# S. alternans clutch photojournal



## Draiman (Aug 3, 2010)

Ok so I figured I would put all the pics into one thread and date them and update the thread with new pictures as things progress. Enjoy 

*July 13, one or two days after the eggs were laid:*







*July 19:*







*August 1, turning into embryos:*







*August 3 (taken just a few minutes ago):*


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## neubii18 (Aug 3, 2010)

could you post some pics of her without the eggs?like when they hatch,or if you have some from before?


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## Draiman (Aug 3, 2010)

asn1234 said:


> could you post some pics of her without the eggs?like when they hatch,or if you have some from before?


Certainly.

This one was taken on the day she arrived:







This is something I wouldn't recommend doing:


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## neubii18 (Aug 3, 2010)

thanks!i think i've gotta get one now!how bad is their bite?a typical scolopendra bite?is it better or worse than subspinipes?
and is that called the "hatian giant"?


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## Draiman (Aug 3, 2010)

asn1234 said:


> thanks!i think i've gotta get one now!how bad is their bite?a typical scolopendra bite?is it better or worse than subspinipes?
> and is that called the "hatian giant"?


Yeah, these are commonly called the Haitian Giant, and they do get pretty large; up to 10".

According to cacoseraph, this species is no fun to get bit by:



cacoseraph said:


> my buddy went to the hospital and almost died from an alternans bite
> 
> i wish i could have been there so i could have seen it first hand :/
> 
> he's a big, tough guy, too.  ~200 lbs, hikes a lot, etc





cacoseraph said:


> his blood pressure was so low 30 minutes after the bite the medicos had a hard time finding veins to spike to administer drugs
> 
> 
> it looks like it was pretty much an anaphylactoid reaction, maybe even anaphylactic shock





cacoseraph said:


> well
> 
> the thing is this: he's not allergic to bees and has no known major allergies
> 
> and that is not the first time i have heard of someone having a major reaction to the venom... and i've never heard or read that about any other species.  in my mind it is a very real possibility that S. alternans from Haiti is the most dangerous centipede out there to get bit by


For what it's worth.


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## zonbonzovi (Aug 3, 2010)

Great shots of the post-egg, pre-pling stage...they look like those damned awful butterscotch candies.


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## Draiman (Aug 3, 2010)

zonbonzovi said:


> Great shots of the post-egg, pre-pling stage...they look like those damned awful butterscotch candies.


Lol, exactly! Thanks


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## Jackolantirn (Aug 4, 2010)

Absolutely... Beautiful!!!


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## micheldied (Aug 5, 2010)

They look like jelly beans.
Can't wait to see those eggs turn into legs!


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## cacoseraph (Aug 5, 2010)

baby Haiti alternans have GREAT legs!  some of the nicest shader legs i have seen... can't wait to see them with your very good photography


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## peterbourbon (Aug 8, 2010)

Hi,

noticed my female laid a big clutch as well (overnight).
She was wild caught and refused to mate, now I know why.

I knew she was a female cause I sexed her with the gassing method.
Maybe interesting to add that the gassing did not seem to bother her, it was only approx. 2 months ago.

She burrowed a chamber 2 weeks ago - a sign she prepared to lay eggs.
Fortunately she built her chamber at the front glass, so I can watch her cleaning the eggs. 

Cheers
Turgut


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## Draiman (Aug 11, 2010)

*August 11:*


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## micheldied (Aug 11, 2010)

Draiman said:


> *August 11:*


Oh oh!
Here come the babies!!


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## Draiman (Aug 11, 2010)

micheldied said:


> Oh oh!
> Here come the babies!!


Yep, I can't wait!


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## Crysta (Aug 11, 2010)

adorable...i only see Scolopendra subspinipes "de haani" for sale here...
alternans are so pretty..


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## peterbourbon (Aug 12, 2010)

Hey,

she ate the clutch...and to be honest: It's more than okay. 
I really feared to separate so many alternans since I keep some juveniles, raised from pedelings. That's more than enough.

Good luck, Gavin - looks like she's ready for babies. 

Cheers
Turgut


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## Galapoheros (Aug 12, 2010)

That's great, they're moving along!  I've never seen a pede eat eggs that show signs of development, but I do have a Scolopendra heros that I saw mate twice, and she has laid eggs twice since but each time she ate the eggs.  She is in a small terr right next to one that has a bunch of babies, conditions look the same.  I wonder what the difference might be, maybe something inside the pede is off, not ready to have babies, who knows.


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## Draiman (Aug 13, 2010)

peterbourbon said:


> Hey,
> 
> she ate the clutch...and to be honest: It's more than okay.
> I really feared to separate so many alternans since I keep some juveniles, raised from pedelings. That's more than enough.
> ...


Ah damn.  You could always have sold them or given them away or something, there will surely always be takers, for alternans at least. Always sucks to lose a clutch like that.

I actually saw my alternans mother eat a couple of her young yesterday, but she stopped after 2 or 3. Same thing happened with my mutilans mother. Probably just hunger after almost 2 months of fasting. The clutch is still intact today, so I suppose everything's fine. It would REALLY suck for her to eat them now!

p.s.: a little off topic, but do you keep any Floridan alternans Turgut?


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## Draiman (Aug 14, 2010)

*August 14*, nymphs!


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## Draiman (Aug 16, 2010)

*August 16:*







Looks like a relatively large clutch.


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## GPulchra (Aug 16, 2010)

Woah, amazing pictures! Are you going to be selling them?


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## Draiman (Aug 16, 2010)

BurntSnow said:


> Woah, amazing pictures! Are you going to be selling them?


Thanks, I appreciate it 

I plan on selling some of them, but I don't think I could possibly (legally ) be an option for you, since I do not live in the US.


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## Crysta (Aug 16, 2010)

oh wow look at those little cuties! I just want to hug them and pet mom for a job well done...
Not sure how that will turn out haha

Great job draiman, now all you need is a little youtube movie of the process  (pictures with fades hehe)


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## zonbonzovi (Aug 16, 2010)

That August 14th pic if very cool...reminds me of little Fibbonacci sequences.

I hope you don't mind, Gavin, but rather than start a new thread:

One of my S. alternans (Haiti) is on eggs as of yesterday.  The thing is, it is barely 5 in. long, if that.  I know it's not out of the realm of possibility for a presumed juvenile to lay eggs.  What's the chance of them being viable?

BTW, what size is your new mother, Gavin?


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## Draiman (Aug 17, 2010)

zonbonzovi said:


> I hope you don't mind, Gavin, but rather than start a new thread:
> 
> One of my S. alternans (Haiti) is on eggs as of yesterday.  The thing is, it is barely 5 in. long, if that.  I know it's not out of the realm of possibility for a presumed juvenile to lay eggs.  What's the chance of them being viable?
> 
> BTW, what size is your new mother, Gavin?


First of all, congrats 

I remember reading somewhere that alternans are sexually mature at 4-5 inches, but it was a hobbyist who said it so it could just be hearsay. But I suppose your pede now proves this correct..? I'm sure if she really is mature and is wild caught then there is every chance that she's already been mated.

Mine is about 17-18cm, just over 7 inches. A pretty big girl.


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## Greg Pelka (Aug 19, 2010)

This photos are amazing!!!
I think you should send me some


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## Draiman (Aug 19, 2010)

Greg Pelka said:


> This photos are amazing!!!
> I think you should send me some


Cheers Greg 

Will do, I promise.


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## Spidercrazy (Aug 19, 2010)

love the pics!! how many plings are there in that clutch? or did you not get an accurate count yet? do it before they run and hide in the sub


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## zonbonzovi (Aug 23, 2010)

Riding your coattails again, Gavin, sorry.  Grandma came over and wanted to see her "grandchildren" so I broke my own rule and took a pic:


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## Draiman (Aug 30, 2010)

*August 30*, I think they'll be molting into 2nd instar within the next day or two:


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## micheldied (Aug 30, 2010)

Very sweeeeeeet..... Soon they're gonna get colorful, and hopefully a few in my hands.


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## GPulchra (Sep 1, 2010)

micheldied said:


> Very sweeeeeeet..... Soon they're gonna get colorful, and hopefully a few in my hands.


Would you take the risk of letting them that close to your veins?


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## Draiman (Sep 1, 2010)

BurntSnow said:


> Would you take the risk of letting them that close to your veins?


I've done it, and this species, in my experience at least, is docile compared to other _Scolopendra_ species. I think centipedes really have a reputation they don't deserve.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huHjmKYbZ5k


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## WARPIG (Sep 2, 2010)

Simply amazing shots!!!


PIG-


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## Draiman (Sep 3, 2010)

WARPIG said:


> Simply amazing shots!!!
> 
> 
> PIG-


Thanks dude, I appreciate it


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## micheldied (Sep 4, 2010)

BurntSnow said:


> Would you take the risk of letting them that close to your veins?


Yes.;P I would love to actually hold them.


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