Hi just after some advice, just been doing a bit of maintenance on my 10cm Aphonopelma seemanni and have found quite alot of very tiny maybe 2cm hair thin centipedes, I know they are venomous and I am going to stop the tank and put completely new substrate. I don't have enough left for tonight was just wondering if he/she will be ok till tomorrow? I removed a live plant that was not looking happy so I am going to assume this is where they have come from. Thankyou
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Found tiny centipedes in my Ts substrate
- Thread starter lauralou
- Start date
- Messages
- 2,043
- Location
- Norwich, UK
Looking at the photos they are definitely not Dermestid Beetle larvae, as found as clean up crew, in tubs of crickets. As your photo shows legs down the length of the body & the beetle larvae only has legs on the front couple of sections.
What substrate are you using? And where did you get your plants from & where the plants from a reliable organic source?
Like you, I suspect the plant is the most likely source for the invaders. But some people use topsoil & that could also have all sorts of unwanted inhabitants.
What substrate are you using? And where did you get your plants from & where the plants from a reliable organic source?
Like you, I suspect the plant is the most likely source for the invaders. But some people use topsoil & that could also have all sorts of unwanted inhabitants.
Hi, thankyou the substrate is habistat spider bedding and the plant was a tiny one I had in the house my bad completely I should have known better. I took the bug to my localish reptile shop (an hours drive away) and they said its a baby uk centipede so I've now got new bedding again habistat spider bedding and also a new bottle of habitat bacterial cleaner p+ so major clean as soon as I get home. Thankyou. I hope the info the shop has give me is correct
- Messages
- 10,913
- Location
- Malton, UK
Be careful, chemicals can cause a Ts death.
I just scald my T enclosures with very hot water.
I just scald my T enclosures with very hot water.
The centipede is likely cryptops hortensis and is known to be in compost and soil bags.
Cryptops is largely harmless and will mostly focus on small dwarf isopods, springtails and other pests commonly found in compost. THe max size is approx 6cm/2.5".
They arent likely to attack your spiders, as they prefer to remain underground and seldom if ever venture to the surface. no worries.
Cryptops is largely harmless and will mostly focus on small dwarf isopods, springtails and other pests commonly found in compost. THe max size is approx 6cm/2.5".
They arent likely to attack your spiders, as they prefer to remain underground and seldom if ever venture to the surface. no worries.
