can Vietnamese cent. be fed live mice?

Scorp guy

Arachnoangel
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Yes. but it's not a very good idea...it could hurt or injure, or kill your pede. I wouldn't reccomend it.
 

reclusa

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I've also read that over feeding can lead to a shorter life span.
 

mindlessvw

Arachnobaron
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i would feed my big guy a pinky every now and then...that doesn't have the ability to injure the animal...anything other than that i wouldn't do it for safety reasons and its most likely too much food....
 

beetleman

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all of my pedes(giant and small ones) get crickets/roaches, on occasion the giants get 1frozen thawed fuzzie every now and then.
 

Kevin_Davies

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As others have said, yes they can eat live adult mice, ive seen video's of gigantea's eating adult mice on youtube, I would think a large subspinipes could also eat one, theres a large risk to your pede though, and its also very cruel (just my opinion) for the mouse, they may eat mice in nature, but nature isnt a 2ft glass vivarium, with no escape possible for the mouse, its actually illegal to feed any live vertebrate prey to animals in the UK, im suprised it isnt in the states as well. They eat already dead pre-frozen mice really well though, so you could always just buy frozen mice for your pede.
 

Selenops

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And it would take longer for a Scolopendra to consume a whole live mouse than say a whole live pinkie.

If it even consumes a whole mouse without leaving remains.

And remember that dead mouse is not loaded with injected digestive fluids and turned into a mushy blob like say a tarantula does.

Personally, I'd refrain from feeding such large live prey to a centipede. And in the UK it is down right illegal to do so.
 

orkimedies

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i am shocked to learn that you cannot feed live mice to animals in the U.K.
that is utterely rediculous.

lawl {D
 

Kevin_Davies

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i am shocked to learn that you cannot feed live mice to animals in the U.K.
that is utterely rediculous.

lawl {D
I dont see why its shocking? i'd be shocked if the law was changed here to allow the feeding of live vertebrates, feeding live mammals to predatory animals in a confined space is immoral in my opinion.
 

orkimedies

Arachnosquire
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denying a predator a chance to improve it's ability to kill is immoral imho
 

Kevin_Davies

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denying a predator a chance to improve it's ability to kill is immoral imho
I agree, a predator should be allowed to eat naturally, as well as pre-frozen mice, I feed my centipedes live insects, I dont want to go into why its ok to feed them, and not warm blooded mammals, but its clearly different, I see no reason not to feed centipedes crickets, large locusts, cockroaches etc...
 

Hedorah99

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denying a predator a chance to improve it's ability to kill is immoral imho
So is putting your pet in a situation where it couldbe hurt/killed and you are torturing another living animal for your own amusement. Trust me, the majority of predators on the planet don't want to have to run like maniacs after a meal that they may not catch or may hurt them in the process. If its pre-killed and handed to them, they will enjoy it just as much. They get nothing from the chase or the thrill of the kill. Thats anthropomorphosizing an invertebrate. Seriously dude, that was one of the dumbest things I have heard in a while.
 

Hedorah99

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and i am the one anthropomorphosizing?

QQ more. {D
Nope, its simple. Put a live gazelle in front of a lion and an already recently kille done, and guess which one it will eat. And yes, i put enjoy but you are also the one inferring that they feel a need to hone their bloodlust. ;) You're really digging here for something to make your statement seem more intelligent. ;)
 

Selenops

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Hedorah, I don't mean to play the devil's advocate, because your points are oh so valid.

But there are numerous instances where an animal kills for the thrills.

Chimps and Baboons hunting their own kind or other simians.

Lion pride and hyena pack rivalries that become quite anthropomorphic in intensity.

Killer whales killing smaller animals etc just to toss them around and play with them.
 

Hedorah99

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Hedorah, I don't mean to play the devil's advocate, because your points are oh so valid.

But there are numerous instances where an animal kills for the thrills.

Chimps and Baboons hunting their own kind or other simians.

Lion pride and hyena pack rivalries that become quite anthropomorphic in intensity.

Killer whales killing smaller animals etc just to toss them around and play with them.
I know this. But its more of a rareity than a norm. Most of the species that do that are in groups, so the violence seems to be more societal than individual. A solitary predator rarely does this sort of activity because it wouldn't waste the energy. Since a pede is a solitary predator and has no real higher brain power I doubt its gonna kill out of excitement. I was thinking of your points after I posted. Basically I think the OP is just looking for the thrill of feeding a mouse to something. He regarded the UK law as "utterly ridiculous", when I can imagine it was inacted to prevent people like him from needlessly and maliciously feeding out mice to every little thing that may or may not be able to kill it efficiently or need it as a dietary requirement.

BUt then again I am a grumpy SOB tonight ;P
 

Selenops

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I get all your points and they are absolutely valid.

A giant centipede doesn't need anything larger than a crickets. After all, it doesn't have a large "mouth" per se at all.

I confess I have fed live pinkies to larger inverts (for variety and heartiness). But I think differently now.

And for practical reasons I used to feed an adult T. blondi live pinkies/fuzzies well frankly look at the thing!!!

But there is no reason to feed a live mouse to a centipede because it can be fattened up on crickets quickly and get it's full nutrional requirements from these insects. I don't think a fully grown jumbo-sized S. gigantea would finish a meal like that. So, yes, I oppose it too.
 
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