# video of my S. subspinipes eating mouse



## nickbachman (Oct 5, 2006)

dont watch this if you're squeamish.  it's graphic. didnt get the attack on film, sadly.  next time......

our new pet s. subspinipes, named Father Christmas, having lunch:

[YOUTUBE]fDvosiNgc6E[/YOUTUBE]


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## Tony92 (Oct 5, 2006)

Good vid, its amazing how quick pedes can devour large items in comparison to Tarantulas, best of all is their ability to take dead prey, so locating live food isn't always a neccessity, my S gigantea eats anything, quite often when I'm out of live food it will readily take scraps of meat from fridge, it's fav being roast lamb, quite amusing watching it chew on the hard end bits.


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## CopperInMyVeins (Oct 5, 2006)

Centipedes remind me so much of mantids when they eat, they just start anywhere and chew until nothing is left, they even have the same kind of rhythmic head motion.  At least centipedes have venom to subdue the prey first though.


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## nickbachman (Oct 5, 2006)

i was totally surprised at the way the centipede ate.  i'd never seen one eat in person (havent seen my cent catch the crickets i've given him).  i didnt know they just munched on it, moving like a typewriter from side to side.  pretty cool.  i noticed the mantis eating mouse video thread links at the bottom of the page, that looks interesting.  anyone got the vid?  i also noticed that the general response in those mantis/mouse threads was negative, something i didnt expect from a carnivorous bug forum.  you have to be pretty into it to own a centipede though, so we'll see if i get scolded.


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## ranticalion (Oct 6, 2006)

Watching pedes eat mice is definately not for those with weak stomachs.  I gave mine a live pinky mouse and after the pede caught and envenomated it, it kept kicking it legs all over and squeaking for about 10 minutes while the pede slowly skinned it and munched on the squishy insides.

I was surprised that the pede even ate the bones.  I could hear them crunching as the pede chewed them up.


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## nickbachman (Oct 7, 2006)

ranticalion said:


> Watching pedes eat mice is definately not for those with weak stomachs.  I gave mine a live pinky mouse and after the pede caught and envenomated it, it kept kicking it legs all over and squeaking for about 10 minutes while the pede slowly skinned it and munched on the squishy insides.
> 
> I was surprised that the pede even ate the bones.  I could hear them crunching as the pede chewed them up.


holy heck!  sounds like you had an even more amazing experience than i did!  my pede caught it and envenomated it right in the neck, killing it right away.  sadly, i didnt get to hear any crunching bones.  what species of pede do you have and how big, out of curiosity?


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## ranticalion (Oct 7, 2006)

I have a 7-8 inch subspinipes.  I was pretty surprised that the mouse didn't die instantly because my pede also bit it right at the back of the head, one fang on each side of the neck.

I think that the mouse ended up dying from the pede eating half it's brain before the venom got it, because it stopped moving about that time it's head was half gone.


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## Gwegowee (Oct 8, 2006)

ranticalion said:


> I think that the mouse ended up dying from the pede eating half it's brain before the venom got it, because it stopped moving about that time it's head was half gone.


(almost grinding my teeth) luckily I have a stronger stomach than most... what a way to die huh? lol...

Great video. whuff.

it really is interesting to see how fast centipedes eat. mine eats a large cricket in a few minutes.... I dont have one of the Gigantic ones.  but for a tarantula with the same weight takes an hour or so. but I think crickets are probably much easier to eat that meaty Vertebrets being that they have softer insides.


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## ineedabox (Oct 8, 2006)

That's a pretty big subspinipes.

What size is he?


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## nickbachman (Oct 9, 2006)

that sounds like a helluva show, ranticalion.  

my subspinipes is probably 7-8 inches.  i dont have the yarbles to get close enough to it to measure it yet.


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## Scorp guy (Oct 9, 2006)

The video was pretty  "crappy" IMO. The quality was terrible, and i dont much care to see people killing mice for their own fun.

I have one question which i've asked many times before.

Why? 

Why not stick to crickets and roaches, and save you money, cleaning, maybe help your pede from being too fat, and pedes dont have a 100% mouse diet in the wild...? Just curious....i get the impression there is more and more "kids" going around, posting videos of their centipedes eating mice, just for kicks.


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## nickbachman (Oct 9, 2006)

i was waiting for the whiners to come out of the woodwork.  i dont care what you think at all.  and quite simply, if you object to it so much, dont watch it.  save your breath by not preaching to me.  it'll get you nowhere.


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## dehaani (Oct 9, 2006)

nickbachman said:


> i was waiting for the whiners to come out of the woodwork.


Seems you were expecting us Mr Bachman!



nickbachman said:


> i dont care what you think at all.  and quite simply, if you object to it so much, dont watch it.  save your breath by not preaching to me.  it'll get you nowhere.


In all seriousness, why not just answer his question? Scorp guy is old enough and wise enough to know that his post will not change what you do or think; I don't think preaching to you, although you seem to recieve the objectionable factors of his post as such.

I am interested in the reasons why someone would choose to feed live mice to their centipede. I think the videos can be quite impressive but I just don't like to think that it's the scene of this particular 'pede's feeding routine. Would you kindly oblige me by telling us why you choose to feed your pedes like this?

P.S. I'm not going to list the reasons for not live feeding mice because I think it might be a waste of time, given your defensive stance on the subject. Unless you do actually want to discuss it.


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## nickbachman (Oct 9, 2006)

i feed live mice because it's entertaining.  i dont feed my pede only live mice, i feed him crickets as well.  but in my opinion, that doesnt make for a good video.  go ahead, lynch me.


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## cacoseraph (Oct 9, 2006)

Scorp guy said:


> The video was pretty  "crappy" IMO. The quality was terrible, and i dont much care to see people killing mice for their own fun.
> 
> I have one question which i've asked many times before.
> 
> ...


the fact he put all kinds of verbal warnings before it indicates to me that you either a) DO enjoy watching them or b) enjoy watching them then whining to people

and stop mentioning age. it only tells ppl how old *you* are.

the fact of the matter is this: from everything i have read and seen, larger centipedes do in fact have a small portion of their diet consist of vertebrates in the wild. it is certainly not a large percentage, and in fact iirc vegetable matter might actually be larger percentage... but it does happen in the wild and there are some good arguments for supplementing large inverts with an occasionaly vert treat

what i think happens is that in EVERY SINGLE HOBBY i have ever been in, there are people who like to look down on other people, cuz it makes them feel better about themselves. they find a relatively safe position that they can harp the other side on, and they feel better about themselves for it. to wiser heads they just look the fool... but to each their own, i suppose


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## dehaani (Oct 9, 2006)

Scorp guy said:


> i get the impression there is more and more "kids" going around, posting videos of their centipedes eating mice, just for kicks.


This part is true, for sure.



cacoseraph said:


> larger centipedes do in fact have a small portion of their diet consist of vertebrates in the wild. it is certainly not a large percentage, and in fact iirc vegetable matter might actually be larger percentage...


That is why some of my pedes have enjoyed a couple of prekilled mice. Nice, fatty treats for them; not degenerate, immature entertainment for me.

I'll make it absolutely clear, I have no problem with live feeding vertebrates. What I do not like to see is irresponsible pet keeping, i.e. where the live feeding is unnecessary or potentially harmful. Live feeding has only ever been necessary for me with certain snakes, even then, I have gradually progressed them to prekilled and then thawed meals because seeing any animal suffer is not entertainment. Putting your pet at risk of injury is irresponsible.

What I do find interesting is a good quality video (which that wasn't), showing how the centipede handles such a large prey item (which this didn't). Even though videos of that sort are interesting, they also seem to encourage the "kids" that Scorp guy mentioned.

That's all I really want to say on the matter because I hate a preacher and I'm not out to hark on about this, just want to clarify my stance on the subject in the name of balanced discussion.


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## nickbachman (Oct 9, 2006)

i dont like mice.  the mouse in my video didnt suffer at all.  it died really quickly.  also, i vehemently disagree with you on the subject of me putting my centipede in danger.  i am 100% positive that a pinkie mouse whose eyes havent even opened yet and can barely move is going to be able to hurt my pet 8-inch perfectly evolved, steamlined killing machine.  

i _did_ give a fair number of warnings before the video.  you should've known what you were getting yourself into.  the video wasnt entitled "my centipede catches a mouse: check out how an invertabrate gets ahold of a large vertabrate."  it was called "giant centipede EATS mouse."  what's so missleading about the title and all the warnings that made you think that this might be your kind of video?  

and i like that you try to mask your preachings by saying "i hate a preacher, yadda yadda."  i think it's pretty clear what you're doing.  obviously you DO have a problem with feeding live vertabrates.  

also, i'd like to slightly defend the *quality* of my video.  note that it wasnt the generic "single shaky view from above for 8 minutes" type of thing.  i know the picture was sort of hazy at times, but YOU take the thing out of it's enclosure and film it!

and cacoseraph:  :worship: your videos and pede knowledge are astounding.


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## dehaani (Oct 9, 2006)

nickbachman said:


> and i like that you try to mask your preachings by saying "i hate a preacher, yadda yadda."  i think it's pretty clear what you're doing.  obviously you DO have a problem with feeding live vertabrates.


I don't dispute any of what you're saying, except that. I am not preaching, I am offering a viewpoint. Plenty of people's contributions are unwanted, seems mine is unwanted by you; I couldn't care less.

The only problem I have with live feeding is when it is not neccessary. It's obvious that particular mouse wasn't a threat to your pede but just seeing the pede eating doesn't interest me much. The irresponsible stuff I was referring to is discussed by others and in other threads/sites. I feel that you are being very defensive.


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## nickbachman (Oct 9, 2006)

i'm being defensive because you came into my thread, insulted my video, and had the nerve to insinuate that i put my pede in danger.  go figure.


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## dehaani (Oct 9, 2006)

nickbachman said:


> you came into my thread


Stepping out now


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## nickbachman (Oct 9, 2006)

a comedian AND a preacher? jack of all trades.


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## Scorp guy (Oct 9, 2006)

nickbachman said:


> i was waiting for the whiners to come out of the woodwork.  i dont care what you think at all.  and quite simply, if you object to it so much, dont watch it.  save your breath by not preaching to me.  it'll get you nowhere.





wbs said:


> Seems you were expecting us Mr Bachman!
> 
> 
> In all seriousness, why not just answer his question? Scorp guy is old enough and wise enough to know that his post will not change what you do or think; I don't think preaching to you, although you seem to recieve the objectionable factors of his post as such.
> ...





cacoseraph said:


> the fact he put all kinds of verbal warnings before it indicates to me that you either a) DO enjoy watching them or b) enjoy watching them then whining to people
> 
> and stop mentioning age. it only tells ppl how old *you* are.
> 
> ...





wbs said:


> This part is true, for sure.
> 
> 
> That is why some of my pedes have enjoyed a couple of prekilled mice. Nice, fatty treats for them; not degenerate, immature entertainment for me.
> ...





wbs said:


> I don't dispute any of what you're saying, except that. I am not preaching, I am offering a viewpoint. Plenty of people's contributions are unwanted, seems mine is unwanted by you; I couldn't care less.
> 
> The only problem I have with live feeding is when it is not neccessary. It's obvious that particular mouse wasn't a threat to your pede but just seeing the pede eating doesn't interest me much. The irresponsible stuff I was referring to is discussed by others and in other threads/sites. I feel that you are being very defensive.



Oh wow, this should prove entertaining.

WBS makes some very good points here...so does andrew.

Cacoseraph, whilst your right about the fact that they eat many large verts in the wild, they ARE NOT trapped in a 10 gallon tank, they ARENT KEPT with the mouse, even if the friggin centipede DOESNT want the food, in the wild, they could run...here, theya re kept in a small aquarium with a vert large enough to KILL it. It's ridicolous, and theirs no point in it.

I'll also say what i've said many times before Mr. Bachman, i fear for YOU, not the centipede. I fear that someone who tapes a video of a centipede eating a mouse, then posting it for 100's to see....not because it's beneficial or educational (we have hordes of those dumb videos already) but because it's "fun" and this *child* gets a kick out of it.... Then....When this child posts a video in a PUBLIC FORUM, and he doesnt get the "oh wow kid, nice pede-killing-mouse video" he cries, and wines, and says "go away" because he doesnt get what HE wants. 

Listen dude...if you dont want people to post bad things about your video, then dont post in a website with (how many thousand?) members...because i GURANTEE you, out of those (how many thousand?) people who view it, you'll get a bad post or two. if you dont like mine or others posts, dont post it.


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## Twilight (Oct 10, 2006)

Man you guys are as brutal as ever....its almost too scary to watch. I haven't been on for a bit, at first this thread looked decent, then I came back and now its hell...lol


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## nickbachman (Oct 10, 2006)

Scorp guy said:


> Oh wow, this should prove entertaining.
> 
> WBS makes some very good points here...so does andrew.
> 
> ...


ya'll seem confused.  i didnt keep a full grown rat in with my centipede for a month, starving them both until one finally cracked and ate the other.  i dropped a pinkie mouse in with my pede, and he hastily gobbled it up.  no danger.  call me a child if it makes you feel better about yourself, i dont care.  i dont pretend to want to be "mature" any time soon, because then i'd have to go around scolding people like you guys do.  and, i got plenty of what i wanted for reaction from this video, couldnt be happier.  could've done without the funhaters trying to sway my opinions, but it certainly comes with the territory.  i guess i just assumed that anyone willing to keep something as vile as a giant centipede would be familiar with things like death, and not whine about it like middle school girls.  you guys proved me wrong, congrats. 

i would've welcomed with constructive criticism about the video with open arms, but as educated and well spoken as you guys try to make yourselves sound, you couldnt offer any.  you could just offer generic internet mudslinging and namecalling.  who's really the *child*?


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## cacoseraph (Oct 10, 2006)

i'll offer some constructive, like, help for videoing.

i have found i can get much clearer and closer vids if i shoot through a magnifying glass, or better a double lens magnifier. i have a vid where you can actually see the gears and stuff *inside* a centipedes head moving around as it eats a roach.

it is surprising what a 99c magnifying glass can do for you!


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## Twilight (Oct 10, 2006)

You can even see its exoskeleton moving after a molt.


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## nickbachman (Oct 10, 2006)

cacoseraph said:


> i'll offer some constructive, like, help for videoing.
> 
> i have found i can get much clearer and closer vids if i shoot through a magnifying glass, or better a double lens magnifier. i have a vid where you can actually see the gears and stuff *inside* a centipedes head moving around as it eats a roach.
> 
> it is surprising what a 99c magnifying glass can do for you!


bingo!  that's a great idea.  i think some non-flourescent lighting would've also helped with the picture.  i'm not a big fan of the blue tone of the entire thing.  i think i've seen that video of yours that you're referring to, it's really amazing!  how close did you get when you filmed that?  thanks for the help!


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## cacoseraph (Oct 10, 2006)

nickbachman said:


> bingo!  that's a great idea.  i think some non-flourescent lighting would've also helped with the picture.  i'm not a big fan of the blue tone of the entire thing.  i think i've seen that video of yours that you're referring to, it's really amazing!  how close did you get when you filmed that?  thanks for the help!


with no lens in macro mode i need to be 10-20" away.
if i use a single lens then i get about 5-10" away.
if i use a double lens the lens closest to the subject is about 3-4" away. 
if i use a triple lens the er, focal length (i'm not sure that's the right term) is 1-2" away. 

the triple lens kind of sucks to use... i only get ~5% usable pics. i am using cheap plastic lenses, so i might get some kind of improvement with higher grade glass ones... but i like the fact my most expensive "camera lens" cost me $1.25


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## jimmysp4des (Oct 15, 2006)

great vid man, the only problem I had is that the small soft bodied pinkie mouse your pede was eating can suddenly turn mean and grow teeth in the blink of an eye and kill (note sarcasm).  Why do people take time out of their lives to be critical of others, if you dont like vids like this then dont watch,  take <edit>.  Now watch, more responses, they will be negative and no one will give a damn.  Ill be the bigger man now and walk away.


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## 236260 (Oct 16, 2006)

wbs said:


> The only problem I have with live feeding is when it is not neccessary.


This concern is expressed in regard to a number of hobbies. The fact is, keeping centipedes isn't _necessary_. Hobbies are a way to stimulate the mind and spark the imagination. If you had an animal that could eat bits of carrot and survive, but ate crickets in the wild (just a hypothetical creature), would you stick to carrots? Or would your interest in the creature extend to wanting to observe the full range of its behaviors and adaptabilities? Many of us have an appreciation for superlatives. The extremes of what the world has to offer us are what appeal to our senses of fascination. I submit that this is natural.

When I hop freight trains, it is not necessary to stand on top of a boxcar. It is something against which people advise, but I am compelled to, in certain circumstances, do exactly that. I am sure a parallel can be drawn from almost any hobby.


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## jayer10 (Oct 23, 2006)

that was an awesome video. i fed my scolopendra subspinipes a pinky yesterday and sadly... didn't get to see it. He dragged it off into his little house he has. I would love to see more up close eating shots like that again. thank for the cool vid.


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## Loaf (Oct 23, 2006)

Ive never seen anything like that before, I am pretty squeemish, but very curious. I don't even like watching my bearded dragon eat pinkies, it makes me sad, and he swallows them in 2 bites. Cool video though!!!!! I didnt realize scorps could eat that fast!


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## scolomonster (Oct 24, 2006)

i don't believe it's a scorp. It's a centipede


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## nickbachman (Oct 24, 2006)

i assume he misspoke.  glad you guys like my video!


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## Loaf (Oct 25, 2006)

scolomonster said:


> i don't believe it's a scorp. It's a centipede


Haha, oops, my bad. I swear I really do know the difference :wall: :8o :wall: :8o


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## CopperInMyVeins (Oct 25, 2006)

Hmm, this really went downhill since I last looked at it.  All I'll say is that we're all choosing to keep predators, right?  I'd rather feed my centipede as the predator it is than as a scavenger only, besides, subduing prey is some of the only exercise a captive centipede in a small enclosure will get.


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## scolomonster (Oct 25, 2006)

Maybe that's how scolopendra get really big. By catching these big creatures and other bigget species. Who know, maybe they like the hunt more than just eating criks and roaches. It's probably just a snack for them


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## CopperInMyVeins (Oct 25, 2006)

My S. alternans is getting pretty big on just crickets and roaches, they're opportunistic predators, so they'll take just about anything they can make a meal of.


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