Specific question: Does anyone in the US have any experience keeping Scolopocryptops sexspinosus?

Major017

Arachnopeon
Joined
Feb 12, 2018
Messages
26
Under a pile of wood in my yard, I found a giant communal colony of S. sexspinosus's. (https://www.insectidentification.org/insect-description.asp?identification=Bark-Centipede)

I am considering taking a few of them into my collection as observation specimens, providing each with it's own spacious enclosure and an ample supply of food. I currently have a large colony of feeders small enough to feed to them, so that isn't an issue. My question is, has anyone kept these successfully before? I know myriapods can be quite sensitive to fluctuating humidity and substrate moistness, and can often die from excessive dryness. This species apparently can live up to 5 years and molt several times during their lives, making them interesting creatures to have in a collection. I have never had any centipedes and I feel like this would be a good opportunity to get familiar with keeping them, without diving straight into faster and more potent exotic species.

Thank you for any info any experienced may have.
 

NYAN

Arachnoking
Joined
Dec 23, 2017
Messages
2,511
Ive never kept them before but I would replicate the environment you find them in. Centipedes are always prone to desiccating, so keep the soul moist. I find them under rotting wood mostly so that may be what they like, with leaf litter too perhaps.
 

LawnShrimp

Arachnoangel
Joined
Dec 9, 2016
Messages
907
I've caught Scolopocrytops and kept them for a little while before release; they are quite shy and skittish. Despite not having eyes they are very light-sensitive and the ones I've kept never ate when I was watching them.

My tip is to not put a lot of air holes in the lid or sides; that way, water is trapped within and created a nice humid environment. A deli cup-sized enclosure would be plenty for a sexspinosus and anything too large would make the little guys hard to find. Centipedes are pretty easy to keep and don't need anything more than room temperature, a place to hide, substrate deep enough to bury itself in (2" should be fine for you) and food once a week or less.
 

Major017

Arachnopeon
Joined
Feb 12, 2018
Messages
26
Ive never kept them before but I would replicate the environment you find them in. Centipedes are always prone to desiccating, so keep the soul moist. I find them under rotting wood mostly so that may be what they like, with leaf litter too perhaps.
Exactly what I was thinking. I'm just going to scoop up some of the dirt they are currently living in, and grab some leaves and sticks around the area and see how that works for them. I'll keep the substrate on the moist side too, see how that works.
 

RTTB

Arachnoprince
Joined
Dec 4, 2016
Messages
1,771
If you want to part with a few of this big colony you found please PM me.
 
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