My New Centipede (Hornet Please Look)

[PhilK]

Hey all, jack from this site found a centipede in his firewood and posted it to me as I wanted one (thanks Jack) and this morning he arrived safe and sound. Thought I'd post some photos of him. He's in a tank with cocopeat substrate and sphagnum moss with a big rock. For these photos I took the rock out. The quality isn't great as he's only a little fella but you get the idea! I love him hahaha but can't find any prey items small enough for him.

If anyone can tell me (roughly) what type he is and what size he'll get to that'd be great!

 

[hornet]

try and get a closeup on white paper

 

[PhilK]

he will run away hahaha

 

[0_missy_0]

Nice centipede, do they walk/run fast?

 

[Armand]

yeh they are pretty fast... could you handle one that size?

 

[PhilK]

OK I finally chased him down. He was not keen at all hahahaha and yes they are quick. Or at least this one is. Managed to get some photos against a white background but the camera really is terrible, so sorry for the quality. It's a challenge, hornet!

And I probably could handle him but he might bite and that'd hurt. Not to mention he's so little and quick I'd soon crush/lose him.

 

[mitchdiamond]

Would it eat ants?

 

[Armand]

try baby or small crickets.. baby crickets are so small you could fit hunderds on one finger.. they are tiny he will be able to eat them (if they eat crickets)

 

[PhilK]

I dunno if it could. I noticed the other day that my petshop got some "extra small" crickets in and they look like prime candidates for him so I'll pay a visit tomorrow before splendour. Are they good at hunting things down? I'll try and find it little spiders etc around the house. The smallest of my large crickets is too big for it either way. He's so cute! I want some more of them hahaha (hopefully they prove to be more active than Ts and scorps)

EDIT: beat me to it

 

[MoreliaMatt]

yeah try pinhead crix or even small ones maybe?

 

[hornet]

i wouldnt bother with crix, i had the best sucess with mealworms

 

[PhilK]

Any luck on a tentative ID?

 

[$NaKe PiMp]

i caught one but it died

 

[bylo]

just feed them meal worms ,and keep them moist as they will die if they dry out

 

[Duke]

See if your camera has a macro function. Look for a Flower symbol or something.
You may think your camera is crap, but the macro function works a treat.

Back on topic, do they eat veggies, or are they 100% carnivorous?

 

[hornet]

100% carnivores, can you get a head shot?

 

[PhilK]

He's eaten alot of small crickets, is excavating a ditch and is kept nice and moist. My camera has a macro function, and I was using it for the above photos. Headshot is pretty much impossible. I might try when he's a little bigger! How big do Aussie centipedes get?

 

[cris]

Around brisbane i dont think they get any bigger than about 200mm(most are smaller) but it would depend on the species. smallest i have seen was about 8mm

 

[Niomi]

My mum has those roaming around her house all the time!! They are a pest to her...Shame your in Brissy you could take them off her hands

 

[PhilK]

A pest? They eat all the other bugs! Hahaha that's like calling spiders pests. Cockroaches are pests.. Spiders/centipedes etc are natural pesticides