New to pedes... safe & easy transfer method?

Moltar

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 11, 2007
Messages
5,438
Hiya folks. I've been futzin' around with arachnids for a while now but i'm pretty newbish when it comes to centipedes. I just picked up a 3" S. alternans, my first cent, at the MARS show this weekend. It was kind of an impulse buy but i'm glad i did it, she's a beaut! It's ok in the deli cup for the moment but i'll want to rehouse it sooner or later...

So I tried a couple of searches and didn't really find what I was looking for. Can anybody point me to a thread or just explain what is the best way to approach cage transfers and such? I mean, they'll run right up a pair of tongs, right? How do you best control their movement, get them into a cup, etc for maintenance and rehousing?

Thanks in advance folks.
 

josh_r

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 18, 2008
Messages
1,131
you went to mars????????? and found a pede!!!!!!!!!!! HOLY CRAP!!! you should be famous!!!!
 

szappan

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 24, 2006
Messages
327
How ironic you should ask this question today. A few hours ago I moved my sc. alternans back and forth from one tank to another while cleaning.

I use a cut-off water bottle to move my 'pedes... but here's the thread that explains it in more detail. The only difference is that for you I'd recommend a smaller (500ml) bottle.

Oh! And welcome to the world of 'pedes! Careful, they're addictive... (and escape artists.) :D
 

T_DORKUS

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 19, 2004
Messages
510
Hey Moltar, I just got into pedes myself. :D Been at it a couple of weeks but so far none of mine has shown any interest in climbing my tongs. They seem more interested in getting as far away from me as possible. I doubt they would be able to climb a metal pair of tongs very well- they seem about as proficient as dubias when it comes to climbing anything smooth.
I've only rehoused one pede so far and I just carefully tipped the contents of the smaller container(along with the pede) into a larger one!{D
 

T_DORKUS

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 19, 2004
Messages
510
Oh! And welcome to the world of 'pedes! Careful, they're addictive... (and escape artists.) :D
Addictive is right! So I keep hearing that they are great escape artists - I just can't imagine it. They can't climb plastic and they can't jump. So if you have enough height (i.e. more than a body length from substrate surface to top of enclosure), how do they get out?:?
 

Moltar

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 11, 2007
Messages
5,438
So I keep hearing that they are great escape artists - I just can't imagine it.
I think their natural "curiosity" and tendency to prowl for prey contributes a lot to this generalization.

The only direct experience I have with cents was when I held onto a friends 9" S. subspinipes (don't know the morph) for a couple of weeks. It was improperly housed in one of those exo-terra boxes similar to a kritterkeeper but wider and only about 6" deep. That pede spent a lot of its active time climbing around upside down on the underside of the lid and messing with the hinged doors built into the top. When I saw this I put a heavy rock on each of the two hinged doors. It had definitely figured out that this was the potential way out and was trying to get through. Combine that with all those clawed legs for grip and the fact that they're pretty strong and yeah, you get an escape artist.

I guess this is why we house them in tall, slick containers, so they don't have any oppurtunities when it comes to escape.

Also, I moved my new pede this afternoon with no problems. Thanks for the advice guys.
 

Dillon

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 18, 2008
Messages
420
Depending on the speed, and size/temperment, I either try to cup them, or get them on a nice piece of corkbark/thicker stick to let them run up out of the enclosure on it.

I just kind of juggle them where they move on the corkbark.

Just guiding it, letting it walk all over it, or eventually into the temporary enclosure, or wherever its going.

Can't do that with those spas centipedes, though. In that case I get it feeding on a decent meal, ( pedes are more tolerant when eating, and less likely to freak IMO ) then I just kinda scoop the dirt out from underneath it and try to gently place it wherever it needs to go, while still trying to have it eating.

Hope that made sense.
 

ranchulas

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Sep 20, 2007
Messages
349
I use a one gallon plastic jar from Wal-Mart to transfer my pedes. I will usually just assist the pede into the jar with my long tongs and then once the pede is inside the jar it can't climb the smooth sides. If it is a large pede I just close the top.
 

zonbonzovi

Creeping beneath you
Old Timer
Joined
Oct 20, 2008
Messages
3,346
XL Chef Boy-R-Dee Ravioli can(edges taped), tongs/chopsticks/incense holder and a soothing demeanor.
 

micheldied

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 25, 2009
Messages
1,327
best way is to feed them first!
once they eat,they pretty much wont stop..LOL
that makes em easy to move when eating.
ive moved them many times without problems,i usually just use the two ends of the tongs to sort of support the front and back end of the pede when its calm and lift it into the new enclosure.
you could also just put the deli cup into the new enclosure and open it.
 

t-lover

Arachnosquire
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 24, 2009
Messages
103
i had a pede escape right after it molted so it was big enough to reach the top after the molt :wall: :8o
Addictive is right! So I keep hearing that they are great escape artists - I just can't imagine it. They can't climb plastic and they can't jump. So if you have enough height (i.e. more than a body length from substrate surface to top of enclosure), how do they get out?:?
 

T_DORKUS

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 19, 2004
Messages
510
i had a pede escape right after it molted so it was big enough to reach the top after the molt :wall: :8o
heh- I got one pling in a less than ideal enclosure right now. It'll probably be able to get out in 2 molts so I'm keeping a close eye on that one.;) I should rehouse it soon though.
 
Top