Scolopendra dehaani growth rate

[numbat1000]

What is the growth rate on these centipedes?
I recently purchased a baby Scolopendra dehaani (it was labeled Scolopendra subspinipes dehaani), my first giant pede!
A day or two after I bought it, I measured and the BL was aproxomately 1.25". A week or so later, I measured again for kicks, and I got 1.5" BL. Is this realistic? Or is this so inconceivable that I should just assume I messed up the measurements the first go around?

 

[Munax]

They only grow by molting, not little by little like us humans. So unless he molted and you just didn't see it, it's probable that you measured wrong.

 

[numbat1000]

Hm. Interesting. I'm not surprised that I measured wrong, but it did seem like it had grown a decent amount since I got it.

How often do they molt? How long will it take until it becomes full grown?

 

[Munax]

Hm. Interesting. I'm not surprised that I measured wrong, but it did seem like it had grown a decent amount since I got it.

How often do they molt? How long will it take until it becomes full grown?

Growth rate is based mostly on 2 factors, and that's temperature and how often it eats. I would also make sure the appropriate humidity for your pede is on point, so in this case around 50-60% is good for a dehanni. And because these factors that determine growth rate are different depending on the keeper, an exact amount of time to achieve maximum length varies. If you power feed and jack the temp up you may have an adult in ROUGHLY 2-3 years.

Also I know that for Tarantulas they only have a certain amount of molts in they can preform in their life, meaning that if you power feed them, they will grow faster, but at the cost of their max lifespan. Idk if pedes are like that but just thought I should mention that in case it is the same with pedes

 

[Chris LXXIX]

Another thing to consider, certain (adults, especially) Centipedes metabolism and fasting period IMO compete with that of 'Rose hairs'.

 

[damiiian]

so what is the average size of a full grown dehanni?

 

[kermitdsk]

Depends on coloration typ. A S. dehanni ''yellow leg'' is full grown about 16cm S. dehanni ''flame leg'' or ''cherry red'' is a little bit bigger about 18cm. So if you want to say it generally i think 15cm-19cm is realistic.

 

[DubiaW]

Growth rate is based mostly on 2 factors, and that's temperature and how often it eats. I would also make sure the appropriate humidity for your pede is on point, so in this case around 50-60% is good for a dehanni. And because these factors that determine growth rate are different depending on the keeper, an exact amount of time to achieve maximum length varies. If you power feed and jack the temp up you may have an adult in ROUGHLY 2-3 years.

Also I know that for Tarantulas they only have a certain amount of molts in they can preform in their life, meaning that if you power feed them, they will grow faster, but at the cost of their max lifespan. Idk if pedes are like that but just thought I should mention that in case it is the same with pedes

Scolopendra continue to molt after they become adults.

 

[damiiian]

how many instar do pedes have till adulthood? or you know how many molts till they stop growing ... cause I can't find this info anywhere

 

[DubiaW]

I don't know if it is the same for every species. I'm referencing McMonigle's book "Centipedes in Captivity; the Reproductive Biology and Husbandry of Chilopoda." A lot of centipedes are able to reproduce well before they reach full size, and they continue to molt even after they have attained full size but don't continue to grow. It's a great book.

 

[DubiaW]

It looks like I remembered wrong. Quote from book; "Choosing and conditioning adults for mating can take some time even after specimens have been conclusively sexed, Since there are no signs of maturity, animals should be full-sized and should not have had a recent molt accompanied by a notable size increase (with rare exception, sexually mature animals grow minimally, if at all, in further molts)."

I have heard of people breeding pedes that are not full size. It is safe to assume that they are sexually mature when they do not increase size very much after molts. According to McMonigle. So yes they can breed before they are full size but it is not advisable to try that unless you have a lot of experience with the species.

 

[DubiaW]

Centipedes can molt to regenerate and to grow so I'm uncertain if counting instars is a sound method. A more experienced centipede breeder might be able to give you a better answer.

 

[kermitdsk]

Centipedes are growing till they die. When a centipede is adult it don't grow in proportion as small centipedes. The growing rate is less. If you want to try breeding for example a S. dehanni should be min. 15cm. Also interessting is that centipedes can save the sperm after mating so it can produce eggs also after a molt.

 

[DubiaW]

Centipedes are growing till they die. When a centipede is adult it don't grow in proportion as small centipedes. The growing rate is less. If you want to try breeding for example a S. dehanni should be min. 15cm. Also interessting is that centipedes can save the sperm after mating so it can produce eggs also after a molt.

I thought I read somewhere that the female can retain sperm after a molt and that they can produce more than one batch of eggs from a single breeding. Now I can't find any info on that. Does the female have to breed every batch of eggs? How long does it take for a male to produce enough sperm to breed a second time?

 

[kermitdsk]

I thought I read somewhere that the female can retain sperm after a molt and that they can produce more than one batch of eggs from a single breeding. Now I can't find any info on that. Does the female have to breed every batch of eggs? How long does it take for a male to produce enough sperm to breed a second time?

Yes right retain sperm after a molt! Thats what I (want to) said . And yes they can definitely produce more than one batch of eggs from a singgle breeding. I think after 24hours males can mate again. But I give them a little bit more time to recover I had a S. hainanum male that mate after a week a second time. That was the fastest so far.

 

[DubiaW]

I've been wondering if my large WC S. heros (sold to me as a female) is going to produce eggs this summer without breeding. I'm currently hunting for a male.