# Training Your Centipede. Possible?



## Twilight (Sep 27, 2006)

Is training centipedes and in a way molding them the way you want them possible? I think so, to an extent that is. I might be wrong though as I'm not very experienced with centipedes at all, as I only had them for short while. 

However, since then, I believe I've actually been able to train my centipede to be more terrestrial (above ground) than their usual burrowing self. When I got them, for a long time they would burrow a lot and here in the forum, I hear a lot of people say how they can burrow for days, weeks, or even months. Some accept it, some dislike it. I'm on the side of not liking it a lot. So, once my T-Rex Cobra matt heater came, which I was going to use for the lizard but found out he wasn't too fond with a larger one, gave it instead to my bug collection. I guess at first they were irratated and being above ground sort of got them extra nervous especially because they were new still. However, they begin to adapt and nowadays, even with the heat matt off, they still mostly stay above ground or near their water dish and not burrow. All are eating readily and every single centipede and turantula that I bought a month or less ago have all molted successfully, just to let you know.

I am currently training them to be less nervous and in a way more tame as well. Might sound crazy to you but I rather try it out and see for myself than listen to everyone saying how impossible it is or whatever. I like being the odd ball, its like the more a person tells me how impossible something is, it just makes me want to find a way to make it possible. I'm just being me, even if it kills me I'll be happy. I've done the training by getting my pedes use to being touched by something such as a pencil, I also do it depending on certain times as well. I guess through the tests that took some time, I am now actually able to reach in and calmly stroke them, I will have to say that they are definately less nervous and psychotic now than before, well at least some of them lol. My hong kong centipede actually caught my finger once and instead of biting right away, he paused and actually started licking my finger (I hate being a salt lick). The experiment is far from finished and far from successful and I'll find out more and more as time goes on.

So far all I can say is, just because a caresheet or a group of people say something about a certain creature, doesn't mean the one you have will be like that. They say king baboon turantulas are aggressive? I've had a 7" one that is even more reluctant to bite than my rose hair (Grammostola rosea). I've had emperor scorpions use their stingers much more often than their claws and other creatures that are said to be aggressive in most caresheets, seem even more tamed and easy to handle than some that are reported to be good beginner's pets for handling. I say its best to find out on your own. Just because someone say's something is stupid, impossible, possible, or whatever doesn't neccessarily mean it is, or if an animal is aggressive, etc.

Well this is my finding so far. My knowledge is still very limited so I guess I'll go back and learn some more. I know a few things though about my experiments, just because they're like that doesn't mean the experiment is a positive one, could be luck. I guess there's a lot to it...we'll see.


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## cacoseraph (Sep 27, 2006)

well, i don't think you can train them to balance a ball on their nose like a dog or a seal... but i think it is possible to condition them to not react so drastically to certain stimuli

i would lose the heater though. you are begging to dehydrate centiepdes with it. put it on the side of a scorp tank or something, is much safer


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## Twilight (Sep 27, 2006)

Yeah thats what I thought but isn't keeping their tank moist countering that?


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## cacoseraph (Sep 27, 2006)

sure it counters it... BUT that assumes you ALWAYS remember to water them.

i'm not familiar with that specific heating solution, but a lot of the other common ones could dessicate a good size pede in a matter of days given the right/wrong circumstances

typically most people do not need to use any additional heating for their centipedes unless their house drops to ~50-55*F for most or all of the day. even then i have my doubts, but i live in CA so it never gets that cold in my house to find out

p.s. i believe a hong kong giant would light your ass up like a roman candle if it does tag


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## Twilight (Sep 27, 2006)

Lol, all the pedes i have at the moment will...happens that i got all of most venomous kinds of centipedes...lucky me huh  ...btw if anyone has some of the better handler giant centipedes and they are like pedelings...willing to buy some.


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## Kasha (Oct 1, 2006)

I am with Caco on this.  Actually, I think he and I had a conversation about this.  Now mind you, I am a millipede kind of girl, but I noticed that some of my babies prefer handling so much more than other of the same species.  
I have one that was horrified if I so much as looked in her direction.  She would poo on me the second I picked her up.  Now she is much more tolerant and while still not the happiest when I hold her, at least she does not panic anymore.
I think you can get some of them accustomed to different stimuli.  And I think you can influence certain behaviors, but I am not sure you can change their natural dispositions.  Say an aggressive species will probably stay aggressive, even if you manage to find a single docile one, the majority will be mean.  Just as a docile species can still have mean ones.
I am curious to see what other findings you come up with.  I am all for people taking educated risks in the name of learning.  Just as long as it isn't me getting venomized (is that a word?) by one of those meanies.  Somebody needs to get bitten to be able to tell the rest of us that it hurt!!


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## tyrel (Oct 1, 2006)

Kasha said:


> Just as long as it isn't me getting venomized (is that a word?)


I belive the correct term is "envenomated".


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## flatwormlover11 (Oct 26, 2016)

I am currently training them to be less nervous and in a way more tame as well. Might sound crazy to you but I rather try it out and see for myself than listen to everyone saying how impossible it is or whatever. I like being the odd ball, its like the more a person tells me how impossible something is, it just makes me want to find a way to make it possible. I'm just being me, even if it kills me I'll be happy. I've done the training by getting my pedes use to being touched by something such as a pencil, I also do it depending on certain times as well. I guess through the tests that took some time, I am now actually able to reach in and calmly stroke them, I will have to say that they are definately less nervous and psychotic now than before, well at least some of them lol. My hong kong centipede actually caught my finger once and instead of biting right away, he paused and actually started licking my finger (I hate being a salt lick). The experiment is far from finished and far from successful and I'll find out more and more as time goes on.

So far all I can say is, just because a caresheet or a group of people say something about a certain creature, doesn't mean the one you have will be like that. They say king baboon turantulas are aggressive? I've had a 7" one that is even more reluctant to bite than my rose hair (Grammostola rosea). I've had emperor scorpions use their stingers much more often than their claws and other creatures that are said to be aggressive in most caresheets, seem even more tamed and easy to handle than some that are reported to be good beginner's pets for handling. I say its best to find out on your own. Just because someone say's something is stupid, impossible, possible, or whatever doesn't neccessarily mean it is, or if an animal is aggressive, etc.

Well this is my finding so far. My knowledge is still very limited so I guess I'll go back and learn some more. I know a few things though about my experiments, just because they're like that doesn't mean the experiment is a positive one, could be luck. I guess there's a lot to it...we'll see.[/QUOTE]


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## flatwormlover11 (Oct 26, 2016)

woops, my bad, anyway you go! no matter how many times people have called you crazy, [which I'm sure has reached into the thousands] don't give up!


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## sschind (Oct 27, 2016)

I tried to train mine to fetch the newspaper but it ended tragically almost before the first lesson had begun.  Apparently I rolled it to tightly (the newspaper not the centipede)


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## bryverine (Oct 30, 2016)

sschind said:


> I tried to train mine to fetch the newspaper but it ended tragically almost before the first lesson had begun.  Apparently I rolled it to tightly (the newspaper not the centipede)


It's cause you have to start smaller - like having it get a beer from the fridge.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Venom1080 (Oct 30, 2016)

flatwormlover11 said:


> So far all I can say is, just because a caresheet or a group of people say something about a certain creature, doesn't mean the one you have will be like that. They say king baboon turantulas are aggressive? I've had a 7" one that is even more reluctant to bite than my rose hair (Grammostola rosea). I've had emperor scorpions use their stingers much more often than their claws and other creatures that are said to be aggressive in most caresheets, seem even more tamed and easy to handle than some that are reported to be good beginner's pets for handling. I say its best to find out on your own. Just because someone say's something is stupid, impossible, possible, or whatever doesn't neccessarily mean it is, or if an animal is aggressive, etc.
> 
> Well this is my finding so far. My knowledge is still very limited so I guess I'll go back and learn some more. I know a few things though about my experiments, just because they're like that doesn't mean the experiment is a positive one, could be luck. I guess there's a lot to it...we'll see.


[/QUOTE]
im pretty sure its possible to train a pede to be less defensive. good luck with yours.
tarantulas are not aggressive, they are only defensive. and, they can not be trained, i hope youre not trying it.. if you stress a spider out enough, it will stop biting and kind of sit there. P muticus are a very defensive species, i doubt yours was tolerant.


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## sschind (Nov 1, 2016)

bryverine said:


> It's cause you have to start smaller - like having it get a beer from the fridge.


Ever since I moved my fridge next to my recliner 3 years ago I haven't needed anyone to fetch me a beer.  Occasionally when I get up to go to the bathroom I leave the remote on the coffee table which is about 6 feet away from my chair.  I suppose I could train him to fetch that.

Reactions: Like 1


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