Feeding centipede

[Paleo22]

My son has just acquired his first centipede a Scolopendra subspinipes (Vietnamese giant). He is concerned about how often he should feed it. It only seems to eat once a week. He has been offering food at least twice a week. Also, what are the best food items, to date it has been eating crickets well but seems to turndown meal worms.

 

[Wolfram1]

First off, welcome to AB.

Second, you really only need to offer food about every 10-14 days, depending on how large the food items are and what temperatures you keep the centipede at.

i personally may offer food sooner if i notice activity in the enclosure or may wait a little longer if it remains burrowed, as they often do.

Also i hope you know not to let him handle or otherwise work in the enclosure with his bare hands as their venom is quite potent, and certainly no joke, especially for children.

Cheers,
Wolfram

 

[Paleo22]

Thank you for the information, it made him feel better about his caretaking. Unfortunately, despite warnings, he found out the hard way they have very painful bites. The experience hasn't curbed his enthusiasm for his bugs.

 

[SpookySpooder]

Thank you for the information, it made him feel better about his caretaking. Unfortunately, despite warnings, he found out the hard way they have very painful bites. The experience hasn't curbed his enthusiasm for his bugs.

I love that you're so supportive and encouraging, you'll probably inspire a lifelong interest in invertebrates for him.

However I do want to stress the importance of conditioning good practices early. Namely the handling of said venomous species...

These animals are not conventional pets in the sense that hamsters, birds, dogs, cats, etc. are, in that they do not have the same enrichment needs and do not derive any sort of emotional pleasure or bond from interactions with their keepers.
An invertebrate such as a centipede, a tarantula, or a scorpion are creatures that are mainly on autopilot, following instincts and programming to survive... their instincts when picked up are to flee and defend themselves. Needless to say that holding them can only be detrimental for them and risky for you, with the only reward being for yourself in the sense that you get to hold your animal. If he needs to hold an animal, perhaps a pet snake or hamster is more compatible? If holding the animal is a must, I would advise you to steer clear of any animal with medically significant venom, as the fatal dose in children is much less than for an adult.

 

[ouroboross]

once a week is good. dont stress if they refuse though.