Centipede Scolopendra galapagoensis

Was a very painful experience would not recommend.

Got bit during average maintenance where I was trying to remove a water bowl. I was tired and decided to use my hand and the pede latched onto my ring finger. He definitely got some good bites in and I managed to remove him by spraying him with water. Afterwards, I felt the pain immediately. It slowly spread up to my elbow area and was intense. It felt like my hand was filled with red hot nails and everytime I moved, I felt it. It was a throbbing, almost ridiculous pain that I hope I never experience again. I could not sleep the first night because of how bad it hurt, and the swelling began on the second day. It got to the point where i could not properly make a fist(see picture) and it stayed like that for 2 weeks. The pain at no point ever really subsided, but peaked at evening-nighttime. Took benadryl and tylenol multiple times but all it did was reduce the itching and somewhat reduce the swelling. After the first week, I had an allergic reaction and I would argue was just as bad. The pain was good but instead I had insane swelling and itching. I was losing sleep not to pain but to how much it itched. Took benadryl, did absolutely nothing. Tried some topical anti-itching ointments, nothing. After about another week it finally began to decrease in swelling. I used to regularly handle pedes before this but have stopped after this event. I got rid of my galapagoensis orange male and do not handle my pedes. I think that people severely underestimate the pain of the venom. I talked with some other advanced pede keepers and breeders(Nyan and Morbidslayer) and they shared similar stories of bites by SA giants being comparable to those of larger Asian species. Regardless, I learned my lesson and no longer work with these animals, and I strongly urge anyone else to do the same. Handling something that does regularly bite and is venomous is stupid, and i unfortunately learned the hard way.