Scolopendra dehaani “Yellow Leg”

Scolopendra dehaani “Yellow Leg” have a dark brown body color, whereas the leg colors can vary from yellow to red, depending on the area of origin. The yellow-footed animals also have three pairs of orange legs – the last two and the trailing legs change color with a beautiful color gradient.

This species of scolopender is quite agile and likes to explore its surroundings. They are hunters and inject their venom into animals that they hold as food or attackers. Caution is advised when handling scolopender, as the venom can also be dangerous to humans. However, a bite is not life-threatening for a healthy adult, but causes very severe pain. A sufficiently high box with a minimum height of 30 cm and a tight-fitting lid is therefore highly recommended.

The humidity should be 70-80%. However, care should be taken to ensure that the substrate is not wet, as the animals tend to develop fungus when kept too wet. Sea almond leaves as a top layer have a fungus-inhibiting effect and should therefore be laid out generously.

Scolopendra dehaani “Yellow Leg” are not very picky eaters and can also cope with food animals that are larger than themselves. Insects such as crickets, grasshoppers or cockroaches have proven successful in keeping. Uneaten food animals should be removed after a day, as scolopender are also defenceless during the moulting phase.

Anyone thinking of buying a Scolopendra dehaani “Yellow Leg” should be aware that it is a poisonous animal and must be handled very carefully. In return, however, you get a bizarre-looking prehistoric animal with absolutely fascinating behavior.