Centipedes are carnivorous arthropods that hunt for their food. They will eat anything that they can overpower. Staples of the Scolopendra diet include crickets, roaches, and mice. Small centipedes can be fed on micro crickets, fruit flies or other appropriately sized insects. For the larger full grown species of centipedes, you can try fuzzy rats, or lizards (such as anoles). Food does not have to be live and you can try to feed your centipede using a long pair of tweezers or forceps. A rule of thumb is to not feed your centipede anything longer than half it's body length. You should not feed your pet wild caught prey as the prey may have been exposed to pesticides that can potentially kill your pet. Uneaten prey should be removed from the tank within 48 hrs as they may unduly stress your centipede or harm it if it molts. If you are lucky enough to see your centipede molting or believe that your centipede has molted remove any uneaten prey items from the enclosure immediately as the centipede is vulnerable until its exoskeleton sclerotises (hardens). A good habit to get into is cleaning up any remains the day after feeding your centipede as decaying organic matter commonly attracts mites, fungus, mold and other potentially harmful organisms into the enclosure.

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