should non adults be allowed to keep scolopendrids?

[thebugfreak]

I have already given him a cingulata(great beginner pede) and a polymorpha(great for beginners).and he has just fallen in love with one of my smaller malaysians(5-6 inches) and if the parents OK it-then it's his.

i think if you want to give him a malaysian, he should know fully, and i mean fully the risks of it like what the symptoms are if you get bit, what to do if you get bit, and know that it is a strictly display only species. no prodding, poking, handling.. etc. because i think the problem here is some minors want something, but aren't aware of the risks involved and they don't know how to take care of such a hot species.

IMO if i was to give a malaysian giant to my kid, i would first supervise him in everything he does with the malaysian, like feeding, tank maintenance, etc. and then slowly let him do things on his own until he is comfortable with it. but that's just how i would approach this.

 

[Toirtis]

I am troubled by that logic, how would that have worked in the holocaust?

Its sound logic...if we do not comport ourselves logically, incidents occur and people start making nasty laws.

 

[H. laoticus]

I didn't vote because the question is too simple.

Should non-adults be able to keep them? It depends.

If you fixed the question and put "If his/her parents agree and understand any and all risks and have been given info on what to do in case of an emergency" then I would answer Yes. Make them sign a waiver, perhaps.

If you say that they didn't agree, I answer, "No."

Good thing you asked, might help other hobbyists!
In fact, I'm starting to think we should have a sticky on this issue, just to inform others in the hobby.

 

[Anubis77]

I kept Scolopendrids as a minor, but I started off with 3 inch S. polymorpha, moved on to 6" S. polymorpha, and ended with a 7" S. subsinipes. I also kept a variety of Androctonus species and Leiurus quinquestriatus as a minor, but always with the permission of my father and always under agreement with dealers who were familiar with me.

So, like everyone else has said, it comes down to parental permission.

If you say he has experience with S. cingulata and polymorpha already and hasn't had any incidents with them, then I'd say yes in this case (with the above condition).

 

[presurcukr]

My daughter who is 13 (8legedemily)works with me on all our T's,Scorpions and Pedes.With The permission of the minors parents. I see no reason not to give him the chance to enjoy the pede.

 

[Versi*JP*Color]

I'm 10 turning 11 July 1st and I can take care of one.

 

[Earthworm Soul]

In my honest opinion, It is very irresponsible to sell pedes to minors. If I was selling copperheads or rattlesnakes to a kid, most sane people will disagree with it... Why? Because, even if it wasn't illegal, it would make the herp community look like a group of loonies that have no problem selling dangerous animals to kids.

The invert community is even less understood than the herp community. We have even less support than they do.

Doing anything to possibly compromise that is detrimental to the hobby as a whole.

Do what you want, there's nothing I can do to talk you out of it if your mind is already set, I just urge everyone to think about the fact that all of our actions matter in a hobby this misunderstood. It wouldn't take much to push local governments to push restrictions on legal inverts... just ONE incident might be enough, especially if it happened to a child.

 

[nissan480]

The point is that minor's are not accountable.

Meaning that the parents are responsible for what ever happens to who ever on their property. If what ever happens involves a criminal charge you as minor are putting your parents lively hood, or home at risk as well as incriminating your family.

Now, just cause there's no criminal charge doesnt mean there wont be a civil charge. civil cases revolve around monetary compensation,medical fee's as a example,loss of pay due to injury, or worst case scenario permanent damage in which you will pay for the rest of you life, or the rest of your parents life.

Sound like fun?

 

[Earthworm Soul]

The point is that minor's are not accountable.

Meaning that the parents are responsible for what ever happens to who ever on their property. If what ever happens involves a criminal charge you as minor are putting your parents lively hood, or home at risk as well as incriminating your family.

Now, just cause there's no criminal charge doesnt mean there wont be a civil charge. civil cases revolve around monetary compensation,medical fee's as a example,loss of pay due to injury, or worst case scenario permanent damage in which you will pay for the rest of you life, or the rest of your parents life.

Sound like fun?

Exactly, and, I didn't want to say it, but a lot of kids are really stupid and reckless. For every responsible 13 year old, there's a million dumb 13 year olds. Why take the risk that the kid you're selling a subspinipes to isn't going to try posing for a picture with it on his face in front of his dope My Chemical Romance poster?

That may have been a bit harsh (I've had a few whiskeys tonight, it's been a long week), but I believe my point is valid. The pros do not outweigh the cons. If you have a 13 year old that wants a pede, talk him or her into a less dangerous animal, like a red knee or whatever.

I've had 13 year olds come to me wanting to buy one of my reticulated pythons, and I either steer them towards a kingsnake or other beginner species or I simply do not do business with them. To me, risking the potential backlash is not worth the sale.

Just my two cents.

 

[Hilikus311]

i personally can not say yes or no to this thread. i know a lot of adults that shouldnt keep hotter bugs. if the parents are completely ok with the idea and they are aware of the risks then i say go for it, but CYA and make sure you have something from the parents, be it a phone call, or make the parents buy it for him/her. where i work we dont even sell pokies or "hotter" T's to kids, and the person purchasing has to sign a waiver saying if you screw up and get bit its not our fault.

Hmmm. . . would it be possible to get a copy of your waiver? I run a store and would like to reference something if not just completely use yours if it applies. Thanks and I look forward to hearing from you via PM or on here:clap:


oh, and my vote is NO sorry, no if's and's or but's about it.

 

[Terry D]

Hey all. I voted yes, with parental consent, that is. UNLESS it's smallara of course! Haaaaaah, just ribbin' ya, duude Somewhat mentioned in a previous post but worded a little differently- Scary as it may seem, many youngsters are probably more responsible than some adults on this board.....that's not saying much for myself with recent, although not even "warm" escapees.

Terry

 

[Richard McJimsey]

LOL @ comparing selling copperheads/rattlers to kids to selling Scolopendrids to kids.
I voted yes. I do think that non-adults should be able keep Scolopendrids. I just can't picture an 8 or 9 year old playing with an S.subspinipes..

 

[Earthworm Soul]

LOL @ comparing selling copperheads/rattlers to kids to selling Scolopendrids to kids.
I voted yes. I do think that non-adults should be able keep Scolopendrids. I just can't picture an 8 or 9 year old playing with an S.subspinipes..

I don't see the comparison of selling a copperhead to a kid and selling a subspinipes to a kid as being all that different. Both species have an incredibly small chance of being lethal, but both could easily require medical attention. And, in the event that the animal had been sold to the child, both would likely end up on the local news.

If you can't picture a 9 year old doing something stupid that they saw online themselves, I really don't think you have met many 9 year olds. I read a news article about a kid that died after letting his friends bury him in a sandbox so he could imitate a cartoon character. Kids can be dumb as hell.

 

[Richard McJimsey]

I don't see the comparison of selling a copperhead to a kid and selling a subspinipes to a kid as being all that different. Both species have an incredibly small chance of being lethal, but both could easily require medical attention. And, in the event that the animal had been sold to the child, both would likely end up on the local news.

If you can't picture a 9 year old doing something they saw online themselves, I really don't think you have met many 9 year olds. I read a news article about a kid that died after letting his friends bury him in a sandbox so he could imitate a cartoon character. Kids can be dumb as hell.

A kid would have to go out of his way to get a semi-potent Scolopendrid (ie subspinipes); they aren't native to any part of the continental US. Copperheads, on the other hand, are. I'm sure there are plenty of people catching and selling various native wildlife to anyone who's got the cash.
The main place where I can see a child buying a Scolopendrid is at a reptile show, and I just can't see anyone selling anything to a 4' child. I'm sure there's some exception, though.

I'd also have to agree with the fact that I know several non-adults keeping Scolopendrids (and hot sp.) that are significantly more mature, and responsible than the majority of the people I see on here, and other forums.

 

[Earthworm Soul]

A kid would have to go out of his way to get a semi-potent Scolopendrid (ie subspinipes); they aren't native to any part of the continental US. Copperheads, on the other hand, are. I'm sure there are plenty of people catching and selling various native wildlife to anyone who's got the cash.
The main place where I can see a child buying a Scolopendrid is at a reptile show, and I just can't see anyone selling anything to a 4' child. I'm sure there's some exception, though.

I'd also have to agree with the fact that I know several non-adults keeping Scolopendrids (and hot sp.) that are significantly more mature, and responsible than the majority of the people I see on here, and other forums.

I can buy subspinipes at my LPS... They're certainly not difficult to come by. They're available on every major invert dealer's site. I don't understand what you're trying to say. This debate has nothing to do with how readily available the animals are, merely the ethics of selling them to children.

I know kids myself that could probably keep a scolopendra very responsibly, but that doesn't matter... they're still minors, and in the event of an accident, it will still look poorly on the hobby.

If a 25 year old gets bit and ends up in the hospital, no one really cares too much.... if a 10 year old gets bit and ends up in the hospital, all it takes is a slow news day to create "Are online bug peddlers selling YOUR kids KILLER bugs? News at 7!" headlines. Parents get outraged, bans get imposed... etc.

If the kid can't wait til they're an adult to have a scolopendra, then, in my opinion, they're not mature enough to have one anyway.

 

[kripp_keeper]

No.

I don't believe any animal should be sold to children other then some fish. If the parents wish to buy it and make it a "family pet" that fine, but I don't believe most children have the capacity to care animals. Its a lot to keep up with at 12, and the dangers are fairly high. I know many on here have said they owned pets at a early age, and so did I. Most things my parents helped with and what they didn't, didn't always work out well. If you do sell it to him I think he needs to understand that you are selling it to his parents, and they have control over the decisions regarding it.

 

[Toirtis]

I don't believe any animal should be sold to children other then some fish.

It is actually law in some places (I believe England is one of them) that live animals cannot be sold to any minor. Some shops in areas without such a law have adopted this as a policy...it was my policy at the store I owned, and at the stores I have managed.

 

[super-pede]

I can buy subspinipes at my LPS... They're certainly not difficult to come by. They're available on every major invert dealer's site.

Swifts doesn't carry them.Paul doesn't carry them(I wish he would).Captive Inverts doesn't carry them.

 

[Earthworm Soul]

Swifts doesn't carry them.Paul doesn't carry them(I wish he would).Captive Inverts doesn't carry them.

Be that as it may, they aren't hard to come by.

Don't get me wrong, In a perfect world where everybody takes responsibility for their own actions, I wouldn't have any problem with it so long as the parents gave permission. Unfortunately, we live in a world where that is not always the case.

It is simply not worth the risk.

 

[micheldied]

I don't see the problem with it... Anyone with the right knowledge should be able to.
As for getting bit, anyone could get bit, old or young.
I'm 16, and I've been keeping various animals since I was 6.
Very rarely have I ever screwed up.