Wild Centipede! My first "pet!" pics

Jackolantirn

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Hello! I've been working at a Boy Scout summer camp for the past 5 weeks, and I just came back home this past weekend. I live in Hawaii. It was a forest reserve, and home to a lot of creatures... like centipedes. They would occasionally make their way onto dry land (i.e. the lodge, tents), and instead of killing them, I attempted to store them in containers until summer camp was over. Some survived... Others didn't. Lack of understanding, improper housing, and dehydration were probably the causes (sorry!). One began molting, but it couldn't finish (I don't know why) and it died.

Anyway. Last year I captured a centipede while preparing a camp area the first week and named it Mr. Fuzzypants. I took some bark from a fallen Swamp Mahogany tree (Eucalyptus Robusta), and put it inside a small plastic container with Mr. Fuzzypants. I kept the bark damp, fed it a cricket every so often, and he survived until the end of summer camp! And then someone released it.

But this year, I bought my own KK, and used it to house a few of the centipedes. The first specimen... disappeared (container may have been too small, and the window was gone because I gave it to another KK that was missing a window (we had two other KKs with scorpions in them). Then the 2nd resident died over one weekend (no idea why). And then the third resident was captured the beginning of last week. And now its with me at home.

Yesterday, I purchased crickets and a bigger KK. I used dirt from an old compost plant pot in my backyard to cover the bottom of the new habitat. Its a thin layer of dirt (there wasn't a whole lot of dirt in the pot), enough to cover the bottom of the centipede's KK. And I have a Ti leaf in there to provide a place to hide under during the day. Its lacking a few things, I know... Just not exactly sure of what it is.


I placed some lettuce in with the crickets, who now live in the smaller KK with a very small piece of sponge and that egg-carton-thing that the crickets came with. I read centipedes get most of its water from the food it eats... I worry about my centipede's nutritional intake.
The nom noms: http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos...60571652519_1182125936_31580363_6850617_n.jpg

To Do list:
  • Get more dirt. (I looked at Walmart, but I couldn't find any potting soil!)
  • Another object besides a leaf. (I only saw Aquarium decor)
  • Learn how to prepare its meals (crickets).
  • Get a spray bottle ASAP! (where do I get a spray bottle? xD)
 
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cacoseraph

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beauty

some form of Scolopendra subspinipes



i would avoid using any Eucalyptus leaves unless you really really know your plant stuff. many species of Euc are fairly toxic to other animals
 

Jackolantirn

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beauty

some form of Scolopendra subspinipes



i would avoid using any Eucalyptus leaves unless you really really know your plant stuff. many species of Euc are fairly toxic to other animals
Thank you very very much for the centipede identification!

Also, totally forgot about the Euc leaves! I was using a dead Mahogany leaf to provide cover in the smaller KK, but "upgraded" to the Ti leaf when I got home. As long as the centipede didn't eat any of it, it'll be alright... The Swamp Mahogany and a few other trees were planted in Pupukea 60 years ago, but some of the trees were planted too close to each other. Some places, including the area I worked it, that was all that was on the ground, Mahogany leaves...But I wonder if that's what caused the death of the previous inhabitant. I started off with picking up bits of a Swamp Mahogany stump and used that as bedding... I dumped out the bedding and the centipede when I discovered it died... The bedding was from the core of the euc tree... it was still pretty red.
The bark I used last year for Mr. Fuzzypants was from the outside of the trunk, and it wasn't red at all. Still maintained the "swampy" feel to it, though, and retained the water really well... /shrug Anyway, where I live, there's not a Euc tree insight. There's quite a few Yellow Oleander, though... xD w/e.
 
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cacoseraph

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np

my general rule for plants is if they smell good or strong they are going to be bad for bugs. you will get some false positives and there is some stuff that can kill bugs that doesn't have that strong of a smell.... but as a rule of thumb it is ok


if i remember i can try to do a bit of research on those plants. always fun to learn new stuff :)
 

Crysta

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Feb 18, 2005
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make sure the centipede has a water dish. a big juice cap will work great :)
 

zonbonzovi

Creeping beneath you
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Oct 20, 2008
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Here's an incomplete toxic(to humans, anyway) hardwood list: http://www.mimf.com/archives/toxic.htm

I recall a prof. saying years back that many woods in a tropical environment retain some form of natural pesticide, so it's a real crapshoot plucking any sort of housing elements from the wild. Maybe just shoot for peat, coco fiber or unadulterated potting soil for now until you find out what works locally.

If I could catch those on scouting trips, I'd be plastered in badges:D
 

Jackolantirn

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Jul 29, 2010
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Thank you Centipedefreak! I used my cap from this Arizona Green Tea bottle next to me. It haz water now. xD
And thank you, Cacoseraph and Zonbonzovi. ^^ I swear I can count the poisonous plants in Hawaii on my two hands (and maybe a foot), cuz there aren't that many. I live in Mililani, which is fairly urbanized, and the only poisonous plants around here are the ones that the government planted along the road. And cinnamon, lemon, and paperbark leaves smell very nice.
I know my plants! I just let the Euc thing slip my mind... Anyway, I don't plan on using anything outside of my little backyard. Urbanized area means not a whole lot of stuff, but also a chance of pesticides in someway or other. I was worried about even using dirt from my backyard. I'll be sure to stay away from anything "in the wild" here. Thanks much. ^^
 
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