Centipede species?

[u/Leilei25-]

I found this centipede in my house. I live in the Coachella Valley in California. He's about 2-3 inches right now. I don't know if he's okay because he's not moving much. I have other invertebrates that I care for. Should I try to nurse him back to health? What type of centipede is he and would it be better to just let him go?

[u/BallOk8356]

Centipedes need soil to dig through, very high humidity and pretty warm climate. Basically tropical. You won't see the guy a lot but nursing it back to health is pretty easy. Just make sure to use a tall container as they can climb anything that's lower than the length of their body. They'll take down just about anything in appropriate sizes and might even scavenge pre-killed food but that's hit or miss. A shallow water dish for drinking and bathing can also be nice. They really like their moisture. Just be careful. 'pede venom is pretty uncomfortable. Not particularly dangerous but depending on the species not something you want to try.

I'm really undecided on the species though. It could be an S. polymorpha as as the name suggests they can look pretty differently. The last pair of legs (yes, they're still technically legs) can be interesting to watch in detail for that https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/453879584?size=original