House centipedes in tank

[grandlinegirl]

I live in Southwestern, Ontario where we have an abundance of these things. I was in my Hermann torty enclosure earlier and found a huge one. Biggest I've ever seen. I know these bugs thrive in damp places and I have no idea if more are in there =\

I am honestly terrified of these things and now I'm afraid for him. Can these bugs hurt him? How do I keep them away?

 

[Pearly]

Not sure about big ones. Mine are tiny, about 1-1.5cm long and very skinny. I'm kinda glad to have them, they seem to be doing great job cleaning up the substrate level waste and I think they maybe helping in controlling other little bugs. Some folks here talk about tiny flying insects in their closed chambers. The only time I've noticed any of those was when I planted some weeds from my garden inside. Those weeds didn't make it so I got rid of them and now once again have my trusted tiny soil centipedes, earthworms and pillbugs. Love them

 

[SarahChelonoidis]

House centipedes occupy my enclosure in south eastern Ontario too. They seem to have displaced my soil centipedes. I admit, I sometimes flinch when I lift a water dish and a couple of those guys scurry out. I've never heard of any risk to tortoises from centipedes and I think they are incredibly common in enclosures. As far as I know, you can't get rid of them, as to do so you'd have to get rid of the conditions favourable to them - which are also favourable to your tortoise.

 

[Pearly]

Or maybe those little teeny tiny once just grew up?! I too have noticed larger one the other day like 1inch long and 1-1.5 mm thick... I think I'll start picking the bigger ones out as I see them

 

[grandlinegirl]

I'm relieved that they can't hurt him. I was worried for little Beans.

I guess I'm going to have to be really careful. I'm not really afraid of many bugs but these things are another story. I saw the one yesterday in there and then I couldn't sleep all night lol.

I never thought of them being beneficial. I guess when I work in there, I'm going to have to wear gloves.

 

[jockma]

Thank you for asking this. I have centipedes at my condo and I've been terrified of them infiltrating the enclosure and causing Bean harm. They haven't gotten to him yet. I don't trust them. They bleed purple. But I'm glad they won't bother him. I can finally relax...

Also, I don't know if "Beans" is a nickname for yours or if we both named our torts almost the exact same thing.

 

[Linhdan Nguyen]

Thank you for asking this. I have centipedes at my condo and I've been terrified of them infiltrating the enclosure and causing Bean harm. They haven't gotten to him yet. I don't trust them. They bleed purple. But I'm glad they won't bother him. I can finally relax...

Also, I don't know if "Beans" is a nickname for yours or if we both named our torts almost the exact same thing.

THEY BLEED PURPLE?! Ugh, that makes me want to cry.

 

[Rue]

Some animals use hemocyanin (copper) instead of hemoglobin (iron) for oxygen transport. Blood with hemocyanin is blue.

 

[grandlinegirl]

Thank you for asking this. I have centipedes at my condo and I've been terrified of them infiltrating the enclosure and causing Bean harm. They haven't gotten to him yet. I don't trust them. They bleed purple. But I'm glad they won't bother him. I can finally relax...

Also, I don't know if "Beans" is a nickname for yours or if we both named our torts almost the exact same thing.

Nope, his name is Beans, lol. Great minds think alike?

 

[jockma]

Nope, his name is Beans, lol. Great minds think alike?

My logic: he looks like an impossibly huge bean.

Great minds think differently but arrive at the same conclusion

 

[Aunt Caffy]

I purposely put pill bugs (or roly polies as they're known where I live) in Rowan's habitat a week or so before I got him. They get rid of mold, poop, etc. Many generations of pill bugs have come and gone in Rowan's greenhouse.

 

[JohnMcFisher]

I don't think so, that they are can hurt him. You can try to use traps for example to keep them away.