In stock Buton Black Centipede for sale All centipedes for sale
Scolopendra sp. 'Buton Black'
Sold under its hobby name. This guide covers the group or trade name this fella is sold as, so the ranges fit the whole group. Start in the middle and watch how your animal settles in.
Buton Black Centipede: Advanced Care Guide
Keeper Snapshot: A big, dark Scolopendra with a cherry head and a medically significant bite. Deep, moist soil, a locked lid and long tongs every time; this is keeper-only territory.
Group: CentipedesDifficulty: Spice 5: ExtremeSetup: Tropical fossorial centipede, deep soilHandling: No handling, never touch with hands
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 fossorial centipede, deep soil |
| Substrate | Deep moist soil/coco mix, 4-6 in+ |
| Feeding | Prey weekly or every other week |
| Care Difficulty | Spice 5: Extreme |
| Handling | No handling, never touch with hands |
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
- Adults (5-7 in on arrival): deep custom build with a locking lid and secondary containment.
Warnings First
- Medically significant: bites are extremely painful with severe swelling and can cause body-wide symptoms. Any bite needs medical care.
- Never touch it. Long tongs, a catch cup and a second sealed container for every service.
- Escape artist. Locking lid, no gaps, and vents finer than its head.
- Wild-caught adult: watch for mites and give it quiet time to settle.
Simple Care
- House it alone.
- Deep, moist soil to burrow in.
- Bark cover and a drier refuge zone.
- Shallow pebble-filled dish.
- Locking lid and secondary containment.
Advanced Keeper Notes
Enclosure & Microclimate
- Depth and floor length both matter for a big centipede. Give it room to stretch out underground.
- Water the soil from the side away from its tunnel so moisture wicks down.
- Cross ventilation keeps a moist build from going sour.
Feeding, Growth & Maintenance
- Roaches or crickets sized to its head and forcipules, weekly or every other week.
- Use long tongs or drop prey in. Pull leftovers next day.
- Expect hiding and fasting around a molt.
Possible Origin / Range
- Likely native range: Trade locality: Buton Island, off southeastern Sulawesi, Indonesia. Species not confirmed.
- Habitat translation: Indonesian forest floor becomes deep, moist, diggable soil with bark cover, a drier refuge zone and steady cross ventilation.
Advanced Keeper Details
- 'Buton Black' is a trade name tied to a locality. The species has not been identified.