Scolopendra subspinipes
Vietnamese Centipede: Advanced Care Guide
Keeper Snapshot: The classic giant centipede in the hobby: red-brown body, yellow-orange legs. Adults commonly 6-8 in, to 10. Medically significant bite. Fast, smart, no handling.
Group: CentipedesDifficulty: Spice 5: ExtremeSetup: Terrestrial burrower, deep substrateHandling: No handling, tool transfers 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 day, not under 70°F |
|---|---|
| Humidity | 65-90%, ventilated at substrate level, dry refuge zone |
| Setup Type | Terrestrial burrower, deep substrate |
| Substrate | 6 in+ packed coco fiber/soil, damp below |
| Feeding | Roaches/crickets, no longer than half the body |
| Care Difficulty | Spice 5: Extreme |
| Handling | No handling, tool transfers 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, deep substrate started early.
- Juveniles: Burrow Buddy grow-out, packed substrate.
- Adults (6-8 in): large custom terrestrial, 6 in+ substrate, locking lid.
Warnings First
- Medically significant bite: intense pain, swelling, and local tissue damage.
- Extremely fast on floor, glass, and briefly vertical surfaces. Tool-only handling.
- Real escape risk. Needs a secure, tight-fitting, locking lid.
- Solitary and cannibalistic. Never cohab, including with its own species.
- Stagnant air at substrate level breeds mold and mites. Vent low on two walls.
Simple Care
- Pack deep substrate, 6 in or more.
- Vent low on two opposite walls, at substrate level. This matters more than any humidity number.
- Keep a dry zone alongside the humid zone.
- Keep a shallow water dish, pebbles for footing.
- Use a heavy, secure lid.
- Tools and a catch cup only, never bare hands.
Advanced Keeper Notes
Enclosure & Microclimate
- Pack 6 in+ of moisture-retentive substrate so it can dig a stable burrow. Shallow or loose leaves it stressed.
- Keep one end noticeably drier than the other. Uniform humidity invites mold and mites.
- Vent low on two opposite walls, at the substrate line, in fine mesh sized under the head width.
- Hold 65-90% by feeding moisture from below with damp substrate and a water dish, not by closing the vents.
- Judge wetness by hand: the bottom third holds its shape with no free water, the top inch can look dry.
Feeding, Growth & Maintenance
- Feed roaches or crickets no longer than half the body, every 4-7 days for juveniles, 10-14 for adults. Judge by body condition.
- Takes a year or more to mature depending on temperature and feeding. Lifespan commonly 5-10 years.
- Pull uneaten prey within a day. Never disturb a fresh molt until it hardens and darkens.
Possible Origin / Range
- Likely native range: Broadly across South/Southeast Asia into Oceania and the Pacific, one of the most widely distributed Scolopendra species.
- Habitat translation: Tropical forest floor leaf litter and rotting wood over loose, humid soil become deep packed substrate with a dry zone and cross ventilation.
Advanced Keeper Details
- This species-complex once included several close relatives as subspecies before being split into distinct species. Expect other trade names in the same complex.
- Treat any bite as a medical event. Contact Poison Control or a clinician for guidance, and seek emergency care for severe or rapidly worsening symptoms.