Care guide
Vietnamese Black Flame Centipede
Scolopendra dehaani 'Black Flame'
A dark, almost smoky-bodied color form of the giant Vietnamese centipede with greenish-black legs: same species group as the Cherry Red/Cherry Head dehaani forms, just a darker locality color form. Adults run 6-7+ inches.
Scolopendra dehaani 'Black Flame'
Identity confidence: needs verification. We have not confirmed what this animal is. Ask us before you set anything up off the name alone.
Vietnamese Black Flame Centipede: Advanced Care Guide
Keeper Snapshot: A dark, almost smoky-bodied color form of the giant Vietnamese centipede with greenish-black legs: same species group as the Cherry Red/Cherry Head dehaani forms, just a darker locality color form. Adults run 6-7+ inches.
Group: CentipedesDifficulty: Spice 5: Extreme (Medical Significance)Setup: Tropical burrowing/fossorial terrestrialHandling: NEVER
Use This Guide Safely
- Confirm the exact animal. Match this guide to the species, locality, size, and life stage on your label. If the ID is uncertain, use the more conservative part of the range and ask before changing the setup.
- Change one thing at a time. Treat temperature and humidity as target zones, then watch posture, burrowing, drinking, feeding, and molt behavior before making another adjustment.
- Respect the handling boundary. If the guide says no handling, fast, defensive, or medically significant, plan transfers with catch cups, locked lids, and no bare hands. For serious bites, stings, or symptoms, seek emergency medical care.
Quick Snapshot
| Temperature | 75-85°F |
|---|---|
| Humidity | Ambient 70-85%, cross-ventilated at substrate level; dry refuge zone |
| Setup Type | Tropical burrowing/fossorial terrestrial |
| Substrate | Deep (6 in+) packed, moisture-retentive |
| Feeding | Roaches/crickets, no longer than half the body |
| Care Difficulty | Spice 5: Extreme (Medical Significance) |
| Handling | NEVER |
Humidity zones: Very Low under 30% - Low 30-60% - Low-Moderate 40-70% - Moderate 60-80% - Moderate-High 70-85% - High 80%+ - Very High 90%+
Enclosure Format / Size Class
- Baby Buddy for hatchlings
- Burrow Buddy grow-out
- Large custom terrestrial for adults
Warnings First
- Trade-name ambiguity: 'Black Flame' is used both generically for S. subspinipes and specifically for this S. dehaani dark color form. Match against the actual animal's coloration rather than assuming either
- Medically significant venom, same risk profile as other large Scolopendra/dehaani
- Fast and aggressive; tool-only handling always
- Likely a close relative (possibly the same underlying species) to the Cherry Head/Cherry Red dehaani forms already in the catalog
- Cross ventilation low on two opposite walls, at substrate level, is the top husbandry priority. Stagnant saturated air in the burrow is what kills captive Scolopendra, well ahead of any temperature or humidity number.
Simple Care
- Deep packed substrate.
- Cross ventilation low on two opposite walls, at substrate level. Priority one.
- Secure locking lid.
- Shallow water dish packed with pebbles so pedelings cannot drown.
- Tongs/cup only.
- Generous floor footprint.
Advanced Keeper Notes
Enclosure & Microclimate
- Standard deep-substrate dehaani/subspinipes-complex setup applies: no meaningful husbandry difference from the Cherry Red/Cherry Head forms, this is a color variant, not a different care profile.
- Cross ventilation at substrate level is the first thing to build and the last thing to compromise on. Put vents low on two opposite walls, at or just above the substrate line, so air travels sideways through the burrow layer rather than only across the top. Lid-only venting dries the surface while saturated air stalls down in the burrow, and that stagnant pocket is the origin of most cuticle fungus, mite outbreaks, and stuck molts in captive centipedes.
- Fine stainless mesh, bonded flush, over every low vent. Size the openings against the head: if the head passes, so does the centipede.
- Airflow and ambient humidity are a trade-off, so run them together. Keep 70 to 85% by holding damp lower substrate and a water dish underneath good ventilation, rather than by sealing the box to trap moisture. Trapped moisture is not humidity management, it is a fungal incubator.
- Read wetness with your hands. The bottom third should hold its shape when squeezed and release no free water, the middle stays cool and damp, and the top inch can look dry. That vertical gradient is what the animal moves through to pick its own conditions.
- Keep a shallow water dish in permanently, packed with pebbles or a few flat stones so the waterline sits below the rim. Pedelings and small instars drown in open water, and the stones give them a climb-out. The dish also puts humidity into the enclosure at floor level, which means the open substrate does not have to be soggy.
- Mist under the hide instead of over the whole enclosure. That creates a damp, dark microclimate exactly where the centipede spends the day, and leaves the rest of the box free to dry and re-air between mistings.
Feeding, Growth & Maintenance
- Feeding: roaches or crickets no longer than half the body length, every 4-7 days for juveniles, every 10-14 days for adults.
- Growth: comparable to other large dehaani/subspinipes-complex members.
- Maintenance: pull uneaten prey within a day; don't disturb a fresh molt.
Possible Origin / Range
- Likely native range: Vietnam and neighboring Indochina.
- Habitat translation: Same tropical forest-floor burrower profile as the rest of the dehaani/subspinipes complex.
Advanced Keeper Details
- Given the taxonomic overlap between 'black flame' as a generic subspinipes nickname and as a specific dehaani color form, this ID carries more uncertainty than a standard subspinipes listing. Keep internal records noting that.
- Worth cross-checking copy against the Cherry Head/Cherry Red listings so all three dehaani color forms don't read as unrelated species.
- Sources: the full Big Z APA 7 reference list lives at References.
Scolopendra dehaani 'Black Flame'
Identity confidence: needs verification. We have not confirmed what this animal is. Ask us before you set anything up off the name alone.
Vietnamese Black Flame Centipede
Big Z's Quick Verdict: A dark, almost smoky-bodied color form of the giant Vietnamese centipede with greenish-black legs: same species group as the Cherry Red/Cherry Head dehaani forms, just a darker locality color form. Adults run 6-7+ inches.
Group: CentipedesDifficulty: Spice 5: Extreme (Medical Significance)Setup: Tropical burrowing/fossorial terrestrialHandling: NEVER
Use This Guide Safely
- Confirm the exact animal. Match this guide to the species, locality, size, and life stage on your label. If the ID is uncertain, use the more conservative part of the range and ask before changing the setup.
- Change one thing at a time. Treat temperature and humidity as target zones, then watch posture, burrowing, drinking, feeding, and molt behavior before making another adjustment.
- Respect the handling boundary. If the guide says no handling, fast, defensive, or medically significant, plan transfers with catch cups, locked lids, and no bare hands. For serious bites, stings, or symptoms, seek emergency medical care.
Quick Care Snapshot
| Temp | 75-85°F |
|---|---|
| Humidity | Ambient 70-85%, cross-ventilated at substrate level; dry refuge zone |
| Setup | Tropical burrowing/fossorial terrestrial |
| Substrate | Deep (6 in+) packed, moisture-retentive |
| Feeding | Roaches/crickets, no longer than half the body |
| Handling | NEVER |
Humidity zones: Very Low under 30% - Low 30-60% - Low-Moderate 40-70% - Moderate 60-80% - Moderate-High 70-85% - High 80%+ - Very High 90%+
Recommended Big Z's Setup
- Baby Buddy for hatchlings
- Burrow Buddy grow-out
- Larger custom terrestrial for adults
Critical Notes
- Trade-name ambiguity: 'Black Flame' is used both generically for S. subspinipes and specifically for this S. dehaani dark color form. Match against the actual animal's coloration rather than assuming either
- Medically significant venom, same risk profile as other large Scolopendra/dehaani
- Fast and aggressive; tool-only handling always
- Likely a close relative (possibly the same underlying species) to the Cherry Head/Cherry Red dehaani forms already in the catalog
- Cross ventilation low on two opposite walls, at substrate level, is the top husbandry priority. Stagnant saturated air in the burrow is what kills captive Scolopendra, well ahead of any temperature or humidity number.
Care Basics
- Deep packed substrate.
- Cross ventilation low on two opposite walls, at substrate level. Priority one.
- Secure locking lid.
- Shallow water dish packed with pebbles so pedelings cannot drown.
- Tongs/cup only.
- Generous floor footprint.
Feeding, Growth & Maintenance
- Feeding: roaches or crickets no longer than half the body length, every 4-7 days for juveniles, every 10-14 days for adults.
- Growth: comparable to other large dehaani/subspinipes-complex members.
- Maintenance: pull uneaten prey within a day; don't disturb a fresh molt.
Current Big Z's catalog: Yes
Scolopendra dehaani 'Black Flame'
Identity confidence: needs verification. We have not confirmed what this animal is. Ask us before you set anything up off the name alone.
Vietnamese Black Flame Centipede: Advanced Care Guide
Keeper Snapshot: A dark, almost smoky-bodied color form of the giant Vietnamese centipede with greenish-black legs: same species group as the Cherry Red/Cherry Head dehaani forms, just a darker locality color form. Adults run 6-7+ inches.
Group: CentipedesDifficulty: Spice 5: Extreme (Medical Significance)Setup: Tropical burrowing/fossorial terrestrialHandling: NEVER
Use This Guide Safely
- Confirm the exact animal. Match this guide to the species, locality, size, and life stage on your label. If the ID is uncertain, use the more conservative part of the range and ask before changing the setup.
- Change one thing at a time. Treat temperature and humidity as target zones, then watch posture, burrowing, drinking, feeding, and molt behavior before making another adjustment.
- Respect the handling boundary. If the guide says no handling, fast, defensive, or medically significant, plan transfers with catch cups, locked lids, and no bare hands. For serious bites, stings, or symptoms, seek emergency medical care.
Quick Snapshot
| Temperature | 75-85°F |
|---|---|
| Humidity | Ambient 70-85%, cross-ventilated at substrate level; dry refuge zone |
| Setup Type | Tropical burrowing/fossorial terrestrial |
| Substrate | Deep (6 in+) packed, moisture-retentive |
| Feeding | Roaches/crickets, no longer than half the body |
| Care Difficulty | Spice 5: Extreme (Medical Significance) |
| Handling | NEVER |
Humidity zones: Very Low under 30% - Low 30-60% - Low-Moderate 40-70% - Moderate 60-80% - Moderate-High 70-85% - High 80%+ - Very High 90%+
Enclosure Format / Size Class
- Baby Buddy for hatchlings
- Burrow Buddy grow-out
- Large custom terrestrial for adults
Warnings First
- Trade-name ambiguity: 'Black Flame' is used both generically for S. subspinipes and specifically for this S. dehaani dark color form. Match against the actual animal's coloration rather than assuming either
- Medically significant venom, same risk profile as other large Scolopendra/dehaani
- Fast and aggressive; tool-only handling always
- Likely a close relative (possibly the same underlying species) to the Cherry Head/Cherry Red dehaani forms already in the catalog
- Cross ventilation low on two opposite walls, at substrate level, is the top husbandry priority. Stagnant saturated air in the burrow is what kills captive Scolopendra, well ahead of any temperature or humidity number.
Simple Care
- Deep packed substrate.
- Cross ventilation low on two opposite walls, at substrate level. Priority one.
- Secure locking lid.
- Shallow water dish packed with pebbles so pedelings cannot drown.
- Tongs/cup only.
- Generous floor footprint.
Advanced Keeper Notes
Enclosure & Microclimate
- Standard deep-substrate dehaani/subspinipes-complex setup applies: no meaningful husbandry difference from the Cherry Red/Cherry Head forms, this is a color variant, not a different care profile.
- Cross ventilation at substrate level is the first thing to build and the last thing to compromise on. Put vents low on two opposite walls, at or just above the substrate line, so air travels sideways through the burrow layer rather than only across the top. Lid-only venting dries the surface while saturated air stalls down in the burrow, and that stagnant pocket is the origin of most cuticle fungus, mite outbreaks, and stuck molts in captive centipedes.
- Fine stainless mesh, bonded flush, over every low vent. Size the openings against the head: if the head passes, so does the centipede.
- Airflow and ambient humidity are a trade-off, so run them together. Keep 70 to 85% by holding damp lower substrate and a water dish underneath good ventilation, rather than by sealing the box to trap moisture. Trapped moisture is not humidity management, it is a fungal incubator.
- Read wetness with your hands. The bottom third should hold its shape when squeezed and release no free water, the middle stays cool and damp, and the top inch can look dry. That vertical gradient is what the animal moves through to pick its own conditions.
- Keep a shallow water dish in permanently, packed with pebbles or a few flat stones so the waterline sits below the rim. Pedelings and small instars drown in open water, and the stones give them a climb-out. The dish also puts humidity into the enclosure at floor level, which means the open substrate does not have to be soggy.
- Mist under the hide instead of over the whole enclosure. That creates a damp, dark microclimate exactly where the centipede spends the day, and leaves the rest of the box free to dry and re-air between mistings.
Feeding, Growth & Maintenance
- Feeding: roaches or crickets no longer than half the body length, every 4-7 days for juveniles, every 10-14 days for adults.
- Growth: comparable to other large dehaani/subspinipes-complex members.
- Maintenance: pull uneaten prey within a day; don't disturb a fresh molt.
Possible Origin / Range
- Likely native range: Vietnam and neighboring Indochina.
- Habitat translation: Same tropical forest-floor burrower profile as the rest of the dehaani/subspinipes complex.
Advanced Keeper Details
- Given the taxonomic overlap between 'black flame' as a generic subspinipes nickname and as a specific dehaani color form, this ID carries more uncertainty than a standard subspinipes listing. Keep internal records noting that.
- Worth cross-checking copy against the Cherry Head/Cherry Red listings so all three dehaani color forms don't read as unrelated species.
- Sources: the full Big Z APA 7 reference list lives at References.