How to feed giant centipedes ect

[Brandon smith]

For starters i never use tongs if your afraid to be bitten you shouldn't have one

A centipede is a predator and predators
Want to hunt

You want to keep things NATURAL as you can possibly get


As we know centipedes are active prowling roaming predators

So just put prey items or item in enclosure and let the cent hunt its food

This method will keep them on surface much more

Especially will work for alternans

Just my personal knowledge

Tong feeding actually disturb them

They wanna hunt and kill not be fed like baby 400 million years of evolution made to kill and kill efficiently with efficiency

 

[AnimalNewbie]

For starters i never use tongs if your afraid to be bitten you shouldn't have one

A centipede is a predator and predators
Want to hunt

You want to keep things NATURAL as you can possibly get


As we know centipedes are active prowling roaming predators

So just put prey items or item in enclosure and let the cent hunt its food

This method will keep them on surface much more

Especially will work for alternans

Just my personal knowledge

Tong feeding actually disturb them

They wanna hunt and kill not be fed like baby 400 million years of evolution made to kill and kill efficiently with efficiency

Not if your feeding dubias.
I don’t ting feed but I at least throw in the prey item next to it.

 

[Staehilomyces]

I'm not too sure about that. Most of my pedes have their food given straight to them (sometimes tong-feeding, sometimes throwing it right next to them) and they spend most of their time on the surface, especially the bigger ones.

Besides, free-roaming feeders may disappear, only to return when your pede is vulnerable i.e. molting or holding a clutch, and wreak havoc.

 

[Brandon smith]

I'm not too sure about that. Most of my pedes have their food given straight to them (sometimes tong-feeding, sometimes throwing it right next to them) and they spend most of their time on the surface, especially the bigger ones.

Besides, free-roaming feeders may disappear, only to return when your pede is vulnerable i.e. molting or holding a clutch, and wreak havoc.

Most definitely and im not saying dont use tongs im saying not to direct feed and always feed what you know it will eat in one sitting

 

[Rhysandfish]

My pedes won’t touch anything that isn’t from the tongs. Maybe I coddle them, or maybe they’re disabled. Nobody knows.

 

[Staehilomyces]

Most definitely and im not saying dont use tongs im saying not to direct feed and always feed what you know it will eat in one sitting

That's literally how I feed them - either directly tong-feeding them, or dropping the feeder right next to them. I do this so that I know straight away whether or not the pede ate, thus eliminating the risk of feeders running amok in the enclosure.

 

[Bill S]

Centipedes in the wild are also scavengers. I've twice seen large Scolopendra heros feeding on dead bats. In captivity they readily accept pre-killed food or even "prepared food". For babies in particular I often freeze some crickets, cut them into pieces and divide them among deli cups with baby Scolopendras in them. To insure a wider variety of nutrient in the diet I supplement with a mixture of Gerber's baby food with fish flake food. A dab of this in a plastic bottle cap works well, and the cap can be left in overnight and removed the next day.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

As we know centipedes are active prowling roaming predators

So just put prey items or item in enclosure and let the cent hunt its food

This method will keep them on surface much more

Especially will work for alternans

Just my personal knowledge

Never owned a S.alternans but Asian 'pedes, if given the opportunity (inches of substrate, lots of hiding places) loves to enjoy a bit of 'pet hole' life. Granted, not definitely like certain Asian/African T's do, but still. I do not disturb them while they rest down under, at all.

They will jump out when they are hungry, and after a couple of days on surface, down under again, disappearing in one of those holes they made

 

[StampFan]

I'm not too sure about that. Most of my pedes have their food given straight to them (sometimes tong-feeding, sometimes throwing it right next to them) and they spend most of their time on the surface, especially the bigger ones.

Besides, free-roaming feeders may disappear, only to return when your pede is vulnerable i.e. molting or holding a clutch, and wreak havoc.

I'd love to see you write a separate thread and/or video about what you feel would be the different options around centipede housing and their pluses/minuses as there seems to be such a discrepancy out there..

 

[basin79]

I'd love to see you write a separate thread and/or video about what you feel would be the different options around centipede housing and their pluses/minuses as there seems to be such a discrepancy out there..

I know you didn't ask me but you can't beat RUBs/plastic tubs for housing pedes. No silicone corners to climb up and they're available in a wide variety of sizes.

 

[Brandon smith]

Centipedes in the wild are also scavengers. I've twice seen large Scolopendra heros feeding on dead bats. In captivity they readily accept pre-killed food or even "prepared food". For babies in particular I often freeze some crickets, cut them into pieces and divide them among deli cups with baby Scolopendras in them. To insure a wider variety of nutrient in the diet I supplement with a mixture of Gerber's baby food with fish flake food. A dab of this in a plastic bottle cap works well, and the cap can be left in overnight and removed the next day.

I've seen that to so awasome this is why centipedes are my fav out of the big 3

 

[NYAN]

I drop food in which won’t burrow and allow them to hunt themselves. After a day or so if it’s still there I take it out. If a pede doesn’t eat anything or isn’t seen for a few weeks, I’ll stop giving live food until I see them out or hunting. For prekilled food or fruit I’ll leave it ontop of a hide or in a dish for 12 hours.

 

[Euscorpius]

I use to chop off the head of the cockroach before dropping it in the enclosure. It still can walk and run, and but it will never do any harm to my centipedes.
If the prey is not consumed I give it to the other pets.

 

[Jesse James]

For starters i never use tongs if your afraid to be bitten you shouldn't have one

A centipede is a predator and predators
Want to hunt

You want to keep things NATURAL as you can possibly get


As we know centipedes are active prowling roaming predators

So just put prey items or item in enclosure and let the cent hunt its food

This method will keep them on surface much more

Especially will work for alternans

Just my personal knowledge

Tong feeding actually disturb them

They wanna hunt and kill not be fed like baby 400 million years of evolution made to kill and kill efficiently with efficiency

just relax, most people keep their giant centipedes in small containers its all ready hand feeding

 

[Golden Gazelle]

I guess I should post in this thread since it's relevant and I shouldn't start a new one for a silly question. I picked up a s. Subspinipes recently. For 2 weeks while I got the stuff together for a bioactive enclosure I kept it in a bit of Tupperware on the dirt it came with. It readily took 2, 1cm dubia roaches every other day. I've since moved it to a 10 gallon aquarium with moist Coco fiber substrait, springtails, and dwarf isopods. I've provided a few different foods in that time, roaches that were eaten quickly before burrowing in the new substrate,. Crickets that have reduced in numbers but there's no sign of them being eaten or the centipede even moving (it burrowed near the glass which is convenient). And two worms that were literally a really bad idea since they didn't burrow and cooked under the night heat lamp (the only lamp). I keep the substrait moist but not wet. Anyway, this guy isn't eating as actively as I thought he would and he stays in the borrow. Could this be due to bad temps? I haven't checked them yet I'll admit. And what size prey item should I provide? Is he maybe not eating because the roaches are so small? The pede is about 5 inches. Also, he's starting to look yellowish(originally brown/black and is super light sensitive. Could he be molting soon? Thank you for your help.

Edit: corrections

 

[NYAN]

I guess I should post in this thread sooner it's relevant and I shouldn't start a new one for a silly question. I picked up a s. Subspinipes recently. For 2 weeks while I got the stuff together for a bioactive enclosure I kept it in a bit of Tupperware on the dirt it came with. It readily took 2, 1cm dubia roaches every other day. I've since moved it to a 10 gallon aquarium with moist Coco fiber substrait, springtails, and dwarf isopods. I've provided s few different foods in that time roaches that were eaten quickly before burrowing in the new substrate,. Crickets that have reduced in numbers but there's no sign of them being eaten or the centipede even moving (it burrowed near the glass which is convenient). And two worms that were literally a really don't coffee since they didn't burrow and cooked under the night heat lamp (the only lamp). I keep the substrait moist but not wet. Anyway, this guy isn't eating as actively as I thought he would and he stays in the borrow. Could this be sure to bad temps? I haven't checked them yet I'll admit. And what size prey item should I provide? It's her her maybe not eating because the roaches are so small? The pede is about 5 inches. Also, he's steering to look yellowish and is super light sensitive. Could he be molting soon? Thank you for your help.

2 roaches every other day, wow! That’s what it should be eating in a week or even a month. My guess is you fed it so much that it’s now going to fast or is in premolt. If the second, you need to make sure there is no live prey inside of the enclosures because the pede could be eaten while it’s most vulnerable. Heat is unnecessary, especially lamps. Lamps dry out the enclosure too. If you’re comfortable, the pede will be.

 

[Golden Gazelle]

2 roaches every other day, wow! That’s what it should be eating in a week or even a month. My guess is you fed it so much that it’s now going to fast or is in premolt. If the second, you need to make sure there is no live prey inside of the enclosures because the pede could be eaten while it’s most vulnerable. Heat is unnecessary, especially lamps. Lamps dry out the enclosure too. If you’re comfortable, the pede will be.

Oh man, that's a relief. I saw the food supply was reduced so I fed it today it's been a week since the last attempt. I'll try to chase out the crickets since they're the most dangerous, but the roaches are pretty close to harmless. I'll fast the guy for a week or so to see if anything changes. I'll assume that if he's prowling he's hungry? I've also read they don't prowl and just pop up, snatch food, and hide. And with the heat, it's been hot here and humid, but it didn't seem to be that way in the enclosure but I could be mistaken. I think it will go better once I've got a glass top and not a screen one, then the humidity is sure to keep. But I'm not too worried about temps, I put the light there to just fight any fluctuation and promote humidity.

Edit: corrections, because smart phone

 

[NYAN]

Oh man, that's a relief. I saw the food supply was reduced so I fed it today it's been a week since the last attempt. I'll try to chase out the crickets since they're the most dangerous, but the roaches are pretty close to harmless. I'll fast the guy for a week or so to see if anything changes. I'll assume that if he's prowling he's hungry? I've also read they don't prowl and just pop up, snatch food, and hide. And with the heat, it's been hot here and humid, but it didn't seem to be that way in the enclosure but I could be mistaken. I think it will go better once I've got a glass top and not a screen one, then the humidity is sure to keep. But I'm not too worried about temps, I put the light there to just fight any fluctuation and promote humidity.

Edit: corrections, because smart phone

Ditch the lamp. The roaches can eat the pede just like crickets can. If he’s out, there’s a decent chance it’ll accept good. I would hold off for a month though. They definitely do prowl around, but they will also eurupt out of the substrate to snatch food. Screen tops definitely dry the enclosure quicker. I would honestly recommend a plastic storage tub for more moist species.