Good centipede for a beginner?

[Ratmosphere]

I might just get the Scolopendra polymorpha to get a feel of owning a centipede before taking a huge plunge! Is this species aggressive or are all centipedes just aggressive in general?

 

[basin79]

I might just get the Scolopendra polymorpha to get a feel of owning a centipede before taking a huge plunge! Is this species aggressive or are all centipedes just aggressive in general?

Centipedes are defensive. If they don't feel in danger they're remarkably calm.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

I might just get the Scolopendra polymorpha to get a feel of owning a centipede before taking a huge plunge! Is this species aggressive or are all centipedes just aggressive in general?

Forget what you learned with T's... 'pedes are more intelligents and they love to calculate more their actions. They are smart like those Octopus able to open a bottle

 

[Ratmosphere]

That's even scarier haha.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

That's even scarier haha.

No but the very moment your enclosure is a 'no escape' one they are great to keep :-s

 

[Staehilomyces]

Tbh the danger of pedes is very overrated. From what I've seen, OWT's cause much more problems than pedes, with the obvious exception of escape.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

How much do Scolopendra gigantea usually go for?

Saw those in Italy at 250 Euro, not an high price like in the U.S, considering at 360° everything.

 

[LeFanDesBugs]

I have to agree. I may be 16 I have 5 years of experience with centipedes (I started with cingulata and now I keep lots of different and hot species) and many more with inverts in general, and I've never had any problems, even though some of my enclosures aren't tall enough to prevent the access to the top etc.. I use exoterra faunarium and they work great! The tiny air holes are too tight to squeeze through
When it comes to behaviour, pedes are actually pretty simple to understand. If you block a path, they'll go the other way. It's been as simple as that for me! If the pedes tries to climb the side while the tank is open, just gently push it aside and it'll land back on the substrate.. when I say gently I mean gently.. I never hurt any of my pedes doing so!
The ONLY problem I ever had was when my 7" cherry red ran at full speed against the side and actually managed to seemingly jump out. I wasn't fast enough to push it aside and had to catch her back. But dehaani isn't a species a beginner wants to get anyway.. mine is my biggest and surprisingly fastest pede. It can climb to the top lid but can't escape as I previously stated. As long as I don't open the tank it's completely safe. When I do, I have to be careful not to disturb her too much or she'll burst out of the substrate and do whatever she wants.

Yes, pedes are fast, yes, they have a venomous bite. But if you treat them correctly with a minimum of common sense, they can be perfectly safe to keep in my opinion. It is best to get faster and more potent species later on, or if you already have some experience with venomous creatures.

Ratmosphere, if you're experienced with venomous animals and feel like you're responsible enough to care for something very unforgiving , you can go with almost any species and even go as far as dehaani. It would let you choose the pede you like most. Maybe just avoid tricky species like hardwickei, the jewels etc because they need specific care.
If you don't, you can go as it was previously said with viridis, cingulata, polymorpha.. which are great for starters.
I hope this helped
@Staehilomyces do you agree? Since we have similar histories when it comes to pede keeping, I'd like to hear your thoughts

 

[Staehilomyces]

I most certainly agree with every statement you made. Pedes are formidable inverts, but I feel as though my heart would be hammering a lot more when working with an aggressive tarantula than with any centipede. You can indeed start with a dehaani if you wish, as long as you've had experience with other venomous inverts. If you're confident with OWTs, you'll be ready for any pede,

 

[Aquarimax]

I might just get the Scolopendra polymorpha to get a feel of owning a centipede before taking a huge plunge! Is this species aggressive or are all centipedes just aggressive in general?

My son and I started with a polymorpha and a very tall plastic container. We ventilated the locking lid with aluminum mesh. The pede eats one cricket approximately weekly, which is fascinating to watch. It is doing well, although it is quite the pet hole. It really never comes out on its own. I don't think that is an S. polymorpha thing, just this individual from what I read.

 

[Ratmosphere]

One cricket per week? That's awesome! I always assumed centipedes would need a feeding every day but then again, I don't know enough about them.

 

[LawnShrimp]

I might just get the Scolopendra polymorpha to get a feel of owning a centipede before taking a huge plunge! Is this species aggressive or are all centipedes just aggressive in general?

I know that many see non-Scolopendra centipedes as trashy or insignificant, but my Rhysida longipes is a very good beginner centipede. Though they do not get to the size of polymorpha, they have a very weak bite compared to others from what I've heard. They are cheap in the US, $9-12 from most reputable sources. They have even shown to be communal. However, they are very skittish and will flee from even dim light sources.
Maybe I'm just extolling the virtues of bycatch centipedes, but Rhysida were a great introduction to pedes for me.

 

[LawnShrimp]

One cricket per week? That's awesome! I always assumed centipedes would need a feeding every day but then again, I don't know enough about them.

Centipedes will eat as much as you feed them, but a cricket or roach every seven to ten days is healthy. Pinkies/lizards are NOT necessary. They also like fruit after a molt; soft bananas are a favorite.

 

[Ratmosphere]

Would you ever have to feed large pedes lizards/pinkies in their life? I would not want to do that. Also, would a big species of centipede need more food per week instead of 1 cricket?

 

[LeFanDesBugs]

Ethmostigmus, cormocephalus and alipes are also very good genera to start with. I had an Alipes multicostis, the most active pede I ever got to keep. My Ethmostigmus on the other hand never comes out! But it might just be my specimen.
A pede should only eat once or twice a week. The quantity of food will vary depending on the specimen! So the answer is yes if you want to replace a bigger prey with 2 small ones.

 

[Ratmosphere]

I always see "Vietnam Giant Centipedes" at the reptile expos for only 20 bucks. Is this a good species to start with?

 

[LeFanDesBugs]

Scolopendra dehaani, actually one of the fastest and most venomous ones.

 

[Ratmosphere]

Oh alright! For younger and smaller centipedes, could you house them in a large critter keeper until they get older? Or is there a high risk of escapes with this kind of enclosure?

 

[Chris LXXIX]

I always see "Vietnam Giant Centipedes" at the reptile expos for only 20 bucks. Is this a good species to start with?

Not only a cheap price: chances that you can come home with a gravid female are good, since those are heavily en masse WC from Vietnam like if there's no tomorrow. This explain of course why such a cheap price.

Btw I personally love (despite the fact those aren't 'rare' at all) classic S.subspinipes and S.dehanni. They are amazing.

Technically those aren't exactly beginner ones but let me tell you something that I'm sure 'pede keepers will agree, more or less.

Here in Italy we have S.cingulata, as a native specie. I know people that WC and keeps those. Aside for size, aside for colours etc the temperament is more or less the same of my Asian.

'Key factor' is the venom potency, of course. Painful but mild, in the case of S.cingulata. Brutal, in the case of S.subspinipes.

But the defensive behavior is similar, as well the 'houdini' escape master skill. So why, S.cingulata, is suggested to 'pede beginners? Again, only for the venom potency.
A note, here in Italy S.polymorpha isn't available like is in the U.S plus since here we have this native one this explain why here is the "perfect beginner" 'pede.

This is what I want to explain... when it comes to Theraphosidae, the differences (in defensiveness, speed, venom etc) between an average 'brachy' and a genus Chilobrachys (mere example) one are like Day and Night.

For 'pedes IMO that line (venom potency aside) isn't too visible. Sure, moving away from Scolopendridae but remaining in the 'pede league there's "more calmer" 'pedes, ok... but at 360° they are hard to find... 'pede market sadly isn't like T's one.

I'm not suggesting you to buy an Asian 'pede, don't get me wrong, just stating facts I've witnessed.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

Oh alright! For younger and smaller centipedes, could you house them in a large critter keeper until they get older? Or is there a high risk of escapes with this kind of enclosure?

I personally think that KK are perfect for end, no matter the size, one day with a 'pede on the loose. Plastic kinda 'storage box' I say