African Yellow Leg Centipede

[Cjacques]

Just purchased 3 African Yellow Leg Centipedes from John Apple at the recent Taylor, MI reptile show. Anyone have any care tips? Keep em dry? Keep em humid? Temp range? Keeping them in the low 80s right now and dry.
Thanks for the help will post pics soon.

~Cory

 

[cacoseraph]

care and what not is similar to this species
http://www.geocities.com/blight_child/centis/S_polymorpha.html



do try to avoid getting bit... it hurts like god

 

[cacoseraph]

also

i find the term "less moist" to be much better than "dry" when refering to how to keep centipedes. no centipede should be kept literally dry. i have problems with dry substrate and a waterdish. this works great for many species of tarantulas... but centipedes have no where near the moisture retaining capability of tarantulas so i think makign them pull a constant hydration balancing act by keepign them dry with a waterdish is probably unduly stressful and possibly even harmful to them

 

[Cjacques]

You are right of course

dry is the wrong word. This is my second species of pede so far, my first was a large vietnamese Red leg. Dont worry about the biting, have no plans on making that mistake. Thanks for the info and help. I have been a long time lurker here and find all the regular posters to be very informative. Thanks again.

 

[John Apple]

Hey howarya
I misted them every other day or so and wet the substrate when it felt dry to the touch.
They all have shed once in my care so the care was adequate.

 

[Elytra and Antenna]

Just purchased 3 African Yellow Leg Centipedes from John Apple at the recent Taylor, MI reptile show. Anyone have any care tips? Keep em dry? Keep em humid? Temp range? Keeping them in the low 80s right now and dry.
Thanks for the help will post pics soon.

~Cory

I say keep them with at least one area of wet substrate. They usually live a few years and don't need to eat very often. The low 80s might be a little high for that species.

 

[Cjacques]

Sorry about that

Didnt mean to imply that the care was inadequate John. Was just looking for any tips or suggestions. You are always a great guy at the show and seem eager to teach to anyone who will listen. You certainly have my utmost respect.

~Cory

 

[John Apple]

Didnt mean to imply that the care was inadequate John. Was just looking for any tips or suggestions. You are always a great guy at the show and seem eager to teach to anyone who will listen. You certainly have my utmost respect.

~Cory

Corey my friend...I never took it that way ...those particular pedes I was treating like a plant for the most part. The soil felt dry [calloused hands so anything feels dry] I watered them or misted them.

 

[cacoseraph]

I say keep them with at least one area of wet substrate. They usually live a few years and don't need to eat very often. The low 80s might be a little high for that species.

keeping an area wet (especially if you are overflowing a waterdish to do it) is a good idea. this will allow for a pede to make it's own humidity regulation, potentially. and if you notice the pede is always in the moist area you might consider keeping more of its cage moister

they have done fine and produced viables for me at almost 100*F. they also do fine at 50*F (not very active) duing the winter


this is a very tough species. hellbiters, though.