Centipedes?
- Thread starter Filthy Sanchez
- Start date
i had a 8" one. very easy to keep. feed... water. thats it. oh, and dont pet, not a petting kind of pet. they are very nasty and get out very well so make sure you get a VERY tight fitting lid with locks. any kids in the house , dont buy it. a bite from a 6+" centapeed will put a full grown man in the hospital. god only knows what it will do to a child. the pet store i bought mine from said that they sold one to a customer who liked to hold everything he bought(300+pound biker guy). spiders snakes, all. well he bought a centapeed and agenst warnings held it, got bit cried like a little girl and was in the hospital for 3 weeks. two of witch he said he felt like his body was lit "on fire". so keep it in mind at some time you will have to change the water and the substrate. they are super fast bite from one end sting from the other. if it hits the floor crush it as fast as possible. 30 bucksdown the drain is better then one of these loose in your house as they are very territorial. that means if your in his territory (your house)hell chase and bite you. easy pet, fun to watch eat, and cheap but dont get one unless you are prepared for the concequences of what can happen. oh andmine died after i fed it an anole, so no anoles either. good luck!
I have had close to a dozen different species of Scolependra, which is the species of all gian centipedes. I have found the Vietnamese species and the Hatian species easiest to keep, and can grow to a foot and eat a mouse with a scrap left (they will eat live or thawed. Most people believe they are pure predators, but they also scavange). However it is best to feed llarge crickets or Hatian roaches, as that is more a part of their native diet. Stay away from the S. Arizonis (from Arizona), it is a desert species that is rather hard to keep. The is another great species from China that has a black body red head & yellow legs & can live communally. The largest species available is the Peruvian, which I have seen & it is beautiful but very expensive (usually over $100).
One warning. These things are quick, strong, and great ecape artists. While their venom is not medically significant, a bit can cause tremendous pain for hours or even days (only the Vietnamese has an attributable death & that was a baby). I gave all of mine away when I had twins 5 months ago because I they escaped on a weekly basis (but were easy to find because they always went to the same place).
True story. I had a Vietnamese that ripped tnhe top part of its head off on the covering then ran madly around the cage for 3 days before expiring.
A good web site to check out keeping infor is www.petbugs.com. A good site for purchase is www.swiftinvertibrates.com, although I usually purchase at reptile shows for a fraction of what web sites and stores sell the for, because you can purchase straight from the breeder. Let me know if I can provide additional info.
BTW, Life expectancy is usually 6 years, but the Chinese species I mentioned can live over 10 years. I kept a few for 32 years before having to give them away. I enjoyed them so much I got a tat of a Vietnamese.
One warning. These things are quick, strong, and great ecape artists. While their venom is not medically significant, a bit can cause tremendous pain for hours or even days (only the Vietnamese has an attributable death & that was a baby). I gave all of mine away when I had twins 5 months ago because I they escaped on a weekly basis (but were easy to find because they always went to the same place).
True story. I had a Vietnamese that ripped tnhe top part of its head off on the covering then ran madly around the cage for 3 days before expiring.
A good web site to check out keeping infor is www.petbugs.com. A good site for purchase is www.swiftinvertibrates.com, although I usually purchase at reptile shows for a fraction of what web sites and stores sell the for, because you can purchase straight from the breeder. Let me know if I can provide additional info.
BTW, Life expectancy is usually 6 years, but the Chinese species I mentioned can live over 10 years. I kept a few for 32 years before having to give them away. I enjoyed them so much I got a tat of a Vietnamese.
I've kept a Vietnamese Red-Legged. Mine was extremly aggresive, and its venoum is medically significant, especially children. There is atleast one death atributed to the red-leg.
Taken from: http://www.tarantulaspiders.com/pages/centipedegallery.htm
Scolopendra subspinipes "Vietnamese Giant Centipede" T/F/A/V/D
Common import of from Vietnam and Malaysia, but large and impressive. Only centipede that has caused death from its bite - beware! When humid, they have red/orange legs, when less humid, yellowish, pale legs. Max. length: 6"-10". Range: SE Asia, Africa, India and Indian Ocean islands (?), Hawaiian islands, South Pacific islands. Many sub-species and geographical, color variations.
Taken from: http://www.tarantulaspiders.com/pages/centipedegallery.htm
Scolopendra subspinipes "Vietnamese Giant Centipede" T/F/A/V/D
Common import of from Vietnam and Malaysia, but large and impressive. Only centipede that has caused death from its bite - beware! When humid, they have red/orange legs, when less humid, yellowish, pale legs. Max. length: 6"-10". Range: SE Asia, Africa, India and Indian Ocean islands (?), Hawaiian islands, South Pacific islands. Many sub-species and geographical, color variations.
