# Most docile, least poisonous centipede?



## Splashstorm (Jul 8, 2012)

I am aware that generally centipedes cannot be handle, but I've seen people do it (and I know it's not the norm), but I would like to take my own risks, and I hope the majority of you will accept that. So, I want to know, which centipede is the most docile and least poisonous (or at least with very mild sting and bite)? Also, are there any centipede that actually enjoys being handled, or at least will tolerate it? How aggressive is a docile centipede compared to a docile tarantula?


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## le-thomas (Jul 8, 2012)

They don't "enjoy" handling. Ever. From what I know a bite from any Scolopendra is pretty serious, but don't have enough experience to recommend a species. I do know of a member here who handles centipedes fairly successfully, but can't remember his username. That said, I believe handling centipedes takes a lot of knowledge and ten times more luck.


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## Ivymike1973 (Jul 9, 2012)

Talk to cacoseraph. He has a rather detailed thread about handling large pedes.

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## Splashstorm (Jul 9, 2012)

I don't want a large centipede. But I'll pm him and see what he says. Thanks guys.


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## cacoseraph (Jul 9, 2012)

so

definitely, no centipedes (or bug in general, for that matter) *can* enjoy being held... that is an emotion and they don't have the hardware or software to run such a program.  but, practically, is there a centipede that can get used to being handled like tarantulas and maybe scorpions can?  not as far as i can tell. with centipedes, bites are essentially random... tarantulas basically need you to give them a reason to bite... centipedes bite randomly.  so, practically, what does this mean for the burgeoning centipede handling enthusiast?  well, this means you must find a centipede with a low venom reactivity with respect to humans.... and there is no guarantee that i can point you in the right direction, there.  but, there are a few species that have apparently never logged grotesque bites... and that is what we have in centipede world.

species that have not terrible bites (probably):
Scolopendra polymorpha
Scolopocryptops spp.
Ethmostigmus trigonopodus (BLUE LEG ONLY... yellow leg might be a hellbiter)
Alipes sp. (commonly available species seem to be fairly inoffensive)


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## Splashstorm (Jul 9, 2012)

Well.. doesn't that suck xD I didn't know they bit randomly. 

And thank you so much for the species list! I was looking everywhere on google, and found really nothing. 

So these guys are also less aggressive as well as having a softer bite? And I heard that the H.marginata's bite wasn't very painful either. Is this true?

And what is the common name for Scolopocryptops spp.?


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## Splashstorm (Jul 9, 2012)

I did a little more researching and a blog I found said that stone centipedes don't bite. Another source said they do bite but only in the soft tissue areas. Someone else said they are extremely docile and their bites are only like bee stings and that the symptoms weren't bad.that person went on to say that stone centipedes made the best beginner pede. What say y'all on this info?


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## Camden (Jul 9, 2012)

Splashstorm said:


> I did a little more researching and a blog I found said that stone centipedes don't bite. Another source said they do bite but only in the soft tissue areas. Someone else said they are extremely docile and their bites are only like bee stings and that the symptoms weren't bad.that person went on to say that stone centipedes made the best beginner pede. What say y'all on this info?


Stone centipedes definitely bite. How would they eat?


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## Greenjewls (Jul 9, 2012)

I don't know anything about stone centipedes...  I do know that bee stings hurt.  People use "feels like a bee sting" much as people use "tastes like chicken".  And when people tell me something tastes like chicken, it usually does not taste like chicken. Furthermore, bees are responsible for more human deaths than any other animal.  And any venom can kill if you have an allergic reaction. 
From my experience handling Scolopendra, the "NA tiger" or polymorpha species seems mild-mannered to me. I have handled these many times without getting "bitten".  People tell me that the effects of the bite are much less than a bee sting.  One person reported that his finger turned blue/black, but he also claims to be "allergic to all venom". Be aware of verbiage that people use... I could say that S. subspinipes does not bite, because they do not; they inject venom with modified front legs.  And don't trust random people's identification capabilities either.  Definitely take the time to read the handling thread, let me see if i can link it here:
Giant Centipede Handling Thread 
 Be careful out there!

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## zonbonzovi (Jul 10, 2012)

Scolopocryptops has no common name(that I'm aware of).  I've never been bitten by the three that Caco listed, although I'm sure they are capable in the right(or wrong) situation.  Never met a polymorpha that wasn't quick to nail you, though obviously everyone has different experiences.


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## Splashstorm (Jul 11, 2012)

I've noticed a lot of you are focusing on bites. As this is important in determining my centipede, so is temperament for me. Is there any species that really stands out as being calmer than others?


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## le-thomas (Jul 11, 2012)

Pretty much all of them are unpredictable. There may be some that may appear calm and docile for some time, but most will bite without any obvious (to you) provocation. Only way to prevent a bite is to not touch one, really.


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## zonbonzovi (Jul 11, 2012)

^what le-thomas said.

To me, the "willingness" to bite = temperament.  These aren't complex animals except in terms of their well developed physiology and predatory/reproductive instinct.  Some of the smaller & more available centipedes have "little guy syndrome", e.g., Scolopendra viridis is hell bent on biting/repelling you at any cost.  Those already listed are your best bet, but in the end they are twitchy killers and it's only a matter of time before you get bit, if indeed you decide to handle often.


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## cjm1991 (Jul 16, 2012)

Well since your set on doing this, I'd recommend an S. Polymorpha. They are cheap and easy to find, also pretty hearty and don't require a lot of care to survive. If you want to hold one, get a cup or stick to let it go into/onto first then let it find it's way to your hand. DO NOT force it, you will most likely get bitten. I've held tons of pedes, been bite plenty of times. Only one I could even tell right away was gunna hurt was a phillipine subspinipes, any of the subspinipes are going to be excruciating.


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## Elytra and Antenna (Jul 17, 2012)

I'd say start with marginata or a large stone centipede, these normally can't hurt you at all unless you stick them in your armpit (there is a venom reaction study where the 'scientist' had to stick large stone centipede in his armpit since he couldn't get a reaction anywhere else as the skin was too thick).


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## Splashstorm (Jul 17, 2012)

Really?! That's great to hear!

---------- Post added 07-17-2012 at 04:32 PM ----------

Are all stone centipedes considered large, or is it a different kind? And where can i get one?


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## catfishrod69 (Jul 17, 2012)

If you happen to go with S. polymorpha, pm me.


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## The Snark (Jul 17, 2012)

An extremely centipede clueless observation. From what I have seen of their bites, it appears to be autonomic to some degree. By simply traveling over a body part that accidentally was in their way, people around here have got tagged. One kid had one run over his foot and got three hits. 
I noted the centipede seemed to act exactly like the average wild mongoose; it bites as a matter of course as it tests it's environment. I'd appreciate some more experienced persons commenting on this. 
I have noted that all hilltribe people without exception shy from or kill the pedes around here whenever encountered. People who casually handle our hefty spiders and don't hesitate to grab a kaouthai cobra by it's tail want nothing to do with pedes or caterpillars. A 'zaps are inevitable' thing.

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## Splashstorm (Jul 17, 2012)

@catfish, okay, i will if i decide on them. 

@the snark, what do u mean by your message? Are u saying that centipedes will bite no matter what, and that is  why people who aren't afraid of snakes and spiders are afraid of them?


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## The Snark (Jul 18, 2012)

Splashstorm said:


> @catfish, okay, i will if i decide on them.
> 
> @the snark, what do u mean by your message? Are u saying that centipedes will bite no matter what, and that is  why people who aren't afraid of snakes and spiders are afraid of them?


(I'm not above feigning absolute ignorance here.) Disturbed, which seems to be the case most of the time when pedes are out and about zooming around above ground, are they doing the bite thing as they move along? Like with the kid where it ran over his foot it was going from point A to point B unimpeded but still took three shots at him. This reminded me of a film I saw of a mongoose in slow motion and my observations of one where they are almost constantly snapping/chewing/champing their jaws as they move, apparently autonomically. 
(Mongoose=A cross between an espresso powered weasel, a giant sewer rat and a chain saw)

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## KyuZo (Jul 18, 2012)

I don't really know what people are saying, but i'm gonna say that you would be better off with the heros subspecies.  I've been bitten before and the pain is really mild and disappear in about 30 minutes.  the swelling will stick around for about 2 days and then disappear.  

I don't handle my pedes, but there were times when i had to and they didn't bite me.  with most of them, they are very skittish when they're small, but become more docile when they're bigger.  also i find captive bred to be more docile than the wild caught.


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## Splashstorm (Jul 18, 2012)

@the Snark, so you're saying that a centipede will bite even if its just walking on dirt?

@KyuZo, what's the hero subspecies?


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## KyuZo (Jul 18, 2012)

Scolopendra heros castaneiceps, S. heros heros, S. heros arizonensis... they're all S. heros subspecies.


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## cacoseraph (Jul 19, 2012)

heros are hellbiters, sometimes.  you can't prove a negative with a lack of evidence... you just got lucky and had no venom injected or maybe are abnormally resistant is all.  my buddy whom i trust quite a bit in all things bug definitely got lit up by a heros


pretty much the only things i have seen really influence centipede biting is how well fed and watered they are and what the temps are.  well fed and watered = less likely to bite.  cooler temps = less likely to bite.  converse is... basically true


i have definitely seem some of my centipedes attack dirt.  i reckon they are just about the dumbest bugs out there that are commonly kept as pets

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## The Snark (Jul 25, 2012)

cacoseraph said:


> i have definitely seem some of my centipedes attack dirt.  i reckon they are just about the dumbest bugs out there that are commonly kept as pets


So they will, on occasion, bite at whatever they are traversing? That is what it looked like to me. As it traveled over the kids foot he got tagged 3 times. The critter didn't even slow down and there was absolutely no provocation.


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## Splashstorm (Jul 25, 2012)

I've decided on a stone centipede. Are there giant and then small sized stone centipedes?


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## Metasolpuga (Aug 4, 2012)

Where I go to get feeder rats there is a rather docile flag tailed centipede for sale, but I would not attempt to hold the centipede. However, I did find an S. polymorpha that was drowning and let it crawl onto my hand, afterwards I transferred the animal carefully to a small terrarium. Overall, centipedes are "look don't touch"   They are unpredictable!

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## ScarecrowGirl (Aug 6, 2012)

Metasolpuga said:


> Where I go to get feeder rats there is a rather docile flag tailed centipede for sale, but I would not attempt to hold the centipede. However, I did find an S. polymorpha that was drowning and let it crawl onto my hand, afterwards I transferred the animal carefully to a small terrarium. Overall, centipedes are "look don't touch"   They are unpredictable!


http://blog.bandao.cn/UserFiles/BlogPics/46129/2009-11/Alipes%20grandidieri%EF%BC%88%E7%BE%BD%E6%AF%9B%E5%B0%BE%E8%9C%88%E8%9A%A3%EF%BC%891.jpg

Does it look like that? Man I'd love to live near by where I could get one(or a few) of those!


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## Splashstorm (Aug 7, 2012)

Hey, when you handle your centipedes, why don't you wear protective gloves all the time? That way you are never prone to any bites! ^__^


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## ScarecrowGirl (Aug 7, 2012)

Splashstorm said:


> Hey, when you handle your centipedes, why don't you wear protective gloves all the time? That way you are never prone to any bites! ^__^


Then wheres the fun of feeling those pointy little legs crawling across you with those maxillipeds so close your bare skin lol? I'd try handling mine more often if I could have the time to recover from a bite with out it impacting my job. I got bit by my big Chinese tigerlegs(S. subspinipes de haani ), that was fun. 
Its all in the risk you want to take, I imagine even a large stone centipede could run pretty fast, what happens when it launches itself off you and gets under your dresser? Since its only a stone centipede I guess thats all well and good, but should you move up on the centipede scale what happens when that big one gets away? Or bolts up your shirt sleeve or into those gloves. 

They are a lot of fun either way, you should go with polymorpha imo, bigger than stones, smaller than the big guys, probably(guessing) less potent a bite, and have nice colors. Heck, next three days off in a row I get I'll go tick off my big polymorpha and see what happens lol.


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## cacoseraph (Aug 26, 2012)

polymorpha have quite inoffensive venom in the average case.  i have probably been bit by them about 200 times over the years and a very minor bit of local swelling is the most i have ever experienced.  i don't even think i have ever picked up a noticeable secondary infection

also, i never use gloves because if a centipede gets trapped in your glove it is probably going to light you up.  i don't even wear gloves when i am in the field collecting, to preserve my sensitivity and dexterity over some fairly dubious protection.


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## VictorHernandez (Sep 4, 2012)

I don't think there is


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## jdl (Sep 15, 2012)

I have been bitten by polymorpha and S. heros castaneiceps.  I find polymorpha all summer and routinely pick them up by hand as they do not often bite.  I do not recommend this.  The reason that I do this is because I typically find them when I do not have any collecting equipment around.  I am not sure why anybody would feel the need to handle centipedes as their legs end in needle like points and it feels uncomfortable on the skin when they are walking on you.  The polymorpha bite didnt feel more than a needle prick, but it did sting for an hour or two, the stinging wasn't painful, it just made you aware that you had been bit.  The  castaneiceps bites were a little worse.  I was bit by a young four incher this summer.  I was trying to stop him from running away and put my hand in front of it and it ran right over my fingers and bit while never slowing down.  The first time was because I had heard horror stories from pede bites, such as the bite necrose and people go insane from the bite kind of deal, and sad to say I didn't believe it.  I had one about eight inches and let it walk on my hand and as soon as it touched me it bit down.  The bite was very quick, I never even saw the pede bite.  Someone else was there and they let it bite him too.  I know not smart, but how are truly going to learn anything until you experience it.  The bite felt like a pinprick followed by a burning sensation that lasted two hours.  The pain was about a 2 on a scale of one (no pain) to a ten (worst pain imaginable).  There was redness in the area for a few days then it resolved.  No madness or necrosis.  I am not sure how serious the venom is, but I have heard that the ones here in NM have a worse bite than the ones in Texas.  I don't know.  I have a few that I am raising and would not take them out to play with at any time.  As other people have mentioned here they are unpredictable and fast.


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## Splashstorm (Sep 15, 2012)

Instead of saying through a scale of 1-10, how would a centipede's bite be like compared to say, a nip or snap from a cat or dog?


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## cacoseraph (Sep 15, 2012)

that's not an especially great comparison to draw. initially a cat or dog is just doing mechanical damage to you.  that kind of damage is quite negligible with a centipede strike.  for myself, polymorpha never really felt like much of a sting at all, though friends say it is around a bee sting.

heros have never bothered me, but i don't think i have gotten a full size wet bite.  my buddy did and it was seriously painful, to the point he doesn't play with them anymore.


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## Splashstorm (Sep 15, 2012)

So are you saying that the actual bite isn't very painful at all, but the venom is?


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## cacoseraph (Sep 16, 2012)

if a strike is going to be painful, it will be because of the venom, not the mechanical damage


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## donniedark0 (Sep 16, 2012)

So polymorpha is the choice for most docile / least poisonous?


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## Splashstorm (Sep 16, 2012)

Cacoseraph, do you know how painful a stone centipede's bite is? And are there "large" stone centipedes, or do they only come in small sizes?


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## cacoseraph (Sep 17, 2012)

i have never read anything that indicates they are particularly venomous.  the largest stoner i have seen was around 2.5" BL, iirc.  i found two or three under a cut, rotting palm tree in a field that were way WAY bigger than any i have ever seen before or since


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## The Snark (Sep 18, 2012)

To toss in 2 cents here. With venoms, the reaction can be entirely subjective moderated by a persons pain threshold and biochemistry. As example, I've recently become sensitized to some mosquito jabs. Hey, mosquito. No big deal right? This morning I observed a welt swell on me to 2 inches across and a half inch thick that itched much worse than a good hefty dose of poison oak.


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## Splashstorm (Sep 18, 2012)

What is 2.5" BL, iirc.??

@the snark, I'm not surprised venom can cause different reactions in different people. LOL sometimes I'll get a mosquito bite here and there, and there's always that one that is itchier than the rest  The trick is, you're supposed to let the mosquito finish drinking. That way she'll have time to suck back her venom (something like that).


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## cacoseraph (Sep 18, 2012)

sorry, when i type fast i use too many abbreviations

BL = body length = measuring the length of the centipede's body, NOT counting legs or antenna
iirc = if i recall correctly = it was 7-8 years ago and i unfortunately didn't get any pictures.  i also unfortunately killed all three because it was so early on into my bug collecting "career" i hadn't smoothed out my collection protocols and would lose most centipedes before i got home


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