'Beginner' Centipede Species

Scolopendra1989

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Aug 12, 2016
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What are your recommendations for a beginner species of Centipede?
Feel free to rate species based on typical price, behavior, ease of care, etc.
From what I have come to understand, there seems to be no 'Beginner' species, and many testify that there are not many docile or 'easy' options when it comes to large and/or tropical species.
 

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Sarkhan42

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I started off with an E. trigonopodus, and she's been absolutely lovely. For a centipede she's relatively calm and only really turns on the gas when chasing prey, even when disturbed. Their venom from what I've read is supposed to be pretty mild in the case you are bitten, but can't testify to that personally. The only thing about them is they aren't the easiest to get ahold of anymore, and I paid something like $125 for her. Absolutely worth it to me, here's a picture.
 

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Scolopendra1989

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Aug 12, 2016
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I started off with an E. trigonopodus, and she's been absolutely lovely. For a centipede she's relatively calm and only really turns on the gas when chasing prey, even when disturbed. Their venom from what I've read is supposed to be pretty mild in the case you are bitten, but can't testify to that personally. The only thing about them is they aren't the easiest to get ahold of anymore, and I paid something like $125 for her. Absolutely worth it to me, here's a picture.
I think she looks excellent, can you share anymore pics of her enclosure/some of your other centipedes?
Also, what do you think a good candidate for beginner price is? S. Polymorpha seems to be pretty consistently around 10-20 bucks.
 

Sarkhan42

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I think she looks excellent, can you share anymore pics of her enclosure/some of your other centipedes?
Also, what do you think a good candidate for beginner price is? S. Polymorpha seems to be pretty consistently around 10-20 bucks.
Unfortunately she's all I've got as far as centipedes nowadays, I'll post a few more photos in a minute here. In the past I've also kept S. polymorpha, heros, and deehani, however. I think polymorpha are a great cheap starter and that sounds like a fine price, its really about what's worth it to the individual. For example I've been hunting Galapagoensis and hardwickei for a while now, but at 400+ for all the galapagoensis, and 500 for the only hardwickei I've ever run into, it simply isn't justifiable, as amazing as those pedes are. The only complaints I have for polymorpha are that they're much smaller than other species and can tend to be pet holes more than the others in my experience.
 

BobBarley

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Sep 16, 2015
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I started off with an E. trigonopodus, and she's been absolutely lovely. For a centipede she's relatively calm and only really turns on the gas when chasing prey, even when disturbed. Their venom from what I've read is supposed to be pretty mild in the case you are bitten, but can't testify to that personally. The only thing about them is they aren't the easiest to get ahold of anymore, and I paid something like $125 for her. Absolutely worth it to me, here's a picture.
A few images as promised :)
OMMMMMMMMGGGGGG.... I want a trignopodus so bad !!! :punch::rage:


Anyway, polymorpha, viridis, H. marginata, R. longipes are good U.S. native starters.
All are pretty cheap ($10-20), some polymorpha morphs can reach 6-7" BL.


Aside from natives, E. trigs (@Sarkhan42 Im gonna steal your specimen tonight), S. cingulata, S. angulata (@Ratmosphere), Etc. but most nonnatives are either very potent or extremely rare/expensive.
 

Sarkhan42

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OMMMMMMMMGGGGGG.... I want a trignopodus so bad !!! :punch::rage:


Anyway, polymorpha, viridis, H. marginata, R. longipes are good U.S. native starters.
All are pretty cheap ($10-20), some polymorpha morphs can reach 6-7" BL.


Aside from natives, E. trigs (@Sarkhan42 Im gonna steal your specimen tonight), S. cingulata, S. angulata (@Ratmosphere), Etc. but most nonnatives are either very potent or extremely rare/expensive.
:rofl: I'll keep the door locked tight I suppose. I'm very lucky to have her!!! It's funny honestly I had been looking everywhere for one for a good long while, and I ended up for the first time posting just a random ISO add, on a facebook group of all places, and within a day I had an offer. Never stop looking!
 

LawnShrimp

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Dec 9, 2016
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Copy/paste from a similar thread, but here ya go:
NA starter: S. polymorpha are laid back (for a centipede), don't have a terribly painful bite, and are very hard to kill. They get to about 3-6" depending on locality and come in a wide range of colors (there are some bright blue morphs you may like). For about 20 bucks, poly's are also fairly cheap.

SA starter: S. angulata gets a little bigger than polys and is even more laid back and has weaker venom; but is shier and prone to burrowing. It is not commonly kept but @Ratmosphere just got one as his first 'pede so you can probably find one too. I quite like the muted colors on this species.

Asia starter: While most centipedes are cannibalistic, S. mutilans can be housed in very large groups of all ages. They are native to China and might be pricier and harder to find than polys. They are very colorful and come in several different locality morphs (Korea red leg, Taiwan red leg, mainland yellow leg, possibly more) and genetic morphs (hypomelanistic, bluish). Mutilans does have a more painful venom than the other two species but it gets to a similar size.


Most centipedes are not incredibly difficult to keep; any centipede can be a starter. I chose these three as their venoms are not terribly painful and their pricetags fairly low. But if you see something else that you like, don't be afraid to buy a more temperamental, larger, dangerous, or expensive species.
 

dragonfire1577

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Oct 7, 2015
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I haven't seen my blue form Scolopendra polymorpha in a month, but when I see it I do enjoy it as it is a very pretty pede with an orange head and blue body. It's also very easy to work with since it's never out when I'm doing maintenance or putting in food haha so I would say the species is good for beginners. My personal favorite centipede is my Scolopendra heros arizonensis though, it's not very calm and I have heard the bite is nasty although not as bad as some asian pedes but the species makes up for it with fantastic colors that rival those of S. hardwickei, a maximum size around 8 inches and an incredibly bold attitude. My heros is the only centipede I regularly have seen active, even during the day and it has never attempted burrow at this point, sometimes it even just rests right out in the open although usually it's under a cork flat.
 

BobBarley

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Sep 16, 2015
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My S. polymorpha AZ is incredibly active, out during the day fairly often and fully socialized.

My Alipes multicostis never fully buries itself. Not yet socialized, but very active.

My Scolopendra viridis AZ adults are out often and very pretty. The juvenile isn't out as often.
 
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