# my first 2 new Centipedes!!



## Theraphosa

here's my Texas Redhead Centipede (Scolopendra heros castaneiceps) about 2 inches.


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## Theraphosa

here's my freebie centipede, a Chinese Redhead Centipede (Scolopendra sp.)


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## Alonso99

Congratulations Theraposa, welcome to the club buddy.


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## Theraphosa

thanks... Alonso99 
How can you tell when a centipede about to molt?


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## Alonso99

The Centipede will stop eating, the coloration will change a bit, and the skin will look different, the tropical species usually molt when they are underground, to my experience.  Your S.heros c will probably molt in the open.  Make sure humidity stays above 75% if you see a molt coming.
EDIT: I forgot do not remove the exoskeleton, they eat it.  I think they eat as a meal to compensate for the time prior to the molt.


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## Mister Internet

Well, you CAN remove the molt if you want to... from all accounts, centipedes eating their molts is an artifact of captivity.  In the wild, Biologists will frequently find abandoned pede exuvia.  So, you CAN leave it in there... it's a free, easy, convenient first meal for them, but it's not a must... if you want to save it for study or preservation, go ahead and remove it...


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## Alonso99

Thats true, but Im not so sure if I wanna bug the pede while its eating the exuvia.


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## Theraphosa

is the female bigger than the male? I've heard people can't tell a centipede gender......


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## Alonso99

There arent many physical ways to tell them apart, dissection is the only way to tell.  Some say that the tail looks bigger and darker on males, but I cant recall who.


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## Theraphosa

Does plings need a place to hide or they are just fine without a hiding spot?


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## Henry Kane

They will survive without a hide, but they prefer to have a nice place to lay low. Centipedes like hiding places where they can have lots of body contact. 

Welcome to the darkside!  

Atrax


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## Theraphosa

My plings are so cool... I like the way it hunt down it's prey... it doesn't stay at one spot like a tarantulas.. it wanders around and after sensing the prey... it raise it's body up like a snake, bite it while using it's legs holding it down... and also they eat much faster than a tarantulas...


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## Alonso99

Those are some of the few reasons why I love pedes so much


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## Theraphosa

I've noticed not a lot of people sell CB plings.... the only person I know is Kelly Swift.... do you know anyone else, Alonso99?


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## AlbinoDragon829

> _Originally posted by Theraposa _
> *My plings are so cool... I like the way it hunt down it's prey... it doesn't stay at one spot like a tarantulas.. it wanders around and after sensing the prey... it raise it's body up like a snake bite it while using it's legs holding it down... and also they eat must faster than a tarantulas... *


Just think how pleased you will be when your monsters are full grown


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## Theraphosa

> _Originally posted by AlbinoDragon829 _
> *Just think how pleased you will be when your monsters are full grown  *


yeah... I think I will buy more centipedes in the future but for now.. I'm fine with 2 plings.....and I have too much slings anyway...  by the way.. how often does a pling molt? does anyone keep a record of it?


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## AlbinoDragon829

It's not commonly known how often they moult because the centipede hobby hasn't been around as long as the tarantula or scorpion hobby.  Usually your centipede will just look noticeably bigger to you.


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## petitegreeneyes

Hi Threraposa, that's what happened to me. I got two freebies with a spider order and totally fell in-love with them. The way they chase their prey and kill it is so cool. I can't wait until tax time and order a bunch more! Going for big ones this time.


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