Just was reading the care sheets section and found this:

"Alot of care should be taken when housing any centipede as they are great escape artists. they have been known to chew though soft plastic and some harder plastics of around 2-3 mm."

From:

http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/inver...bspinipes.html


What do you think? Mine is in a large tupperware type tub with many small air holes in the top. Im worried now!

__________________


My Inverts0.0.1 Acanthoscurria geniculata1.1.0 Anthia Fabricii0.0.1 Ami sp. "Columbia"0.0.1 Avicularia sp "amazonica"0.0.1 Avicularia Avicularia0.0.1 Avicularia Minatrix0.1.1 Avicularia Versicolor1.0.0 Brachypelma Smithi0.0.1 Brachypelma boehmei0.0.6 Elliptorhina chopardi0.0.1 Grammostola Rosea0.0.1 Grammostola Aureostriata0.0.1 Hadrurus Arizonensis0.0.1 Pamphobeteus Nigricolor1.3.0 Pandinus Imperator0.0.2 Platymeris sp. "Mombo"0.0.1 Poecilotheria Fasciata0.0.1 Poecilotheria Ornata0.0.1 Psalmopoeus irminia0.0.1 Pseudocreobotra wahlbergii0.0.1 Selenocosmia phillipenes0.0.1 Tapinauchenius gigas0.0.1 Thelecopticus modestica(?)0.0.1 Unidentified Huntsman Spider

At first I thought impossible. I mean im sure they have the strength but why? From a pedes perspective what possible gain would the pede be aiming to achieve? Bearing in mind they have no capacity for latent learning.

However, if it just continued to borrow into into a plastic base/wall/corner and if indeed they do use their mandibles to do so, then it may be possible in theory.

I personally would not risk it without knowing how exactly they borrow ie., do they use their mandibles to aid excavation of tougher substrate?

Would not have thought they could before you posted this but maybe...

Centipedes do not have mandibles powerful enough to bite through hard plastic. A large beetle grub, yes, but not a centipede.

__________________
http://www.flickr.com/photos/arachnophark

Drowning deep in my sea of loathing
Broken your servant I kneel

FOR TRADE: MALAYAN VINEGAROONS (Thelyphonus sp.) AS WELL AS CHINESE RED-HEAD CENTIPEDES (Scolopendra subspinipes mutilans) --- PM me if you're interested!

Really?

A large beetle grub could, yet not a pede.

I ve seen more than 5 pedes chew their way through plastic.
The plastic on those boxes that is used to send crickets or worms in.

Those tubs are super thin, mind you.

I was told that Weta had the capacity to chew through any plastic lids.

Which might be true in some isolated cases.

Just to make sure, I reinforced the tank with metal wire.

To be honest, they have shown no inclination to chew the plastic, and I very much doubt any that I have could do so, either.

I used to keep scolopendra several years ago, and it has to be the only animal that gave me chronic paranoia about it escaping! lol. They were in plastic vivs and never did escape mind you. I cant see how they would chew through one, unless it was super thin like a cricket box. But, one never knows...until you wake up with something scuttling up your leg! haha!

I have had two.

I am not really a fan.

The latter of the two lived happily in a plastic viv, for the first six months.

No attempt at an escape.

Then it managed to get free TWICE in one week, the same week.

I couldn't take the risk, and was pressurised into getting rid.

I swapped it for some Praying Mantids, with a chap on here.

I once had one run up leg in thailand, right towards my manhood! My god did i shit myself. Luckily my mate smacked it across the room with a bottle and someone squished it, but not before it bit someone else! This guys ankle swelled up in a golfball lump within seconds, and within a few minutes he was sweating badly and couldnt walk properly! So glad it didnt reach my balls!!!

*Shivers*

Centipedes and bollocks should never be mentioned in the same sentence.