Hemiscolopendra marginata centipedes in California

[SDCPs]

Friends,

I just captured 6 Hemiscolopendra marginata centipedes here in Lakeside, California, at a friend's house. Just thought any locals might be interested. I've also seen a 4" brown centipede there, think it might have been a young desert variety. Now I'm gonna learn the care requirements. My biggest question is communal housing.

 

[Camden]

I know that Lithobius sp. Stone centipede are communal, and they're a very small species. You could try them together, I'm sure they'd do okay, but don't take my word on that cause i'm not 100% sure, as for care, nothing too fancy. just use your own judgement about how big of an enclosure they would need, they're small so containing them won't be too hard, just make sure the enclosure is tall enough so escapes can't happen. Use about 6-10 inches of substrate, here again just use your own judgement on how deep the substrate needs to be in order for them to burrow. Keep it semi-moist, toss some crickets in about ever so often, they'll be fine. The feeding response should be awesome if you keep them communally. I personally would try to house them together, and if it doesn't work out, it seems like you have a pretty steady supply of them if you found 6, so you could always just go find more. hope I could help, someone please feel free to correct any mis-guided information.
(Edit- If you're wondering, coconut fiber substrate is what you want to use, maybe put some leaf litter on top for hides.)

 

[SDCPs]

Camden, thanks very much for your reply! I was planing on using crushed granite as their substrate, or oak leaves, or a mix of both since I don't have nor want to buy cocofiber. The biggest is about 3.5" long. I'm hoping to find a different species on another property, supposedly my brother saw a red and black one almost a foot long there. I was on that property for a bit and found a newt or a salamander by a leaky? pipe, LOL! What a surprise.

I found 2 together, and 2 very close by, so I don't think they'll kill each other. Communal keeping sounds the best way

I'm not 100% on the species, but these pedes look similar to what I'm guessing they are, tan/blue bodies with orangish heads and tails.

---------- Post added 02-19-2012 at 06:11 PM ----------

I also noticed a young centipede which was very long and had many, many legs. I showed a pic of a Tiger centipede to bro and he thinks that is what he saw.

So in total we've encountered 5 different species of centipedes here around San Diego. Cool! If only we had millipedes, sigh.

 

[SDCPs]

Hmm, I'm starting to think I need to keep 1 per container. I guess this will prevent me from getting too many!

 

[zonbonzovi]

What you found was more likely Scolopendra polymorpha, one of many variants. I've collected and traded for a few from that area. Easy to mistake for H. marginata if you haven't stared at both many times. H. marginata is primarily in the SE US and I think doesn't expand past E. Texas. Keep 'em separate

 

[SDCPs]

Thanks. I had a slight suspicion that was the case. How big do these guys grow?

 

[zonbonzovi]

I think it depends on the locale & such but 7" would be an impressive length. Other folks have found them to be sexually mature at around 3".

 

[Camden]

Camden, thanks very much for your reply! I was planing on using crushed granite as their substrate, or oak leaves, or a mix of both since I don't have nor want to buy cocofiber. The biggest is about 3.5" long. I'm hoping to find a different species on another property, supposedly my brother saw a red and black one almost a foot long there. I was on that property for a bit and found a newt or a salamander by a leaky? pipe, LOL! What a surprise.

I found 2 together, and 2 very close by, so I don't think they'll kill each other. Communal keeping sounds the best way

I'm not 100% on the species, but these pedes look similar to what I'm guessing they are, tan/blue bodies with orangish heads and tails.

---------- Post added 02-19-2012 at 06:11 PM ----------

I also noticed a young centipede which was very long and had many, many legs. I showed a pic of a Tiger centipede to bro and he thinks that is what he saw.

So in total we've encountered 5 different species of centipedes here around San Diego. Cool! If only we had millipedes, sigh.

You're welcome, but IMO, if you're wanting to get into pedes, i'd buy some cocofiber. I buy it loose in a bag (on amazon) for not much at all considering the trouble you don't have to go through when using the bricks, but if you really don't want to buy cocofiber, I haven't read anywhere about crushed granite, but they need something to dig in. so unless you want to go dig some actual dirt and go through sterilizing it etc, i'd just go for the cocofiber
agreeing with zonbonzovi, if it is S. polymorpha, definitely keep them separate.

 

[SDCPs]

OK, will keep seperate. I'm using oak leaves right now. Seems to work OK. I also have peat moss.