# Scolopendra hardwickei Escaped...!



## Najakeeper (Jan 4, 2015)

This little [_insert favorite curse here_] escaped on me today right after these photos!













Looked at the cricket box to catch one for a second and he was gone! In a room filled with venomous snake cages and related items. So many hideyholes, your mind would explode. 5 hrs later in the dark, I saw him coming under a huge cobra enclosure and snatched him. As punishment, he is sucking on a large cricket . He is one of the 4 I bought as tiny clings. Lost one to a cricket and this is the best eater of the three so I am happy.

The days excitement I guess!

Reactions: Like 4


----------



## Camden (Jan 4, 2015)

Glad you got er back. it's a pretty little thing.


----------



## Elytra and Antenna (Jan 5, 2015)

Did you get him that size or has he grown? How many molts and how long if he was a hatchling? 
Good catch.


----------



## Najakeeper (Jan 5, 2015)

Elytra and Antenna said:


> Did you get him that size or has he grown? How many molts and how long if he was a hatchling?
> Good catch.


He was about half that size on 10/17/14 when I purchased him. Never seen a molt as he molts and eats burrowed. He is growing rapidly. His siblings are a bit slower than him as they eat half as much.


----------



## Galapoheros (Jan 5, 2015)

I was able to get few babies as people lost interest and dropped out of the hobby.  One was having a hard time molting so I tried to knock it out to remove some exo, but I was bitten!  Weeeeeedoggy!, that hurt.  My finger was swollen for day but it was back to normal in a couple of days.  I had one get out too, unfortunately I finally found it dead in my bed after about 2 weeks.

Reactions: Like 1 | Funny 1


----------



## problemchildx (Jan 5, 2015)

What's the max size on this species? I love the halloween look.


----------



## Najakeeper (Jan 31, 2015)

problemchildx said:


> What's the max size on this species? I love the halloween look.


25cm max I would say.

Here is a very cool feeding video of my trio:

Reactions: Like 4


----------



## dactylus (Feb 1, 2015)

I'm glad that you were able to snag the escapee!  It would be nice to see these available in the USA market for a reasonable price...


----------



## sercan (Feb 6, 2015)

Maşallah  tesbih  gibi  canlı


----------



## Gail (Feb 6, 2015)

Forgive my ignorance as centipedes have never been something I studied much - but is there something significant in that each segment is a different color except in that one spot - the third orange band from the head - it is two segments worth of orange.  Just a fluke or does it signify something which an uninitiated like myself wouldn't know? ::


----------



## zonbonzovi (Feb 7, 2015)

Gail, although hardwickei can be slightly variable in where the orange and black occur this seems to be common.  I'm not sure what the evolutionary signifigance is but I suspect this is just a dominant characteristic "chosen" by Ma Nature.

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## Najakeeper (Feb 7, 2015)

I was super psyched when I noticed one of mine with back to back orange bands, then I checked the other two and saw that they also had it, then googled the species name and all photos had it... I also don't know the reason but it may just be a freak mutation that resulted in a highly dominant trait.


----------



## Gail (Feb 8, 2015)

Najakeeper said:


> ...then googled the species name and all photos had it... I also don't know the reason but it may just be a freak mutation that resulted in a highly dominant trait.


Exactly what I found - every photo I saw had it in the same place - glad it wasn't just me not knowing about some super secret 'pede  code or something...


----------



## Najakeeper (Dec 17, 2015)

So I am thinking maybe I am not the best person for centipedes .

About 11 months after the 1st incident, I opened his cage to take this photo:







In my rush to get back to work, I left a small crack on the cage door and he was gone when I came back home.

My snake room has hundreds of hiding places like under the cages, books, supplies, boxes etc. etc. so I thought this was gonna suck! I also have a pregnant wife at 7.5 months and I was terrified of a bite. Tore down the room for two days but couldn't find him. So I walk in the room this morning to feed the caiman lizard and this guy was right next to the cage, trying to find a way to get in! Maybe he noticed the high humidity inside the cage... Anyway, escape number two and he is still with me. I need to treat this guy as I treat my venomous snakes and be more careful.

PS: White bugs on and around him are harmless springtails to clean the leftovers.
PS2: I think he is around 12 cm now and getting thicker as well. But he is not the best eater, refuses food quite often. Funny thing is, it has been over a year and I have never seen a piece of shed exoskeleton with this guy.


----------



## just1moreT (Dec 17, 2015)

Hope you find him like last time.at least it was not a cobra be hard sleep knowing one is loose in the house lol.


----------



## Najakeeper (Dec 24, 2015)

*



			So I walk in the room this morning to feed the caiman lizard and this guy was right next to the cage, trying to find a way to get in! Maybe he noticed the high humidity inside the cage... Anyway, escape number two and he is still with me. I need to treat this guy as I treat my venomous snakes and be more careful.
		
Click to expand...

*


just1moreT said:


> Hope you find him like last time.at least it was not a cobra be hard sleep knowing one is loose in the house lol.


As I said, I have found him a couple days later .

If I had an escape venomous snake, it is full emergency. I would send my wife and dog away at that moment, wear shoes and tear the house down until I find it. If not, I would alert the authorities asap and get an extermination crew in right away. This has never happened to me in over 10 years but it is nothing to be taken lightly for sure.


----------



## Biollantefan54 (Dec 24, 2015)

Wow, glad you found it! It's beautiful


----------



## AndreDecasa (Jan 1, 2016)

Their color is so beautiful you'll mistake one for a child toy.


----------



## Najakeeper (Jan 3, 2016)

I made a new cool terrarium for him with many hide places. He used to roam the other one but seems quite content in this one:

https://www.instagram.com/p/_rb6THJ149/

Also, he started eating as soon as he was captured. Running around the house makes you hungry I guess.

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## sr20det510 (Jan 3, 2016)

Beautiful centipede!
Do you still have the other two mentioned earlier in the thread?
Are they similar in size now?


----------



## Najakeeper (Jan 3, 2016)

sr20det510 said:


> Beautiful centipede!
> Do you still have the other two mentioned earlier in the thread?
> Are they similar in size now?


Nope, sold both to a friend.


----------



## Ratmosphere (Jan 3, 2016)

I don't care for centipedes but I have to admit, that thing is beautiful!


----------



## Staehilomyces (Mar 4, 2016)

Najakeeper said:


> PS2: I think he is around 12 cm now and getting thicker as well. But he is not the best eater, refuses food quite often. Funny thing is, it has been over a year and I have never seen a piece of shed exoskeleton with this guy.


Your centipede may have molted without you noticing, as they may eat their shed exoskeletons. My S. morsitans molted just 2 days ago, and this was the first time I saw a molt in the 4 years I have kept it.
It is undeniable that that is a truly awesome centipede - hope you can manage that somewhat mischievous trio!

Reactions: Agree 1


----------



## Najakeeper (Jun 5, 2016)

Staehilomyces said:


> Your centipede may have molted without you noticing, as they may eat their shed exoskeletons. My S. morsitans molted just 2 days ago, and this was the first time I saw a molt in the 4 years I have kept it.
> It is undeniable that that is a truly awesome centipede - hope you can manage that somewhat mischievous trio!


Oh I am sure it has molter several times as I got it as a tiny cling and is quite large now but yeah, he eats the molts with the isopods.

Here is how he looks now:







You can estimate the size from the large adult female S.lateralis it is munching on... Over 15cm for sure.

Reactions: Like 5


----------



## Najakeeper (Sep 18, 2016)

This one is doing well, munching on a large female _Dubia_.

Reactions: Like 2 | Award 1


----------



## basin79 (Sep 18, 2016)

Absolutely stunning. I've got a little pling. Caught it molting twice now under the cork bark.


----------



## Staehilomyces (Sep 18, 2016)

The more I look at these things, the more I wish I had one. They are truly stunning.


----------



## basin79 (Sep 18, 2016)

Staehilomyces said:


> The more I look at these things, the more I wish I had one. They are truly stunning.


They look even better in the flesh.


----------



## Najakeeper (Nov 27, 2016)

There is always a battle for life...

Reactions: Like 3


----------



## Chris WT (Nov 28, 2016)

AndreDecasa said:


> Their color is so beautiful you'll mistake one for a child toy.


Amazon has special Hardwickei for sale, safe for children too. Their pedes only feed on batteries depending on how much exercise it gets.

Reactions: Like 1 | Funny 1


----------



## Chris LXXIX (Nov 28, 2016)

Still a Chinese 'mint legs' IMO is by far better than _S.hardwickei _even if they are lovely with their '50 Sci-Fi U.S B-Movies look :-s

Reactions: Agree 1


----------



## Staehilomyces (Nov 30, 2016)

I really can't decide which pede I think is the most attractive. Hardwickei is certainly up there, as is the mint leg Subspinipes. Then there's the cherry red Dehaani and the Malaysian Jewel, not to mention the myriad of attractive Morsitans morphs here in Australia. They're all beautiful in their own ways, and I just can't decide on a favourite.


----------



## Venom1080 (Nov 30, 2016)

Staehilomyces said:


> The more I look at these things, the more I wish I had one. They are truly stunning.


and that is why i would never move to Australia. not willing to give up my collection.


----------



## Chris LXXIX (Nov 30, 2016)

Staehilomyces said:


> I really can't decide which pede I think is the most attractive. Hardwickei is certainly up there, as is the mint leg Subspinipes. Then there's the cherry red Dehaani and the Malaysian Jewel, not to mention the myriad of attractive Morsitans morphs here in Australia. They're all beautiful in their own ways, and I just can't decide on a favourite.


_S.hardwickei _are great, but they are overpriced, just like the 'mint legs' _S.subspinipes_. We are talking about WC specimens, at the end. 99% of those are.

Saw certain crazy prices that cost less, one moment, to buy a ticket airplane and WC those directly by yourself :-s


----------



## Najakeeper (Dec 1, 2016)

The high reds from Taiwan are also very nice.

I have just bought a young female cherry red as well, she burrowed right away though and I don't know when I can take some photos.

The mint legs are cool but I won't pay €250 for a pede.


----------



## basin79 (Dec 1, 2016)

Chris LXXIX said:


> _S.hardwickei _are great, but they are overpriced, just like the 'mint legs' _S.subspinipes_. We are talking about WC specimens, at the end. 99% of those are.
> 
> Saw certain crazy prices that cost less, one moment, to buy a ticket airplane and WC those directly by yourself :-s


I paid £35 for my pling. I'm extremely happy with that price. Yes it's not cheap but it's not bank breakingly expensive either.


----------



## Najakeeper (Dec 1, 2016)

basin79 said:


> I paid £35 for my pling. I'm extremely happy with that price. Yes it's not cheap but it's not bank breakingly expensive either.


Yeah, captive bred plings are cool. I paid £100 for 4 of these and sold 2 to get my money back completely. 1 died, 1 I raised.

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## Chris LXXIX (Dec 1, 2016)

basin79 said:


> I paid £35 for my pling. I'm extremely happy with that price. Yes it's not cheap but it's not bank breakingly expensive either.


Yes, for us pedelings aren't so priced. Here in Italy we have the same prices more or less for _S.hardwickei_, but still the American continent centipedes are quite priced, and here in Europe, a 'mint legs' price is however IMO obscene (even if not even near the U.S average prices) especially when I consider that they WC those with shoeless brats payed with rice or some sort of "Sheik Salad" :-s

A Pro that can happen is: you buy an adult one, hope for a gravid female (there's always some nice % chances, happened to me with my _S.subspinipes_) and then you can sold the pedelings, because I have noticed that, unlike for T's where there's pundits, when it comes to centipedes a lot of sellers aren't even aware of the sex, go figure if they know that the pede they are shipping to you is gravid or not 

With centipedes is always "sailing on pure sight" ah ah. Not always bad :-s


----------



## Najakeeper (Dec 4, 2016)

Measured my big one and it is about 20cm. Cool...

I gotta sex it someday but this drowning thing really scares me.


----------



## basin79 (Dec 4, 2016)

Najakeeper said:


> Measured my big one and it is about 20cm. Cool...
> 
> I gotta sex it someday but this drowning thing really scares me.


I think the practice is horrendous. I could NEVER do it.

Reactions: Agree 1


----------



## Chris LXXIX (Dec 4, 2016)

basin79 said:


> I think the practice is horrendous. I could NEVER do it.


You're right.


----------



## patrick nimbs (Dec 5, 2019)

Staehilomyces said:


> The more I look at these things, the more I wish I had one. They are truly stunning.


Same here!


----------

