Good starter centipede

[Truffs1178]

I am thinking of getting a giant centipede for my birthday and was wondering what were a good starter species. I realize that they are aggressive and none are really suitable for someone who hasn't had one before but you have to start somewhere. Scolopendra dehaani is only £4.00 over here which is very cheap. I will never handle it because I realize they WILL bite so I don't need a lecture on how aggressive they are and it will be very securely kept.

 

[MarkmD]

I was going to buy the scolopendra subspinips, (if thats how its spelled) lol, it's selling at £10 so seems quite cheap, i've never had/bought one. before but from the pics on the boards, they look very cool, I would also like to know what is a good starter?.

 

[Truffs1178]

I have always been fascinated by the giant centipedes but only thought of getting one now. After keeping over 100 pets in my life I feel like I'm ready for this.

 

[MarkmD]

I dont think they are hard to keep?, just keep the substrate moist as they need the humidity, as they dont have an exo like T's and cant drink the water cause of glands in thair body, hopefully someone with more knowledge of them will inform me about this.

 

[Truffs1178]

They do have to molt so they surely must have an exo skeleton?

 

[MarkmD]

I just googled, they can drink water droplets from the sides of the enclosure or from bottle cap, guess I was wrong.

 

[Lurchenstien]

I started keeping 'pedes in April. First was an Ethmostigmus trigonopodus, after looking about on here, that species seems to crop up as one to start with. I'm awake all hours and I'm lucky if I see that one once a week. The same goes for my S. alternans, I've seen that once in maybe 5 months. I've had a 7-8 inch S. subspinipes for a three months, it's out more than the other two, though not by much, and it's certainly the more interesting one to watch. I also picked up a couple of the dehaani pedelings that are over here, one of those is rarely seen, the other is out pretty much any time I look in the container.

While the Ethmostigmus trigonopodus may be good from the perspective of getting used to keeping pedes, going from how my one has been, I wouldn't recommend getting one if you're hoping to see it often, I'd rather have got a subspinipes straight away.

 

[Truffs1178]

Where did you get your pedes from? Do you know any good pets sites because there are only a few good ones I can find.

 

[Lurchenstien]

I got the S. subspinipes and the Ethmostigmus trigonopodus from here, though they don't have any 'pedes in stock at the moment http://www.exotic-pets.co.uk/

I bought the S. alternans here: http://www.bugzuk.com/

And the S dehaani pedelings were bought here http://www.thespidershop.co.uk

Martin Goss is recommended, though he just looks to have one species in stock at the moment: http://www.martingoss.co.uk/

Also, I believe someone in the UK has some S. dehaani pedlings for sale.

 

[Truffs1178]

Thanks for those links. I had seen them all before except for the BugzUK one which was very helpful. Thanks.

 

[Lurchenstien]

They're about all I've managed to find in the UK, maybe another couple of places with the odd centipede, but these are the ones most likely to have a decent selection.

Polyped usually have a good selection, I'm yet to order from them: http://www.polyped.de/

 

[satchellwk]

I say go with the dehaani; even though there may be more "docile" ones, centipedes are all pretty sketchy and dehaanis are cheap and easy to get, and are also impressive in both size and coloration.

Also, I suggest that when you get your pede you keep it in a large jar-type enclosure with a screw-on lid. They can squeeze though lots of tight crevices, but I have yet to encounter one that could unscrew a lid.

 

[Kazaam]

Polyped usually have a good selection

He's also known for selling sick animals, mislabeled animals, missexed animals and feeds animals to eachother for fun on expos.

 

[Lurchenstien]

He's also known for selling sick animals, mislabeled animals, missexed animals and feeds animals to eachother for fun on expos.

That's good to know Kazaam, I think I'll skip ordering from there then.

 

[Kazaam]

That's good to know Kazaam, I think I'll skip ordering from there then.

What were you planning to order?

 

[Lurchenstien]

Nothing just yet, but I'll be on the lookout for a gigantea or galapagoensis some time when funds allow it.

 

[Truffs1178]

BugzUK is selling velvet worms which I have always wanted. I'm now stuck choosing between the two.

I would like to get three S.Dehaani that are 3cm long. I'm guessing not but are they ok to ever house together or do the need to be kept separate all their lives?

 

[Lurchenstien]

From what I've seen when I looked in to keeping 'pedes together, although there are some exceptions, the general consensus seems to be that they should be housed separately.

 

[Gel]

I am thinking of getting a giant centipede for my birthday and was wondering what were a good starter species. I realize that they are aggressive and none are really suitable for someone who hasn't had one before but you have to start somewhere. Scolopendra dehaani is only £4.00 over here which is very cheap. I will never handle it because I realize they WILL bite so I don't need a lecture on how aggressive they are and it will be very securely kept.

Ethmostigmus trigonopodus, Scolopendra cingulata, Scolopendra polymorpha, Alipes grandidieri would be a good place to start based on experience and others suggestions.

 

[Kazaam]

Nothing just yet, but I'll be on the lookout for a gigantea or galapagoensis some time when funds allow it.

I've got a picture of the terminal legs of one of the S. galapagoensis that he sold

To my amazement it's actually what he claims it to be.