Why did I do this...(1st Centipede)

CodeWilster

Arachnobaron
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Aug 13, 2008
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Well I had been avoiding centipedes this whole time...until today. I've had lots of tarantulas, roaches, a few millis, a few scorps, and so forth, but I said I would never buy a centipede. For some reason they terrified me and I didn't like the impression I was given that they are unpredictable [yet inevitable] biters, that not to mention hurt really bad.

Today we had a shipment of inverts come in (I work at a pet store). Usual stuff such as Emps, Flat Rocks, random Baboons, etc...plus one big fat nam centipede (S.S.Dh. "Orange Leg"). It's about 6" maybe bigger. All I know is that it was absolutely stunning. In addition to the astonishment of its natural beauty that kept me staring at it, testosterone began to clog my brain and I ended up promising myself that I would hold it by the end of the day. Whether to conquer my fear or just show off I don't know. I also promised myself that if it didn't bite me I would buy it, if it bit me and didn't hurt as bad as I thought then I would buy it, or if it bit me and hurt REALLY REALLY bad I WOULDN'T buy it. Therefore it had a 66.6% chance of going home with me.

So with all of the employees watching me shake like a Chihuahua in December I held it for about 4 seconds as it crawled over both of my hands (for those of you who keep these things you know that's a good long time) and it didn't bite me. The rush was simply amazing {D Anyway I hope this doesn't end up like the tarantula addiction I just got over, sorta...they sure do come in pretty colors and big sizes etc. etc. :}

Ok so if you've read this far then I guess I better reward you with some pictures of my new pet (but hopefully not my beginning new hobby...:wall: )





Sorry, centipede photography is new for me...they never stop moving!

There will eventually be some pictures or a video of me handling it...keyword eventually :)

I hardly ever post stuff like this but today was just way too exciting for me. :D
 

skippy

Arachnoangel
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don't be such a wuss! i seen you handling a regalis like it was nothing in concord and you're nervous about a little centipede?;P

i on the other hand feel perfectly justified in flinching any time mine lunges at the open top of its container like some kind of lunatic rabid monster:} seriously, it's freaking terrifying! i do enjoy it when it rips the cricket from the tweezers though:D
 

CodeWilster

Arachnobaron
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Hey Skippy! My regalis is actually quite friendly, I think people tend to categorize speed with aggression in Ts. I'd let you hold her at the next meeting if you want ;)

I've been looking at bite reports and peoples' opinions on Scolopendra subspinipes de haani and they seemed exaggerated at first then I noticed the consistency :eek: Maybe I WON'T handle it again! (more than likely I will :wall: ...)

And yeah several times already she struck at me through the cup she came in, and every time I poke her posterior end she does a little flick or sometimes an attempted spin-around and strike!
 

Satellite Rob

Arachnoangel
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Jun 2, 2008
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Hay Cody,
I give my pedes alot more respect than I give my T's.There not a T alive I
wont pick up.I don't care how big or aggressive it is.I don't think twice about
it.But when it comes to pedes it's a different story and I don't no why.I
caught my first in the mid 1980's.It was a florida S.Alternans.It was almost 8"
and I kept for about 5 years until it died.I now have 42 pedes and 12 are of 1
species.So I have 14 species of pedes and have orders out for 6 more.So
since the mid 1980's i've only pick up pedes about 5 times.I pick up more T's
in a weeks.Just cleaning there tanks.I'm not afraid of any pede.But for some
strange reason I give then alot more respect.Anyway Cody good luck with
your new pede and i'm sure it wont be your last.
 

CodeWilster

Arachnobaron
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Bite report...already. lol

Good to hear from you Rob. I remember when we talked that I mentioned I don't deal with them but I figured I would eventually, and of course here I am with one :) And as for Ts I agree exactly. I can't think of any T that I would feel uncomfortable handling. Once you sort of know how to read them, have good reflexes and can keep yourself calm then they are all sort of the same. That doesn't mean I handle the 90mph ones nor the really itchy ones for fun but if I had to I would be completely comfortable. Now for pedes, I know why one would give them much more respect! From what I can tell they are unpredictable, most are very very fast, and those mandibles are a real fright when you get a good look at them! :eek: Which reminds me...

I took a few more pics and wanted to get a good one of me handling it...at one point the pede was very distracted and was eating a cricket. I decided to sneak my hand behind it and get at least half its body on my hand. Well this wasn't a problem...but then its legs clamped onto my fingers as it was munching the cricket. I couldn't get it off, and eventually it had finished the cricket. I could tell it was very hungry and was looking for more by the way it began digging its head in the ground below where it was eating. Anyway with its back legs clamped onto me it eventually turned around and before it even started crawling up my hand it bumped into my finger and bit it. Within a millisecond I gave a quick flick where it despite being dropped immediately grabbed another cricket.

I must have managed to get it off before it could do any real damage, and it was also on a part of my finger where the skin was pretty thick. It's fangs just BARELY punctured through, hardly enough at all that it is simply not worth photographing. I don't even remember the pinch (thanks to adrenaline) but for the next several minutes it itched a little bit. Anyway first pede, first time handling a pede, and first bite all in one day :) Time to go to bed...

Here's a pic that got me in that whole situation...call me stupid but I knew I was asking for it.

 

Warren Bautista

Arachnoprince
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GAHHH!
I have a 7" that looks like an S.S.DH sp. "vietnam", and I would never dream of handling it! Have you ever seen a snake in threat posture? Striking resemblance to my pede.
Maybe that's why it only cost me $15 with it's enclosure lol.
I need MORE! I think this is more addicting than Ts!
 

Rochelle

Arachnoprince
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Aug 12, 2006
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Congrats on all your firsts! The pede-a-saur is gorgeous. :D

Quite awhile back I decided that I couldn't take looking at all the beautiful pedes on here any more and got one of these beasties, myself. (S.s. Dh.)
It didn't take long to figure out that pedes were nothing similar to T's and that I was in waaaay over my head, lol. The first time I saw "Igor" stand up and challenge me - the first time I tried to maintenance his tank and he sort of "jumped" around in a spinning/attacking maneuver and tried to run up the tongs - those were all moments that added up to me trading him for a bunch of isopods. :eek:
I still love to look at the obscenely beautiful pedes; but only in other folk's tanks. I'm too intimidated by these beasts.

Good luck with yours - you guys have lots more nerve than I ever will! {D
 

CodeWilster

Arachnobaron
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I think it's a mix of nerve and stupidity lol at least for me. These things are insane but they are still absolutely fascinating. It's neat watching them run like a crazy snake!
 

Satellite Rob

Arachnoangel
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Hi Cody,
Once you get hooked on pedes you can never go back.The addiction might be
as bad as T's.The only good thing about it.There not as many large species
and I don't care for the smaller ones.But there are alot color morph from
different locations and probably alot more to come.So Cody good luck again.
 
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Satellite Rob

Arachnoangel
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The A.Fracta is 1 nasty T.But I have picked it up.All I had to do is come from
behind the abdomen and to pin her carapace.If you came from the front.She
would see you coming and rear up and start to strike.The only reson I picked
her up was to sex her and i'm 95% sure it's a female.But it is a T that demands
respected.
 

Travis K

TravIsGinger
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Jan 6, 2007
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I just have to post this, cause it is like a good bragging right...

[YOUTUBE]awoNB2DnhFI[/YOUTUBE]

BTW, I agree with the additional respect these guy earn.
 

CodeWilster

Arachnobaron
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Wow Travis that's an incredible video. Thanks for posting it! It makes me feel more comfortable. I admit I do not exactly trust these things but I hardly fear them like I did and am more comfortable handling them now...especially while they are occupied munching down on a roach!!! :D





BTW, I agree with the additional respect these guy earn.

I can't really tell for sure but I think that was sarcasm (???) especially after watching that video. BTW were you just trying to grab its head or were you trying to make it bite you? (And no that is not a stupid question as many of us know Andrew lol)
 

Travis K

TravIsGinger
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I can't really tell for sure but I think that was sarcasm (???) especially after watching that video. BTW were you just trying to grab its head or were you trying to make it bite you? (And no that is not a stupid question as many of us know Andrew lol)

No, I do seriously respect these types of organisms, and yes they do EARN and DESERVE a high level of respect. You are probably going to get tagged with a "good" bite soon, so be prepared. It will hurt like hell. I was not trying to get bit per'se. I was just seeing what I could get away with.

I hope you have read through all the bite reports like I have.
 

CodeWilster

Arachnobaron
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Yes I have. I would not have handled this thing without reading all of the bite reports and watching other people handle them on youtube first. The bite reports I read a long time ago I think is what sort of developed my fear. Now I usually leave my animals in peace, I can't remember the last time I just decided to pick up and start handling one of my Ts. But for some reason this thing is addicting and I just can't seem to leave the poor thing alone! I think I'll handle it one more time then I'm on vacation for a few days so luckily she/he will be left alone during that time. Something about all of those legs combined with speed, size, color, and mighty venom claws walking on you makes the blood, testosterone, and adrenaline flow :drool: :drool: :drool:
 

cacoseraph

ArachnoGod
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just try to make sure you take bites on the extremities and not your trunk or neck =P
 

Satellite Rob

Arachnoangel
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Hay Cody,
You got to stop pushing your pede.Because sooner or later you will get bit.
I'm not trying to be a jerk.I consider you a friend and it looks like your trying
to get bit.If you just want to test his venom.Then just tap her on her nose a
couple of times and get it out of the way.I can guarantee you.Your not going
to like it.So relax and stop pushing her.Then just sit back and enjoy your first
pede.
 

CodeWilster

Arachnobaron
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Actually if you read a bit ealier I already have been bitten. I could tell it was not a 'real' bite though. From what I've noticed, at least with mine, is that she uses her "fangs" to help climb certain objects. I've watched her use them as she was sliding down a vertical paintbrush. When she bit me was when her back end was clamped onto my hand and then when she began to turn around I pulled my hand up and she must have done it for grip as I already said it was not a hard bite at all, with minimal venom (hardly penetrated skin, barely visible, no swelling just a tiny bit of itching).

I sort of theorized from this to keep her primarily horizontal and to also make sure fingers are kept together as I've noticed things that she randomly bumps into that fit into her mouth she sometimes bites out of nowhere. It's also not like I handle her several times a day, and when I do hold her it is often when she had decided to climb out of her enclosure on her own and I had to pick her up and put her back. I've handled her I think 3 or 4 times now total. Each time she was very calm, even calmer than the specimen in Travis K's video (many times she slowed down to a rest in my hand for several minutes). The only time she ever really goes berserk is when I throw some prey in there some time in the night, or accidentally bump her posterior end with the tongs.

I think I'll just have to get a bunch more pedes that way I can satisfy my "handling" desires lol These things are NOT as bad as I thought, at least they do not bite left and right. Me getting tagged is inevitable but then I can say it happened it hurt and it's over and spread the truth that these animals along with Ts are not as deadly as some think ;)

Appreciate the concern Rob...some people just have to be tought the hard way (and some need more than one lesson :D) And believe me I still do give them a TON of respect just like any other animal; sometimes I get the shakes just taking the lid off of her cage to see what she's up to! :eek:
 
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