture content to choose from and keep them that way if possible. It should be able to pick a spot it likes or move away from too much moisture. Even if it likes the moisture i would keep a dry spot somewhere in the enclosure, just in case.

Yeah. I feel good about the moisture gradient. This is just my first centipede and I dont know what to expect behavior-wise. I will say its burrow is right up against the glass so I can observe it whenever I want.

 

[Wolfram1]

Yeah. I feel good about the moisture gradient. This is just my first centipede and I dont know what to expect behavior-wise. I will say its burrow is right up against the glass so I can observe it whenever I want.

then you should be all set. Just expect them to do a whole lot of nothing. I sometimes hear them become active during the night (~1-4 am) or in the early morning, but even that is rare.

 

[Teds ts and Inverts]

Hello, I recently got a Scolopendra Subsnipsis. The substrate, has quite a bit of moisture at different spots. And I have gotten the centipede to eat a couple of times.
However, its always holed up in a burrow. Is this normal for this species? Should more of the enclosure have a moisture level closer to what the spot of the burrow is? Are there things I can do to encourage the pede to be "out and about?"

Most Scolopendra are quite reclusive, and spend a lot of their time out of sight (burrowed/hiding under cork bark), especially in the case of WC specimens. IME, you can encourage them to become more active by adding leaf litter and moss to the enclosure, as this emulates their natural environment. Mine still hide during the day, but I noticed that they come out at night to hunt more often when given foliage. As for moisture, just like a moisture dependent T, the substrate should be moist to the point where if you squeeze it it’ll hold its shape, but not to the point where you can squeeze water out of it. And as already mentioned, good cross ventilation is a must to avoid mold/fungus growth. Hope this helps!

 

[Muffinforall]

Most Scolopendra are quite reclusive, and spend a lot of their time out of sight (burrowed/hiding under cork bark), especially in the case of WC specimens. IME, you can encourage them to become more active by adding leaf litter and moss to the enclosure, as this emulates their natural environment. Mine still hide during the day, but I noticed that they come out at night to hunt more often when given foliage. As for moisture, just like a moisture dependent T, the substrate should be moist to the point where if you squeeze it it’ll hold its shape, but not to the point where you can squeeze water out of it. And as already mentioned, good cross ventilation is a must to avoid mold/fungus growth. Hope this helps!

View attachment 498600

It does! I will add foliage and leaf litter to the enclosure so maybe it will come out at night(the room its in has red LED lights i can turn on to emulate night time).
And yeah, I have some Ts so im familiar with the moisture requirements(I know it's a common mistake with inverts and I suspect pedes are more susceptible to drssication than Ts)

 

[Muffinforall]

Most Scolopendra are quite reclusive, and spend a lot of their time out of sight (burrowed/hiding under cork bark), especially in the case of WC specimens. IME, you can encourage them to become more active by adding leaf litter and moss to the enclosure, as this emulates their natural environment. Mine still hide during the day, but I noticed that they come out at night to hunt more often when given foliage. As for moisture, just like a moisture dependent T, the substrate should be moist to the point where if you squeeze it it’ll hold its shape, but not to the point where you can squeeze water out of it. And as already mentioned, good cross ventilation is a must to avoid mold/fungus growth. Hope this helps!

View attachment 498600

Is it in any way a bad idea to add live plants?

 

[Wolfram1]

no, but keep in mind plants need lots of light while your pede will avoid light

i wouldn't