Hemiscolopendra Marginata care

[VaejovisCarolineanusSDS]

I found a H. marginata and so far it has been fine. I have very little experience with centipedes, I just know they need to be moist and need food. I heard that they eat pre-killed prey, is this true? Mine has refused everything that I have tried so far, so maybe I'll try that. I am a bit anxious around centipedes so I am using this little guy to help me, centipedes are the only animal I "fear". Do they need deep substrate? Do they require a water dish? I also want to try breeding if I keep this centipede successfully. How would I go about sexing H. marginata? And what else do I need to know about centipede breeding?

 

[RTTB]

I keep 6 of them. 4 inches of soft moist but not wet substrate along with leaves and a flat piece of bark. Easily spooked and are not on the surface a lot. Extra small dubias and 2 week crickets work just fine. Room temp works perfect. They will eat when they are ready. My biggest is almost 3 inches which is their max.

 

[LawnShrimp]

Deep cocofiber/peat/soil sub is necessary, a bark hide is a good idea. Room temperature is best for most species, this one will need plenty of humidity but not dripping wet; a water bowl is recommended as well. Food should be offered sparingly, about one prey item a week or less depending on how thick the centipede has become. A plastic tub is the best container to use as centipedes can rear up on their last few legs to climb out of anything not as tall as they are long. The centipede will begin eating once it feels safe in its enclosure; they are easily stressed by capture and bright lights. In a comfortable home a 'pede will eat live and prekilled prey.

To sex a centipede one must make it unconscious, whether through submersing it in water until it stops moving or through gassing it with CO2. The last segment is then pressed upon until you evert the centipede's genitals. Usually males have visible spinnerets but this can vary between species and I have not seen any pictures of a marginata sexing for reference. It is very likely you will get bitten if the centipede wakes up (they wake up on about 4-5 minutes) so I recommend working fast. You can place the head end of the centipede in a plastic tube to stop it from attacking immediately. Fortunately this species does not have a terrible bite and the effects should wear off quickly.