# Escaped Centipede



## satchellwk (Feb 5, 2012)

The pride and joy of my modest collection, my Scolopendra subspinipes, has escaped. I don't know when he got out; the last time I know for sure I saw him was last Monday, when I fed him. I'm used to not seeing him for a few days, since he sometimes likes to remain buried for extended periods of time, but earlier when i looked for him and could not find him, I completely dismembered his terrarium and he was nowhere to be found. I've spend the last two hours taking my house apart, but to no avail. If anyone has any ideas where I could find him or any tactics you know of that could help capture him, please let me know. How long can one stay alive without access to water or high humidity? I just want to find him, alive, or dead. My elderly great-grandmother lives with us, and I don't know what I would do if it bit her. I just don't want the threat of him on the loose over my head. I'm planning on leaving wet towels in every room tonight, in hopes that he will seek refuge under them, but other than that, I have no idea what else I can do. 
Please help if you can.


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## CHLee (Feb 5, 2012)

get some towels and wet them,and place them in the corners of each room.leave overnight and check the next morning,worked for me
Ps:just saw the wet towel thing lol


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## araknid (Feb 5, 2012)

damn...i know what your going through. I had one of my big girls(vietnamese cent.)escaped from its enclosure during the night and my cat found it. What woke me up is the scream my girlfriend let out after being bit on the right thumb when she got out of bed in the dark to see what our cat was after. ironically after looking for the 9 inch beast i found it in the kitchen sink with only a damaged leg and one tergite missing. My girl's thumb swelled up a little bit but beside the searing pain she was ok.I honestly felt like a sack of s%*t for a few days even thought about selling them(i have 4). Now i keep them in taller enclosure without any corkbark just waterdish with eco-earth. hope you find yours before it finds you!! Oh by the way,it got out by using the cork bark in its enclosure to reach  the airholes in its old enclosure.


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## satchellwk (Feb 6, 2012)

Thanks for the help. 
I left out wet towels in every room, but he was nowhere to be found. I'll probably do the same tonight as well. Does anyone know how deadly a centipede bite on a dog could be? We have 4 dogs (3 adult and one puppy) that normally are outside, but come inside on occasion, except for our blind dog, who stays in all the time. I'm really worried about them if they get bit (or the centipede if they get a hold of him). I still have no idea how mine got out. He was kept in a 5 gallon aquarium with a screen top and clamps on the side. He could very easily reach the top, because of a plant I had in there. However, I never thought he would get out, since I had clamps and, for the 9 months that I had him, I only saw him crawl on the lid twice, and never seemed very inquisitive when I took the lid off. If I do find him, he's definitely going into a screw-top jar for the rest of his life.


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## J Morningstar (Feb 6, 2012)

I have found the centipedes, to be able to get out of anything short of a tank designed for Hannibal Lector. This means plexiglass lids which fit exactally with no gaps, then secured with tape or sillicone, tape on the outside that is. I make holes with sliding lids for feeding and watering like the food drawer for Lector. I hope you find it.


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## zonbonzovi (Feb 7, 2012)

satchellwk said:


> How long can one stay alive without access to water or high humidity? I just want to find him, alive, or dead. My elderly great-grandmother lives with us, and I don't know what I would do if it bit her. I just don't want the threat of him on the loose over my head. I'm planning on leaving wet towels in every room tonight, in hopes that he will seek refuge under them, but other than that, I have no idea what else I can do.
> Please help if you can.


I've had 3 escapes since I started keeping 'pedes.  All were found cruising at night near the bathroom and/or kitchen after being missing for 3-8 weeks.  I cringed when I read screen top+clamps+plant...it's amazing what they can get a "foothold" on & how they can squeeze through ridiculously small spaces.  Scour everything at ground level first.  I never had success with the wet towel thing although others have.  Not to frighten you but the biggest concern is your great-gran.  I think chances of her being bitten are low but she's going to be more susceptible to the venom's effects at her advanced age and presumably weaker immune system if she does get bit.  Is everyone in the house aware of the escape?  You're going to catch hell but not nearly as much if your family finds it before you do and you don't tell them.  Good luck, satch...


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## Ran (Feb 7, 2012)

Back in the late 90's I had a large female gigantea escape....found her in a box in another room! Thank GOD! Keep the place as quiet as you can...at night if they crawl on anything hard you can hear them.


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## satchellwk (Feb 7, 2012)

Thanks for all the advice!
Everyone in my house is aware of the  renegade pede, but I'm still really worried about someone getting bit. I've been worried that he would dessicate rather quickly upon escape, but from what you guys have said, it seems like they can survive for a pretty long time in a home. I may scour the kitchen and bathroom areas more thoroughly, but besides that I'm not sure what else I can do. I do have an ominous feeling that he might be chilling underneath the refrigerator, but I'm afraid that if I try and move it it might squash him. So I suppose I'll just keep my eyes out for him and hope he turns up sooner or later.


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## zonbonzovi (Feb 7, 2012)

Almost forgot...keep a couple of wide mouth catch cups & chopsticks/tongs available and convince your more agile family members that wrangling isn't as hard as it sounds(it isn't)...just in case you aren't available if it does show itself.  The mammoth soda cups from 7-11 or Circle K work great.  In an open area(as opposed to a tank), it's very easy to guide a centipede into the catch cup without getting it riled up.


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## Galapoheros (Feb 7, 2012)

Yeah good luck with that.  I had one pop up after 2 months!  I've lost several and found several, I've even found a few plings that got out after a few days.  Ime, the stuff that gets out pops up when you least expect it.


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## Ultum4Spiderz (Feb 7, 2012)

I personally think Pedes are tuffer then tarantulas/scorps when it comes to escapes... except an adult G rosea could probably fast for 6months..
Centepedes have the best chance of escaping from a cat though... if the Pede bites the cat R.I.P kitty:cry:


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## stingray (Feb 13, 2012)

Did you find it yet?


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## OBT1 (Feb 18, 2012)

I have had 1 escape so far.


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