Scolopendra dehaani
Indonesian Cherry Head Centipede: Advanced Care Guide
Keeper Snapshot: A thick-bodied, deep red giant centipede, one of the heaviest-bodied Scolopendra in the trade. Adults run 6-8 in. Medically significant bite, no handling.
Group: CentipedesDifficulty: Spice 5: ExtremeSetup: Tropical burrowing/fossorial terrestrialHandling: No handling, tongs and catch cup only
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 | 70-85%, cross-ventilated, dry refuge zone |
| Setup Type | Tropical burrowing/fossorial terrestrial |
| Substrate | Deep (6 in+) packed, moisture-retentive substrate |
| Feeding | Roaches/crickets under half body, weekly to biweekly |
| Care Difficulty | Spice 5: Extreme |
| Handling | No handling, tongs and catch cup only |
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
- Hatchlings: Baby Buddy, fine-mesh security.
- Juveniles: Burrow Buddy grow-out, deep substrate.
- Adults (6-8 in): large custom terrestrial, wide floor footprint for a heavy-bodied animal.
Warnings First
- Medically significant bite, same risk as other large Scolopendra.
- Fast and aggressive. Tool-only handling, always.
- Thick and heavy-bodied with a strong grip. Plan enclosure security accordingly.
- Seal every gap to the head size, not the body. A thick centipede still has a narrow head.
- A heavy body packs the burrow walls tighter, so it breathes less. Cross ventilation at substrate level matters even more here.
Simple Care
- Use deep, packed substrate sized for a heavier-bodied animal.
- Vent low on two opposite walls for real cross airflow.
- Lock the lid securely.
- Keep a shallow water dish full, packed with pebbles.
- Handle transfers with tongs and a catch cup only.
- Give it a generous floor footprint, not just height.
Advanced Keeper Notes
Enclosure & Microclimate
- Give this one a wider floor footprint than a slimmer dehaani of the same length. It runs noticeably thicker-bodied.
- Standard deep, moisture-retentive substrate with a drier refuge zone, as with other giant Scolopendra.
- A thick body compacts its burrow walls as it moves, so cross ventilation at substrate level matters even more here.
- Bond fine stainless mesh over the low vents, sized to the head, not the body.
- Hold 70-85% with damp lower substrate and a water dish, not by sealing vents. A sealed box reads fine on a hygrometer and grows fungus on your centipede.
Feeding, Growth & Maintenance
- Feed roaches or crickets no longer than half the body, every 4-7 days for juveniles and every 10-14 days for adults.
- A hearty appetite matches its bulk, but don't scale up prey size just because the body is thicker.
- Pull uneaten prey within a day. Don't disturb a fresh molt.
Possible Origin / Range
- Likely native range: Mainland and island Southeast Asia: Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia. This color form is reported from Indonesian localities.
- Habitat translation: Same tropical leaf-litter/forest-floor burrower profile as other giant Scolopendra.
Advanced Keeper Details
- Very likely the same species as Big Z's Malaysian Cherry Red Centipede, just a different color form, not a distinct species.
- Documented with five natural color morphs across its range, which supports treating this as one species with several color forms.